happiness

Let’s get together

Robert Borneff Lifestyle , , , 0 Comment
Let’s get together

What’s better than getting together with friends and family? Our kids have parties all the time. We need to open up to our colleagues, friends and neighbors. We should enlarge our circle of friends. Our homes are not made to be hiding places. Any time spent with friends and family is worth the effort of serving a meal and creates happiness.

Keep it simple

A dinner party should always be gathering of like-minded people. Only invite guests that you really want to have around yourself and of whom you believe that they are interested in one another. Eight, ten people are a good size, so everyone can talk with each other.

Choose a one course meal that you are familiar with. Certainly you can choose something easy, like pasta. That is always a hit!. You may serve it with a soup to start, a salad on the side and a dessert afterwards. Important are good bread, butter, and olive oil for munching. If you choose to work with a catering service, the atmosphere could be a little bit like in a restaurant. Not as precious and authentic as home prepared food. It does not matter if you have been standing in the kitchen for one hour or ten. The only thing that counts is that it tastes good.

Relax! It’s not a competition

To ease the stress the best thing is to prepare the day before; calm and with leisure. The whole thing is supposed to be a pleasure. The host belongs to the table and not in the kitchen; the guests want to enjoy their host! Therefore  you might prefer stewed or oven-baked dishes over au-point cooked dishes. Comfort food is always popular.  Soups can be prepared the evening before, desserts anyway. Personally I am a fan of Hungarian Goulash, which tastes better every time you warm it up.

Be careful with experiments. It can be fun to try out dishes the first when you have guests, but you will need a back-up plan in case something goes wrong. You don’t have to apologize to your guests but you need a trick for the show to go on.

Have a great time

You are the life of the party! It’s your turn to get the party started! Just do not rush! Invite your guests early so they can mingle and snack on nuts and appetizers before the dinner starts.

Instead of serving each dinner on plates it shows more generosity to serve “family style”, which means everybody helps himself from the pots and plates. That makes it also easier for the guests to open up to their neighbor. And the host can devote himself to his highest duty: to enjoy the evening.

Party more and stress less! Hosting small casual parties does not have to be stressful. You’ll probably have a lot of time to enjoy the party with your guest. People will appreciate your effort and hospitality. Over the delicious food and great conversation you may look forward to the next get together.

“Mahlzeit “ – About Sharing Meals

Robert Borneff Lifestyle , , , 0 Comment
“Mahlzeit “ – About Sharing Meals

It is better to build a longer table than a taller  fence.                                                                                            Unknown

There is a piece of furniture in most homes that experienced a change of importance over the the last decades. It’s very often found in the kitchen but in a lot of cases there is a whole room dedicated to it. At some point it was the control room of a family, a place where most important decisions were made. Over the years it has lost its importance and has been degraded to a playing area or a storage place for paper and other stuff.

I am talking about the dinner table. Not so long ago that was the place where the family met, up to three times a day, for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I am the offspring of one of those families growing up the in seventies and eighties in Germany. We did not only have breakfast together every day before school. No, my mom cooked every day a meal for lunch, because my dad came home from work, and in the evening we gathered again around the same table for Brotzeit.  I continue to strive to spend many mealtimes during the week and especially on the weekends with my wife and three children.

Nowadays it looks like this is the exception to the rule. According to a survey of Department of Health and Human Services in 2011 -2012 fewer than half of Americans eat meals daily with their families. That makes sense. Everybody including children are more independent now. Schedules are tight. Grabbing a bite (mostly fast food) is quite simple. But what’s the price families pay for that convenience?

