Hadrians Wall, UK

Introducing the Travel Packing – Wardrobe Wizard
I recently had a holiday in the UK. It was an ideal chance to put into action the travel packing guidelines I have been developing over the last few years.
The very first thing to do, even before you get the suitcase out, is to establish the guidelines for your trip. I recommend using the CARD system to make it easy.
You can create a CARD for each trip you do and have it ready to go for next time.

Considerations:
C – Climate/Culture? What is the climate or weather likely to be while you are there? Summer/Winter? Range of temperature from day to night? Are there any cultural issues of modesty to consider? For example, a bikini will not be suitable to pack when going to a orthodox Muslim country. Being clear on this aspect will help you choose the right types of clothing. Heavy coat vs light rain jacket? Skimpy singlet vs long sleeved top?

A – Activities? What will you be doing on your trip? Business meetings/visiting family/tourist activites/retreat spa. Being clear on this aspect will help you choose the style of clothing needed. Do you need to take business formal, smart casual, relaxed practical casual? Do you need a mix of smart and casual or can you just focus on relaxed casual? This will also help you choose what types of footwear, active wear and accessories to take.

R- Restrictions of travel? How will you be travelling? This will impact what size and weight of luggage you can take. If flying internationally, check the size and weight limits for each leg of your trip. It may vary between carriers. If travelling on a number of modes of transport, make sure you can comfortably carry your luggage yourself. Suitcases with wheels and pull-up handles, and back packs are good practical options. For security and practicality it is advisable to be able to carry your own bags. Once you have determined these restrictions, this does not mean you can fill the bags to capacity before you leave! Remember, you will often want to buy souvenirs or other items on the trip, so save some room.

D – Duration? How long will you be away from home? This will impact on aspects such as – Will you need to, or have the opportunity to, wash clothes? This will determine the number of items you need to pack. If you can launder your clothes then the number of items you take can be the same whether you are going for a week or a month.

As you ask all these questions start writing your list. This then becomes your CARD template for similar trips in the future.
Also, it is a good idea to review the list when you return from your trip to see how effective it was. Were there some items you didn’t use and can remove from the list for next time? Were there any items you needed to add for next time?
Give it a go. The more you travel the more time it will save you. But even if you rarely travel, it can take the stress out of the process.
I am happy to say that on my recent trip. I wore everything I took between one and ten times! Not bad for a suitcase half the size of what most women use when going from Australia to Europe. I am quite proud of myself.

Stay tuned for Part 2… Creating Your Travel Wardrobe Capsule (ie How to look good even if you don’t have each days outfit planned)

I witnessed an excellent example of a wrong colour choice last week when I caught an episode of ‘Australias Got Talent’ on TV. A talented harmonica player had previously impressed the judges and audience with his skill and cowboy image. As we watched, out comes the contestant in a baby pink satin jacket accompanied by pink clad rock’n'roll dancers! My mind screamed ‘Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!’
Whoever advised him that baby pink satin was going to be a supportive choice for his growing brand value made a big mistake. The performance would have been far better received by the judges and audience if he had worn Red, for example, rather than pink. Red would have supported his masculine and energetic performance and been consistent with his previous presentation. One of the judges descibed him as looking like a gay Rod Stewart. I had to agree. It was such a change in image that it just seemed wrong and compromised his credibility as a performer, even if he is a talented harmonica player.

Building a strong brand is about developing a consistent image. That way, when there is an occasional inconsistency the viewer is more likely to give them the benefit of the doubt. However, for a new Personal Brand it is vital that the image is consistent until a track record is established.
Unfortunately, it is now going to be hard for the AGT contestant to shake off the ‘gay Rod Stewart’ image. He is talented, so I hope he does, but he will have to work at least twice as hard now.

It will be interesting to see the voting results…..

