Terminal Illness Causes Family Secret to Surface in Heartfelt Story of Severed Trust and Forgiveness
Dallas, TX, March 8, 2021 — Natalia Foster is the family secret that her biological father, Joe Russo, was supposed to take to his grave. But when Natalia learns that Joe, an Italian man she’s never met, is dying of a terminal illness, she’s forced to confront the truth of her parentage and make a difficult decision: Should she remain in the shadows or make herself known to Joe and his family?
The Wool Over Their Eyes, from Dione Martin, is an authentic, heartfelt story about complex family dynamics and the emotions that must be unpacked when long-buried secrets push their way to the surface.
Joe’s immediate family, including his devoted wife, Rosa, know nothing of Natalia’s existence. Her gray eyes — exactly like Joe’s — and simple math prove that Natalia is a product of Joe’s infidelity, making a mockery of Rosa’s marriage. If his family discovers the whole truth — that Natalia is not only illegitimate but also Black — family bonds will be shattered.
In the midst of Natalia’s family drama and pain, another life-changing decision emerges. Natalia must choose between two loves — a long-lost one and a new one. Her ex-boyfriend, Tyler Davis, who captured her heart and connected with her soul, resurfaces. But she meets a handsome doctor, David Duplessis, who’d cared for her father. Just as the relationship begins to blossom, David commits an act that severs her trust and sends her spiraling further into her dark abyss.
The Wool Over Their Eyes is loosely based on Martin’s personal experiences. She drew upon her own memories and insights of growing up without her biological father and being betrayed in her own marriage to inform her narrative and give her characters depth and authenticity.
“I wrote The Wool Over Their Eyes for fatherless girls, for women who have been betrayed, for those who have been rejected because of their race (or otherness) and for families that have been torn apart by secrets, lies and deception,” Martin reflects. “Healing is possible – through change, through empathy, through faith and through forgiveness.”
Author Dione Martin was born and raised in New Orleans, where she spent much of her childhood and teen years reading. She earned her Bachelor’s in English from the University of Minnesota-Morris and her Master’s in Journalism from the University of Texas at Austin. She is currently a senior communications director at Brinker International. She lives in Dallas with her two daughters and enjoys running, cooking, performing arts and attempting DIY projects. The Wool Over Their Eyes is her debut novel, and she is working on her next one.
Five Ways How To Kick Your Metabolism into High Gear - Nutritionist Available
Kick your metabolism up a notch or two and increase your calorie needs by conditioning your body’s energy factory with these diet and lifestyle tips. Put some TLC into your food choices and activities and you will soon see improvements in your energy, appetite, weight control and overall well being. Nicolette M. Pace MS, RDN, CDE, CBC,CDN, CFCS, FAND is available for interviews.1. Bioactivate Your Body:Some foods are natural metabolic boosters due to their key nutrients and unique plant chemicals which provide specialized support for a vigorous metabolism. Look to add garlic, chili, ginger, tumeric, cinnamon, horseradish, black pepper and fennel seeds for a healthy chemical profile that can include antioxidant polyphenols and carotenoids, sulfur, nitrogen and alkaloids that makes these ingredients super-metabolic. The heat they give off can give you a 20% increase in your metabolic rate for 30 minutes and they taste great! 2. Pump up with Protein:Peak performance and endurance is impossible without nutrients from carbohydrates, fat and protein but when it comes to which nutrient can deliver a one-two punch to your metabolism, protein is a knock out! It is not only critical for muscle support and growth but protein activates the body’s metabolic furnace by firing up natural heat energy as food protein converts to muscle and other body tissues. In fact, you’ll get an overall 30% increase in your metabolism when you include high quality egg or whey protein, meat, poultry and seafood choices or starchy vegetarian proteins like beans, lentils, quinoa and buckwheat into your meal. 3. Make the Caffeine Connection:Easily our go to source but so frequently abused. While caffeine does increase metabolism by raising heart rate and is a key ingredient in sports nutrition for proven performance enhancement and endurance, it is a therapeutic chemical so choose your sources and consumption wisely. Give it a shot pre-workout to get the same boost as athletes expect and give your palate a rest from calorie laden coffee or energy beverages by trying super savvy caffeine sources. Matcha green tea and Yerba mate contain polyphenols quercetin and catechins which put these square in your metabolic box. 4. Heat Up Your Health:Whatever the weather, there’s an easy way to experience a metabolic boost from exposing and conditioning yourself to over the top temperatures like heat or cold. Hydrotherapy (hot-cold water therapy), polar plunges, saunas, steam rooms and outdoor activities are healthy ways to increase calorie burning by encouraging brown fat tissue activity. These techniques force your body to metabolically adapt to temperature changes. This also strengthens your body’s immune and circulatory systems improving your overall health as your body works hard to maintain its core temperature. 5. Rebalance Your Metabolic Mind:Activate your metabolism by conditioning your mind to induce positive thoughts via imagery, mediation, and physical activities that are designed to improve mental outlook as they stimulate positive physiologic improvements. Scientifically proven benefits are yours for the taking when you perform yoga or martial arts like Tai Chi, Akido and Qigong on a regular basis. These can rebalance your body’s hormonal signaling and decrease stresssed out cortisol levels which are associated with excess body fat. This also elevates adiponectin levels in your fat cells which kicks your metabolism into high gear! About Nicolette M. Pace MS, RDN, CDE, CBC,CDN, CFCS ,FANDNicolette founded NutriSource Inc. ( www.nutrisource.org ) in 2002 to provide high quality education, counseling and nutrition services for a diverse community population. Prior to founding NutriSource Inc, she served as Director of Clinical Nutrition at the NYHQ/Silvercrest Center where she provided both administrative and direct care for sub-acute and chronically ill patients. Nicolette was a key member of performance improvement projects and as Chair of the Nutrition Committee; significant positive changes were made in the standard of care. Nicolette has been featured in CBS, ABC, NBC, Fox News, the New York Times, Seventeen, Fitness, Men’s Journal, More, Dr. Oz, Everyday Health, AOL, IVillage, Health, Shape and other magazines. She is also a contributing writer for Minerva Place, as well as an adjunct professor of Nutrition at CUNY and Touro Colleges. She believes in emphasizing a holistic approach toward food, nutrition and preventative healthcare.
