I have been forgetting things for a while, now. I have proof because I find post-its around mi casa with reminders of apparent momentos of urgency, “Check arroz, call Juan before las dos, turn off agua hose,” but I forget I wrote the nota. Aside from the huy idea that I might be losing it, (I know you? We met?) there’s the whole issue of faking it, which I am so very, very malo at pulling off. At your next large fiesta, watch the faking take place, it’s great teatro. Socially, you can wait for someone to drop el nombre of the persona who just effusively gave you an abrazo and wet kissed both your cheeks, but in business, it can cost you dinero.

What to do? Commit to remembering nombres. You can do it if you really try. Don’t just chalk it up to a mala memoria.

1. Listen to the nombre carefully. Often in an introduction, with all the chatter, you miss the name. Don’t be timido. Ask, “Lo siento, I didn’t get your name, what is it?” Right away, this shows your interest in the person.

2. Repite the name. Daily, test your memory by repeating the nombres of your appointments. People like to hear and be addressed by their name. Dale Carnegie said that a person’s name is to him/her the sweetest and most important sound in any language. 

3. Tie a memoria knot to a name: Catalina, like the ensalada dressing, or the island off California. I know people link my apellido with a Latin American country, “This is Carlos Argentina, or meet Mr. Colombia.” Avoid linking to anything negative: Gabby, as in non-stop talker, Tipsy as in…well, you get the drift.

4. For “Who was it that was in that película, you know, that movie?” I Google. I Google authors, definitions, calories, and spelling. No more senior moments, only Google moments.

Since post-its and iPhone alarmas don’t work for me, my solution has been to say no, and to choose what I listen to, read, and learn. There is just too much information coming at me.

 At the end of the dia,people can forget your nombre, donde you met, and even have a conversation with you thinking you are someone otro. But, there is una cosa people nunca forget:

                             How you made them feel.

And, this is where your magic as a beauty professional comes in. Give each person you meet a reason to fall in love with la vida, just one tiny reason on each visita. You know you have the touch. You may forget your memory at your casa, but never your ability to make someone feel like a winner. ¡Vamos!

Hasta pronto,

Carlos

Contact Carlos Valenzuela at:  carlos@getcarlos.com