Email Etiquette

“Email, instant messaging, and cell phones give us fabulous communication ability, but because we live and work in our own little worlds, that communication is totally disorganized.   ~Marilyn vos Savant                          

Recently, I spoke with a professional group about techniques for clear communication and quite a few questions came up about the proper use of email. Since virtually everyone is on the computer these days and are emailing in some form (via desktop, phone, DS, Facebook, etc.) I decided to address some of these concerns in this and future issues of Poise & Protocol.

Tips to Eliminate Easy Email Errors:

• Send only TO the people who need to see your email message. CC (Courtesy Copy) only when necessary. It's a CC, not an FYI. And never, ever BCC (Blind Courtesy Copy) to someone who has nothing to do with the message in the first place. If there's a real reason that person needs to see the email, place them prominently in the TO or CC field. If not -- don't be sneaky -- refrain from sending them the message at all. BCC is to be used in cases like mass mailings such as newsletters where recipients don't necessarily know each other; their addresses will be kept private this way. Use -- don't abuse -- the field for the recipients. 
• Make good use of the Subject Line. People are busy and get tons of email per day. What you place in the subject field could be the deciding factor as to whether or not the message gets read. So don't just say "Hi" when you are clearly sending the message for a specific reason. Instead, try: "Feedback on the report". Let the recipient know from the start exactly what your email is about. 
• Who are you to say your email's important? Ok, if you're the boss or someone equivalent, I guess you have the right. But so many times we're quick to slap on the 'important' symbol to give it a high priority listing when it's not...some bosses included. If your emails are regularly sent out that way, will the really urgent ones get the attention and response you'd like? Or will they be ignored? They'll probably be viewed as garbage that you're trying to pass off as urgent. Chances are they'll be set aside to be read later, if at all; not exactly the way you'd planned, huh? 

These are common email mistakes that happen all the time and believe it or not, readers do notice. Don't mishandle your email. Practice proper usage and eliminate recipients' frustrations that may lead to the deletion of your email messages altogether. 

In future posts, we'll be addressing Tips to Tasteful Email Responses.

If you have a question about emailing, please send it this way to be included as well. Remember, if you have a question about something, chances are someone else does, too.

Until then, 

Easy Emailing & Continued Bliss!!!

IDCC Featured at Local Bank

Old Point National Bank has begun featuring my business, Image Design Consulting Company along with my newly-released book, “Creating Bliss ~ Better Living In Seven Steps”. The business, the book, and I will be on display at this local bank for 2 weeks and right from the beginning (even during set-up) it has attracted a great deal of interest and attention. 

The bank is located at 24 Wine Street in Downtown Hampton, Virginia, and I hope that those of you who are in the area will stop by and give your support. Of course I’ll be back with pictures.

THE MAGIC OF SPRING

March has come and with it has emerged the beginning of spring, the season that represents new life, balance, and growth. Open up to this newness by tossing away the sleepy remnants of winter and embracing the magic of spring.

 

The following actions can produce value in your life at any time of the year; but doing so at springtime creates a greater impact as you are balancing life at the same time Mother Earth naturally balances hers.

Spring in your life:

Add spring to your life: Think clean, fresh, thoughts. Eat well – lots of seasonal fruits and veggies – natural cleaners for your physical body. Prepare colorful casseroles and most importantly, eat your entire meal with reverence, acknowledging beyond pre-meal prayer, the blessings in which it was provided to you.

Spring in your home:

Nothing says freshness like a clean, fresh-smelling home. Citrus fruit set out in bowls create bursts of visual and olfactory stimulation. Flowers from your garden or from that of a family member or friend produce both beauty and a sense of connection as loving energies are shared.

No access to a garden? No problem. The next time you’re shopping for groceries, purchase a convenient and inexpensive bouquet from your local store. And why not create a garden of life for next year? Fill it with pleasure-giving herbs and flowers. If you can’t do it yourself, begin making plans now to have it done by someone else.

Spring in your step:

Add spring to your step by exercising first thing in the morning, outside if possible. Take a short walk before you begin your day. Have your breakfast beverage of coffee, tea, fruit juice, or even better – water, outside on the porch or patio where you can enjoy early morning fresh air before it is polluted by the general toxins of the day. 

Small actions such as these can boost your level of vitality in a big way, providing you with abundant strength and energy.

Until next time, enjoy the springtime and Continued BLISS!!!

Tammy

Celebrate NATIONAL SPORTSMANSHIP DAY

on March 6

Last week I talked about teaching our children good sportsmanship and all the positive characteristics that could be learned along with them.

Although Tuesday, March 6th is the 21st annual National Sportsmanship Day (NSD), the Hopson Household celebrated it a little early this year, along with our grandchildren.

You see this past weekend was NBA All-Star Weekend. We’re big fans of basketball, including the children, so it’s become a tradition for us to spend the weekend enjoying the events together.

Michael and I let the grandkids (ages 12 and 14) decide on all the fun stuff we’d do. While letting them know that we were there if they needed assistance, we also managed to ease in some valuable lessons and help them work on the following skills:  

How to Plan and Make Decisions for a group

They planned the entire weekend; including menus, ingredients for special recipes, grocery lists and activities to serve as time-fillers between NBA TV events.

How to Design Schedules, Establish Deadlines (and stick to them)

Final plans were set for the week before (with adult approval, of course). The kids used calendars and scheduled programming to coordinate events with other necessary activities, like yard work, housework, trips to the barber shop, etc.  

