Notes From A People Watcher

Awkward penguin

Awkward Penguin Vibes are So Last Year!

I relate to “awkward penguin vibes” more than I’d care to admit. It’s largely why I started studying body language. With that in mind I thought I’d share five tips to use on a daily basis because being awkward isn’t...

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Marigold vs Walnut Tree

Are you a Marigold or a Walnut Tree?

I was recently exposed to a new way of viewing people and wanted to share it with you! So I must ask you a question, “Are you a Marigold or a Walnut Tree?” Dance with the Marigold Effect Picture this: ...

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Stitch Fix

Presentation Insights from a Stitch Fix Adventure

The Art of Curating a Presentation: Insights from My Stitch Fix Adventure I love to shop. But my grown children don’t. My daughter has clear opinions on what she wears and the items I “hunt and gather” for her rarely make the cut.  And...

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Pink!

That time I walked right past Pink!

That time I walked right past Pink! (Face palm) How did I manage to pull that one off? Well… Our family was vacationing in Ontario and decided to check out Graffiti Alley and Kensington Market after a morning of biking. I was hot,...

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Digital Communication

Adding a dash of YOU into digital interactions

It’s time to embrace… Punctuation, emojis, and gifs as personality amplifiers in the digital world. Why? Because tone matters. And it’s the punctuation, emojis, and gifs that make the difference. 1. Punctuation  Punctuation marks may seem mundane, but they’re “kind of a...

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Nonverbal Alchemy!

Nonverbal Alchemy! A little bit of this, a pinch of that, and a dash of a few other things and voila, you’ve created some irresistible magic! When it comes to recognizing cues, our brain knows what it’s doing. So why...

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Parrot Video Calls

Polly wants a video call, not a cracker!

Polly wants a video call, not a cracker! Humans benefit from socializing with each other, and birds do, too! According to a recent study, parrots benefit from socializing with other birds, just like humans benefit from socializing with each other.  And...

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Phubbing

Are you guilty of phubbing?

Are you guilty of phubbing? Let’s talk about it. First things first. Do you know what phubbing is? It’s the word mash-up for “phone snubbing” The definition goes something like this: The habit of ignoring someone in front of you...

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Hand You Are Dealt

Playing The Hand You’re Dealt

“Well, at least feeling this way allowed us to work on our personalities! People skills are ageless and have served us well” I say to the woman helping me with my purchase. She gives me a knowing nod. The Backstory. I’m at a department...

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How I’m Using Body Doubling

“Okay, see you in 20 minutes,” I say before turning off my Zoom camera, setting my “Time Timer” and getting to work. For the last several months, my speaker Mastermind has gotten together weekly to check in and get things done. We...

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That one person

We All Know That One Person…

You wonder… Why are some people so charismatic and some… just not? You notice that… James repels customers while Jada pulls them in like a gigantic magnet. Amy seems so shifty. You just never know what to expect from her! Heather makes you feel very small every time...

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Dunning-Kruger

Balsamic Vinegar & A Punch In The Face

A few weeks ago I had an unfortunate accident. I spilled a bottle of balsamic vinegar and some olive oil in the backseat of my car. The upholstery is fabric. Oh, snap! After a futile attempt to clean the spill,...

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Earthquake

When The Earthquake Hits…

“Whoa, pause the movie,” I say to my husband. We are midway through the movie “The Banshees of Inisherin” when the text comes through. Our “faraway daughter” from Turkey is messaging us that she has just experienced a massive earthquake and is...

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Georgia

It Took A Chicken

It Took A chicken After nearly 10 years, it happened. Our beloved pet chicken passed away. Her name was Georgia, and she was the last of our brood of five. And in true pet-owner fashion, we fell in love with...

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No Capes

“No capes! -Edna Mode

Allow me to introduce you to Edna Mode. If you’ve seen the movie “The Incredibles”, you are already aware of Edna’s presence. If you haven’t seen the movie…let me fill you in. Edna is a supporting character in both “The...

