"All that you desire or require is already on your pathway, but you must be wide awake to your good to bring it into manifestation." - Florence Scovel Shinn

Whether you are a professional secretary, a nurse, a vice-president in a large corporate organization; a creative arts director, or an attorney, as a total individual, you must always strive for self- improvement. Your personal image is what sets you apart from all others. Your image speaks for itself and has a lot to do with the way others see you.

Imagine how you feel when you ..

> Treat others with respect. Extend courtesy. Show consideration. Be kind. Know yourself and how youd feel if you were in the same situation and required assistance from someone else. Whenever you feel tempted to criticize another person-- today, tomorrow, or next week-- realize that criticisms are like homing pigeons, they always come back to peck you.

> Take charge of your life. Knowing what you want to achieve, and setting out to fulfill even a minor goal leads you down the right road to a life filled with successes. Having the courage to go for your goals requires you to act from a position of strength.

And in order to achieve your desired result, your goal must be worthy. Do not become discouraged when a specific goal isnt successful. It takes lots of practice to get it right. The important point is that you acted.

> Work smarter, not harder; be more efficient, not faster, and always strive to be better, and avoid carelessness. Do not dwell on past mistakes. Be aware of what you did incorrectly and learn from it. Then avoid repeating the same mistake the next time.

Try not to blame others for your faults. No one else is responsible for your actions--not what you feel, not what you do, or what you say, or how you react in any situation. Take each new day as it is given to you. Learn to create a pleasant experience for yourself and for others.

> Accept and initiate change. If something isnt working, find a better way to complete the task--dont give up. Doing tasks the same old way may work for a time, but if theres a way it can be done more efficiently, try a different method. And a more effective way may be discovered. After all, there is no right way and no wrong way to do a task.it may just be whatever feels right to you.

Respect for yourself and others. In building your self-image, courtesy, taking charge of your life, and working smarter are all good habits to develop. Your life may improve when you practice these habits daily. Then find others to add to the list. Youll be amazed at how good it makes you feel.

Copyright, 2005

Gerri D Smith

Gerri D Smith combines apparel fashion design and creative writing into a successful and growing mini-business known as Distinctive Impressions. For more then ten years, Gerri seeks to inspire thousands of others to realize their goals, to look and feel ?distinctive? in the way they dress, and to improve their professional image.

With a deep passion for creating women's fashions and accessories for day and evening wear, her clients include professionals whom she has named "VIW's" (Very Important Women), as well as other small, medium, and large sized women . Her other interests include organizing, producing, and participating in promotional fashion shows, fashion contests, art and craft sales, as well as coordinating and participating in fund-raising events that show off both her fashion and small business/entrepreneur skills.

Gerri?s apparel and accessory designs are promoted and marketed both online and offline around the Bay Area, and are sold to private clients. As a free-lance designer, many of her designs are one-of-a-kind and by special-order.

Her love of writing is portrayed in her ongoing self-improvement and motivational articles, an inspirational non-fiction book, and a modern contemporary, and inspirational romance novel. Gerri?s published books are marketed nationwide through the world wide web and offline to business women and romance novel readers.

Gerri is host and publisher of an inspirational newsletter that encourages, motivates, and supports individuals, small business owners, and women entrepreneurs to go for their dreams. The newsletter is an internet resource creating multiple ways for subscribers to unlock the doors to success and improvement. And it is Free. Now, being able to share two of her deepest passions - creative fashion designing and creative inspirational writing with others is her greatest pleasure.

In addition to producing her fashions, accessories, and her creative writing to inspire and encourage others, in her spare time Gerri also finds great pleasure in researching, studying and learning new skills. She hopes to broaden her expertise with public speaking on business leadership and personal improvement. Her two self-published books, one a full length contemporary romance fiction novel, titled ?A Challenge of Love,? and an inspirational non-fiction book titled, ?31 Cups of Inspiration,? are modern classics and will inspire others for a long, long time.