Don’t be THAT Airbnb guest or host!

Are you an Airbnb fan? My husband and I stayed in our first Airbnb rental about four years ago. We loved having an entire place to ourselves that was located in a great neighborhood for a very reasonable price. It planted the seed for having a short term rental of our own in our basement.…

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How to get along with others

People can be frustrating, annoying, difficult – you name the emotion – basically not easy to get along with. Or can they? In our little worlds, as in our minds, when it comes to relationships with others it’s easy to think that we do things the right way and that others are wrong – whether…

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How to handle those awkward networking situations

If your New Year’s resolution is to grow your contacts, get a new job or new clients, networking is one of the best ways to accomplish your goals. Yet, so many people dislike networking because it can feel so awkward. If you are one of those people, don’t feel badly. It’s hard to make small…

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Gratitude Unwrapped

Tis the season to focus on our gratitude. I always love taking turns  at Thanksgiving to share what we are grateful for. While I usually say the same things, it’s a good reminder of all the blessings I have in my life and what really matters.

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Is chivalry still relevant today?

I’m often asked in my presentations if chivalrous acts are still appropriate for men today, such as standing when a woman walks into a room or allowing her to get on the elevator first. Older men especially seem concerned about this question since they were raised in an era when chivalry was expected and the…

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How to succeed as a young professional

Are you a new graduate or young person starting out in the professional world? I remember that time. College was a lot of fun but also a lot of work and I was excited and a little nervous to start working at a “real job.” I’d held many jobs through my college years – scooping…

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The competitive advantage of kindness

I recently spoke at the Washington Society of Association Executives conference. After my presentation on making meetings more effective, I attended a presentation on kindness by Donna Cameron, author of “A Year of Living Kindly.” She shared some impressive statistics about the return on investment kindness has on an organization.

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Avoiding the awkward goodbye

I’m taking Spanish lessons for the umpteenth time, trying to get to the place where I can carry on a conversation with a Spanish speaking person. My lovely instructor, Paola with Una Buena Spanish, is helping me with my quest to speak español.

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Seven bicycling etiquette tips for everyone

Did you know May is National Bike Month? Many bike advocacy organizations organize bicycling and bike to work events throughout the United States and Canada in the spring to encourage bike commuting. My husband and I are avid bicyclists, although lately, he’s been more devoted than I have as he rides his bike to work…

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