11 Resilience-Building Habits for Stressed Healthcare Workers A year into the pandemic, healthcare workers are reeling from burnout, anxiety, and traumatic stress. Diana Hendel, PharmD and Mark Goulston, MD share habits that can help healthcare employees diffuse COVID-related stress and build resiliency.
Nashville, TN (March 2021)—The pandemic has pushed healthcare workers to their limits. Burnout was already a serious problem in the industry, but after a year-long front row view of COVID’s devastation, burnout levels are on the rise and traumatic stress is taking a toll. And yet, healthcare workers must find a way to keep showing up and doing one of the toughest jobs around. The big question is, how?
“Healthcare professionals are a naturally gritty group, but ongoing exposure to death and tragedy has left many feeling exhausted and anxious,” says Diana Hendel, PharmD, coauthor along with Mark Goulston, MD, of Why Cope When You Can Heal?: How Healthcare Heroes of COVID-19 Can Recover from PTSD (Harper Horizon, December 2020, ISBN: 978-0-7852-4462-2, $17.99).
Practicing healthy habits are the key to building up your resilience skills, say Drs. Hendel and Goulston, and with greater resiliency you can thrive despite the long term challenges of the pandemic.
Read on for a set of habits that decrease anxiety and stress and help you build resilience over time.
Do frequent self “check-ins” to recognize when your stress levels are rising. When you’re busy and under pressure to perform, it’s easy to go on “autopilot.” Therefore, periodically pause and do a quick self-assessment throughout the day. Consider your emotional state (Do I feel friendly and engaged, or edgy and aggressive?) as well as your physical state (Is my body calm and at ease, or is it holding onto tension?).
“Take 20 or 30 seconds to scan your body and identify areas that may be holding onto tension or stress,” says Dr. Goulston. “For example, you might be carrying tension in your jaw or shoulders. When you notice an area that is tense, gently release the tension. Over time it should become easier to recognize when stress begins to take hold—and to do something about it.”
Ground yourself when you start feeling overwhelmed. Grounding is a great way to reduce anxiety and arrive in the here and now. Dr. Hendel advises that you use it anytime you feel carried away by anxious thoughts or feelings, or triggered by upsetting memories and flashbacks.
Find a comfortable place to sit (or stand). If sitting, rest your hands on your legs. Feel the fabric of your clothing. Notice its color and texture.
Next, bring your awareness to your body. Stretch your neck from side to side. Relax your shoulders. Tense and relax your calves. Stomp your feet.
Look around and notice the sights, sounds, and scents around you for a few moments.
Name 15-20 things you can see. For example, the floor, a light, a desk, a sink.
As you keep looking around, remind yourself that “The flashback or emotion I felt is in the past. Right now, in this moment, I’m safe.”
Pause and take a few deep breaths. We tend to hold our breath whenever we are stressed, but this only exacerbates feelings of anxiety and panic. Instead, use “box breathing” to calm yourself and heighten your concentration. Box breathing is the technique of taking slow, deep, full breaths. Here’s a tutorial for when you’re feeling triggered.
Slowly exhale your breath through your mouth. Consciously focus on clearing all the oxygen from your lungs. Inhale slowly and deeply through your nose for four slow counts. Hold your breath for four more slow counts. On the next four counts, exhale again through your mouth until your lungs are empty. Hold your breath again for a final slow count of four beats.
Try the 12 words exercise to process traumatic stress. This powerful tool helps you tap into your feelings when you feel “stuck” due to trauma by gently visiting key words one at a time. Paradoxically, naming a feeling that you’re having and letting yourself fully experience it actually lessens tension more than it increases it. As Drs. Goulston and Hendel say, “If you can name it, you can tame it.”
