There’s something about passwords that just annoys you, isn’t there? First you set your password, then 60 days later you’re supposed to change it. Some need a “special character” plus one number and exactly 13 letters. Really? How are you going to keep all of these things straight? And once you change them all, it seems like it’s time to change them all again. That’s probably why so many people fall back on using “password” as their password.
But a huge a-ha moment came over me when reading Brit & Co’s “How to Choose a Password You’ll Always Remember.“
Choose a Basic Password That Changes by Site
First, you want to choose a basic word or phrase that you’ll always remember. It could be your dog’s name, your favorite acronym (YOLO, anyone?), your anniversary (July16), four letters in a row on your keyboard…whatever you know you’ll remember.
Then, combine it with another word or phrase unique to the site you’re logging into. So if I were using my anniversary and logging into my Gmail account, my password might look something like this: July16gmail. If I were logging into my Amazon account, it would look like this: July16amazon. Get the direction I’m headed? Good.
Genius, right? That way all of your passwords are unique, have a combination of letters, and you can remember them? Incredible tip.
Another tip from this Career Girl – make your passwords motivational. If you’re a runner, put in something like “YouCanMarathon262.” If you’re looking to get a new job, try something like “RisetotheOccasion111.” Make your passwords something that will keep you accountable and excited to use every day. It might just help you manifest your own destiny.
About the Author: Marcy Twete
Marcy Twete is the Founder and CEO of Career Girl Network and the author of the book “You Know Everybody! A Career Girl’s Guide to Building a Network That Works.” At Career Girl Network, Marcy provides women with information, resources, and networking to empower them in their careers and to advance the work of women in business as a whole. Prior to launching Career Girl Network, Marcy worked in numerous nonprofit organizations and as a consultant in the field of nonprofit fundraising, marketing, and community relations. Marcy is a graduate of the College of St. Benedict in St. Joseph, Minnesota, and a native of rural North Dakota. She is the Vice Chair of the Chicago Board of Directors for Step Up Women’s Network in Chicago and a member of the Advisory Board for Girls on the Run Twin Cities, and is dedicated to advancing the work of organizations that move the needle for women and girls worldwide.
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