100 ways to be ELEGANT

I know I would love to have more elegance in my life and these tips from The Charmed Life are some that I would like to incorporate into my life to become more elegant and teach my daughters also. I must admit I am far from elegant and my biggest blunder is shouting too much. I just had to copy and share the whole list as I would love to refer back to often and better myself as a person in all aspects of my life. Do you have enough elegance in your life? If only we all lived more consciously!! 

Elegance is refusal. ~ Coco Chanel

1. Send thank you notes

2. Practice good posture

3. Speak more softly

4. Listen without interrupting

5. Wear solid colours

6. Ignore fads, or use them sparingly

7. Have a signature wine that you serve at home

8. Wear only 2-3 accessories

9. Have impeccable manners

10. Read on a variety of topics

11. Maintain a budget

12. Study the arts

13. Have one signature perfume/cologne

14. Show restraint in expressing anger

15. Learn the art of conversation

16. Learn French

17. Wear a trench coat

18. Learn how to wear a scarf

19. Wear a tuxedo, when one is called for

20. Practice quality over quantity

21. Don’t yell or scream

22. Learn to dance the waltz

23. Have one fabulous signature meal you serve guests

24. Remember birthdays

25. Go on picnics

26. Wear dresses/suits more often, and on dates

27. Simplify your life, your home and your calendar

28. Wear pearls

29. Open the door for ladies

30. Let him open the door for you

31. Remember that it’s more important to be kind than it is to be right

32. Serve coffee or tea after meals

33. Arrive exactly on time

34. Don’t complain

35. Dress to travel

36. Be well travelled

37. If you’re a women, don’t wear black shoes between Memorial Day and Labor Day…wear spectator pumps instead

38. Keep your home clean and uncluttered

39. When guests stay over, put a small pitcher and glass for water on their nightstand, along with a book they might enjoy