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My Story

Wanna Hear A Story?

Storytime. We are drawn to what we need. Hello there, friend! A new year often generates reflection (and if you are me, promises to pass on desserts) which got me thinking about my journey to body language. Here’s my story… (aka “How...

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Not Fitting In

Feeling Like You Don’t Fit In?

Feeling Like You Don’t Fit In? Often clients are surprised to learn that I am inherently shy and insecure. Growing up I would watch the Christmas special, “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer”  (no heckling about my age!) and always get a lump in my throat...

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Tickets

Yeah, I Didn’t Get Tickets Either

“Tickets go on sale shortly for the Taylor Swift concert. If I get through, how many tickets should I try to get,” my husband says over the phone. A few minutes later I received the following screenshot text with the caption, “Not looking good”....

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Snoop

Do You Like To Snoop?

Raise your hand if you’ve ever been to someone’s house only to discover they are nothing like you’d imagined them to be. Is your hand up? Perhaps it was: A co-worker’s home that didn’t align with their work personality (What? Sally...

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Montréal Pâtisserie

Lessons From A Montréal Pâtisserie

Lessons From A Montréal Pâtisserie “In English, please”, I say as I try to figure out how to order my coffee and pastry. It shouldn’t be this hard but the line at the shop is long and I can’t figure out what...

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Coffe cup

Your Favorite Coffee Cup Is Talking!

What is your favorite coffee cup saying to you? This question feels like a setup for a joke to which I reply, my coffee mug is saying, “Looks like you have a latte on your mind” (insert snare drum rimshot) Hilarity aside,...

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Confidence

How This Woman Is Making People Take Her Seriously

A Case Study. Recently I was shown a TikTok and just about choked on my leftover mushroom and black olive pizza while watching the woman give her 3-minute masterclass on confidence.  The woman’s name is Katie Tucci and she happens to be a 5’2″ blonde woman who has...

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The Art of Body Language

Team Realism or Cubism?

Realism or Cubism? Pushed to choose, put me in the Cubism category. Ask my husband the same question and he’ll shout Realism without pause.   Why? We view art differently. I love art, ideas, design, and being creative. To me, seeing...

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Can You Relate To My Covid Binge?

My 2.5 Year Covid Free Streak Ended In August. And while I felt lousy (even my teeth hurt!), I’m not one to squander a golden opportunity for binge-watching TV! My demand for mindless entertainment did cheer me up. The Great Pottery Thrown...

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Never have I ever

Never Have I Ever…

Never Have I Ever… Put a finger down if you’ve ever done ANY of the following: Phubbed (ignored someone in order to pay attention to your phone or device) Multitasked while on a Zoom call (like looking at another screen and your...

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How I Knew The Coffee Connection Would Be Different

“I’d love to meet for coffee” the email reads but it ends differently than all the networking coffee connections I’ve ever received. Attached to the email is the gif below. Seeing this made me know I would enjoy my time connecting...

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the Baader-Meinhof Phenomenon

The Baader-Meinhof Phenomenon

“Out, damned spot; out, I say.” –Lady Macbeth (and Kristin Bock) “When is the last time someone cleaned that bathroom?!” I whisper to my family while sitting down to eat. We are at a fast food restaurant and my daughter and I have just...

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Replay

When Your Brain Is On Constant Replay!

“Some teenagers approached me while I was out on my walk and said that a woman had made racial slurs towards them. The one kid looked like he was about to cry”, my 81-year-old dad tells me over the phone. I immediately begin...

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Why Fluffy Towels & Pillows Matter

Details. It’s the little things that matter. I’ll admit it.  I’m an HGTV junkie. Whenever our family stays in a hotel, they know to immediately find me the HGTV channel.  #ParentingGoals Simply put, I love a good makeover. Shows that...

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UB Fantasy

The Undercover Boss Fantasy

“Do you know the show, Undercover Boss?”, an employee asks during a class I’m teaching. I smile and nod knowingly for the 1,593 time. In my previous life (aka pre-entrepreneurship), I was an employee trainer and the “Undercover Boss” fantasy came...

