It’s hard to stick to your fitness regimen during the winter months. Between short days, freezing weather, and ongoing gym closures, you have plenty of excuses to give up. If you’re not ready to quit, but you aren’t sure exactly how to keep fit during cold weather, try one of these winter workout ideas.
Bundle Up
If the weather outside is frightful, put on a down jacket and comfy scarf and head outside. You might not be able to run or ride a bicycle if the sidewalks are slippery, but a long walk can offer low-impact exercise and a reason to get out of the house. Plus, if you’re walking, you can hold onto a cup of hot cocoa without sloshing any on yourself. Try to walk during the middle of the day, when the temperature is usually highest, and look for hilly routes to keep your muscles warm and active.
Try Indoor Cardio
2020 was the year of the home gym as COVID-19 forced even the most passionate exercise enthusiasts to stay inside. Manufacturers are still recovering from record-low levels of stock. While you may not be able to find that squat rack or weight set you’ve been eyeing since March, you still have plenty of options for indoor cardio, including treadmills and exercise bikes. If you’re missing the communal aspect of exercise, give at-home spin classes a try. Performance-focused studios like Plan 7 Coaching offer high-tech class options that carefully monitor your heart rate, caloric output and V02 rates so you’ll get exactly the workout you’re looking for.
Clean Up the House
According to theAmerican Heart Association, cold weather is no excuse for slacking on your exercise schedule. Instead, stay active around the house with aerobic exercise like vigorous cleaning, raking leaves, or shoveling snow. As long as you’re moving fast enough to keep your heart rate elevated, you can turn your chore list into an exercise session.
Throw Yourself a Dance Party
You have to get creative to stay active during the winter. Why not have a little fun and throw yourself an at-home dance party? Crank up Spotify, grab a weighted hula hoop, or just get funky on your own. Give yourself permission to let go after a long day, find a private place to work out and dance like no one can see you.
With some ingenuity and planning, you can stay active even when it's cold outside.
Your Veterinarian Needs Help
Atlanta, GA, February 8, 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.
Don’t give up your spring break again! Plan a socially distanced getaway.
Maintaining social distancing and following health and safety protocols continues to dominate life, and spending time in your own home is getting exhausting. Many are looking for a safe way to travel, especially with the traditional spring break travel season right around the corner. For many, it’s been a long year (or more) stuck at home, and the urge to escape is growing stronger by the day. But how to get away while staying safe and following those pesky protocols?
Why not try a socially distanced spring break getaway? Here’s how:
Hit the road on an RV vacation!
No RV? No problem! With peer-to-peer RV rentals companies such as Outdoorsy, RV vacations are now available to everyone. Find an RV rental anywhere you are or anywhere you want to go and explore the open road. Plus, campgrounds naturally lend themselves to social distancing and many offer features like online check-in to further limit the need to interact with others. Plus, you’ll have an RV site all to yourselves so there’s no need to share space with others. Here are some great destinations to visit for spring break in an RV.
One glance at the streets lined with palm trees and the breathtaking mountain views, and you know that vacation is finally here! The Palm Springs RV Campground is the perfect family retreat in the heart of Palm Desert. Spend your day exploring Joshua Tree National Park or the eclectic shops and restaurants of downtown Palm Desert and come home to the campground to enjoy swimming, pickleball and a beautiful sunset.
Sun, sand and relaxation is what you’ll love about a spring break trip at Fiesta Key in the Florida Keys! Enjoy the onsite amenities including a swimming pool with ocean views, a beach area to sit and soak up the sun, a playground, plus an onsite beach bar and restaurant. Everything your family needs for the perfect spring break trip is all in one place.
Looking for an educational spring break? Learn more about the Alamo and explore everything San Antonio has to offer! Have your own secret escape only an hour away at Medina Lake RV Campground. Located in the Texas Hill Country you can enjoy the wildlife including deer roaming through the preserve and spend hours on the bike trails around the campground.