Here are some benefits to consider:

  • Eating at home is normally healthier than eating out
  • Eating together means eating slower, recognizing earlier when to stop
  • Family dinners promote better communication skills in children and adults
  • Eating together teaches social skills, helping children to interact with peers
  • Sharing meals supports creativity and critical thinking

But eating together is not only beneficial for children:

  • Eating lunch in the office together supports the team culture and morale
  • Sharing meals brings people together and invites the exchange of ideas
  • Doing business over a meal is more convenient than in an office
  • Inviting strangers to share a meal creates friendship and tolerance
  • Sharing meals nurtures the mind and the soul and supports happiness

So the next time you are up for a meal think about if you want to munch something all by yourself, or if you should ask that person near you if they would like to eat with you.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          “Mahlzeit”

Source:

https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/downloads/ChildrensFoodEnvironment.pdf

Benefits of a Minimalistic Lifestyle

Robert Borneff Lifestyle , , , 0 Comment
Benefits of a Minimalistic Lifestyle

During the last recession a lot of people got worried about their financial future. For some peple this changed their lifes for the better. They have learned to live within their means. Don’t live in a house that’s too expensive for you; don’t get into debt for spending too much. Always pay your bills. Make life much simpler than it used to be. Appreciate the people around you, enjoy the beauty of nature and find time to do the things you are passionate about.

In short: Live a better quality life without the hassles of buying and spending. This can be considered a “Minimalistic Lifestyle”. Here are some benefits of this lifestyle:

  1. Being your true self and relaxed:

Your self-worth is not connected to your belongings anymore. You are valued as a personality and not as an owner of things. You escaped the cycle of debt and overwork and you live relaxed.

  1. Cherish relationships.

Since you are not constantly maintaining, fixing and storing your possessions, you find time to play with your kids and visit friends and family. You may also be able to volunteer in your community and be grateful for what it offers to you.

  1. Value the work of others

You become aware that cheap manufacturing is at the cost of those in poverty working overtime under unbearable conditions. You are choosing your purchases wisely respecting the work of others.

  1. Protect the environment

Your lifestyle saves energy, water and resources. You are aware of the destructive powers of industrialization. Your lifestyle contributes to the use of renewable energy, sustainable grown wood and responsible agriculture.

  1. Strengthen neighborhoods and communities

Your lifestyle supports local businesses and communities. You are an active part of your community and you exchange your gifts and talents with the people around you. You are accepted and you enjoy the fruits of the community.

  1. Agree with of words of Henry David Thoreau:

    “I make myself rich by making my wants few“

 

 

First Shoot – Then Aim

Robert Borneff Decorating , , , 0 Comment
First Shoot – Then Aim

Common sense tells us that before we do something, we should have a plan.  That applies for our careers, for businesses and even for your whole life. A plan structures what we are doing and adds a timeline. So having a plan is helpful.

But what if the goal of the plan is not crystal clear? What happens if the goal of the plan depends on out-of-control factors? What to do if we are not sure if we like the goal of the plan (“Be careful what you wish for”). A lot of times it makes sense to just do something and then see what happens. After that there is still time for reflection.  This also reduces the fear of commitment.

A lot of people think about their home in the same way. For them the home is a piece of art in progress, that continually gets changed and adopted. We are living in times of Bohemian Style where mixing different elements and colors became fun.

When you first decorated a room you probably did not know what it looks like in the end, but you knew exactly how you would use this room and you expected the room to radiate a certain feeling. So you picked everything in this room in a way to achieve the desired look. The layout; the furniture; the lighting;  the accessoirs;  the art;  the colors and the fabrics.

You were probably quiet happy with your design, but soon you found other pieces that you liked to have in this room. Maybe the expectation of how the room should feel changed. Maybe suddenly the purpose  of the room shifted and you had to adapt.

The design of your home is not set in stone. Except for rooms with a public character, you should feel free to try out whatever you feel like in your home. Don’t worry – just do it. If you don’t like it, you can change it again. In doubt you can always consult an interior designer.

The important thing is that your home should provide you and your family with the right kind of energy to make you feel good, successful and HAPPY!

The Little Things in Life

Robert Borneff Lifestyle , , , 0 Comment
The Little Things in Life

Isn’t it amazing how seemingly unimportant things can sometimes make your day. Besides accomplishing goals and reaching targets, there are very often coincidences on the sideline that change everything. I remember sitting in school classes that would not end and there was this little bird outside the window sitting on a tree. My thoughts turned to the bird and how he enjoys his freedom and the time in class went by much faster.