You can do the 12 words exercise on your own, in therapy, or as part of a group exercise. If doing it on your own, imagine a trusted friend or loved one gently and empathetically guiding you through the exercise. If you are in a group, the moderator can lead the exercise by speaking each word to the group, or to a single person in the group. You don’t have to cover all the words at once. You can focus on just one or two words, take a break, and start on a new word later.
STEP 1: Read the following words out loud: Anxious, Afraid, Overwhelmed, Fragile, Depressed, Frustrated, Angry, Ashamed, Alone, Lonely, Exhausted, Numb. STEP 2: Pick one of these words that most captures what you’re feeling when you’re greatly stressed and then focus on it. STEP 3: Imagine feeling this feeling at its worst. STEP 4: What does this feeling make you want to impulsively do? STEP 5: Imagine saying what you want to do to a person who loves you, and picture them smiling with love and compassion and saying back to you, “I understand.” STEP 6: Imagine feeling their love taking some of the pain away. STEP 7: Imagine them asking you, “What would be a better thing to do?”
Reach for something that anchors you in the present moment. Carry a small reminder of what you love about your life and focus on it if you feel triggered and need to center yourself. It might be a photo of your kids or pet, a small rock you picked up on a scenic nature hike, or a special necklace. Think of the gratitude you feel for your life whenever you look at this token.
Keep something that makes you laugh nearby. Humor is a great way to alleviate stress. Tape a clip of a funny cartoon to your work area or carry a small notebook with jokes that make you laugh every time you read them.
Use calming affirmations to give you strength and peace. Written positive statements can give you a lift when you feel yourself sinking. If self-talk is not for you, imagine a supportive other saying these to you in your mind’s eye. A few examples:
I am great at my job, and my training and skills are empowering.
I feel energized and ready for anything the day has in store for me.
I accept myself as I am. I am enough.
I am safe in this moment.
Let your feelings out (when possible). At times you may find you need to step away from your duties for a few minutes and give those intense emotions some “breathing room.” Try to move to a different room so you can cry or discreetly express your feelings. Sometimes you need to release the stress that’s built up in your body, and finding a private place to let the tears fall or vent for a few minutes can lighten your stress and enable you to get back to work.
Play a mind game. “If there is no way to speak to someone else and you need comfort in the moment, imagine talking to someone who loves you,” says Dr. Goulston. “Imagine that they are listening and lovingly holding and encouraging you. As you hear them talking and walking you through it, you will feel their love and belief in you. This kind of mental pep talk can be a bridge until you are able to speak your feelings to somebody in person.”
Head outdoors for a few minutes. If at all possible, try to get outside for a few minutes of fresh air during your shift. Take deep breaths, stretch your arms and legs, and take in the gifts of nature around you. And if possible, find someone else who is on a break and invite them for a 10-minute walk so the two of you can blow off steam.
Rediscover the simple pleasures around you. Traumatic stress can make the world appear and feel dangerous, with threats lurking around every corner. That’s why it is important to stay immersed in the joys of life. Focusing on simple pleasures promotes healing and helps you enjoy your life in the process. For example:
Get lost in a good book. Don’t just read a few pages before bedtime. Really allow yourself to indulge. Set aside 30 minutes after work or in the morning before starting your day to escape into a captivating story.
Take a walk. Even if it is only five minutes long, commit to taking a walk every day. Chances are, by the time those five minutes are up, you will want to keep going.
Find a creative outlet. Think gardening, playing a musical instrument, putting together a puzzle, or even coloring in an adult coloring book.
Don’t just turn to these strategies when you feel stress or anxiety rising in your mind or body. Intentionally practice them daily—even if you are feeling calm and in control. Over time they will become second nature.
“Resilience isn’t just a ‘nice-to-have,’ it’s a ‘must-have,’” concludes Dr. Hendel. “And it will continue serving you long after the pandemic is over.”
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About the Authors: Mark Goulston, MD, FAPA Dr. Mark Goulston is the coauthor of Why Cope When You Can Heal?: How Healthcare Heroes of COVID-19 Can Recover from PTSD (Harper Horizon, December 2020) and Trauma to Triumph: A Roadmap for Leading Through Disruption and Thriving on the Other Side (HarperCollins Leadership, Spring 2021). He is a board-certified psychiatrist, fellow of the American Psychiatric Association, former assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at UCLA NPI, and a former FBI and police hostage negotiation trainer. He is the creator of Theory Y Executive Coaching—which he provides to CEOs, presidents, founders, and entrepreneurs—and is a TEDx and international keynote speaker.
He is the creator and developer of Surgical Empathy, a process to help people recover and heal from PTSD, prevent suicide in teenagers and young adults, and help organizations overcome implicit bias.
Dr. Goulston is the author or principal author of seven prior books, including PTSD for Dummies, Get Out of Your Own Way: Overcoming Self-Defeating Behavior, Just Listen: Discover the Secret to Getting Through to Absolutely Anyone, Real Influence: Persuade Without Pushing and Gain Without Giving In, and Talking to Crazy: How to Deal with the Irrational and Impossible People in Your Life. He hosts the My Wakeup Call podcast, where he speaks with influencers about their purpose in life and the wakeup calls that led them there. He also is the co-creator and moderator of the multi-honored documentary Stay Alive: An Intimate Conversation About Suicide Prevention.