Bordered by the Los Padres National Forest and the Santa Ynez River in the mountains of Santa Barbara, Rancho Oso is a western-themed working ranch offering 310 acres of beautiful scenery and endless opportunities for horseback riding, hiking, and photography, making it a perfect spring break spot for the whole family. The campground is filled with history dating back to 1845.
Get creative with a unique accommodation!
Who wants to stay in a hotel these days anyways? Do away with passing other guests shoulder-to-shoulder in long, enclosed hallways, sharing tight elevator rides with fellow travelers and eating in hotel restaurants. Instead, try a unique (and truly social media-worthy) accommodation for your spring break trip.
Stay in a cozy cabin at Lake Conroe RV Campground in Willis, Texas on the shores of Lake Conroe and experience everything this resort area has to offer! Explore the 19,000 scenic acres of Lake Conroe by Jon boat, paddle boat, kayak, or canoe or just relax at the campground’s beautiful beach area or poolside. It’s a water lover’s paradise! After a day of fun, return to your cabin which features a television, kitchenette, air conditioning, barbecue grill and a screened porch to help you enjoy the warm weather in comfort.
Explore Sedona this spring break and visit the tiny houses of Verde Valley, near the Red Rocks of Sedona. Finn and Rose, at 258 and 218 square feet respectively, each sleep three and welcome new guests like long-lost friends. Rich in geological and cultural history, the area surrounding Verde Valley RV Campground offers hours of exploration and sightseeing. From the famous ghost town of Jerome to kayaking the Verde River to scenic drives through Sedona, and wine tasting right next-door, there is adventure and mystery at every turn.
Love tiny houses but looking for a beachy escape? Stay at the nautical-themed tiny houses at the Sunshine Key Tiny House Village in the Florida Keys and make it your home base for exploring. Imagine waking up beachside to your own tiny abode and strolling to the water’s edge with your morning coffee. Onsite you can rent kayaks or stand up paddle boards and enjoy the ocean, or rent a bike for a cruise along the shoreline to take in the views. Snorkeling fans can head to the Dry Tortugas or John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park for viewing the various coral species, plus turtles, parrot fish and butterfly fish.
Stay at the colorful cottages at Tropical Palms RV Resort in Kissimmee, FL for your own tropical spring break oasis. One or two bedrooms, with or without a loft, these adorable cottages have been recently remodeled to ensure a comfy stay. At the resort take advantage of the beautiful pool area and amenities like mini golf, a fitness center and a dog park. Interested in heading out of the resort? Disney is just four miles away and is bursting with activities to keep you entertained!
At Marina Dunes RV Resort you can stay in your own luxury safari tent. Located right along the ocean and close to everything the area has to offer, you can’t go wrong here. Located in Marina, CA, and adjacent to the Marina Dunes Preserve, you can enjoy a nearby hiking trail or a walk on Marina State Beach. Not far from the resort you can experience the famous wineries of the Carmel Valley.
Don’t let another spring break pass you by! Head to one of these picture-perfect destinations and enjoy a neatly self-contained, perfectly socially distanced family getaway!
CHICAGO — A recent survey commissioned by the American Association of Endodontists reveals that more than half of Americans say the COVID-19 pandemic has caused them to put off general dental check-ups, which can lead to serious oral health problems. The survey also showed that the pandemic is takings its toll on those working or studying remotely when it comes to changes to their daily dental hygiene routine. Significant findings include:
31% were snacking more on sweets
28% didn’t schedule or forgot to schedule a dental visit
1 in 4 said they waited until later in the morning to brush their teeth, while 21% didn’t brush in the morning at all
There was also a major drop off in flossing, with 24% saying they’re flossing less frequently, while 23% say they aren’t flossing
Millennials more frequently reported experiencing dental disruptions, with 43% of those surveyed indicating that working from home or attending virtual classes from home led to disruptions to their usual dental hygiene habits during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown.