How to Encourage Teamwork

The kids determined the necessary tasks and were prepared to assign them; but due to their enthusiasm and encouragement, we all just volunteered.  

How to Let Go of Status Quo

By making this year better than last year, the kids dodged complacency and are already stretching themselves by thinking of ways to make next year even better. This develops a great habit for life in general.

How to be Competitive and Keep Fun in the Mix

Since all four of us have different NBA favorites in players and teams, there was a lot of cheering, taunting, and trash-talking. It’s important that children learn how to balance competitive behavior with considerate action, so while viewing the events (and sometimes after the event) Michael and I prompted many discussions in this area, such as:

·  The kids’ perceptions of the teamwork (or lack of) that was displayed

·  Their perception of individual and team characteristics (confidence, encouragement, determination, competitiveness, selfish/unselfish plays, etc).

·  Trash-talking and how it can inspire either inner-determination or create negative reactions.

 "Excellence is not a singular act but a habit. You are what you do repeatedly." ~~Shaquille O'Neal

There are so many strong character traits that can be taught to enhance and inspire our youth just by interacting with them. Use mutual interests and look for subtle ways to teach them through fun and games. Encourage them to not only play as a good sport, but to live their lives as good sports, too. 

Learn more about National Sportsmanship Day here

Good Sportsmanship Enhances Overall Success  

To teach our children sportsmanship, we must first understand that being a good sport involves more than winning with style and losing with grace.

Good sportsmanship creates strong character and develops success through social interaction that enhances self-esteem.

Teaching children to be good sports also teaches them to face life with passion and overcome obstacles through focus and determination.

Whether participating in sports activities or just interacting with family and friends, it is important that children learn proper sportsmanship for overall success.  

In addition to fairness and support, here are some more positive qualities that children learn when practicing good sportsmanship:

A Good Sport learns to:

     Grow through positive interaction

     Overcome doubt; build self-satisfaction

     Outline strategies to achieve definite goals

     Disallow the deeds of others to negatively impact their
                                roles

     Show others through persistence how not to quit  

     Produce harmonic surroundings where all will benefit  

     Objectively perceive situations as they are

     Rise to every task, each time raising the bar

      Trust in the strength of the inner Superstar

While it may be impressive for your child to become a celebrated team player in competitive sports, it’s even more magnificent when they achieve overall success in life. Through the principles of sportsmanship, you can teach your child to become a sound, caring individual, strong in character and deeds.

LIVE YOUR LIFE THE WAY YOU WANT TO BE REMEMBERED


With the tragic death of singer and actress Whitney Houston, people are split when thinking about her life. Some focus on her talents and pay tribute to all that she gave to the world while others focus just on the turmoil that seemed to plague her life.

While the things being said about Whitney may or may not be true, you can’t help but believe that given the choice, Whitney would want only her artistic life to be remembered by her loving fans. Sadly, that’s not the reality of things.

Although tragic, this event can bring about an opportunity to others; an opportunity to self-reflect. Ask yourself:

• Are you living your life in a way that you’d like to be remembered?
• Does your life merit the kind of tribute you’d be proud to have spoken about you after you’re gone?

If you answered NO, then the next question to ask yourself is “Why not?” If you want an honestly good tribute and not a generic one – you know, the kind that you hear at most funerals when people sugar-coat the life of the deceased so they won’t disgrace the family with facts of a messy life – then do something about it now. It’s not too late. You can still create the kind of life you want.

If you’re not living your truth from within, you’re living dishonestly. If you don’t want to live a dishonest life, then STOP. You’re not being true to anyone unless you do; not even to yourself. You have the power to change your life for the better. 

Live your happiness. Live your true Bliss. Devote your time, energy and focus on the things you care about and your life will go on forever through the love and positive memories you will leave behind.

SUPER BOWL SUNDAY NOT JUST FOR FANS

On Super Bowl Sunday, fans will be glued to television sets in family rooms, sports bars, neighborhood diners, and movie theaters to watch the Patriots and the Giants go at it for the game of the season. Family and friends, male and female, young and old will get together for the annual gathering of competitive bickering and "my team is the best" talk. The buzz that's been going on will finally explode on the evening of Sunday, February 5^th.

But where does all this leave the non-fan? We...I mean They want to have fun, too. How can Super Bowl Sunday be just as fun and entertaining for the folks who, at the mention of Giants and New England, think only of fairy tale monsters and Pilgrims?

3-Team Cake for the Men

I happen to be one of those Non-Fans…well, not quite as bad as described above; I do know who the teams are. I’m more into the NBA (sorry football guys and gals) but I do enjoy the hubbub that goes on around this time. So, when the gridiron gathering is at my home and hubby Michael is host, my contribution usually involves football-ish decorations or quirky dishes to add party interest and satisfy my need to belong to the day.

Steelers Represented

Last year, the grand kids and I decided to represent Michael's team (Bears) as well as those of my two younger brothers (Pittsburgh & Tampa Bay). The cake is made from several cupcakes. 

Chicago Represented

Tampa Bay Section

Since it was close to Valentine's Day, we decided to bring some Heart to the table for the Non-fans. There were heart-shaped sandwiches, cupcakes, and Teddi the Princess Bear too. 

We decided on a menu that morning and made a quick run to the grocery store. So you see, you don't have to do a lot to get into the spirit of things. Sunday, Michael will be hosting again and guess what my plans are; to put together some party food (I just love doing that), give Michael, his friends and Tipper the Cat the house along with my blessings. Then I'll grab up a bunch of the refreshments and head to my sister's house for the evening. Who knows, we may even check out the Half-time Show.