Or did you ever eat the perfectly ripe Mango. Buying Mango is like playing the lottery. They often look good and smell good, but when you cut them open, they still taste sour and are chewy. Other times they are already turning brown inside and have that taste of fermentation. What a great day is it when your Mango turns out to be sweet and juicy.

I remember in college missing my train on those cold, wet, foggy days in Germany. While I was standing there on the tracks looking for the next connection the sun came out and I realized that I am an hour early anyway, because I forgot to change my watch from day-light-savings-time to winter time. What a great day!

In our busy lifes we often overlook the important things that have an impact on us. Last year I joined the Roanoke Valley Bird Club together with my son. Standing there in the quiet forest listening and watching the birds, it is amazing to realize what’s around you that you would never realize this otherwise.

With this experience in mind I started to pay more attention to the things on the sideline of my life. Now I see the world around me more mindful. During a yoga class outside in a park I was able to follow the hunt of a hawk for a smaller bird. Thankfully it did not end in bloodshed but to hear the shrieks of the hawk and see the two birds chasing each other in the sky was incredible. I was probably the only one in our yoga group who recognized this spectacle.

Try it out! Start paying attention to the things you normally don’t see. Sit in your living room and look around. Take a walk around your neighborhood. Turn off your phone and just enjoy the moment. You will be surprised about the world around you!

Art at Home

Robert Borneff Decorating , , , 0 Comment
Art at Home

There are few things in your home that are less functional and practical than art. And still, it’s one of the most important elements of a home. It’s an easy way to express yourself in your home.

Art in a home is the personal bridge to the owner. Especially if your home is filled with artwork you love. It relates to memories and experiences as well as ambitions and feelings. Not many things reveal so much of somebody’s personality than the art in their home.

Art is often unhitched from the design of a room since it must not follow the style, colors and structures of a room. Art is just a very personal thing. The important thing is that it moves the owner of the home, independent from monetary value or the opinion of others.

Art is not only for art collectors. Think outside the box. Art for your home can include paintings, drawing, prints but also sculptures and the artwork of your kids. You don’t find it only in a gallery. It’s more about how it feels than what it looks like.

Here are a few unconventional ideas to make your home more artful:

Textiles

Find a favorite fabric and hang it on a wall. You can either hang it in square form like a picture or form the size to an artful sculpture.

Mirrors

Little mirrors of different sizes and shapes arranged on a wall lighten up the room and make it appear bigger.

This is especially effective for the entrance area of a home. A number of hooks and maybe little shelfs clean up hats, mittens, shawls and umbrellas.

Baskets

Baskets make nice little sculptures that can be placed anywhere in your home. Besides the artful effect, they are very functional since baskets can be used to collect all kinds of things.

Maps/ Menus/ Sheet Music

Depending on hobbies you can put a map of your favorite place on the wall, the menu of your favorite restaurant or sheet music of your classical piece.

Always remember that it is your home and it must serve you. The art in your home is there to make YOU feel better.

10 ways to connect with the customer

Robert Borneff Marketing , , , 0 Comment
10 ways to connect with the customer

On my search for ways for companies to connect better with their customers, I stumbled over the book “Emotional Branding ” by Marc Gobé. Even though it is a couple of years old, its “10 Commandments” to improve customer relations are still inspiring:

  1. From Consumer to People : Consumers buy but people live.

Instead of trying to win over a customer create a win-win situation. For example instead of pushing someone into a deal, develop a mutual agreement. The customer may appreciate your approach. Instead of waving a sales sign “valid only today”, ask your customer to show you pictures of the room to be designed. Then develop design solutions together.

  1. From Product to Experience: Products fulfill needs whereas experiences fulfill desires.

Offer more than just price and convenience. Arouse the imagination of the customer and turn “needs” into “”wants”. Add emotional relevance to your product. The age and smell of a chair for example could relate to historical events.

  1. From honesty to trust: Honesty is expected. Trust is engaging and intimate.

Top your best practice policies by eliminating risks for the customer. Generous return policies are great as well as products on trial.

  1. From quality to preference: Quality is a given. Preference creates the sale. 

Offer more than the competition. How is your product outstanding? Sell what others don’t have.

