Posts that inspiring an elegant life

Elegant Revelations

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Every once in a while I find a list so inspiring that I repeat it in my mind, print it out and make notes. I recently read this list from another blogger. I thought it was so inspiring that I had to share it.

1.When you don’t want a vacation from the life you live everyday, that is a very good sign you’re listening and abiding by your authentic self’s yearnings and innate predilections.

2. When life gives you unexpected good news but you don’t know how to deal with it, be grateful. The universe doesn’t give what it doesn’t think you can’t eventually handle (excuse the triple negative).

3. Being around sincerely positive people will change your life for the better if you’ll let them.

4. We often pick small battles with others when we aren’t content with how our lives are currently going. Instead, take a breath and a step back and ask yourself, is this debate really worth the energy or do I just want to feel as though I can have control over something? Let it go. You have more control over your life’s direction than you realize, and in time, so long as you are making progress, no matter how small, the change you seek will come.

5. Save one-third of what you make before taxes. You’ll have a much larger smile come April 15th (for U.S. residents).

6. The little everyday luxuries make a tremendous difference in the quality of our lives. 

7. Say no when it doesn’t feel right even though you can’t explain. Something that you will want to say yes to will be glad you waited, and so will you.

8. Learning something new will seem impossible initially, but eventually, the wall of obstruction to the knowledge you seek will begin to crumble as a result of your patient persistence.

9. Listen to what speaks to you and follow it where it leads. 

10. Work better, not more.

If you want to read more from this blog post by Shannon Ables from the Simply Luxurious Life see here.
(photo via This is Glamorous) 

Keeping an Air of Mystery

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We are in an age where sharing everything has become the norm and keeping things private has become weird. It is so easy to get caught up in sharing too many details about one’s life.

I wrote a small blog post about this last year, see here. I try to make sure I practice this on a daily basis. Learning to find the balance between sharing your life and keeping things private is very hard sometimes.

We as women can have a tenancy to want to share and discuss everything with our girlfriends, co-workers, and family members. I have had my “oops I should have not said that” moments. I hate that! But since I am getting older I am learning to pause in between my thoughts before I speak.

There are some things that should be left unsaid. I had someone recently tell me that I didn’t post as much on Facebook anymore. I was very happy to hear that. For the most part I post photos or statuses that inspire. When I joined Facebook in 2011 I was venting things and emotions that I should have kept to myself but as I can see I am learning.

I read this recently from Jennifer L. Scott’s book about “the Air of Mystery”. She said, “Poise resides in the space between our thoughts. If we pause, we are less likely to say something that is not in our best interest. We will not engage in a “Twitter feud” because we will have paused and assessed. Your secrets will stay safe. We must remember that poise is in the pause. Pausing when agitated. Pausing when excited. Pausing before saying something that isn’t wise to say.

I could not have said it better myself. I am going to make an extra effort in keeping an air of mystery. Because there is beauty in mystery.

photo credit Llyas Bolatov

Being Elegant During Public Speaking

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Public speaking always seems to be a dangerous job but one can accomplish this task with great elegance. I am always nervous when I speak in front of people but then I do some “self-talk” and remind myself of who I am and what goal I am trying to accomplish.

I am narrowing down to the last few chapters of Polish Your Poise with Madame Chic. In this week’s reading Jennifer L. Scott gave 5 tips for public speaking:

1) Own the space:
Whether you are on stage or standing at the head of a table, get comfortable in the space as quickly as possible. Act as if you belong there (because you do)!


2) Good posture:
All eyes will be on you. Your good posture is important now more than ever. Stand tall.


3) Project:
Make sure everyone can hear what your’re saying by speaking clearly and projecting your voice toward the back of the room. Rather than speaking from you throat, picture speaking from your belly. Let your words come out with strength and volume.


4) Don’t be afraid to move:
Avoid deer- caught-in-the-headlights syndrome by moving. It’s okay to gesture with your hands and to walk around (if appropriate). If you are being filmed, ask the director to define the parameters of your movement. 


5) Make a connection:
Whether you are pitching a job to potential clients or touting the merits of you best friend at her wedding, the entire point of public speaking is to make a connection with your audience. You have been asked to speak because you have something to impart that could benefit your viewers. Don’t make speech about you, make it about what you can give. 

If you want to read some more of my posts from this fabulous book see below:

Polish Your Poise


Polish Your Posture


Speaking Well ~ Polish Your Poise


Elegance in Punctuality





                            Photo by Melnychuk Nataliya on Unsplash


Elegance in Punctuality

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Being on time can be a chore sometimes. I hate being late for anything but sometimes it happens. But I can assure you that if I am late it was not on purpose.


I am continuing my reading in Polish Your Poise with Madame Chic. This week I read a bit on Punctuality. Jennifer gives five tips for poised punctuality. I must say that the only tip I need to work on is number 3.

Read the tips below and enjoy!

