Happy New Year - Yes, I Know It's September!

No, I am not late with 2017. Nor am I trying to ring in 2018 a bit earlier than the calendar calls for. For the ladies at Marvelously Well-Mannered, Labor Day weekend is our time to think of resolutions, personal improvement, and goals (both professionally and personally). We like this time of year for this type of reflective thinking. We aren't exhausted from the holidays like we are on January 1st. Quite the contrary, we are energized by the Fall's back-to-school vibe, and crisper, cooler weather. New Fall wardrobe. New attitude.

As Marvelously Well-Mannered has told you before, it takes 21 days to start a pattern and 100 days to make that new improvement automatic. We advise not overwhelming yourself with a full-on professional and personal overhaul. You don't need that stress! Instead set goals that are achievable. Can you improve on one thing, say in the personal branding, dining skills or business etiquette areas, each month and then add on accordingly?

Dining skills is a great area to focus on - it will pay such dividends. Not only will you gain a quiet confidence around any dining table, you will improve your overall brand. Most people use dining skills as a proxy of whether or not someone is well-mannered in general. You could focus each month on learning the following:

-reading the place setting road map

-properly eating Continental and American style

-napkin placement and usage

-focus on your body at the table

-wine education

-finger bowls

-sharing communal items on the table

-passing the salt and pepper as a pair

-tea etiquette

-how to give a toast

-how to be a host of a business meal

-how to be a great guest at a business meal

All these individual dining skills subjects, when taken together, help improve your personal brand and give you the professional polish to succeed at any business (or social) meal.

Happy New Year!

Have a marvelous week - Catherine