1. 1. First, make sure you understand your company’s policy. It’s in writing somewhere, and the rules are probably clear.
2. Once you’ve figured out what’s OK, you can ask this woman for a midday coffee, or gather a few people for an outing after work.
3. Yes, you can jump straight to asking her out on a date, but when it comes to workplace relationships, I prefer a lighter request for an activity that will happen during the day or with others. Maybe she’ll say no because she can’t make it, but at least she’ll know she can invite you out if she wants. Basically, I would not jump to asking for a nighttime dinner. That skips a few steps. Coffee and group activities can be the best way in.
4. 2. Disney Princess Energy. DPE. I know it when I see it. My friend Lauren has DPE. A girl I went to high school with named Heather had such intense DPE that I always expected woodland creatures to follow her around and start singing. Basically, it’s a vibe – that you, the Disney Princess, are on a positive quest to know yourself and help people, and that you might break out into song and tell us about your challenges.
5. Some people have the kind of DPE that makes them seem like they need to be saved, while others have the “Frozen” Elsa DPE that makes it clear they have the power to save everyone else.
6. Take the comment as a compliment, but give yourself a moment to decide how the tone of that message made you feel. Does the person who sent it have DVE (Disney Villain Energy) in dating? That might be like Gaston in “Beauty and the Beast” – a handsome man (one of my favorite characters ever), but no one wants to deal with him at dinner.
7. By the way, I say this as someone with FGE (Fairy Godmother Energy). It’s what I strive for – turning someone’s pumpkin into a carriage, getting them into a good party, etc.

– Meredith

Readers? Answer both, please.

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