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Meet “Hide the Pain Harold”

Meet Harold. A week ago I had never heard of “Hide the Pain Harold” and now I can’t get enough of him! I’ll put the video of his story below but will recap “Harold’s ” story in bullet points in case...

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Lessons From The “Taco Guy ” Lady

I’m late to the party…  But hey, I’ve arrived and am dying to plop some storytelling goodness in your lap whether you are wearing white pants or not. I recently discovered Elyse Myers, of Tik Tok fame, and can’t get enough...

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Broach

Did you know Madeleine Albright did this?

Did you know Madeleine Albright had a pin collection that she used to strategically, and nonverbally, indicate her views? I didn’t. But I think it’s a really cool idea! With Madeleine Albright’s funeral being held in Washington yesterday, I wanted...

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Channeling Paul McCartney

Epic mom fail #3,509,671. I’m at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame with my daughter and exchange student. We are taking in all of the music goodness and settling in to watch the “Get Back to Let It Be”  The Beatles Exhibit video footage. ...

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Oven

Becoming A Self Cleaning Oven

“You know mom, I think she’s a lot like a self cleaning oven,” Angie says sipping her tea. Angie (aka Pelangi) is our “far-away daughter” from Indonesia. We hosted her as an exchange student 11 years ago and now she...

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Compliments

Why Compliments Matter

Last Tuesday was a long day. I presented to about 2,200 middle school students to help them make a great first impression before heading into a youth career expo.  The day involved me working with groups of about 200-300 students at...

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Labels

Labels and First Impressions

Have you ever met someone only to learn later they are not who you thought? I saw the video below several years ago and was reminded of it again recently during a conversation with a friend. And it got me...

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CT Scan

My Latest Scare And Why People Skills Matter!

My sister and I are besties so when she shared some scary medical things that were going on with her, the panic inside me started to grow. Weirdly, one of my first thoughts was the famous Patrick Swayze quote from the movie “Dirty Dancing”… I guess the protective...

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Lessons From A Flooded Bathroom

“Noooooo” I shout as I enter my office and discover my computer drenched in a pool of water. I grab towels and do my best to quickly mop up the mess but when I tip my computer over, water comes pouring out....

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We All Know That One Person...

We All Know That One Person…

We All Know That One Person… You wonder… Why are some people so charismatic and some… just not? You notice that… Can you relate? James repels customers while Jada pulls them in like a gigantic magnet. Amy seems so shifty. You just never know what...

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What Word Comes To Mind When You Think Of Betty White?

Happy birthday to you, Happy birthday to you, Happy birthday, dear Betty Happy birthday to you! Yes, January 17th marks Betty White’s birthday, and it has officially been named “Betty White Day” in Oak Park, Illinois. When asked to describe...

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Reverse Engineer

Reverse Engineering Charisma

It was love at first viewing. On New Year’s Day, I started binge-watching– Bon Appetit’s,  “Reverse Engineering” with Chris Morocco. The premise. Supertaster Chris Morocco is challenged to recreate a recipe from a celebrity chef. The Catch? He is not allowed to see...

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Hero

How To Immediately Become A Hero

As discussed in our previous installment of how to be “fabulous to a new co-worker” (or any person!), saving them from social awkwardness is the key to success. The minute you swoop in with your welcoming words and actions, the...

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A Girl Walks Into a Bar...

How To Welcome A New Employee

A girl walks into a bar. She scans the room and doesn’t recognize a soul. She feels uncomfortable. She wants to leave. But she can’t. The end. I would insert a punch line here but sadly, this isn’t a joke....

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Speech Bubble

What’s Your Speech Bubble Saying About You?

We all do it. We meet someone and immediately form an opinion about them.  Imagine a speech bubble popping up over a person’s head and a word being inserted in it: Words like: Friend Foe Indifference Rich Powerful Generic Influential...

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Do People Like You?