40. Learn how to host a small dinner party

41. Have one subdued solid colour scheme throughout your home, use accessories to add colour

42. Learn how to make the perfect martini

43. Learn how to tie both a regular tie and a bow tie (whether you’re a man or a woman)

44. Be a lady or a gentleman at work, especially when delivering a difficult message or when tempers flare

45. Wear lovely/handsome hats

46. Don’t point out the mistakes of others

47. Wait your turn patiently

48. Don’t curse

49. Chew each bite 20 times

50. Sip your drink

51. Learn proper etiquette for all situations

52. Accept compliments graciously

53. Be quietly self confident

54. Don’t boast

55. Be respectful of others

56. Have fresh flowers in your home

57. Write a letter rather than send an email to those you love

58. Keep your nails well manicured

59. Maintain your shoes and clothing

60. Don’t ever lose your joie de vivre

61. Be well groomed

62. Remember that money does not equal elegance, nor is it necessary to be elegant

63. Wear less make-up

64. Wear well-fitting clothes

65. Spray lavender on your sheets

66. Be positive

67. Learn to politely say no

68. Be concerned with making others feel comfortable

69. Maintain good health

70. Don’t overindulge

71. Hold yourself to high standards

72. Turn your mobile off at dinner

73. Wear simple, classic hairstyles

74. Think before you speak or act. Ask yourself, can anything good come from this?

75. Apoligise sincerely

76. Have integrity

77. Don’t speak ill of others, or gossip

78. Always take a gift to your host or hostess

79. Tie a scarf on your handbag

80. Take a clutch in the evening

81. Wear well fitting jeans with either a long sleeve white shirt or solid sweater for more casual events

82. Only wear sneakers for exercise

83. Use white sheets, white towels, white dishes

84. Be sure your clothes are pressed

85. Your car’s horn should say “pardon me, but do you see me?”, rather than “get out of my way!”

86. Overdo empathy

87. Light candles in your home

88. Go for walks in the park on Sunday

89. Give others sincere compliments

90. Understand your own worth

91. Learn how to open a bottle of champagne

92. Dress appropriately for the occasion

93. Do small favours for others, without expecting anything in return

94. Say please and thank you

95. Take the time to stop and listen to others, especially children

96. Take responsibility for yourself and your own happiness

97. Keep a journal

98. Give thoughtful gifts, rather than expensive ones

99. Less is more

100. Savour the moment

100 ways to UN-COMPLICATE YOUR LIFE

1. Don’t try to read other people’s minds.

2. Get up 30 minutes earlier so that you don’t rush.

3. Get 8 hours of sleep per night, so that you think more clearly.

4. Stick to your budget.

5. Start saving and investing every week, no matter how little you can spare.

6. Balance your cheque book.

7. Don’t try to be friends with everyone. Cultivate closer relationships with fewer people.

8. Don’t try to do business with everyone. Identify your target client and take very good care of them.

9. Before getting angry, ask yourself if it will really matter in 20 years.

10. Focus on being a good person, not on pleasing others.

11. Stay home this Saturday and finish off that nagging chore.

12. Kiss and make up.

13. Make a weekly menu, and shop for only those items at the market.

14. Ask your grandparents the best way to uncomplicate life, and try it for a month.

15. Fill up your fuel tank when it’s half full.

16. Don’t drink alcohol when you’re tired, sad, or mad.

17. Pay your bills on time.

18. Get an annual physical examination.

19. Say “I love you” to your significant other and to your children. 

20. For just one day, imagine everyone’s intentions are good because most people’s are.

21. Give away clothes that haven’t been worn in two years.

22. Throw out clothes that are in disrepair and that can’t be mended.

23. When you have a conflict with someone, talk it out. Don’t let it turn into more than it is.

24. Know what your priorities are in life, and act as if they are your priorities.

25. Tell the truth.

26. Don’t cheat.

27. Don’t steal.

28. If you’re holding on to a ridiculous grudge, let it go!

29. Clean your house weekly, so that it doesn’t become too large a chore.

30. Do your best at work, or at school.

31. Don’t eat when you aren’t hungry

32. Eat when you are hungry.

33. Be yourself.

34. Say no unapologetically.

35. Cook simple meals.

36. Don’t try to keep up with the Joneses.

37. Pay off your car before buying a new one.

38. Organise your desk at the office.

39. Change your smoke alarm batteries when the clocks spring forward, and again when they fall back.

40. Organise your important paperwork.

41. Take only half the clothes that you planned to take with you on holiday.

42. Help your children with their homework every night, and have an open dialogue with their teachers.

43. Have white sheets and white towels in children’s rooms/bathrooms, because they’re easily bleached.

44. Spend your time with nice people.

45. Avoid drama.

46. Don’t text or talk on the phone while driving.

47. Turn off the television/video games/computer; they’re time consumers.

48. Don’t engage in office politics.

49. Refuse to gossip, or talk behind other people’s backs.

50. Do the dishes right after dinner.

51. Never go to sleep angry.

52. Ask nicely for what you need and want.

53. Walk 10,000 steps per day to help your heart.

54. Do 20 push-ups before speaking in anger.

55. Leave work at work.

56. Don’t befriend anyone that isn’t trustworthy.

57. Don’t envy others.

58. Have your oil changed.

59. Take vitamin C BEFORE you catch a cold.

60. Don’t work more than 8 hours per day.

61. Weed your garden weekly.

62. Wash your car weekly.

63. Have a spring cleaning month every year, and do one room at a time.

64. You don’t need to be best friends with work colleagues, but build respectful partnerships.

65. Don’t drink and drive.

66. Don’t look for reasons to be angry or sad, look for reasons to be happy. You’ll always be able to find plenty of each.

67. Be friendly with your neighbours.

68. Return emails and phone messages promptly.

69. Schedule in free time.

70. Don’t procrastinate.

71. Do what you say you’ll do, when you say you’ll do it.

72. Be more flexible when you’re able to be.

73. Forgive and forget. End of story.

74. Break the consumerism habit…put a three month moratorium in place on buying anything not deemed a necessity.

75. Start your diet on September 1, rather than January 1, so that you won’t also have holiday kilos to lose.

76. Take care of any health issues or concerns.

77. Have your tires rotated.

78. Have your brakes checked.

79. Have your eyes checked.

80. Don’t let your imagination run away with you.

81. Let go of perfection in others.

82. Let go of perfection in yourself.

83. Don’t try to help those that refuse to help themselves.

84. Find a way to reduce your commute to work.

85. Have an alloted amount of worry time per day/week, that you strictly abide by.

86. Drink more water.

87. Eat more salmon.

88. Don’t make a mountain out of a molehill.

89. Wear your hair in a classic, easy to care for style.

90. Finish what you start.

91. Wear classic clothes and shoes that never go out of style.

92. Create a daily routine.

93. Have a 1, 5, 10 and 20 year plan for your financial and life goals.

94. Slow down.

95. Eat out less often.

96. When you ask your husband/partner which outfit looks best, thank him for his answer and wear the one he liked rather than focusing on why he didn’t like the other one.

