Manners of the Heart
Simple acts of kindness, friendly gestures and meaningful exchanges go a long way to show someone we care. They remind us of the most fundamental aspect of good manners, being considerate of others and their feelings. Where does consideration come from? It comes from the heart and thinking of others before ourselves. For most of us this is easily accomplished when we think of a child or a pet, however, when we are faced with these thoughts for a co-worker, a parent, a spouse, or a friend, we are not always as forthcoming.
This February, a month which focuses on love and relationships, we offer you an opportunity to reflect on “Manners of the Heart”. The heart is a muscle that must be exercised or it will fail. Use your heart this month and do something unexpected for the special people in your life. If you put your focus into making them happy, trust us, your heart will feel good too! Being nice and courteous and thinking of others pays back in dividends and makes us feel good about ourselves. Put this to the test and share with us your personal breakthroughs.
Lisa & Diane
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Welcome to Impressions
In every issue of Impressions we offer you diverse ways to experience etiquette. Since love is such a powerful emotion and impacts all of us, we dedicate a portion of February’s Impressions to romance, both young and old, for we all acknowledge its value in our lives and those of our loved ones. We invite you to sample our Etiquette Recipe where we share the five secret ingredients for a perfect first date. Just for Kids provides creative Valentine’s Day art projects for your children that will make their recipients cry with joy. Join us in a Tea Room Discussion where we share our personal experiences on the value of listening to your heart to help find a balance between career and family. Grace Notes Patio explores important answers to all of your online dating questions. Grandmother’s Wisdom focuses on women and what they can do to ease the stress during this volatile economic climate. Our Features article celebrates the organization, Do Something. This month the focus is on the “Teens for Jeans” drive and the initiative to end teenage homelessness.
As always, let us hear from you! We have been so encouraged with your feedback on Impressions and look forward to bringing you information that will aid you in becoming the very best person you can be.
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Etiquette Recipe - Five Secret Ingredients for a Perfect First Date!
After researching all the do’s and don’ts for successful dating, we were surprised to learn that the same basics apply to all ages when it comes to the first date. We wanted to keep it simple and to the point so here are the five secrets to a successful first date. Good luck!
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Just For Kids – Valentine’s Day Craft Ideas
Handprint Heart: If your child prints a handprint heart, it will be yours forever. These make a super quick craft activity for Valentine's Day and grandma will love it! At the bottom of the print, make sure your little one writes their name!!
You will need: Pink and purple paint, Paper
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Tea Room Discussion –The Wisdom Within Your Heart
As a mother and a grandmother, we bring two generations of experience and wisdom to the table, and today as we sip our tea and reflect on similar experiences, we realize there are some things in life that do not change. Both of us are passionate about our careers to reach the world and make it a better place for our children and both of us share the frustration as to why our impact has not been more!
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Grace Notes Patio – Online Dating Success
We live in an internet world and even though there are perfectly proper online dating forums, it is important that everyone understand the proper decorum for a successful outcome. Here we wish to provide you with the basic tips for online dating success. We have selected the Rules for Online Dating by Ellen Fein and Sherrie Schneider and will share with you our experience in answering one of their quizzes. Have fun!
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Grandmother’s Wisdom – Preserving Relationships During Stressful Times
With February being a time of focus not only for ourselves, but also toward those we love, grandmother felt she had to address the subject of handling stress within the family during difficult times.
The financial cycle of expansion and growth has taken an abrupt stop with mortgage foreclosures running rampant throughout the United States. Combined with layoffs and people losing their jobs, the financial burden on the family unit can be catastrophic. We saw this in the early 1980’s where people had to file for bankruptcies, families lost their homes and the divorce rate was at a high. Today we are again in that economic cycle and no matter how well prepared, many will suffer and families will be ripped apart and destroyed. This does not have to happen!
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Features
Teen Homelessness
We applaud celebrities Rachel Bilson and Hayden Christensen for their PSA announcement on Teens for Jeans and their commitment to the nationwide initiative to help homeless youth.
Did you know, 1 in 3 homeless people in the US are under the age of 18! So, start this year by going through your closet to collect jeans for homeless teens. Drop off your gently-worn jeans at any Aeropostale location across the US and Canada and Do Something will make sure they get donated to a local homeless shelter. Plus, you'll get a coupon for an additional 20% off a new pair of jeans! Click on the link www.dosomething.org to learn how you can help.
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Resources
http://www.activityvillage.co.uk
http://www.match.com
http://www.eharmony.com
http://www.1800flowers.com
http://www.emptyvase.com
http://www.hersheygifts.com
http://www.godiva.com
http://www.sees.com
http://www.dosomething.org
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