He appears frequently as a human psychology and behavior subject-area expert across all media, including news outlets ABC, NBC, CBS, and BBC News, as well as CNN, Today, Oprah, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Fortune,Harvard Business Review, Business Insider, Fast Company, Huffington Post, and Westwood One. He was also featured in the PBS special “Just Listen.”
Diana Hendel, PharmD Dr. Diana Hendel is the coauthor of Why Cope When You Can Heal?: How Healthcare Heroes of COVID-19 Can Recover from PTSD (Harper Horizon, December 2020) and Trauma to Triumph: A Roadmap for Leading Through Disruption and Thriving on the Other Side (HarperCollins Leadership, Spring 2021). She is an executive coach and leadership consultant, former hospital CEO, and author of Responsible: A Memoir, a riveting and deeply personal account of leading during and through the aftermath of a deadly workplace trauma.
As the CEO of Long Beach Memorial Medical Center and Miller Children’s and Women’s Hospital, Hendel led one of the largest acute care, trauma, and teaching hospital complexes on the West Coast. She has served in leadership roles in numerous community organizations and professional associations, including chair of the California Children’s Hospital Association, executive committee member of the Hospital Association of Southern California, vice chair of the Southern California Leadership Council, chair of the Greater Long Beach Chamber of Commerce, board member of the California Society of Health-System Pharmacists, and leader-in-residence of the Ukleja Center for Ethical Leadership at California State University Long Beach.
She earned a BS in biological sciences from UC Irvine and a Doctor of Pharmacy degree from UC San Francisco. She has spoken about healthcare and leadership at regional and national conferences and at TEDx SoCal on the topic of “Childhood Obesity: Small Steps, Big Change.”
About the Book: Why Cope When You Can Heal?: How Healthcare Heroes of COVID-19 Can Recover from PTSD (Harper Horizon, December 2020, ISBN: 978-0-7852-4462-2, $17.99) is available in bookstores nationwide and from major online booksellers.
What Are The Best Ways to Store and Maintain Seasonal Sports Equipment?
Different sports need different equipment or kits. Sports equipment refers to the materials, tools, apparel, and gear used in various sports. Kit includes nets, balls, and protective gear such as and not limited to knee pads, shin pads, and helmets. They are used for playing different sports or as protective gear. Sporting equipment has changed over the years as more protective gear is required to prevent injuries. The equipment needs proper storage to make them last longer. Following are the best ways to store and maintain seasonal sports equipment.
Use Bungee Cord
Set up a bungee cord storage for balls instead of keeping them in a box; you need a square frame and a cord. Nail the cords to the frame allowing storage for balls of different sizes. This method makes it easier to remove and return equipment. It keeps the balls secure and ensures long-term maintenance.
Long Term Storage
Some warehouses offer long term storage for sports equipment and other products. It provides residential, commercial storage, household storage, warehouse storage, short, and long-term storage. Sports equipment manufacturing companies use these services to store the products before shipped and delivered to wholesalers.
Ceiling Hooks
Use ceiling hooks to store large equipment like bikes and surfboards. Ceiling hooks aren't the best option for every piece of equipment apart from the large ones. Use storage hooks in the basement or garage. Hook them in a way that gives more headroom, keeping the gears out of the way.
Shelving
Shelving is the most common way to store equipment. Shelving is flexible and allows storage of more equipment. Position the shelves close if storing small items. For large equipment, keep enough space between shelves.
Shoe Rack
Different sports need different types of shoes, especially if you are playing various sports. You will notice that the shoes take up much space. Use a shoe rack in the garage for storage. Shoe racks are readily available or made at home by using a DIY hack. Hang the shoe rack on the wall if there is not enough floor space.
Use a Corkboard
Hang a cork board on the wall of the storage room unused space. It allows for hanging different-sized equipment and is visible. Create planks or hang hooks for large equipment. Storing small to big equipment will depend on the wall space size and corkboard utilization. It is one of the best options as it holds everything in one place.
These are some of the ways to store seasonal sports equipment. Clean all your gear well after a game to make it last longer. Dry out the athletic wear for hygiene purposes. Wash your sports uniform after every game.
Dismantle Social Constructs and Discover the Life You Were Meant to Live
Las Vegas, NV, March 5, 2021 — What better way to tackle existential angst than with a pint of Ben & Jerry’s Cherry Garcia? Or perhaps a more constructive way might be to take an introspective deep-dive into the ideologies you hold as true and ask yourself, “Is this the life I chose, or the one chosen for me?”
Christina Dylag’s Tiny Little Boxes: How to Cope with Existential Dread by Way of Ice Cream and Other Means takes readers on a soul-searching journey peppered with humor, philosophical musings and plenty of ice-cream-flavored metaphors to help them uncover any preconditioned social constructs and learn to distinguish between personal fact and fiction.
