RETURN ON YOUR INVESTMENT

For the most part employers are always seeking top producers, they seek people that:

– Accept personal responsibility for their actions and results.
– See themselves as being able to affect the world around them, instead of having a “victim” mentality.
– Are driven to learn and develop themselves.
– see problems as an opportunity to learn and grow.
– see “failures” as stepping stones towards success.
– are results focused and have an optimistic outlook on the future.

If you are looking for other business partners who would you like to spend your time with? Someone that you have to prod along the way or someone that sees opportunity in every adventure?

Motivating unmotivated people can be one of the lowest Return On Investment activities to get involved with. Convincing others why they should do something is counter-productive.

Convincing someone why they should join your company, attend a training session, or why they should do more than their job description or find ways to become better at their trade is tiresome. And that’s because for most of these people it wasn’t their idea from the beginning, it was yours.

Now here comes the twist, most people chase after friendship and love in a very similar haphazard way.

People will be who they’ve been and will do what they’ve done — I suppose understanding this is the first step, and re-directing the focus would be next.

What if each one of us focused on self investment and began to:

– accept personal responsibility for our emotions
– seeing ourselves as someone that can affect the world around us, rather than looking for happiness from others
– continue to improve our mind, body and soul
– see relationships as an opportunity to grow
– focus on the positive attributes that others bring into your life

When you invest in yourself you will begin to attract others in that same journey, the quality of your life will improve. As you take on this personal quest you will be amazed at the wonderful people that are on the same journey with you. You will meet people with an incredible Zest for life and simply love what they do and strive to be the best they possibly can.

Daisy Says: Return on your investment starts with You.

This weekend I attended a Gala Night for one of the local non profits – their invitation card stated: Black-Tie Optional.

Had it not been for my genuine interest in meeting other kind hearted people championing a cause, me being the practical dresser would have preferred skipping the whole event so I would not have to dress up.

This whole Gala thing spawned my quest to understand more about dress codes. There is certain dress code for business, for attending religious events, playing sports and dinner parties.

I believe it is natural “animal” instinct to size people upon initial contact; the way we dress and groom ourselves makes that first impression before we even open our mouths. (You can get some good tips for business professional dress code Click Here)

Dress-codes allows an employer to set standards and a party hostess to create uniformity.

Quick reference to dress codes for social events.

Black Tie (or Formal)
A Black Tie invitation calls for formal attire. Men wear tuxedos, women wear cocktail, long dresses or dressy evening separates.

White Tie
A White Tie or Ultra-formal invitation requires men wear full dress, with white tie, vest, shirt. Women wear long gowns.

Black Tie Optional
A Black Tie Optional or Black Tie Invited gives you the option of wearing a tuxedo or formal dress, but it should clue you into the formality of the event, meaning a dark suit and tie would be your other option. Women wear cocktail, long dresses or dressy evening separates.

Creative Black Tie
Creative Black Tie leaves room for trendy interpretations of formal wear. He can go more modern with a tux — maybe a black shirt, no tie. She wears long or short dresses or evening separates.

Sometimes, themed parties call for dress codes like Texas Black Tie or other variations of Creative Black Tie. In that situation, you can have more fun with it, choosing a dressy look with a theme (for him, it could be a tux with boots and for her it could be a long dress paired with Southwestern style silver belt and jewelry).

Semi-Formal
Semi-Formal or After Five means that tuxes are not required, nor are long dresses. An evening wedding (after 6 PM) would still dictate dark suits for him, and a cocktail dress for her. Daytime semi-formal events mean a suit for him and an appropriate short dress or dressy suit for her.

Business Formal is the same as Semi-Formal for him, but for women it suggests that women opt for more tailored dressy suits and dresses (nothing too slinky or sexy).

Cocktail Attire
Cocktail Attire means short, elegant dresses for her and dark suits for him.

Informal
Informal is often interpreted as the same as Casual but it actually calls for the same dress as Semi-Formal — dark suits for him, short dresses for her — especially when associated with a wedding or special event.

Festive Attire
Festive Attire is usually seen around the holidays, with the mood of the party being Informal or Semi-Formal. For her, it means to choose looks with a bit of sparkle or holiday bent (i.e. a beaded sweater with black pants, a red silk blouse with a black skirt).

Casual
Dressy Casual calls for dressed-up versions of casual looks. For him, it could be trousers and a sportcoat, for her a dressy pants look. Jeans, shorts, T-shirts and other casual looks are not appropriate for Dressy Casual.

Casual generally means anything goes.

Fortunately I learned a long time ago that a girl should have two little black dresses in her closet – a little short black dress and the long black dress. Guys have it a little harder because Black-Tie Optional really means that you don’t have to wear a Tuxedo… but a suit is recommended.

Darn, what to do with my hair!

Daisy Says: You are your own art work-take pride.

Sometimes life’s challenges can be so overwhelming that we can’t imagine that there could be light at the end of the tunnel. Believe and Know that it does not matter how many times you fall… rejoice in the knowledge that life is the GIFT.

It does not matter who you are nor what is happening in your life right now, what matters is.. that it IS… that LIFE IS and that all experiences no matter how we label them good or bad serve as catalyst in personal growth.

I’ve had a few challenges that tested my WILL and CHARACTER… challenges that hurt so deep that while I was going through the experience it felt like I was in the darkest tunnel. Despite the loving voices on the outside, the journey was very personal and solitary. When I was at my lowest, when I thought I could not cry any more, when the darkness had completely enveloped me – in the silence of my anguish I found the strength to get back up and face the person in the mirror. I got up and looked at her from a different point of view, from the angle of experience; I looked at her and saw that despite the challenge and the grief… that I was there….’alive’. Alive to move on and start a new chapter.

Welcome the challenges for they help you build your character, experience the fall and know that you will rise again stronger and bolder.

Daisy Says: Be grateful in the falling and victorious in the living!