Do They Really, Really Like You? Here’s the deal, we are hard-wired to belong and connect.  (Hello there Sally Field Oscar’s speech “You like me, you really like me!”). I ran across an interesting study. We all need to belong. ...

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Hairdresser

I Cheated On My Hairdresser!

It’s complicated. I was with my hairdresser for over 25 years when she fell in love and up and moved out of state. This had me back on my heels but the stylist she recommended within the salon agreed to “take me on”...

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Have You Seen the Squid Game?!

“Okay, you’re in charge of picking out the show”, I say to Ceren, our exchange student. It’s been a hectic day and our family has just decided to cap off our day with a show. “Let’s get everything done and meet...

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Spilling The Tea On Charisma!

Last week we talked about the importance of waking other people’s brains up and I left you with a cliffhanger wondering how we do just that. Clearly, it’s been a loooonnnngggg week of waiting for you so… Let’s get right...

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Tiffany Haddish

Is Tiffany Haddish Right?

It’s hard to be mad when you’re laughing. I’m late to the party as I only recently discovered Tiffany Haddish (Ahem, older, white woman alert).  I’ve seen Tiffany interviewed several times on TV and have listened to her twice on podcasts...

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Be Afraid Of Me Because I Am A Wolf!

This tweet is giving me life. “There is a petite, blonde 5yo in my yard with her hands on her hips, yelling at my 7- and 10-yo boys to BE AFRAID OF ME BECAUSE I AM A WOLF!!!! and I...

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Cactus Hug

It’s Hard to Hug a Cactus

“I’ll just have a Coke,” I say to the bartender. “And I’ll have a hard cider,” my husband adds. The bartender takes our order while looking simultaneously annoyed and disappointed by our requests. I smile, comment on the baseball game, and try...

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Door

Body Language of a Door

Have you seen these a’door’able signs on your neighbors front doors?  There are two in my neighborhood and I’m always struck by their welcoming vibe. Question. Can something so simple really change our perceptions? Answer. If I’m knocking on someone’s door for the first...

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Unspoken Rules

Didn’t Get The Memo? Those Pesky Unspoken Rules!

Ever feel like you didn’t get the memo? Recently our family was vacationing and I used Uber for the first time *well aware of your silent judgment* causing me to experience the “memo moment”. You know, when you are the only...

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Small Talk Bait

Small Talk Bait

“I just think it’s so funny. If they were conducting the same experiment but there were no cameras, they get 100 years in prison…It’s like sex trafficking”. -John Wilson talking about watching “The Bachelor” and “The Bachelorette” on Conan O’Brien’s podcast This was the...

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Trust

Puppets, People, & Trust

Trust Me! Lessons From A Puppet Time to focus your body language laser beam because there’s a current deteriorating trust trend right up there with those regrettable trends of the past… (Think bad hairstyles like the asymmetrical cut, mullets, big hair,...

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Feeling Squirrelly?

Feeling Squirrelly?

“Kristin, I just saw my first squirrel!” -Ceren, our exchange student from Turkey I don’t know why I’m surprised to hear this comment because every exchange our family has ever hosted has said the same thing.  EVERY. SINGLE. ONE. *claps hands for...

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Paragliding

How I Got 10 Extra Minutes Paragliding

“Well someone certainly turned on the like switch” my son wryly says as I walk up and greet my family after my tandem paragliding session. “Yep”, I reply while matching his wry smile. Our family spent the last week vacationing in California...

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The Art of Listening

Why I’m Nodding and Saying Umm-hmm

“So do you have plans with your friends this evening?” I ask my daughter on our drive home from her tennis practice. “Mom! I already told you this morning. Did you even listen?” Sadly this type of situation has happened more times...

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Tandem bike

Lessons From a Tandem Bike Ride

“So what do you think, are you up for a tandem bike ride?” my husband asks over the phone. “Sure”, I say, “what time and who’s all going?” “I’m not sure but he has four tandem bikes so my guess...