Clearly, the pandemic is causing a major disruption in Americans’ dental habits, which is leading to more serious tooth problems. Fortunately, it appears much of the public understands the importance of facing serious dental issues head on: Even with the pandemic, 60% say experiencing tooth pain that won’t go away would lead them to make a dental appointment. The survey also asked about tooth loss versus procedures to save a bad tooth, with four out of five people stating that it’s better to go the root canal route versus extraction.
When it comes to tooth pain, it’s important to know that an endodontist is a toothache sufferer’s greatest ally. It’s also important to remember that it is extremely safe to visit the endodontist in the era of COVID-19, with endodontists practicing the utmost caution and disinfection protocol. Even at the height of the U.S.’s COVID-19 shutdown period in the spring of 2020, most endodontic practices remained open to safely treat dental emergencies.
To keep emergency rooms clear, in the case of a dental emergency, you should continue seek an endodontist instead of dialing 911.
“If you’re suffering with a toothache that wakes you up out of a sound sleep at night, or because you’re eating hot or cold food, you need an endodontist,” says Dr. Alan H. Gluskin, President of American Association of Endodontists. “You should not delay treatment.”
AAE experts are available to discuss this topic further. Contact the AAE to schedule an interview today!
Alan Gluskin, D.D.S. Dr. Alan Gluskin, D.D.S., is the President of the American Association of Endodontists, and is professor and vice chair of the Department of Endodontics at the Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry, University of the Pacific, in San Francisco.
Mark B. Desrosiers, D.M.D. Dr. Desrosiers is a Board-certified endodontist and serves as a clinical assistant professor in the department of endodontics at Boston University School of Dental Medicine. He is chair of the AAE’s Public and Professional Relations Committee, which is integral to the Association’s important Worth Saving public campaign.
Avina K. Paranjpe, BDS, M.S., MSD, Ph.D. Dr. Avina Paranjpe is associate professor, Endodontics, at University of Washington School of Dentistry. Dr. Paranjpe says there is definitely an increase in cracked tooth cases she is seeing in the graduate endodontic clinic and in private practice.
If you would rather not receive future communications from AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF ENDODONTISTS, let us know by clicking here. AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF ENDODONTISTS, 180 N. Stetson Ave., Suite 1500, Chicago, IL 60601 United States
Research Shows 81% of Healthcare Workers Willing to Take COVID-19 Vaccines but Personal Financial Pressures Remain a Significant Barrier for Uptake
SEIU Healthcare and Women's College Research Institute release interim findings on research of over 8,700 frontline workers
RICHMOND HILL, ON, Feb. 8, 2021 /CNW/ - SEIU Healthcare, a union representing over 60,000 frontline healthcare workers in Ontario, and researchers at Women's College Research Institute, conducted a survey of over 8,700 frontline healthcare workers and report that 4 out of 5 are potentially willing to take COVID-19 vaccines if personal financial barriers are eliminated.
The research demonstrates the provincial government can accelerate vaccination uptake among frontline workers by providing modest financial assistance to precariously employed workers, especially those without access to paid sick leave.
"As the government plans to ramp up vaccine roll-out, it's important that their plan eliminate all barriers to vaccination for frontline healthcare workers. That's why we're calling on Premier Ford's government to provide financial support for those healthcare workers who lack paid sick leave and are anxious about missing work because of potential side effects from the vaccine," said Sharleen Stewart, president of SEIU Healthcare. "It's also critical that workers be compensated for the time and cost to travel to off-site vaccination centres, like those at Orangeville's Headwaters Health Care Centre who must travel over an hour to get the vaccine in Brampton."
"We need to build trust and ensure equitable access to the COVID-19 vaccine," said Dr. Noah Ivers, a family physician, scientist at the Women's College Research Institute and the University of Toronto, as well as the scientific lead for the project and co-lead of the 19toZero coalition in Ontario. "We have spent months thinking about how to build vaccine confidence. This survey shows us a simple approach: governments can show how convinced they are that the vaccines are safe by saying that any missed work for side effects will covered, by guaranteeing sick pay for those who might have side effects. This would display confidence in the vaccine, and I expect it would cost very little because studies show that missing work after the vaccine is very, very rare. But the symbolism would be meaningful."