97. Allow your children to grow up.

98. Clean out your garage, and donate anything that hasn’t been used in the past year.

99. Stretch every day.

100. If a relationship is over, let it go.

the charmed life

100 ways to be ELEGANT

I know I would love to have more elegance in my life and these tips from The Charmed Life are some that I would like to incorporate into my life to become more elegant and teach my daughters also. I must admit I am far from elegant and my biggest blunder is shouting too much. I just had to copy and share the whole list as I would love to refer back to often and better myself as a person in all aspects of my life. Do you have enough elegance in your life? If only we all lived more consciously!!

Elegance is refusal. ~ Coco Chanel

1. Send thank you notes

2. Practice good posture

3. Speak more softly

4. Listen without interrupting

5. Wear solid colours

6. Ignore fads, or use them sparingly

7. Have a signature wine that you serve at home

8. Wear only 2-3 accessories

9. Have impeccable manners

10. Read on a variety of topics

11. Maintain a budget

12. Study the arts

13. Have one signature perfume/cologne

14. Show restraint in expressing anger

15. Learn the art of conversation

16. Learn French

17. Wear a trench coat

18. Learn how to wear a scarf

19. Wear a tuxedo, when one is called for

20. Practice quality over quantity

21. Don’t yell or scream

22. Learn to dance the waltz

23. Have one fabulous signature meal you serve guests

24. Remember birthdays

25. Go on picnics

26. Wear dresses/suits more often, and on dates

27. Simplify your life, your home and your calendar

28. Wear pearls

29. Open the door for ladies

30. Let him open the door for you

31. Remember that it’s more important to be kind than it is to be right

32. Serve coffee or tea after meals

33. Arrive exactly on time

34. Don’t complain

35. Dress to travel

36. Be well travelled

37. If you’re a women, don’t wear black shoes between Memorial Day and Labor Day…wear spectator pumps instead

38. Keep your home clean and uncluttered

39. When guests stay over, put a small pitcher and glass for water on their nightstand, along with a book they might enjoy

40. Learn how to host a small dinner party

41. Have one subdued solid colour scheme throughout your home, use accessories to add colour

42. Learn how to make the perfect martini

43. Learn how to tie both a regular tie and a bow tie (whether you’re a man or a woman)

44. Be a lady or a gentleman at work, especially when delivering a difficult message or when tempers flare

45. Wear lovely/handsome hats

46. Don’t point out the mistakes of others

47. Wait your turn patiently

48. Don’t curse

49. Chew each bite 20 times

50. Sip your drink

51. Learn proper etiquette for all situations

52. Accept compliments graciously

53. Be quietly self confident

54. Don’t boast

55. Be respectful of others

56. Have fresh flowers in your home

57. Write a letter rather than send an email to those you love

58. Keep your nails well manicured

59. Maintain your shoes and clothing

60. Don’t ever lose your joie de vivre

61. Be well groomed

62. Remember that money does not equal elegance, nor is it necessary to be elegant

63. Wear less make-up

64. Wear well-fitting clothes

65. Spray lavender on your sheets

66. Be positive

67. Learn to politely say no

68. Be concerned with making others feel comfortable

69. Maintain good health

70. Don’t overindulge

71. Hold yourself to high standards

72. Turn your mobile off at dinner

73. Wear simple, classic hairstyles

74. Think before you speak or act. Ask yourself, can anything good come from this?

75. Apoligize sincerely

76. Have integrity

77. Don’t speak ill of others, or gossip

78. Always take a gift to your host or hostess

79. Tie a scarf on your handbag

80. Take a clutch in the evening

81. Wear well fitting jeans with either a long sleeve white shirt or solid sweater for more casual events

82. Only wear sneakers for exercise

83. Use white sheets, white towels, white dishes

84. Be sure your clothes are pressed

85. Your car’s horn should say “pardon me, but do you see me?”, rather than “get out of my way!”

86. Overdo empathy

87. Light candles in your home

88. Go for walks in the park on Sunday

89. Give others sincere compliments

90. Understand your own worth

91. Learn how to open a bottle of champagne

92. Dress appropriately for the occasion

93. Do small favours for others, without expecting anything in return

94. Say please and thank you

95. Take the time to stop and listen to others, especially children

96. Take responsibility for yourself and your own happiness

97. Keep a journal

98. Give thoughtful gifts, rather than expensive ones

99. Less is more

100. Savour the moment