Whoa! Sorry about my busy schedule. I’m back in blogging action.

Sooo… what words come to mind when you see someone doing this?

(photo from: lastforypercent.com)

When interacting with a potential client, colleague, senior leader or new acquaintance, we all want to put forward our best self.  It’s a pretty normal thing.

We all have bad habits that we just don’t want out there.  Twirling your hair is, without a doubt, one of them.  When I see others doing this, it makes them look ditzy and silly.  They likely aren’t ditzy or silly but right away, this is the impression that is being formed.  It is fair? No. Does it happen… all the time? Yes.

Say what?

Guess what? I’m a major hair twirler. It’s a habit – a bad one – I’ve had since I was a kid.  Over the last 5-7 years or so, I’ve taken very deliberate and purposeful steps to stop doing this in any in of professional setting.  I, like many others who are hair twirlers, am not ditzy or silly.  Why would I want even a single person thinking that about me? I don’t.

Here’s what I do to kick this habit:

• Each and every time I present myself, in a professional capacity, I remember that what I say and do is a complete reflection of everything I stand for – whether I intend it to or not.
• I often remind myself that I am not ditzy or silly. I then ask myself “why would I want to look that way?”
• I do allow myself to indulge in a good hair twirl when I’m not out in public.
• When I slip up, I acknowledge it and move on.  I’m not perfect. I do work hard at breaking bad habits though.

You can break this habit too. And you should. You never know when sill habits could limit a potential opportunity on the horizon.