KEY FIGURES AT A GLANCE:
8,700 frontline healthcare workers surveyed across Ontario
81% report being very likely or somewhat likely to take the vaccine (58% very likely, 23% somewhat likely)
64% report being worried about losing paid work time in order to take the vaccine or because of lost paid time resulting from adverse vaccine side effects
68% would be more likely to get the vaccine if all costs related to the vaccine were guaranteed, including paid time to get the vaccine, guaranteed paid sick leave in the event of adverse side effects, and compensation for parking or transit
The research was conducted between January 4, 2021 and January 12, 2021. SEIU Healthcare and Women's College Research Institute teams will conduct a series of focus groups with frontline workers to better inform development of vaccine communications.
Dr. Ivers and Women's College Research Institute received no financial compensation from SEIU Healthcare for their research efforts.
On December 24, 2020, SEIU Healthcare, together with other unions in the healthcare sector and the Ontario Hospital Association (OHA), sent a request to the provincial government to fund paid sick leave related to the vaccination for all staff in our hospitals.
On December 29, 2020, SEIU Healthcare, together with AdvantAge Ontario and the OLTCA, sent a similar request to the provincial government to fund paid sick leave related to the vaccination for all staff in the nursing home sector.
SEIU Healthcare represents more than 60,000 healthcare and community service workers across Ontario. The union's members work in hospitals, homecare, nursing and retirement homes, and community services throughout the province. www.seiuhealthcare.ca
Women's College Research Institute (WCRI) is a multidisciplinary research institute based at Women's College Hospital (WCH) – Canada's leading academic, ambulatory hospital and a world leader in women's health. WCH is fully affiliated with the University of Toronto and is a member of the Toronto Academic Health Science Network.
Our scientists, all of whom have academic appointments at the University of Toronto, conduct research that improves the health of marginalized communities, helps people prevent and manage complex chronic conditions, and delivers innovative health system solutions.
Our vision is to lead innovative, high impact health research that changes practice, changes policy, and changes lives. www.womensresearch.ca
SOURCE SEIU Healthcare
Training Center for At-Risk Women Offers Hope for Independence
Seattle, WA, February 8, 2021 — Women and children are particularly vulnerable to the dangers of living on the streets or in unsafe environments. Drug dealers, pimps and human traffickers lie in wait for new victims. Seattle spends a staggering $1 billion per year on fragmented programs to support its homeless, according to Puget Sound Business Journal, yet the challenges continue to grow.It’s time for a new approach.
Providence Heights is a forward-thinking, Christian-based nonprofit designed to empower Seattle’s women in need through housing, employment opportunities and personal development programs. The organization’s business model is revolutionary: Providence Heights plans to reinvest revenues generated through real-estate, commercial and entrepreneurial enterprises to create a sustainable source of income, something founder Christine Soule calls Capitalism for the Poor. Additionally, “Our unique retail space integration will secure revenue as well as provide apprenticeship, jobs and entrepreneurial skills,” Soule explains.
Phase I will provide housing and resilient growth programs for over 88 women (and children) at risk of losing their homes, or who simply need opportunities to regroup and equip themselves to not just survive but to thrive. Also for those who have come out of a program such as the Union Gospel Mission and are fully prepared to commit to changing the trajectory of their lives.
Phase II aims to provide housing for more than 200 women, including those with children. Once the revenue stream is firmly established in this phase, Providence Heights will enter Phase III — the final phase — when the organization will replicate this model from city to city. They hope to also empower similar organizations to use its successful blueprint to help those they serve.
Providence Heights Founder and Chief Executive Officer Christine Soule is a lover of people and passionate about leading them toward a restored and dignified life. From her personal experience, she has great compassion for at-risk and abused women. She co-founded The Purpose and is a philanthropist, author and inventor. Her recently released book, Broken and Beautiful, chronicles her remarkable journey from trauma to triumph. Christine is also a mother of five and married to Mitch, the love of her life.
