Three Timeless Etiquette Guidelines

Practicing each of these etiquette tips helps me have a greater awareness of myself and others. When we focus on serving those around us, we grow in grace and become a gift.

Here are three of my favorite timeless etiquette guidelines:

1. The way we enter a room matters. Whether we are in a room full of strangers or in our own living room with our family, those around us are observing how we enter the room. The way we enter a room can either uplift or agitate those in our presence. We can influence the hearts and minds of those who view us just by entering a room peacefully, joyfully, and gracefully.

Enter a room gracefully, deliberately, and with good posture. Take a moment to look around the room and take in the space and the people that are before you. Offer an inviting smile when making eye contact with those in the room. Once we make this a habit, we will begin to see our interactions change.

Even when no one is watching it is important to maintain grace and composure when entering a room. Just as the way we enter a room can impact others, it can affect us, too. Do we enter a room chaotically, forgetting the purpose of why we even entered that room in the first place? Or do we carry ourselves with dignity, purpose, poise, and grace? Are we deliberate with our movements or are we scrolling mindlessly on an app or going over our to-do list in our mind as we move from room to room? The behaviors that we cultivate when no one is watching are important for our growth, and bear fruit so that we may be generous with the gift of ourselves when we are with others.

2. Move gracefully. I love the definition of grace: 1.) noun, simple elegance or refinement of movement. 2.) noun, courteous goodwill. 3.) verb, do honor or credit to (someone or something) by one’s presence.

Grace focuses on honoring others by our very presence. A way we can practice grace is to slow down in our speech and in our movements, entering fully into the present moment.

Think of the most graceful people and how they move. Here, I think of Grace Kelly in Rear Window – one of the most graceful people I have seen. Ask yourself what you like about those movements and begin to imitate them. Intentional movements display our thoughtfulness, of ourselves and others. 

3. Cultivate community with an introduction. Look approaching and inviting (smile, uncross your arms!), walk up to someone, and make an introduction! We need community, and others need community, too. We need to get out of our comfort zone and be eager to form a community. If not us, then who? With this, we should be generous in our formation of community for others and enthusiastic to make an introduction or connection for someone else.