Gen Y & Z etiquette lesson #56 - HOW TO SAY HELLO

              Stand facing the person whom you wish to greet 

             Make eye contact (but not too much – that’s intense)

             Lift right hand (left if you prefer, there is no right or wrong option here).

             Move the hand to the left four centimetres, then the right and back to the left.

             Whilst performing this slightly complex hand movement try to add in a verbal bi-syllabic word 

          such as “hello” (hell – oh).

          If this is too difficult you may shorten the word to the familiar “Hi” (as in High, not Hee).

            For those who are feeling adventurous you can even add the phrase “How are you?” afterwards. 

          But  be careful to cease moving the hand at this stage.

          For a finishing touch you must endeavour against all feelings that speak otherwise to smile. Open your

          lips to one centimetre (vertically not horizontally otherwise you may look like a fish) and tilt the  

          corners of your lips upwards {Please refer to etiquette lesson # 4 for more detailed instructions on how     

          to smile}.         

                   Return hand to a neutral position beside your hips (please fight the desire to place the hand inside your 

          pocket or behind your back)

            Continue in the same manner if the person responds and potentially engages you in conversation.

Gen Y & Z etiquette lesson - #4 HOW TO SMILE

  1.     Stand or sit facing the person or people at whom you wish to smile.

        2.     Open your lips to one centimetre (closed lips are not as welcoming)
  3.     Tilt the corners of your lips upwards (downwards is more comfortable but far less like a smile).
  4.     When smiling, be careful not to grit your teeth or open your mouth too wide as this 

              can scare young children or the elderly.
  5.     Maintain eye contact with the recipient whilst smiling (it can get confusing otherwise).
  6.     Hold the smile until either the recipient(s) return the smile, or after 3 seconds.
  7.     If the recipient approaches or engages you in greetings or conversation please refer 

             immediately to lesson #56 on how to say hello.

  IMPORTANT NOTES ON SMILING:
   

        -  Directing a smile at no one is ok if you are a nice old grandma or a baby under the age 

           of 18 months. However anyone in between those two ages will run the risk of looking 

           slightly deranged or drug-addicted if they smile without directing it to a recipient.

        -  Do not make eye contact for more than three seconds unless they are a person 

           with whom you wish to have a romantic relationship. 

        -  Inappropriate times to smile include but are not limited to the following:

o   Funerals

o   When your boss/parent/friend/authority figure is correcting you

o   When someone is talking about a sad experience. You will know they are sad 

    because the corners of their mouth will be pointing down and they will NOT 

    be smiling (remember a smile is where the corners of the mouth point upwards).

o   When someone hurts themselves (if you must smile turn AWAY from the victim).

-               DO NOT SMILE AT ANYONE IN A HUGO BOSS SUIT WITH A TOMMY GUN. 

         - Shelley xx