Training Center for At-Risk Women Offers Hope for Independence
Seattle, WA, February 8, 2021 — Women and children are particularly vulnerable to the dangers of living on the streets or in unsafe environments. Drug dealers, pimps and human traffickers lie in wait for new victims. Seattle spends a staggering $1 billion per year on fragmented programs to support its homeless, according to Puget Sound Business Journal, yet the challenges continue to grow.It’s time for a new approach.
Providence Heights is a forward-thinking, Christian-based nonprofit designed to empower Seattle’s women in need through housing, employment opportunities and personal development programs. The organization’s business model is revolutionary: Providence Heights plans to reinvest revenues generated through real-estate, commercial and entrepreneurial enterprises to create a sustainable source of income, something founder Christine Soule calls Capitalism for the Poor. Additionally, “Our unique retail space integration will secure revenue as well as provide apprenticeship, jobs and entrepreneurial skills,” Soule explains.
Phase I will provide housing and resilient growth programs for over 88 women (and children) at risk of losing their homes, or who simply need opportunities to regroup and equip themselves to not just survive but to thrive. Also for those who have come out of a program such as the Union Gospel Mission and are fully prepared to commit to changing the trajectory of their lives.
Phase II aims to provide housing for more than 200 women, including those with children. Once the revenue stream is firmly established in this phase, Providence Heights will enter Phase III — the final phase — when the organization will replicate this model from city to city. They hope to also empower similar organizations to use its successful blueprint to help those they serve.
Providence Heights Founder and Chief Executive Officer Christine Soule is a lover of people and passionate about leading them toward a restored and dignified life. From her personal experience, she has great compassion for at-risk and abused women. She co-founded The Purpose and is a philanthropist, author and inventor. Her recently released book, Broken and Beautiful, chronicles her remarkable journey from trauma to triumph. Christine is also a mother of five and married to Mitch, the love of her life.
Concord Adex to Bring Prime Yonge St. Gloucester on Yonge Development to Market this Winter
A RARE DIRECT UNDERGROUND CONNECTION TO THE WELLESLEY TTC TRAIN STATION & THE FIRST TOWER IN THE COUNTRY TO BENEFIT FROM CONCORD'S NEW BIOSPACE SYSTEMS
TORONTO, Feb. 8, 2021 /CNW/ - Canada's largest urban community builder will bring the Gloucester on Yonge to the market this winter. The newly acquired Gloucester on Yonge will not only offer a unique opportunity in its central location and amenity mix, it will also benefit from a host of timely enhancements from Concord including being the first tower in the country to benefit from Concord's BioSpace virus and bacteria mitigation systems, package delivery room addition as well as a host of design and tech updates. The luxury condo development will also be a welcomed infusion of product in a high demand Toronto market.
Gloucester on Yonge is located just south of Bloor in one of Toronto's most sought-after downtown neighbourhoods and is not just close but "directly connected" to the TTC network at the Wellesley Subway Station. "The development is in a super prime location. Not many Torontonians will be able to boast a direct subway connection directly to their homes. It's a mere elevator ride to your secured access corridor and you are on the platform" said Isaac Chan, Concord Adex Vice-President of Sales and Marketing. It also represents a high walking score, located just steps from City's finest dining, culture and shopping in Yorkville and minutes away from Toronto's financial district and top Canadian Universities including, the University of Toronto and Ryerson University.
Concord further enhanced the Gloucester on Yonge with "timely" enhancements focused on our new reality and a better future. To handle the already high demand for home deliveries, a dedicated package delivery room was added. Common space Wi-Fi coverage was greatly enhanced and most importantly Concord's BioSpace systems with enhanced air filtration and a touchless journey for residents from the curb to suite entry door. This system even includes mobile eCall to summon elevators as well as hepa filtration for the development's most fixed and vulnerable spaces. The development will also benefit from a new cohesive design throughout the building and to the street front.