“A life constructed for us by society can be satisfying for a while, but at a certain point, the tension between who we want to be and who we are becomes unbearable,” Christina writes. “We want to follow our dreams and find fulfillment. We settle instead for a destiny carved for someone else. When we search for answers in religion or romance, we are still left with a nagging sense of emptiness.”
Christina’s book delivers a vastly different approach to the world of self-help. It’s unique, funny and fresh, with a free-flowing narrative that mirrors the fluidity of a stream of consciousness. Much of the book centers on the topic of straying from the norm and carving out a new and highly individualized path.
The result is a mind-broadening nudge that gives readers permission to live, to explore, and to break the barriers of their own little boxes. This book was written to expose and unravel the ideologies that we as humans unconsciously hold as truth, Christina explains. Tiny Little Boxes delves into our predetermined belief systems and how we might reassess or re-approach our conditioned world. Beyond our inherited notions of success, the self and existence lies a more expansive sense of freedom.
Christina Dylag is a writer and co-owner of Velveteen Rabbit, an award-winning craft cocktail bar in Las Vegas which has been featured in Forbes, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Bon Appetit, Saveur, Vice, Maxim, Playboy, and others. Christina is 70 percent water, roughly 30 percent sushi and a shy whisper of human form. She lives in Las Vegas and will likely be survived by her giant pet rabbit, Steve.
For more insights from the author, please visit www.Nihilisticecream.com, or follow the author on Instagram (@nihilisticecream) or on Facebook (@nihilisticecream).
Tiny Little Boxes: How to Cope with Existential Dread by Way of Ice Cream and Other Means
Researcher’s poetic tribute to care home staff as new study calls for more resourcesNew national care home radio station among recommendations
05 March 2021 The ‘national clap’ for NHS workers during the first wave of the coronavirus pandemic quite rightly sought to recognise the vast contribution made by hospital workers up and down the country but the same cannot be said for care home staff. That’s according to Dr Andrea Capstick, Associate Professor in Dementia Studies at the University of Bradford. As restrictions on visiting care home residents indoors are lifted (from Monday March 8), Dr Capstick and her colleagues, Dr Ana Barbosa, Dr Giorgia Previdoli and Clare Mason, are preparing to publish new research which has examined the toll the pandemic and its successive lockdowns has taken on staff, residents and their families. Dr Capstick has previously called for greater recognition of care home staff, in her emotive blog, Let’s Hear It For Care Home Staff, in which she penned a moving poem highlighting their plight. The research was made possible by 20 practitioners, including our Advanced Dementia Studies Master’s degreestudents, whose insight proved invaluable. Recommendations are set to include the creation of a dedicated radio station for care homes, which they argue would benefit both staff and residents, together with a ‘toolkit’ to help mitigate the effects of any future pandemic. Dr Capstick, who has taught at the University for 26 years, said: “We launched the campaign to get the same kind of recognition for care home staff that NHS staff have had. Not to take anything away from NHS staff but just to recognise that there’s a lot of work being done in care homes behind the scenes, which is less visible and therefore gets less attention. “Some of the people we talked to said they felt left out when they were not explicitly mentioned in events like the national clap. “Our research, which was made possible by our MSc students, many of whom already work in care homes either providing direct care or in managerial roles. Because it was impossible to get into care homes during the lockdown, these students provided a unique and valuable opportunity for understanding that experience, both in terms of what it was like for them as practitioners but also the people with dementia who they were caring for and to some extent their families.” The research was funded by the University of Bradford’s Covid response and recovery scheme. It included first hand accounts of care home staff, blogs and pictures, collected from July to November 2020. Dr Capstick added: “We are in the process of writing up the findings. We hope to get further funding to work with practitioners to develop resources for coronavirus recovery or if similar things happen in future. “One idea is to set up a dedicated radio station for care homes, which would benefit staff, residents and their families, particularly when they are unable to visit. We would also like to develop a toolkit, which would look at things like creative activities for those unable to leave their rooms, sourcing PPE and the use of technology, which is not the quick fix many people believe it to be for people with dementia.” Dr Capstick’s poemAfter the clapThis is for the 64-hour week you workedAnd the last words you listened toFor the hands you heldAnd the hugs you put before your own safetyThis is for the silence after the clapIn which you were not mentionedFor the MBEs you won’t receiveAnd the pay cuts (in real terms) that you willThis is for all of youAt the front of the front lineDoing the best you can every dayIn a world that no longer has a rule bookThis is for the bedsideAt the border between life and deathWhere you sit, keeping watchWhen no-one else is lookingAnd the world turns awayThank you. Picture: Photo by Matthias Zomer from Pexels
Your Veterinarian Needs Help
Atlanta, GA, March 5, 2021 — Your veterinarian chose to dedicate his or her life to the altruistic pursuit of tending to the health and lives of pets. What you may not have considered is that the health and life of your veterinarian also needs protecting: he or she is nearly four times more likely to die by suicide than someone among the general population. But there are ways you can help.
Sandy Weaver, author of the groundbreaking new book Happy Vet Happy Pet: Caring for Your Pet’s Caregiver, is on a mission to ease the lives of veterinarians, one client’s heart at a time.