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Vocal Power

I Loved Getting This Voice Message

”Hi Kristin, I’m so happy to hear your voice, it really helped me feel more relaxed! I’m really happy to hear your voice and I’m happy to communicate with you. You are so warm-hearted… I’m really grateful to be a...

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Joy Luck Club

The scene that makes me cry every time!

I remember seeing the movie “The Joy Luck Club” when it came out in 1993. My younger self thought it was “the best film ever”. The movie was beautiful, poignant, tragic, and hopeful all rolled into one which is just...

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Mary Poppins

Channeling Mary Poppins

Recently I was listening to the Smartless podcast (one of my favorite pandemic finds) and the guest, Tracy Ellis Ross, referenced the movie Mary Poppins and the song “Spoonful of Sugar”. She used the lyrics as a metaphor to explain...

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Handshakes

Remember Handshakes?

It’s Happening! Life is beginning to “go back to normal” which means we need to review a very basic, yet important, re-entry skill. Remember the handshake? It’s hard to know if it will fully come back in vogue, but I’ve...

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Rekindling My Crush On Andrew McCarthy

I recently saw a story on CBS Sunday Morning (one of my favs which means I’ve officially become my parents) about the actor Andrew McCarthy who was an overnight success in the ’80s. I discovered Andrew in the movie Pretty...

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Does It Ever End?

Does It Ever End?!

I’m a “mature woman” and yet I continue to be surprised when a situation pops up and I immediately revert to my middle and high school mentality. My youthful feedback loop and self-talk are still there yapping away like some...

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Do You Believe In Compassionate Discipline?

Pull up a chair and let’s talk! Imagine we are sitting on the patio laughing, drinking a fizzy drink (mine’s tart cherry juice, carbonated water, with a squeeze of lime) with the sun shining perfectly when I sweetly ask you...

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At The Center Of The Universe?

Recently my “far away daughter” (the fond name we have given exchange students we’ve previously hosted) asked if we could Facetime. The reason? She was having boy problems and needed to talk. Our “far away daughter” is 26 years old...

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Pickle

Blah, blah, blah,…Pickle!

Blah, blah, blah,…Pickle! Blah, blah, blah,… Crackerjack! Blah, blah, blah,… Squirrel! I like you. And in order for you to like me, you need to know and trust me. We need to feel connected. One of the building blocks of...

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She Likes Me...

She Likes Me, She Likes Me Not…

She Likes Me, She Likes Me Not… Our brain never stops. It’s like a computer constantly running in the background, scanning for any problems. Our amygdala is our Worry Wart relative who is constantly spotting trouble and muttering things like,...

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Pick Me

“Pick me. Choose me. Love me.”

“Pick me. Choose me. Love me.” -(Meredith Grey) Grey’s Anatomy The struggle is real. We all want to be noticed. We all want to belong. But how to stand out in a sea of people? I think my anxiety has...

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Punching Up Your Emails– Bob Ross Style

I have a love-hate relationship with emails. I need them to communicate with the world but on more than one occasion I’ve experienced “inbox bloat” and felt like I couldn’t spend another 7 seconds dealing with them! For most of...

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Conversation & Small Talk

The Art of Conversation & Small Talk

It might be the nicer weather. It might be that I ran into some friendly people. It might be that people are feeling super social after being cooped up for a year. Dunno. In any case, my two recent “outside...

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Zoom Fatigue

Being “On Call”–The Zoom Version

“Are you looking at me? Because it really feels like everyone is staring!” Is it just me or have you had this similar internal dialogue during a Zoom call? Ahhh, Zoom fatigue. Ever wonder why you are so dazed and...

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Irresistible Communication

Irresistible Digital Communication

Last week I introduced you to Roger + Chris, my new website crush, and shared that they have been wooing me with their pictures, graphics, videos, and words. Their website nonverbals are killing it, and their snappy word choices warrant...

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Body Language of a Website

Body Language of a Website

I love an old home. I love the wood, the quality, the details, the character, and how it just feels. The quiet squeak of a door, the sound of my heels walking on hardwood floors, the archways that transition me...