"The Gloucester development's continued momentum and stable future was secured with a significant investment of funding and intellectual capital from Concord over the past year," explained Terry Hui, Concord Pacific Group President and CEO. "The project was originally developed by Cresford Developments and went into receivership spring 2020. Concord restructured the project though a CCAA plan of arrangement that received overwhelming support from all the creditors that includes the original purchasers who bought condominiums from Cresford.
Gloucester on Yonge is set to hit the Toronto market with sales in the next month. Concord will be using proprietary online and in-person systems to provide enhanced building context and to safely guide clients through their purchase experience during Toronto's strict Covid-19 protocols.
About Concord Adex and Concord Pacific Concord has been building Canada's largest lifestyle-forward urban communities for over 30 years . Under the leadership of President and CEO, Terry Hui, Concord Pacific Place in Vancouver and Concord CityPlace in Toronto are the country's two largest urban master-plans and are mostly complete. Concord also expanded to Seattle's tech hub in the United States and London, UK including the completion of Principal Tower in the Principal Place neighbourhood, home to Amazon UK. These communities are renowned for their vibrant urban planning and have been emulated globally. The award-winning developer is Canada's most substantial contributor of city parks and privately funded public art. In addition to their industry leading forward practices including Concord BioSpace and EV Parking infrastructure and design, the company's green energy arm generates twice the amount of energy needed to power the over 40,000 homes they have built. Visit www.concordpacific.com for more information.
SOURCE Concord Pacific
All They Want for Valentine’s Day Is YOU (How to Make That Happen). The people you love the most don’t really want or need roses, chocolates, or sparkly luxuries this Valentine’s Day. They want your attention and your time. Steve Cook says there’s a way to give it to them—and it starts with simplifying your stressful life.
Knoxville, TN (February 2021)—Valentine’s Day 2021 is almost here and you know what that means: Time to carve an hour from your stressful schedule to make a (masked-up) run to the store or maybe do some quick online browsing for flowers, teddy bears, or chocolate for your spouse and kids. Done! You’ve proven your love once again, right?
If this scenario makes you feel a little empty, life and business coach Steve Cook says there’s a reason. Too many of us are substituting symbols and tokens of love for the real thing.
“Our loved ones don’t want more sparkly, frilly, sugary stuff for Valentine’s Day,” says Cook, author of Lifeonaire: An Uncommon Approach to Wealth, Success, and Prosperity (Lifeonaire Promotions, LLC, 2018, ISBN: 978-0-9863228-7-7, $14.99). “They want our time, our attention. They want us to be happy. They want real conversations that aren’t always cut short so we can rush off to some obligation. That’s what love looks like, or should. It’s not about gifts.”
To most of us, being able to spend big chunks of meaningful time with our loved ones sounds wonderful. It just doesn’t sound realistic. That’s because we’ve arranged our lives in a way that forces us to work ourselves to death to achieve “the American Dream.” (What’s more, when we are around our families we’re stressed out and grouchy.)
But Cook says we can change that. We can overhaul our lives in a way that allows us to start giving more deeply of ourselves to the people who really matter. One cornerstone of Cook’s path to prosperity is cutting life down to the basics. By cutting things we don’t need—the giant mortgage, the shiny new cars, the pricey data plans, the flashy gifts—we free up money to fund income producing assets. And from there, everything gets better!
Here are just a few benefits simplifying your lifestyle gives you:
You’ll spend more time with family. Without expensive distractions to, well, distract you, you might find yourself going on hikes or bike rides, playing board games at home, or volunteering at the local food pantry or animal shelter together.
You’ll set the right example for your kids. You can tell kids all day not to be materialistic, to avoid debt, to conserve and recycle, to save for the future—but if you don’t practice it all your preaching is meaningless. We believe what we live every day.
You’ll find a new sense of peace. Ask anyone who has started controlling their money rather than letting it control them: Instead of feeling deprived, you feel good. Without the low-grade hum of anxiety that comes with overspending, you’ll feel more available for what really matters.