“I’ve known for years, as have those in the veterinary field, that there was an issue with suicide and veterinarians,” Sandy says. “Then in early 2019, the CDC report on veterinary suicide was published in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, and what had been anecdotal became data: male veterinarians are 2.1 times more likely, and female veterinarians are 3.5 times more likely, to complete suicide than their non-veterinarian peers.”
Happy Vet Happy Pet is a distillation of Sandy’s research into neuroscience, neuroplasticity and positive psychology mixed with data from the CDC report. The result is an impactful approach that weaves easy-to-understand science with stories that touch the minds and the hearts of pet owners — empowering them to be part of the solution.
Chapters dive deep into topics all pet owners should understand, including:
1. The heart, mind and life of a person who decides to become a veterinarian; 2. The very human, very vulnerable person behind the scrubs; 3. The ways clients unknowingly mistreat their pets’ caregivers; 4. Three simple rules to follow to help your veterinary team; and 5. What to do if you feel that someone near you is facing suicidal desperation.
Happy Vet Happy Pet shares Sandy’s unique point of view that it takes a village to save a veterinarian. “Making pet owners mindful of how their behavior impacts their veterinarian mobilizes the village to help solve the problem,” she adds.
This book will change your relationship with your veterinarian and their team forever. And what you learn in this book could save your veterinarian's life.
Author Sandy Weaver is an expert speaker, trainer, mastermind facilitator and lover of all things dog.
As the Program Director of the Center for Workplace Happiness, Sandy creates the training programs, workshops, mastermind groups and keynotes that help people lead happier, more successful lives. She is also a citizen-scientist in the fields of neuroscience, neuroplasticity and positive psychology. In 2019, she took the resilience tools and strategies she’d been teaching to general audiences and crafted programs specifically for veterinary teams. Her goal is to touch the life of every veterinarian and technician in a way that helps them avoid the pain and despair that comes with an inability to manage stress.
Now in her 40th year of Siberian Husky ownership, Sandy is a passionate advocate for veterinarians and their teams and an ongoing donor to Not One More Vet.
FIVE TIPS TO HELP BUSINESS OWNERS SAVE TAXES AND CREATE A LOT OF PHILANTHROPY
Mark Halpern (the CEO of WEALTHinsurance.com®) has a lot of respect for fellow business owners who have worked hard to build their firms into successful enterprises. Despite all the adversity along the way, they managed to survive recessions, business downturns, sky-high interest rates, stock market meltdowns, stifling taxation, and more recently a global pandemic.
Creating and growing a business keeps roughly 1.1 million Canadian business owners going. Their determination continues to pay off, providing their families with a home, financing their lifestyle and perhaps a recreational property and well-deserved vacations. Business owners do enjoy some unique money-saving opportunities that are not available to other taxpayers.
Here are some cost-effective tips to preserve your wealth, pass it on to family tax effectively and create a meaningful charitable legacy too.
Preserving Your Wealth: Being successful allows you to transition from success to significance. With proper planning you can become a philanthropist and create a charitable legacy that will inspire your children and grandchildren, as well as other like-minded individuals to follow your example.
A business owner now enjoys an indexed $883,384 lifetime capital gains exemption. Since only half of any capital gain is taxable in Canada, the actual dollar value of the exemption will be a little over $441,000. Obtaining the maximum benefit of the exemption is something the business owner need start planning for 3 to 5 years before they exit the business.
Proper planning now can prepare an estate to pay the ‘final tax bill ’after one’s death. Without planning, a family may face a financial mess, and be forced to sell some of their assets, including the business, to come up with funds to pay the tax bill.
Great Value in Life Insurance Products: One of the most cost-effective ways to fund liabilities like your tax bill is to use life insurance products. For literally pennies on the dollar, you can mitigate your final tax bill and still provide an inheritance to your family. In addition, you can use ‘corporate’ dollars vs. personal, after-tax dollars, to acquire your life insurance. If you own private company shares, several benefits unavailable to other taxpayers are open to you. Your overall estate plan may not include having a charity own part of your business, though once you understand the ‘why and how’, you may embrace the strategy.
Income Reduction as Tax Advantage: You can make better use of your donation tax credits and reduce income tax payable by your estate by instructing your executors to designate your estate as a graduated rate estate (GRE). This allows them to claim donations of as much as 100 per cent of net income in your final tax return with a one-year carry back.
Do it now while the sun shines: Planning while the sun is shining is incredibly important, otherwise you could miss out on a great opportunity. For example, a woman in her 50’s whose parents, 90 and 85, personally own a portfolio of commercial real estate worth $50 million but are too old and unhealthy to qualify for life insurance. The family could have used inexpensive life insurance, at a cost of pennies per dollar, to pay the roughly $13.4 million tax liability that will be due when the parents die.
Philanthropy is a wonderful way to reduce or eliminate your tax exposure. Donating some of your private company shares to a favourite charity can save you millions in taxes for thousands of dollars.