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Happiness

Fill In The Blank. The Key To Happiness Is…

“What’s the secret to being happy?” -Everyone at some point in their life “7 Layer Bars and a good book.” -Me Okay, fine… If you insist on pressing me for a “deeper” response I’d list things like: Family and friends....

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That One Stupid Thing!

Recently I was asked to be interviewed on a podcast (cue party horns blaring and confetti cannons popping out glitter and paper everywhere)! I was scared but said yes anyway (my newest battle cry) and anxiously showed up to the...

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Eye Can't Believe It!

Eye Can’t Believe It!

With Valentine’s Day right upon us, I thought I’d let you in on a bit of a body language secret (pulls door shut while furtively scanning area…) Did you know that the size of someone’s pupils can correlate with how...

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Gif giving

The Power of Gif Giving

If a picture is worth a thousand words, a gif has to be at least 10,000 thousand words! First things first, my deep research has revealed that the correct pronunciation is Gif with a hard G. I’ve heard people say...

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Face It

Why I Need To See You!

Why I Need To See You! Hello there, kitten face (said while slowly sipping my coffee and lovingly tilting my head towards you)! It turns out that we are wired to connect which means that I need to see you....

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Career Insurance

Career Insurance: Survival of the Friendliest

My mental math skills are WEAK. Logistics and details are my actual undoing. Excel spreadsheets make me break out in hives. Repetitive tasks are torture. Budgets make me cry. This has been a gigantic concern for me since hard skills...

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Written Tone

Emails and Texts Have Feelings, Too!

Recently I caught myself mid-sentence as I morphed into a curmudgeon and muttered out loud, “Well, leave it to those young whippersnappers!” A large part of communication relies on context. In our day to day interactions, in-person or virtually, we...

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I have a confession

I Have A Confession…

These last two months I’ve just been “going through the motions”. So has my sister. And, especially my dad. In October my mom passed away and we are still figuring out what to do. I mean, there are things like...

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ASL

I Can’t Stop Watching!

You know that moment when you see something unexpectedly–mid-bite, mid-stride, mid-email– and make an incredible observation– crumbs falling from your mouth (or is that just me)? Your eureka moment, if you will… I recently experienced this when following a Twitter...

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A Room with a Cue

A Room With A Cue

I’ve been talking and thinking a lot about (read obsessed) our video backgrounds lately. You can imagine my delight then when I stumbled across this scientific study that indicates we can tell a great deal about a person’s personality by...

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Keepin' It Real

Keepin’ It Real

As seen in last week’s episode (okay fine, blog post) we talked about keeping virtual backgrounds in our “fun” or “social category” instead of professional because of its fake vibe. Being inauthentic is a huge body language no-no because keeping...

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The Case Against Virtual Backgrounds

We are many months into our virtual reality world and I’m still trying to figure out what exactly it is I need to be doing. The first few months felt like I was rubbing my eyes from a long night’s...

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Psst! Chris Hemsworth Told Me You Are Amazing!

Chris Hemsworth Told Me You Are Amazing! (It goes without saying that his smoldering, blue eyes, dashing good looks along with his masterful use of hand gestures and fabulous eye contact have nothing to do with why you want to...

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Pumpkin Costume

The Girl in the Pumpkin Costume…

The Girl in the Pumpkin Costume… I have a memory that still haunts me. It’s a brief moment from my high school days (which is scary enough!) but I often find myself reflecting on the seemingly insignificant blip in time....

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1960 Debate

Gather Around For Storytime!

Gather around everyone, Auntie Kristin wants to tell you a story! The year is 1960. Vice President Richard Nixon and Senator John F. Kennedy have agreed to do the first televised presidential debate on September 26th, and 70 million viewers...

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The study that keeps me up at night

The Study That Keeps Me Up At Night…

Let’s face it, looks matter. Whether it’s the beautiful job applicant or the handsome local server at your favorite hangout, attractive people certainly have an advantage. They are perceived as having better personalities and tend to make more money. I’m...