You’ll get more mindful and grateful. Consumerism creates a desire for more, more, more. In the quest for what we can buy and where we can go tomorrow, we miss out on the present. Refocusing allows us to start noticing sunsets, birds at the feeder, or the simple pleasures of baking cookies or throwing a football with our kids.
You’ll get to know your community. When we’re not spending thousands on big vacation getaways (in the post-COVID future of course!) we’re more likely to explore local parks, libraries, and other close-to-home attractions.
So how to make it happen? First, you’ll need an adjustment of your priorities and a major mind shift. But the rewards are totally worth it. Here’s how to get started:
Think “Family NOW, work LATER.” Most entrepreneurial or career-driven types believe that they need to work really hard during their “prime earning years” so they can relax and enjoy The Good Life later. Cook says that’s exactly backwards. When our kids are young we should live now and work later. No amount of rationalizing that you’re “doing it for the family” can make up for missing those precious formative years.
“Make this your mantra and it will help you immediately put things into perspective,” says Cook. “Yes, you must work some, but if you don’t have a big mortgage and two car payments you will be able to put in a lot fewer hours and spend a lot more time with your children now, while they need you. Your business can grow slowly and organically over time.”
Start spending fewer hours at work. Try to cut your work hours by 10 percent, advises Cook. Years of conditioning have us believing hard work means working a lot. Yet Cook says the most successful people work less, often make more, and love their life. The truth is, short periods of efficient hard work are much more productive than “overdrive 60-hour work weeks.”
“If you have worked hard all day, you will likely be less productive in the final hour or two that you would normally work anyway,” says Cook. “Instead, go home and spend quality time with your loved ones. This is deeply rewarding for them as well as for you. And having enough time off to recharge means you will be ready to give 100 percent the next time you’re at work.”
Go on an information-and-media diet. Most of us spend too much time surfing the Internet, watching upsetting news stories, and scrolling through social media. This is a bad habit that creeps up on us slowly and insidiously and makes us anxious and unhappy. Before we know it we are addicted and we let “screen time” steal our precious moments with our spouses and kids.
“When you’re at home, close down your laptop and put away the remote control,” says Cook. “Make a no cell phones rule at dinner. There’s a lot more time for movie night, charades, puzzles, and family projects like growing a garden or training for a marathon together.”
Get intentional about restoring your damaged marriage. Too many couples work hard at their job, come home exhausted, and go sit in front of two separate TVs. They may pursue separate hobbies and interests. Over time, they drift apart and lose their passion for each other. But when a couple sits down together and creates a vision to work toward—one that includes making their marriage a priority—their relationship shifts almost overnight.
“There’s no better time to truly celebrate a love-centric holiday than committing to your partner in love and life,” says Cook. “Make Valentine’s Day your starting point to a better relationship and work at it until it becomes stronger than ever.”
Change how you celebrate. The way you celebrate Valentine’s Day (any holiday or special occasion, really) should reflect your newfound priorities. Make it about togetherness and creativity, not buying stuff. For example, instead of ordering from your favorite pricey restaurant, prepare a family meal together. Mom or Dad can make the entrée while younger kids set the table. Older children can each be in charge of preparing a side item. For dessert, you can purchase several different chocolate bars and host a “chocolate tasting” and rate your favorites.
You might also put the focus back on love by giving to others. As a family, you could make homemade cards to give to elderly neighbors, or deliver clothing the kids have outgrown to a homeless shelter. (With a simpler life you’ll have a lot more time for such things.)
“Simplifying your life is an act of love for the people that mean the most to you,” says Cook. “What we do, every day, speaks so much louder than what we say.”
# # #
About the Book: Lifeonaire; An Uncommon Approach to Wealth, Success, and Prosperity (Lifeonaire Promotions, LLC, 2018, ISBN: 978-0-9863228-7-7, $14.99) is available from major online booksellers.
