Enhancing your curb appeal

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Makeover shows intrigue me. One Saturday afternoon, I was drawn into watching several episodes of “Curb Appeal” on HGTV.

It didn’t take long to get hooked on the show’s premise. Designers were charged with transforming the house exterior in order to attract more homebuyers. I’d describe it as an external makeover of sorts.

The challenge; while sticking to a small budget, have competing designers redesign the outside of the home so it stood out from all the other homes on the street. In order to gain a potential homebuyers’ interest, standing out from the rest of the houses was necessary. The final transformations were quite impressive, and I wondered if some similar concepts could be applied towards improving someone’s personal “curb appeal.”

In order to attract others, we often focus the majority of our time and energy on our external appearance. While there is nothing wrong with maintaining an attractive physique, spending an equal amount of time on internal improvements can cause our overall curb appeal to go up.

Standing out in a crowd requires more than just improving ourselves physically.  In fact, becoming a person who is approachable, likeable and respectable can have the same results as a physical transformation. It can also elevate our relationships to a more meaningful level.

Alexandria Wright, an expert on personality etiquette, suggests a few ways to “stand out.”

• Remember the names of people you meet. When you meet someone, say her (or his) name at least three times during the conversation.  
• Associate her (or his) name with something you can remember and, if you have a chance, write down the name.
• Be passionate about something…whether it’s a charity or going to the opera, your passion will make you stand out from the crowd.  
• Show a genuine interest in those around you. Look people in the eye when they talk to you and put aside the cell phone, emails and other distractions.
• Remember details of conversations and mention them in later encounters.

There’s a reason why foodie and design shows are so popular. Audiences are drawn to the personalities that radiate a strong passion and enthusiasm for what they do. A person’s zest for life can be contagious.

In this day and age where texting, tweeting and status updating have become the main methods in which we interact with others, it’s no wonder having a conversation face to face, is considered an art.

The main highlight of “Curb Appeal,” was each unique transformation. The same can be said for us.  Adding our own individual style, talents and personality during our personal re design process will enhance our uniqueness.

Making minor improvements with the way we see and interact with others will certainly enrich the relationships we are in.  Paint can warp and plants can wilt away, but when it comes to our personal curb appeal, it has staying power.