The current pandemic should have convinced most people of the need to plan. Tax increases are expected because governments at every level are spending billions to help Canadians deal with health issues and financial challenges. Who will pay for that?
Governments will want to collect higher taxes from all successful Canadians. Income tax rates may rise further – already 54 per cent in Ontario - and capital gains taxes may increase from the current 50 per cent to 75 per cent. A new wealth tax is anticipated.
FINANCIALPLANNING TIPS THAT YOU NEED TO KNOW !
The start of a new year is always exciting and filled with optimism.As the saying goes, if we are to go forward, we must go back. When it comes to planning your financial future, going back will ensure that you have a solid foundation on which to build.
Proper financial planning, tax planning and estate planning is a process, not an event. Many people we meet have excellent professional advisors who are experts at solving problems. But no one is looking at their estate and risk planning from a 30,000-foot perspective or taking a comprehensive approach. Your Big Picture should include the following essentials: Here are ten financial planning tips from WEALTHinsurance.com® for a new year moving forward.
1. Make sure you have an updated will: A recent study by RBC Wealth Management reported that just over half the people canvassed had a will in place. One in three had done nothing at all to prepare for passing on wealth to the next generation. In Ontario, when a person dies without a valid will, provincial bureaucrats determine how the estate is distributed under the Succession Law Reform Act. Many people without a will mistakenly assume their estate will automatically move to their spouse tax-free. Each province has its own rules about beneficiaries and how they are treated in the absence of a will. Engage a lawyer who specializes in wills to develop yours.
2. Powers of Attorney: Your need two Powers of Attorney, one for your legal affairs, and another for your health and personal care. Those individuals will be making important decisions about your health and wealth if you are unable to do so. Choose them wisely and be sure to discuss your wishes with them before conferring such enormous responsibilities upon them.
3. Assets held jointly: It's often a good idea to own assets, like properties, as joint tenants, which avoids probate tax. When a property is owned by joint tenants, the interest of a deceased owner automatically gets transferred to the remaining surviving owners. In some cases, especially for creditor protection reasons, it may be better to own an asset in one person's name only. Again, this points to the need for a specialist to help you out.
4. Beneficiaries: Your list of beneficiaries must be kept current and up to date. Half of Canadian marriages end in divorce, your beneficiaries list should be revisited frequently, especially when you say, "I do". According to Statistics Canada, more than one in five Canadians who does remarry, leaves their second spouse within an average 7.6 years. The last thing you want to do is leave your money to an ex-spouse's children instead of your own.
5. Estate directory: It is impossible to remember absolutely everything you need to have on hand for your spouse, children, and executors if something happens to you. You need to complete the 2021 Estate Directory, available free at WEALTHinsurance.com.® You can easily input and update information on the whereabouts of your wills, insurance policies, bank accounts, brokerage accounts, etc. to help your survivors wind up your personal affairs in an orderly manner.
6. Life insurance: The importance of life insurance cannot be over-emphasized. It is the most cost-effective and tax-effective financial instrument available in Canada, and it enjoys unique treatment under the Income Tax Act. Life insurance benefits flow entirely tax-free, bypassing wills and probate fees. Most importantly, it provides financial security for your family when you are gone, covers your tax liabilities, underpins your Shareholder's Agreement, and guarantees payment to your family for your shares in a co-owned company when you die. It also designates funds to your favourite charity, creating an enduring legacy. These are just a few of the merits of owning a life insurance policy.
7. Other insurance: We live in a great country, with an over-stressed health care system that provides universal coverage (and long wait times for treatment) paid for by our taxes. But all those taxes aren't enough to get you the specialized care you need as quickly as you want it. The cost of long-term care can easily exceed $10,000 a month, and will rapidly deplete your retirement savings, putting a financial strain on your spouse and family. Use insurance as a hedge with policies that include a return of premium option, so if no claim is made you get back all the premiums paid.
8. Health benefits: Know what is covered by your company benefits and what's not. Your company may have what's known as "flex A benefits", allowing you to choose how/where to spend your eligible health dollars, or a wider choice of benefits where everyone receives the same coverage. If you have a special issue, seek advice from a specialist who can help you get the coverage you need without any overlap.
9. Retirement planning: A good plan starts with knowing what you want to do with your money, like paying off your mortgage, paying university tuitions for your kids, helping them buy a home, and travelling the world. In retirement, the salary you have grown accustomed to will no longer be available, and you may be unemployed for several decades. When it comes to retirement planning, you need the help of a Certified Financial Planner to ensure you are on the right track and protected from unwelcome surprises.
10. Charity: You have three possible beneficiaries when you pass away: family, charity, and the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA). There are many ways to give to charity, whether you want to donate now or in the future. The most cost-effective way to provide for charity is through life insurance, which usually results in a much larger gift than if you had donated cash. If you are over 65 and collecting CPP, consider using the CPP Philanthropy™ strategy, that you can read about at WEALTHinsurance.com®
The start of a new year is the perfect time to act on the issues described above. Prepare now for whatever lies ahead and enjoy the peace of mind that comes from knowing you have planned appropriately.