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RBG And Why I’m Rethinking Wearing Necklaces…

Last week’s passing of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was an incredible loss. Because of RBG’s legal work, women enjoy many freedoms we take for granted today, such as opening up a credit card or applying for a mortgage...

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Blah, Blah, Blah

How to Interrupt Someone, Politely!

How to Interrupt Someone, Politely! A fish, a bookmark, and a pupil walk into a bar… …and they all use their nonverbal powers to interrupt the chatty guy sitting next to them who has been going on and on and...

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The Booster Shot We All Need!

The Painless Booster Shot We All Need!

“Necessity is the mother of invention” – Plato I adore people’s creativity and ingenuity and am filled with hope when I see new solutions and ideas being tried. A shout out to these clever and charming attempts to connect while...

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A Nod to Comedian Sarah Cooper

I just discovered this comedian and wanted to share her “insights” with you. Introducing…Sarah Cooper! Sarah is the author of the book “100 Tricks to Appear Smart in Meetings” and below is her YouTube clip, “Nodding Strategies for Your Next...

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Stars

Once You See It, You Can’t Unsee It!

Once You See It, You Can’t Unsee It! “Look at the tail on that one!” a man in the crowd exclaims. I snicker quietly (seriously, how old am I?!), and take in the view. Our family is sitting in an...

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Can People Smell Your Fear

Can People Smell Your Fear?

An interesting study… (Note to self– ask a lot of questions before agreeing to be in a study!) Participants in a study were asked to smell pads soaked with sweat from two different test groups. GAG! The volunteers were not...

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Oops, I made a mistake!

Oops, I made a mistake!

I’ve made at least 3,997,642 ish in my approximation. This means you should really like me because there is the science that says that when “typically competent people make small mistakes”, they are viewed as more likable. This is known...

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Is RBF Real?

Is RBF Real?

As a child, I would ask my mom if she was mad at me and she’d be surprised because, in her mind, her face was relaxed and in a neutral position. And as genetics (and the mother’s wish) work, I...

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The secret body language move no one ever suspects!

The secret body language move no one ever suspects!

Behold the power of the eyebrows! “You know, the mustache gets a lot of play, but the eyebrows carry the thunder.” — Actor Nick Offerman Question: What do Jack Nicholson, Groucho Marx, Nick Offerman, Eugene Levy, Bob Dole, Jim Carrey,...

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Four Tips to Ace Your Next Public Speaking Event

Four Tips to Ace Your Next Public Speaking Event

(Screeching sound of microphone along with a completely uncomfortable audience)… Despite our high school speech class’ valiant attempt, most of us don’t feel quite at home in front of an audience. We know we need to be able to “say a...

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How to Sound Like a Leader

Okay, think of a voice you LOVE to listen to… Did you immediately think of: Morgan Freeman James Earl Jones Alan Rickman Patrick Stewart Kathleen Turner Oprah Winfrey Judi Dench Helen Mirren We love to hear strong, powerful, soothing, expressive...

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Confidence Cocktail

You know those moments when things were going fine and then suddenly you feel the confidence just start hemorrhaging out of your body? Things like: Your frenemy just walked into the cafe. You are seated at a meeting table and...

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How to be INTERESTING!

How do they do it? They, meaning interesting people! And more importantly, if I buy Dos Equis, will I be more interesting? Score one for the Dos Equis marketing team… As a woman who has always been on the hunt...

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If you give a monkey a cucumber…

Everyone needs to feel seen and heard. It’s a basic need and when people are marginalized and treated unfairly, they act out in frustration. This is perfectly demonstrated in the following clip. Let’s Watch a Capuchin Monkey video. (Because who...

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You CAN judge a person by their face!

Time to do an “About-Face”… It turns out that the face is unlike a book cover—you CAN judge a person by their face! Gasp! Let me unpack this statement for you. In 2008, researchers Nicholas Rule and Nalini Ambady co-authored...

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