Happy Monday, everyone.

One of my goals for 2015 is to begin cultivating a more gracious demeanor. I am not talking about putting pretences or  not allowing my natural personality to shine in social situations. Rather, I am interested in being more  mindful and aware of the art of making people feel relaxed, and valued in my presence.

Other than remembering the basics of saying ” please” and “thank you” and trying to refrain from using bad language most of the time,  I have spent most of my life blissfully unaware of how I present myself in the company of others.  It is safe to say I have been all over the graciousness spectrum during the course of my life. There is no use fretting over the times I have been rude, offensive, or self-absorbed in my dealings with others. I know that being gracious shows respect for not only those I come into contact with but for myself as well. Being gracious towards others changes how others see themselves and the world around them.

My areas of concentration for becoming more gracious in 2015:

• Make a conscious effort to have pleasant facial expressions as I go about my day.
• Offer sincere greetings and maintain good eye contact for those with whom I come into contact.
• Stand up straight and practice good posture.
• Attention to the tone of my voice, trying to use good diction and appropriate voice level.
• Develop the skill of listening attentively and asking thoughtful questions during the course of a conversation.
• Find sincere ways to encourage, complement, and support people.
• Stand my ground with poise and a calm voice when I need to defend myself or become agitated with another person.
• Strive to make others feel comfortable in my company.

Successes and failures are sure to come and go as I work towards being more gracious. It will definitely be a work in progress but I am looking forward to working towards the woman I want to become in this aspect of my life.

As always, I would love to hear from you.

Thanks for stopping by the blog!

Until next time,

Laura