Conversation

A festival dining table with food and decorations.

Avoiding Thanksgiving manners mishaps and misunderstandings

By Arden / November 24, 2015 /

I love Thanksgiving. Not only are turkey, gravy and all the fixings my favorite foods but I love being with family and friends celebrating our blessings. However, with most gatherings over meals there are often manners mishaps and misunderstandings. To keep the peace I thought it might be helpful to share answers to some common…

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The gift of presence: A Thanksgiving message

By Arden / November 17, 2015 /

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. I love the focus on gratitude and being thankful for the blessings in our lives. I love spending time with family that isn’t centered around gifts, rather that we share the gifts of our presence with each other. And I have to admit, I also love turkey, gravy,…

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How to check the time without appearing rude

By Arden / October 23, 2015 /

I’ve been thinking about time lately. More precisely, I’ve been thinking about how to politely check the time when meeting with others. Keeping track of the hour in the presence of another person presents a few challenges.

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Dinner party dos and don’ts

By Arden / September 18, 2015 /

As we approach fall, the cooler months are a wonderful time to have dinner parties and cocktail gatherings, especially around the holidays. My husband and I love to have friends over to dinner. Whether a casual spur of the moment get together or a planned out dinner party, it’s always nice to enjoy the company…

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Four ways to promote your business on social media without spamming your friends

By Arden / September 7, 2015 /

Do you have friends who post promotional messages on your social media sites? How do you feel about their actions? A Clise Etiquette Facebook fan asked me how to handle this. She wrote, “It seems that businesses that promote direct marketing (e.g. The Pampered Chef, Rodan & Fields, Jamberry, etc.) within people’s social networks are…

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The trouble with “You should…”

By Arden / May 4, 2015 /

Have you ever found yourself saying “You should…” to someone? “You should try kale; it’s really good for you.” “You should tell her how you feel.” We say “you should…” when we feel we know best. And while we may have very good information, saying “You should” to someone is usually moralizing.

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12 months to a better you

By Arden / January 4, 2015 /

It’s the New Year, that time when everyone looks forward to a fresh start. Many people make resolutions such as lose weight, exercise more and eat better. Those are all worthy goals, but what if instead you focused on being a better person? A person who made great first and lasting impressions and who was…

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Four tips to make your holiday party mingling easier

By Arden / December 5, 2014 /

The holidays are here! Whether you’re attending the company holiday dinner or your neighbor’s cocktail party being ready for mingling with strangers or people you don’t know well will make the events much easier for you. Here are four tips to make your mingling stress-free.

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The “Yes, and…” principle

By Arden / November 7, 2014 /

Have you ever been to a comedy improv show or tried improvisation? My husband and some friends and I went to Comedy Sportz recently and had a great time. I was reminded how difficult improvisation is. When it’s done well it looks easy, but having taken some improv lessons I know it’s not. You have…

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Seven tips to navigate the company picnic

By Arden / July 10, 2014 /

It’s summer time and the living is good – vacations, casual clothes and the company picnic. Ah yes, that annual event fraught with many perils.

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