"The importance of healthy habits and hygiene for making a positive first impression should go without saying; however, I would be remiss if I did not include this topic in the book, because surprisingly, many people just don't get it."

"Eye Contact. Direct eye contact is one of the best compliments you can give to another. You are subliminally telling them that you are listening, they matter, and that what they have to say is important."

"Have you made a choice in your past which was right at the time, but once you had a chance to think about it, you wished you could reverse your decision or amend it? Rethinking gives you permission to use your thoughts to change your mind. Take what is and spin it around to give you a new review and fresh perspective."

"Prepare for Success. Feel the satisfaction and power of having your act together! Get organized beforehand to get better results. Prior Planning Prevents Poor Performance."

"Where my previous motivation had been a self-serving ambition, my new service mindset was dedicated to serving a vision greater than myself. Within a year, I quadrupled my income, and then I doubled it every year thereafter. This service mindset quickly taught me that by helping others achieve their goals, I could more easily achieve my own."

"Once you are dressed there may be still more you can do to enhance, complement, or complete your look. Simply changing your accessories will change your entire impression."

"Punctuality has been called a "homely, but solid virtue. Although it is not fancy, it is a strong reflection of a person's character."

"A high self-esteem can quickly deteriorate into egotism, arrogance, and an over-confidence that can backfire and turn people off."

"Have you ever had a legitimate complaint as a customer which made you angry, upset, or frustrated? How was it "handled?" If you were dealing with an inept, uncaring, or untrained employee, they may have made matters even worse by being rude, defensive, or apathetic. Simple acknowledgment and validation of your complaint is sometimes all that is needed. Without it, you're left frustrated or upset."

"Your integrity is your personal code of honor and has the power to build your reputation or destroy it, establish credibility or crumble it-in one swift move."

"Sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name, and they're always glad you came. You wanna be where you can see, our troubles are all the same. You wanna be where everybody knows your name."

"Handshakes, Hugs & Other Touching. Learning how to touch appropriately can elevate your presentation, demonstrate respect, and convey confidence."

"Glow What can you do and how can you be in order to bring out the best in others and truly help them shine? Be complimentary; say something nice. Be a great listener and make them feel like you are hanging on every word. Create enthusiasm and anticipation for the person they are getting ready to meet. Act as you have personally invited them to the party and help ensure they have a wonderful time. Give people an experience, not just a conversation."

"When you take the high road to living a virtuous life, you are fortified by knowing that regardless of what life throws your way or what storms may rage, you are grounded in goodness. In this, you secure not only your own integrity, but you secure it in the eyes others."

"If you like the relationship results you have been getting and don't see any need for improvement, your status quo may actually be your sweet spot for comfort and contentment. That is a wonderful place to be.However, if you are like most of us, staying stuck in your status quo may prevent you from striving, thriving, and growing in your relationship possibilities."

"There are differing opinions as to whether charisma and charm are innate qualities which we are born with or learned personality styles. I believe it is a combination of both. Young children demonstrate a propensity for this enthusiasm. However, smart adults realize that they can get further in life when they develop these special traits."

"On a recent business trip, I reunited with a friend I had not seen in twenty years. After having a lovely lunch meeting, we came out of the restaurant to walk towards the parking lot. He automatically moved me to the inside of the sidewalk as he walked along the curbside. His orientational awareness illustrated a chivalrous gesture of protection and respect which impressed me greatly."

"Your smile draws people to you as it simultaneously brings out the best in you both."

"How you accessorize your wardrobe can transform the plainest outfit into a dazzling, unforgettable impression. It can be the mark of your own unique style, an extra splash of fashion, or an expression of your mood."

"You and I may have never met, but I already know so much of what you want: to be happy and feel valued. We all want love, connection, respect, confidence, health, vitality, passion, kindness, and success."

"Do you see dignity & grace as a state of emotional and spiritual being or a physical projection of courage and class? Perhaps they describe both."

"It's one thing to set a goal. It's another, however, when you get so caught up in the details that you neglect to review your progress. Reevaluation enables you to improve your aim to ensure you hit your target."

"Being brave requires taking deliberate action and doing something new that stretches you beyond your comfort zone."

"Re-imagination is the birthplace for vision and change. Your imagination is one of the most valuable talents you have and deserves your full attention. Imagining how you want to live your life is one thing, but connecting your imagination to a visual representation will give you exactly the traction you need to make it a reality."

"Living in the age of the Internet and being a part of the information generation, we have unlimited access to an unprecedented wealth of knowledge and learning. We have no excuse to show up to an appointment, a sales call, a date, or an important meeting without learning everything we can to tip the odds in our favor."

