Having spent a lot of time living on both coasts of the United States, I’ve noticed that certain social customs common to one place are not common to others. For some reason, this one seems to be not that popular on the West Coast, especially the Seattle region. It’s a very simple one: when you meet someone for the first time - say someone walks into a room - stand up to greet them and shake their hand while looking them in the eye. It’s so simple, but means so much. It means you’re standing up to meet someone as a man (or woman), with the full power of your being, and that you are honoring them by recognizing and modifying your own comfort level as they enter the room. Simple, yet extremely effective.

BONUS: To remember someone’s name who you’ve just met, make sure you repeat it back to them as soon as they are introduced and try to use it in conversation as soon as you can.