Dear Friend,
Last week my family and I took a trip to the east coast. We had a great time in NYC and Washington DC and this time we all followed my rules and did carry on bags only. If you've flown much lately, you know that most everyone is doing carry on these days, overloaded and over packed carry on's. The truth is that in the quest to save money, everyone wants to figure out a way to get the most stuff in the smallest case and not pay for it. Including me. Change of Plans Unfortunately, as we were boarding in Seattle, there was no more room in the carry on compartments and now we were forced to gate check our bags. I was really peeved. This meant of course, that we would have to deal with baggage when we arrived at Newark which adds 20-30 minutes to the whole arrival ordeal. Sadly, I was not at my best in this moment. When your 14 year old daughter lets you know that you are blowing it by being rude to flight attendants, you know you have a problem. Fortunately, we arrived at our destination, got our bags, had a great trip. On our way back to the airport in Newark to fly home, the same thing happened. But this time, I was prepared. 3 Little Words I often tell my clients they need 3 words to describe their style. This helps clear up any ambiguity when shopping and trying to decide if an item fits into their wardrobe. Some examples of three words are: Classy, elegant, edgy or simple, linear, feminine. You get the idea. If the item you are looking at doesn't fit your three words, you simply put it back. So, I came up with my three words for the day. Words that I would fall back on when or if I started to lose it on our long road home. My words were: Gracious, Kind, Generous. Three words that pretty much cover any situation and three words that were sadly missing on my flight from Seattle when I was rude to the flight attendant. In addition to looking like the Real You wherever we go, we have to remember that our look and our behavior should match up. All day long, I used my three words as I was once again checking my carry on bag, trying to get comfortable in a coach seat with someone leaning back in front of me and waiting in line for the bathroom in a crowded aisle. Let Your Words Be Your Guide Just like when I'm shopping and I know that my words are keeping me from making a wrong choice, my three words: gracious, kind and generous helped me from making a choice that would once again embarrass me and not project how I want to be seen and known. As we head into Spring, think about your three words for your Real You look. And then remember to act accordingly! | 