  1. From being known to being loved: The difference between notoriety and aspiration.

Think of telephone companies. Just because everybody knows you does not mean everybody likes you.

  1. From Identity to Personality: Identity is recognition. Personality means character and charisma. 

American Airlines has a strong identity, but Virgin Airlines has personality.

  1. From function to feel: What a product is for and what a product can do

A Harley Davidson is not just a motorcycle. It’s an experience.

  1. From Omnipresence to Presence: The difference between being there and being seen.

Quality tops quantity in advertising. Billboards and commercials are everywhere. Starbucks is at the right place at the right time.

  1. From communication to dialogue: Communication is telling. Dialogue is sharing

 Think of the benefits of social media. Listen to your customer.

  1. From service to relationship: Service is selling. Relationship is acknowledgement.

Howard Shultz, CEO of Starbucks:”If we greet customers, exchange a few words with them and then custom-make a drink exactly to their taste, they will be eager to come back.”

How do you foster the relationships with your customers?

Source:

Marc Gobé: Emotional Branding: The New Paradigm for Connecting Brands to People; 2010

 

Snooze to be well

Robert Borneff Lifestyle , , , 0 Comment
Snooze to be well

How are you? Are you feeling good today? Did you have a good night sleep? We all know that sleeping enough is an important part of a healthy lifestyle. It can benefit your heart, your body, your mind and much, much, more. You can even learn better when you sleep enough, because your brain strengthens and retains memories that you gained while you were awake. That means the presentation or the music piece you practiced in the evening  will turn out better in the morning.  People that don’t sleep enough can even become depressive. In summary, we can say that a good day starts the night before.

But many of us don’t get enough sleep.  The days are just not long enough. Long working hours, late night travelling, personal stress, and small children are all factors that keep our beds empty at night.  Personally I am not a friend of sleeping pills and that’s why I looked for alternative ways to help me fall to sleep:

  1. Don’t push too hard

Very often sensitive and well disciplined people tend to ponder about falling to sleep.  If you think about falling to sleep, you are already standing in your own way. Just let the sandman come whenever he is ready.  This works when you are tired, but not if you need to sleep, because you need to get up early the next day.

  1. Night time routines

It may help to adapt some habits which have to be repeated every night. This way the body gets used to the ceremony of going to bed. Writing a diary could be helpful. The imagination of being at the beach or elsewhere on vacation while laying in bed may also work. Even a routine of reading before falling to sleep is helpful, as long as it is short. Works for me!

  1. Be a Night Warrior

If you have a hard time sleeping, don’t go to bed until you are really tired. With a couple of short nights you may find better sleep in a couple of days. Always a good one!

Important: No TV in the bedroom! The blue screen light prevents deep sleep.

  1. Take it as it is

Some people always sleep well, others don’t. People that accept that they are not like a groundhog often have less stress about sleeping. I have adapted to the fact that sleeping is not my favorite thing.

  1. Relax during the day

Don’t rack your brain with fears and sorrows during the day. Most likely they will follow you to bed. End your day being assured that you have done all, what you could do. For me this works only, when I am not too nervous about the challenges ahead.  What then helps me is Reiki and things are much better.

  1. Change the game – Think Positive

Switch from worrying to problem solving. When your head is busy finding solutions, there is less room for worry. The negative effect that prevents sleep gets buffered by the problem solving thoughts.

To master this switch it helps to appreciate your daily accomplishments. Regarding the undone things you should have a plan to get you in a positive prevailing mood. Don’t bring unwished business home with you mentally.

  1. Don’t drink too much

Low quantities of alcohol support sleep, but too much will prevent deep sleep and wake you up in the middle of the night. People over 40 like me should generally stop drinking before going to bed to avoid numerous trips to the bathroom.

And now it is time for

Good Night…

Source: Welt N24; So schlafen Sie abends besser ein; 07.26.2016

Hausmannskost – Cooking at Home

Robert Borneff Lifestyle , , , 0 Comment

In Germany during the 16th Century it was common that the food of the man of the house was more hearty and solid with more meat and fat compared to the other members of a household. In some areas this was usual until the 1900s. Today the expression stands for simple, traditionally made food with primarily local ingredients. I am using it here as a synonym for home-made-food.

