the fresh perspective...
Freshair Boutique
First impressions: How to make ‘em and how to bounce back from bad ones…
We’ve all been there, meeting someone for the first time and saying all the wrong things. Or even worse, being out of your mind so you don’t remember what you said at all! Impressions are a part of life we can do nothing about. The reality is, as much as we try, we do judge each other and our actions.
I believe the best way to make a good impression is to just be yourself and read the social cues. Just mirror the situation you’re in. If the mood is somber, don’t break out into a song and dance. If everyone is pumped up and jazzed, ditch the long face.
Look the person in the eyes when you’re being introduced and give a decent handshake. It’s good to be able to engage in casual banter so if the person asks you a question, answer and then reply with one of your own. One word answers are a conversation stopper and shifty eyes make people uncomfortable.
Unfortunately if you flubbed a first impression HARD, pray to cosmos that you never see that person again! I’m serious! Studies show it is really hard to change someones perspective of you if you defecated on their great grandmother doily at her funeral! There is not much one can do after that but to send a gift basket, mountains of apologies, and an offer to have the doily dry cleaned.
In most cases, bad first impressions happen when you fail to be yourself, you are under the influence or you don’t pay attention to the social ques of the situation. When you look at it like that, it’s pretty easy to avoid. Let it be known that humans are funny individuals and for the most part cannot be pleased. That being said, just do your best and be yourself!
…that’s the fresh perspective