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With that in mind, WEALTHinsurance.com® has six tips for everyone to preserve their wealth for their family as well as the charities they are passionate about.
Benefit From Life Insurance While You Are Alive: Most Canadians think the only benefit from a life insurance police occurs when they die. However, you can benefit from life insurance while you are alive. As an example, a retired accountant in his mid 60’s has a $500,000 life insurance policy he didn’t really need. He wanted to donate the policy to his alma mater, so WEALTHinsurance.com® arranged for an independent actuary to determine its current value. The actuary valued the policy at $290,000 and it was donated it to the university, with the individual receiving a charitable donation receipt for the entire $290,000, and he saved about $145,000 in taxes.
Tax Tip: Most Canadians donate to charity using cash, credit cards or a cheque. In truth, that’s the least efficient way to be philanthropic. If you’ve invested in the stock market over the past 10 or 15 years, you undoubtedly have some appreciated securities with ‘pregnant’ taxable gains. Simply donate some of those shares and receive a tax charitable receipt for their full (appreciated) value and pay zero capital gains taxes on them.
RRSPs and RIFs: If you’re single, divorced, widowed, or never married, the tax department will scoop up to 54 % of your RRSP or RIF savings when you die, and probate fees can gobble up another 1.5 %. (in Ontario) If you designate a charity as the beneficiary of some or all of your RSP or RIF, you can effectively eliminate the tax liability.
Create Your Own Family Legacy: Donating to favourite charities can be emotionally fulfilling and financially rewarding, reducing your current or future tax load. It can also enable you to save more for those near and dear to you while creating a family legacy that will carry your name for many years to come.
Selling Your Business? Save taxes if you are about to sell your home or business. Consider donating to charity the amount of funds that will offset all or part of the tax bill and then use the credit that would be available in a Capital Dividend Account to buy some corporate-owned life insurance. Doing so will allow you to donate generously, reduce or eliminate your taxes, and the corporate-owned life insurance that will ensure your family is covered and reimbursed fully for all your charitable good will.
Donate Corporately: Donating personally provides you with an approximate 50 % tax savings, but to get a bigger bang for your buck, donate funds corporately and enjoy a 100 % corporate deduction. A corporation using marketable securities for a donation also doesn’t have to pay any capital gains tax. In this instance, the gains on the donated funds are credited to the company’s Capital Dividend Account (CDA) and bow can be withdrawn tax-free and used for whatever purposes you want.
New Year, New Outlook: Life Coach Shares Powerful Messages of Unity and Positivity
Stafford, TX, March 5, 2021 – Without question, 2020 was a difficult year on many levels. Life Coach Michael Taylor has a powerful call to action, intended to help readers focus on the factors that unite us as humans and view 2021 through a perspective of positivity.
“It is my belief that there has never been a better time to be alive on the planet than right now,” he says. “Obviously, I recognize all the challenges, but at the same time, I honestly believe that every human being has the capacity to be, to do and to have anything that they set their minds to.”
In his latest book, The Good News Is, The Future Is Brighter Than You Think!,the self-described “irrepressible optimist” uses science, spirituality and psychology to inform his insights into a range of topics, including:
•Being Human: Understanding what it means to be human, the role of trauma in our lives, how to move on from past trauma and taking 100 percent responsibility for our lives; •Divine Intelligence and Evolution: The Divine Intelligence as the creator of the universe, the driving force behind human evolution and how to use its power; •Spirituality: Recognition and acknowledgment of a connection to a power higher than oneself, the spiritual connection to the Divine Intelligence as a result of evolution; •Race: Realization that there is only one race and that is the human race — only through evolution will we heal our race relations and accept that we’re all the same; •Love: Accepting love as the highest power that can heal this universe and how to create meaningful connections and develop healthy intimate relationships; •Plus health, wealth, education, technology and everything in between!
“If you’ve been looking for a resource that inspires you and motivates you and lights you up, this is the book for you!” Taylor adds.
Author Michael Taylor is uniquely positioned to spread hope and optimism. A high school dropout, he overcamea divorce, bankruptcy, foreclosure, depression and being homeless for two years on his way to becoming a successful entrepreneur, motivational speaker, radio and TV host, and author of nine best-selling books. He has dedicated his life to empowering men and women to reach their full potential by transforming their lives from the inside out.
Taylor is President and CEO of Creation Publishing Group, a company that specializes in creating programs and products that empower men and women to live extraordinary lives,and Too Cool Club, a company that develops transformational education programs for youth. He has been featured in the Amazon.com bestselling book Motivational Speakers America and in USA Today magazine about the changing roles of manhood and masculinity in society. He has won numerous awards for his dynamic speaking style, and he is an Amazon.com bestselling author.
He is the host and producer of two TV Channels on the Roku Network, Joy Passion & Profit and Shatter The Stereotypes, and hosts two podcasts of the same names available on most podcast platforms like Spotify and iTunes.
Most importantly, he has been blissfully married for 18 years to the woman of his dreams and he is a proud father of three grown children.