Unfortunately, the fate of home cooking looks grim for the future. The Washington Post even titles an article “The Slow Death of the Home-Cooked meal”. All the cooking shows and celebrity books can’t change it: only about half of all dinners eaten at home in the USA are homemade and eating out is very popular.

Well, there’s nothing wrong with eating out. My family loves it! Picking a restaurant for a special occasion; enjoying vacations; trying out things you don’t cook at home. Eating out is great! Same thing with catered or processed food. Time is scarce, schedules are busy. Who has the time and the guts to stand in the kitchen every day?

But here is the thing: Eating out becomes boring, when done too often. Plus, it’s not healthy. Processed and frozen food is known to be bad for the waistline. And considered from a financial point, both eating-out and processed food is expensive. So…

I have to admit I love eating and I always have. I joined my mom in the kitchen from early on (even she did not always like it). I loved the TV shows of the French Maestro Chef Paul Bocuse.

The way he picked out his fresh ingredients on the farmers markets; the way (and speed) he sliced his onions; the amounts of wine and cognac in his dishes; unforgettable!

But the switch from just eating to actually cooking the food myself came with my family. And this is probably the most important reason why I cook: Home cooking is a group activity. That certainly sounds like everybody’s helping and setting the table and all that, but that’s not it. It’s the act of cooking for my family. Cooking what they want, when they want it, and how they want it. And the best part of it is sitting at the table together and eat.

Guten Appetit!

 

 

 

Transparent Marketing

Robert Borneff Marketing , , , 0 Comment
Transparent Marketing

In their book “Don’t Think Pink” the authors Lisa Johnson and Andrea Learned call for the need of Transparent Marketing to attract female customers. Over the last years women became the key- customer especially in the home furnishing business.

Transparent Marketing supports credibility. Credibility translates into trust; trust translates into relationship, and relationship can translate into sustained sales. The trick about this approach is to focus on the need of women without directly pointing to it. Here are some areas to emphasize on:

 

1. Focus on key customers

Instead of trying to be there for everybody, the focus should be on a specific customer group. This small group of customers will later on attract a larger audience. Choose niche marketing over mass marketing.

2. Know your customer

Find out as much as possible about your customer. Find out how they act and react. Communicate online and offline as much as you can and listen carefully. Make sure that the message you are sending online through your website and social media is consistent with your real life activities. What are the challenges of your customer? What is their motivation? What are they afraid of? What are their dreams?

3. Be present

Women are always thinking about their family, friends and neighbors. Make sure your customers can use the relationship with you to improve their social connections. Take advantage of the power of word-of-mouth-networks. Be at the right places at the right time, so that your customers always keep you in mind. Work together with other brands for common goals to reach out and explore new markets.

4. Open up

Keep improving the way you make the life of your customers better. Inform your customers about all aspects of your business. Include your customers in your decision process. Always ask for feedback. Use your testimonials to reach out to other customers. Work with referrals as much as possible.

5. Be emotional

Women like to be taken away by stories about how your product will improve the quality of life. Capture her imagination to help her understand how your product or service will fit into her life. Select images, messages and stories that will authentically reflect the values of your customers. A good story will give them the tools they need to visualize what it will be like to interact with your brand.

Apply your marketing to all senses of the customer. The customer will recognize the small things, the background music and the color of your displays and will pay more attention to the message of your store. Offer some little extras that the customer will discover herself.

Never push anyone into buying something. Be sure all questions are answered before the sale will be closed. It’s the experience with your brand that builds the bond with your customer.

6. Be Bona Fide

Your brand should be different from others and stick out of the crowd. Don’t follow your competition!

Show personality and be authentic. Be honest with the strengths and weaknesses of your brand. Work with real life situations to promote your product instead of idealized scenarios. For example showrooms must not be perfectly cleaned up as a display.

Be consistent in what you say and what you do. Two-faced messages disturb your credibility. Encourage questions and provide as much information as possible. Make sure this information can be shared publicly.

Source:  Don’t think Pink by Lisa Johnson and Andrea Learned, 2004

 

 

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