Photo by Melnychuk Nataliya on Unsplash







1. Set a reminder for your appointment.

Many times people are late because they forgot they had to be somewhere in the first place! Most smartphones have a calendar with an alarm option. You can set it to remind you to be on time one hour or even one day before your event. It’s helpful to write all pertinent information in your reminder, such as the address and notes on where to park. This way you have all the information you need in one space.


2. Get everything ready beforehand.

If you have an early morning appointment, get everything in order the night before. Choose your clothes and lay them out. Pack that lunch and keep it in the fridge. Put your briefcase by the front door. Scout out the location and all potential routes.

3. Leave room for the unexpected.

If you are traveling to a new location, the GPS might say it only takes you 20 minutes to get there, but that could be without traffic. Double the time you think it will take you to get there, in case you encounter a jam. If you think your children will be tough to rally, ask them to get ready 10 minutes before you normally would, to account for any lagging.

4. Know the particulars.

If you are driving, find out where you need to park. If you are taking public transit, calculate the routes beforehand. Then, if you happen to be running behind due to traffic or a late bus, you can eliminate further confusion upon arrival.


5. Be prepared to be early.

If you arrive early, come prepared with a book or something to keep you occupied while you wait. Remember, being early is not a waste of time. It is simply ensuring that you don’t arrive flustered and unprepared.






An Elegant Routine

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We all have routines. I have a routine for Monday thru Friday then I have a different routine for Saturday and Sunday. During my work week I get up around 5:45 and put on my exercise clothes and do a brisk walk on my treadmill for 45 minutes. I then stretch, use my arm weights and then check the blog and post my entry for the day (which is only on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays).




photo credit Micheile Henderson







I run my bathwater, read my bible, and pray. I love this morning routine. No one is awake. I finish getting ready and then wake up my daughter. I head to work, spend the day working at the office, and then come home to make dinner (I have a dinner rotation list). I check my daughter’s homework, review home notes, sign her agenda, then eat dinner.


I always set my table with dishes (see my entry here for my table setting). No paper plates here. I clean up then it’s bath-time for my daughter and piano practicing for me. She finishes bathing, gets ready for bed and we say prayers. I then get ready for bed (see my post here about dressing for bed) and watch a little of the Barefoot Contessa or Martha Stewart.

                                                    Photo by Erol Ahmed on Unsplash


This is my routine. Nothing fancy but I love it! It works for my family. I read this recently… Life’s fretfulness is transcended. The different and the novel are sweet, but regularity and repetition are also teachers… And if you have no ceremony, no habits, which may be opulent or may be simple but are exact and rigorous and familiar, how can you reach toward the actuality of faith, or even a moral life, except vaguely? The patterns of our lives reveal us. Our habits measure us. Our battles with our habits speak of dreams yet to become real. -Mary Oliver



I adore this quote. Sometimes I get teased for being so routine but they are necessary. Because I have set the tone in our home my daughter is obedient to the routine. She knows to get clothes ready for school the night before. She knows to floss and brush her teeth. She even knows that mommy is going to the grocery store every weekend with her list and I will be picking up fresh flowers for our home and my office.



                        

                        photo credit Vika Fleisher 
       


But as I said, I love it. Create a routine for your life that is beautiful and fitting. I believe that with elegance there is also order. Routines can be elegant. Just make sure it is….


Speaking Well ~Polish Your Poise

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I am still reading Polish Your Poise with Madame Chic by Jennifer L. Scott. Her books are always wonderful reads! The section that I want to share today is Ways to Practice Good Diction.

Jennifer gives 11 ways to clean up your language and to speak with clarity and intelligence. I have been on a quest to become an elegant bearing woman and in today’s society, it is NOT easy.

Rude people are everywhere and always want to challenge “your elegance”. But we must remain strong and continue on the right path.

Here are her tips:

1) Become an avid reader


2) Read classic literature


3) Learn a new word each day and use it in your speech


4) Listen to yourself when you speak


5) Eliminate vulgarities


6) Avoid excessive use of “like” and “um”


7) Avoid slang in most social situations but sill remain au courant with the culture


8) Pause (and think!) before you speak


9) Become okay with silence


10) Listen to audiobooks and be inspired by the eloquent readers


11) If you’re feeling nervous in a social setting, choose silence over mindless babbling 


I love these tips and would encourage everyone to include them in your thinking. It’s a rude world out there let’s try to overcome it!





Photo by Micheile Henderson on Unsplash
(text author Jennifer L. Scott)
















Chic Stationey

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I am always on the lookout for beautiful things. While flipping through the pages of House Beautiful magazine I saw these beautiful and chic stationery sets from Paperless Post. 







This is called Birch Monarch Suite and it is my favorite. 





Here is another chic option it is called Mandarin Grove. 






Tea Tree




I just wrote a post last month about handwritten notes (see here). I would encourage anyone to make beautiful stationery apart of your beautiful life. 




(all photos via Rifle Paper Co.)