No Personal Space

I don’t know about you, but I read the Huffington Post, Women section… a lot. It has something interesting that I can always relate to.

I really love one of their articles that talks about 49 life skills every modern woman should master. I’m not going to talk about all of them, but I do think there are a few we should look at. I’ve narrowed it down to the top 20 and added a few of my own for good measure.

1. Make at least one great cocktail. Personally I love mixing a bottle of champagne with a can of frozen raspberry lemon-aid concentrate, but I still think we can all benefit from knowing how to make the most popular cocktails —–> Life Hacker: Learn How to Make the 10 Most Popular Cocktails

2. Learn how to cook. I have to admit, at first I was apprehensive about this. I was fearful that if I put on an apron, it would somehow turn me into the stereotypical 50’s style women. Surprisingly it didn’t. I now love cooking and baking, but I make food my way. Check out my food idle’s —–> Skinny Taste, Nerdy Nummies, and Our Best Bites

3. Look good in a photo. Tip: Turn your head slightly to one side rather than look the camera head-on; stand (or sit) straight with your shoulders back; arch your back ever so slightly; don’t press your arms against your body; unless you have a prominent chin, stick it out just a little to accentuate your jawline.

4. Write a sincere thank-you note. Personally I love writing these. I send them if I get a gift, attend an awesome party or stay at a friends house. People love getting these, I know I do. I just received one from a girl I gave a graduation gift to and it made me really appreciate her. The cards don’t have to be expensive or hand made, a short note on anything besides a sticky note will do the trick.  Just hand write it and mail it off in a timely manner.

5. Dress for your body type. This is a hard one. As a bigger girl there are certain things I just cannot wear, no matter how much I want to. Tailoring our closet to fit our body type will help us present ourselves in the best manner possible. Check out this link that totally helped me out. —–> You Beauty

6. Book a vacation. My husband and I love traveling! I have 3 trips already planned, minus this small thing, called the finances to do so. I love the DK Eyewitness Travel Book called Top 10. They rock! It’s not just the top 10 things to see, they give you the overall top 10, the top 10 places to eat, shop and a million other things. They really help plan a trip. I also love Air BNB for interesting places to stay at a reasonable price. I also use the TripIt app to keep all our plans in order.

7. Find the best deal. Tip: For big ticket items, always, always, always compare prices online. Then, do a “coupon” search and see if you can find a coupon code to save you even more money.

8. Wrap a gift anyone would be excited to open. I don’t know about you, but I have visions of grandeur for Christmas gifts, but about 5 packages in they always start to just get paper and a tag. Here is a link to a How Wiki on this.

9. Start a conversation. Tip: ask people questions about themselves, like where they grew up, how they met their significant other, or how they know the host. I made friends with everyone in my Zumba class but just asking about their day.

10. End a conversation. Tip: If you’re at a party, excuse yourself to the bathroom, pretend like you just saw someone you need to say hi to, or excuse yourself to call the babysitter. Saying you’re going to get a refill doesn’t work as well because the person could follow you or ask you get him or her a refill, too.

11. Pack everything we need for a weekend getaway in one small bag. This is something I am getting better at, but it is still difficult sometimes. The best way to do this is to know exactly what you are going to be doing for the weekend and only pack the exact clothing you need, trying to utilize basic pieces like cardigans, jeans and shoes for multiple outfits. I also have a cosmetic bag that I fit everything into.

12. Invest money. I let my corporate 401k do this for me, but I think we can all do more. Here is a great Wiki How about this.

13. Pack our purse with only essentials. Things like: cash, ID, keys, phone, breath mints, chapstick or lipgloss, powder and a hair tie should make the list. Sometimes advil or something that can entertain us during something boring can also be included.

14. Choose a ripe fruit. Totally random I know, but totally important.  —–> Helpful Link

15. Get a better job  There are a few things we have to do to get a better job. We have to have a great resume, even if we don’t have a lot of experience, we also need a Linked In profile (Premium is great for finding a job). Then once we have an interview, make sure to google the person you are going to be talking with and have some good questions ready. Then dress for success and don’t forget to negotiate a salary and/or pay raise. Make sure to have a number in mind and know the fair market rate for the job you are interviewing for . The glass ceiling website is great for this.

16. Bite our tongue when it’s appropriate to. I’m terrible at this. At work I hold my tongue way more than I would like, in an effort to make sure I don’t say something I shouldn’t. One of my friends recently told me that she counts to three in her head before saying something she is unsure of. I know we all heard this as children, but I think it is a great life lesson to remember.

17. Find the right bra. As modern women we deserve to be a little pampered. Go to Victoria Secrets and get a bra. They measure you and then help you find the right coverage. Go there! You deserve it!!

18. Welcome a new neighbor or coworker. Tip: Make a point to introduce yourself and give one piece of friendly advice, like where the best place is to grab lunch. Even if you are the new kid in town, feel free to introduce yourself. Also, check out the Nextdoor app to see if your neighborhood participates, this is a great way to see what is going on.

19. When and how to say “no” firmly (but graciously when appropriate).

20. Ask for help when we needs it.  I am getting better at this but I still find myself being stubborn sometimes. We all have to learn that our way is not always the best way. Asking for help or admitting we cannot do something, isn’t a weakness, its a strength.

Well, this is my modified Top 20, what would you add?

For the full article —–> 49 Life Skills Every Modern Woman Should Have