When it comes to wearing fragrance in the working environment, the recommendation is:
1. Don’t wear too much – less is more.
2. Apply the fragrance before dressing to avoid the potential of staining clothing.
3. Wear a subtle fragrance to minimise any possible irritant or allergic reaction from other people in your proximity.
4. When choosing a fragrance. try two or three in different locations on the body and wear them for the day so you can test how they react on your skin and how the fragrance develops over time. The initial pleasant smell (the top note) may not be the one that lingers later.
5. If you have dry skin, moisture first and the fragrance will last longer. Or layer using a body wash and moisturizer with a matched fragrance. There is a growing range of products applying this principle.
6. Fragrances can also be used as room fresheners. Especially if there are any lingering unpleasant odours in a room. An old bottle with a little left in it can be used for this purpose.
7. If you work closely with someone with an unpleasant body odour and you cannot bring yourself to discuss the issue with them. You can manage it by reapplying fragrance to yourself during the day, spraying the room, or purchasing a fragrance for them as a gift
8. Use caution when buying fragrances for others. We can each prefer different kinds of smells. In general, go for a subtle fragrance that seems to be popular and has been around for years, or make a note of what flowers and foods they like. When in doubt, there are packs of small bottles of different fragrances available. These are commonly available at airports as well as large stores.
9. A spray of fragrance on a handkerchief can also be a pleasant addition to underwear draws.
10. It is not a necessity to wear fragrance, but it does add to people’s experience of us. Certain fragrance associations can become anchored, so that every time they smell that particular scent they think of you. This is a subtle form of Personal Branding that can be fun to explore.

So if you love a fragrance don’t feel guilty about getting a large bottle. Just store it properly. Then get small bottles of fragrances that you want to try or only wear on special occasions.

Happy exploring.

<a href="“>Hallelujah!
May your Solstace Celebration be fun and indulgent. Nicola x

If you know of someone with a high D personality (Direct, goal/big picture focus, no nonsense, wants the bottom line, demanding, speaks there mind, states own opinions as facts, always in a hurry) please ask them their preference and let me know. Tell them it is a scientific study.

I’m not sure if there is any scientific use for this comparison but it is always fun to speculate on physical and mental correlations between groups of people and the different preferences we have.

In the meantime, enjoy whatever milkshake flavour you feel like. I’ll be having the chocolate or coffee thanks.

Professions that are considered low level by society, such as cleaners, waiters, shop assistants, are actually very important jobs. They make our environment and lifestyle more pleasant and efficient. Think about an office environment that never had the bins emptied, or floors and surfaces cleaned. Clutter and grime accumulates, the health and mental clarity of the workers will deteriorate; productivity goes down either due to individuals having to take time out to clean or due to being submerged mentally or physically. Studies show that productivity is higher if the space is uncluttered and aesthetically comfortable. If a cleaner knows that they have a very important job that contributes to the well-being and productivity of the organisation. Isn’t that a reason for pride and a sense of belonging?

Even for a more mature person entering or reentering the workforce attitude, commitment and life skills will be 80% of your appeal. Whatever the job, motivation and a sense of pride in the job will come across at a job interview. If you value the opportunity to contribute and communicate that value, not only will you stand out from other candidates that are only focused on the money but there may be other opportunities that the employer will consider you for by your demonstration of a motivated and high value attitude.

Remember, every contact and conversation can lead somewhere amazing. A positive outlook to any situation will attract possibilities and opportunities. Do whatever you can to develop and maintain your positive attitude. It may be reading a self-help or inspiring book. It may be getting some help from a social worker, psychologist, clinical hypnotherapist, coach or motivating friend to change some habits and beliefs. Whatever it takes, you are worth the investment. You will be happier, healthier and everyone else around you will benefit too.
Employers know that they can always teach a task but they cannot teach you to have a positive and productive attitude. Only you can do that, so they want to hire someone who already has it.
Value yourself and make a commitment to doing one thing this week that helps you improve your attitude and self-worth. Write it down, make it specific, and schedule it in the diary. Then tell someone your goal task, to make you a person of your word. (For those of us that are more externally motivated it helps to tell someone, in order to make us accountable for being someone who does what they say they will do)
Then when you achieve it, congratulate yourself for a task well done.

For those in the job search market, whatever you apply for consider the job important and know that you are going to make a great contribution by doing it. Enjoy the journey.
Ooh…and do dress for the interview as if you are going for a very important job, because it is.