Creating Good Habits Begins with You

By Etiquette Expert Jules Martinez Hirst

As we head into March, instead of stressing ourselves because we didn’t stick to our resolutions or maybe never started, let’s instead focus on changing our habits.

Setting boundaries is something many people struggle with. They don’t like to say no even though they may not be ready to meet amongst large crowds in the era of COVID, but they are afraid of saying “no” because they don’t want to offend someone, or they don’t want to lose their friendship.

So, ask yourself, how do we respect ourselves while practicing good manners? Glad you asked.

Manners are a lifetime skill. Whether we know it or not, we use manners all the time. However, most of us were never taught the do’s and don’ts of manners. Manners includes first impressions, how we interact with others, our email, our social media and beyond. It is never too late to improve your manners. When I try to stress this to people, I am reminded of the book “Atomic Habits.” The author, James Clear, emphasizes that repetition is key. By doing something over and over, the activity transitions from something you tell yourself to do to become a habit -- something that happens automatically. The same is true with manners. Once you have a firm handshake, you will always have a firm handshake. It’s never too late to start. Even the smallest step will lead you in the right direction.

When you are in a situation where you need to tell someone no, then you should feel comfortable doing so, but you need to tell them nicely and provide a reason. Sorry, I cannot attend your event. I’m not comfortable being in large groups at the moment. Sorry, I can’t meet you for lunch. I prefer to eat at home where I feel in control of the environment. Would you care to come over and have lunch on my patio? These options allow us to respect ourselves while being polite. See, it’s not that difficult. Now, go out and try it.

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Jules Martinez Hirst

Jules Hirst is a sought-after business & social etiquette expert, co-author of The Power of Civility and founder of Etiquette Consulting, Inc.

Dedicated to empowering individuals and groups with confidence and essential social grace, she conducts lectures, workshops, seminars and webinars for Business Professionals, Newly Elected Officials, College Students, the Youth, Teens and Brides to Be.

She has worked with corporations & non profits such as NALEO, Northrop Grumman, County of Los Angeles Libraries, Sun America, Ernst & Young and the Girl Scouts of America and numerous schools and universities including UCLA, USC, Cal State Los Angeles, UC Santa Barbara & Mount St. Mary’s.

Regarded as a foremost authority in business etiquette, Jules has been interviewed by and quoted in a variety of media outlets including NBC Nightly News, ABC World News, Yahoo!, Bravo T.V, MTV, Good Morning America, KCBS the San Diego Tribune, Chicago Tribune, The Smart Show, KNX 1070, KFI, Marketplace PR and Los Angeles Times.

Affiliations & Awards:

· 2015 Named Latina of Influence by Hispanic Lifestyle

· 2015 Named Lincoln Latina Leader by Lincoln Motor Company

· Member, Latina Golfers Association

· Member, Association of Image Consultants

Certificates:

· 2014 Latina Global Executive Leadership Program, USC

· 2015 Management Development for Entrepreneurs, UCLA Anderson School of Management

Contact Info:

Office: 310-425-3160

Cell: 310-770-0749

Email: jh@juleshirst.com http://www.facebook.com/EtiquetteConsultingInc https://twitter.com/Etiquette411 www.linkedin.com/in/juleshirst