"Action is the key to creating the changes needed to propel you toward your chosen outcomes and help you achieve your relationship goals. How are you allocating your time, energy, and activities to 'activate your awesome' and contribute to making a positive first impression?"

"To help get your creative juices flowing, you might look online at lists of the "best taglines ever." Their branding ideas are genius and may be just the catalyst you need to activate your awesome!"

"Considerations & Exceptions for Impressive Handshakes Be mindful of a person's age; be tender with arthritic hands. In that case, a loose and gentler handshake is a gesture of sensitivity and compassion. Show interest; even if your right hand is full, offer your left hand. Demonstrate respect when you are caught in an introduction while seated; try to stand. Be instinctive about when to allow the length of your handshake to linger to express unity, connection, or sympathy."

"Being prepared not only reduces our stress level and keeps us from looking stupid, but it builds the confidence that other people have in us that we are dependable, reliable and can be counted upon."

"As a professional speaker, I speak rather quickly with enthusiastic energy and emotion. This doesn't always sit well with people who like to speak at a slower pace and need more time to process. What I have learned through years in this profession is that to be more effective I must adapt my pace to the comfort level of my audience. When I am speaking to academics, engineers, and doctors, I speak with a slower pace than the one which I use with sales people, customer services teams, or teenagers."

"Whether it is in a sales situation, love at first sight, a husband and wife having an important conversation, a parent disciplining a child, or a teacher instructing her students, eye contact is a powerful body language for enriching engagement, focus, and communication."

"As a lifetime people pleaser, I remember trying to mold myself into the person I thought other people wanted me to be-all for the sake of being liked and accepted. It caused more pain than gain."

"Whether your awareness is focused on your own emotions and perceptions or directed toward the preferences, needs, and feelings of others, being mindful (aware and attentive) will enable you to respond more appropriately."

"Dignity impacts how you are perceived and received when making a first impression."

"Who are we the most comfortable with? People who are the most like us! The "Similarity-Attraction Hypothesis (Newcomb, 1956) found that similar (real or perceived) personalities are a major determinant of our likability and friendship choices. It is simply human to gravitate toward people like us. This tribal inclination runs the gamut across demographics of age, ethnicity, culture, education, religion, and even personality style. Mirroring will enable you to find ways to create the comfort of familiarity through similarity."

"Your ability to readapt in the face of change will instill confidence, improve agility, foster psychological safety, and make you more resilient in life and in business. Your re-adaptability will serve you well to thrive in most any situation or environment."

"Dumb luck and flying by the seat of your pants can only get you so far in life."

"Strive to be optimistic rather than pessimistic- forgiving rather than a grudge holder."

"UN-Impressives of the Poor Listener Thinking about what you should have done, could have done, or need to do. Allowing your emotional reactions to take over. Interrupting the person talking. Replying before you hear all the facts. Jumping to conclusions and making assumptions. Being preoccupied with what you're going to say next. Getting defensive or being over-eager. One-upmanship-feeling the urge to compete and add something bigger, better, or more significant than what the speaker has to share. Imposing an unsolicited opinion. Ignoring and changing the subject altogether."

"Are you ready to explore what it takes to move beyond where you are to where you want to be? You came to the right place."

"When people are not passionate about their goals, everything is more of a struggle."

"Believe in your power to make happiness a choice-do so every day, until it becomes a lifelong habit."

"Without proper readiness, we're subject to a 'flub,' or a costly mistake which might have been easily prevented with some simple homework beforehand. Failing to do so deteriorates credibility and reputation, leaving us vulnerable to an unfavorable impression."

"When a person exudes passion, it is evident that they love what they are doing. Their passion projects an aura of confidence and decisiveness."

"A positive attitude will empower you to be more resilient to proactively adapt to change."

"When an employee, a team, or a company is passionate about their products and services, I am more inclined to bring them my business. Aren't you?"

"I have a few friends who are confined to wheelchairs for access and mobility. I don't want to always be looking down at them while they are looking up at me. To enjoy a meaningful conversation, I'm quick to kneel beside them or pull up a chair to talk at the same height. Begin to recognize the orientation of other people and align yourself with their body position and physical needs so that you may connect on a more balanced and effective level."

"Strive to be a proactive participant rather than a passive procrastinator."

"In his book, How to Win Friends & Influence People, Dale Carnegie encourages you to greet people with "animation and enthusiasm." This form of kinesthetic responsiveness provides a splendid example of how impactful your gestures can be while responding to others. Whether it be running up to an old friend you have not seen in a while or standing up to greet a business associate when he approaches your table, being kinesthetically responsive is an impactful way to gesture your level of interest, engagement, and enthusiasm."

"The word "brand has now taken an individualized and highly personalized shift toward how you are perceived in the minds of others."