Support arthritis research from the safety of your home
VANCOUVER, BC, Jan. 7, 2021 /CNW/ - Arthritis Research Canada's signature event, the ARThritis Soirée, will celebrate its 8th year of raising awareness and funds for arthritis research on Thursday,May 27, 2021 at 7:00 pm. Though, for the first time, it will take a virtual format.
The ARThritis Soirée highlights art as a way to emphasize the therapeutic role that art plays in helping people cope with a chronic disease. This year will be no different as our event goes virtual to ensure everyone's safety. This is important for our arthritis community, which has been particularly vulnerable throughout the pandemic.
The 2021 ARThritis Soirée will continue to offer a fun and dynamic experience. Guests will enjoy amazing entertainment, an exquisite raffle, along with art and silent auctions.
Mark the date in your calendar and join other like-minded individuals, businesses, community leaders, philanthropists, doctors, health care professionals, and special guests from across the country who share an appreciation of art and a desire to support arthritis research.
Arthritis Research Canada is excited to welcome back Macdonald Realty – a British Columbia owned and operated brokerage with more than 1,000 real estate professionals and staff – as our 2021 ARThritis Soirée, Presenting Sponsor. "Despite these uncertain times, we must push forward and do all we can to accelerate discovery and find answers for the millions of Canadians living with arthritis. Arthritis research is the only way to accomplish this and Macdonald Realty is proud to be able to help," said Dan Scarrow, Macdonald Real Estate Group's President.
Arthritis now affects over 6 million Canadians of ALL ages and 350 million people worldwide. And with the global COVID-19 pandemic, the need to support arthritis research has never been greater!
"Arthritis is a misunderstood disease. Many assume it's no more than aches and pains and only affects older people. It's actually the leading cause of work disability in Canada and doesn't discriminate based on age," said Dr. Diane Lacaille, Arthritis Research Canada's Scientific Director. "Your generosity is helping to accelerate discoveries aimed at preventing arthritis, facilitating early diagnosis, providing new and better treatments, and improving quality of life."
We are excited to present the 2021 ARThritis Soirée in its new format and to invite you to help us create greater awareness and raise important funds for leading edge arthritis research.
For more information about the ARThritis Soirée and to learn how you can become a sponsor, please visit www.arthritisresearch.ca/savethedate. Please join us in supporting arthritis research.
ABOUT ARTHRITIS RESEARCH CANADA:
Arthritis Research Canada is the largest clinical arthritis research institution in North America. Our mission is to transform the lives of people living with arthritis through research and engagement. Arthritis Research Canada's scientific director, Dr. Diane Lacaille is leading a team of over 100 researchers, trainees and staff whose world recognized research is creating a future where people living with arthritis are empowered to triumph over pain and disability. Arthritis Research Canada is conducting research across Canada in British Columbia, Alberta and Quebec and is affiliated with five major universities: University of British Columbia, Simon Fraser University, University of Calgary, Université Laval, and McGill University. Arthritis Research Canada is leading research aimed at arthritis prevention, early diagnosis, new and better treatment, and improved quality of life.
SOURCE Arthritis Research Canada
Celebrity Chef/Restaurateur/Author Tanya Holland of Brown Sugar KitchenAnnounces "Season Two" of Critically-Acclaimed Podcast "Tanya's Table" In Partnership with MuddHouse Media Set to Launch on January 19, 2021
"Tanya's Table" Features 14 Celebrity Guests:Ayesha Curry, Danny Glover, Bonnie Raitt, Phil Rosenthal, Lars Ulrich,Ericka Huggins, Alicia Garza, Elizabeth Falkner, Jonny Moseley, Lizz Wright, Festus Ezeli, Maneet Chauhan, Edouardo Jordan, and Karen Akunowicz
"Celebrity Chef Tanya Holland's New Podcast Is the Show We Need Now More than Ever"-Sunset Magazine "An icon in the food world" -Food & Wine "Down-Home Done Right"-O, The Oprah Magazine "She's at the top of her game now...Holland is nowhere near slowing down."-Rachael Ray In Season Magazine "At Brown Sugar Kitchen in Oakland, Tanya Holland's Creole shrimp and grits seems to be infused with concentric layers of flavor. Customers feel so passionate about the dish that they regularly pay tribute with love letters left on their tables." -The New York Times Oakland, Calif. -- Tuesday, January 5, 2021 -- Celebrity chef/restaurateur/cookbook author Tanya Holland of Brown Sugar Kitchen (Oakland, Calif.) announces today with producing partner MuddHouse Media the official launch of Season Two of her critically-acclaimed new podcast, "Tanya's Table." Season Two follows Holland's debut as a TV host on the Oprah Winfrey Network with her new show "Tanya's Kitchen Table" (LINK; November - December 2020). Launching on January 19, 2021, the podcast's Season Two features Holland in riveting conversations with many of today's leading innovators and tastemakers: Ayesha Curry, Danny Glover, Bonnie Raitt, Phil Rosenthal, Lars Ulrich, Ericka Huggins, Alicia Garza, Elizabeth Falkner, Jonny Moseley, Lizz Wright, Festus Ezeli, Maneet Chauhan, Edouardo Jordan, and Karen Akunowicz. Episodes of "Tanya's Table" will air once a week (every Tuesday) on all major podcast platforms through April 20, 2021. Holland is an international icon and the leading African-American woman chef in the modern culinary arena. She's wowed audiences with her incredibly charismatic persona on a plethora of national TV shows (Tanya's Kitchen Table, Selena + Chef, Top Chef, MasterChef, NBC's Today Show, CBS This Morning, The Talk, Food Network) and has been lauded by critics for her distinct California-inspired renditions of soul food classics. On the Board of Trustees at the James Beard Foundation and a U.S. State Department culinary diplomat, Holland takes listeners on a 45-minute adventure each episode of "Tanya's Table" by offering both a behind-the-scenes look at her guests' intriguing lives as well as bringing forth vital issues facing the world. "Tanya's Table" spotlights Holland and her guests discussing food, culture, and diverse foodways as podcast listeners peer through the window to experience their candid, and often hilarious, conversations. While food is the center of attention, Holland explores other lifestyle topics such as travel, social awareness, self-help and work/life balance, challenges and triumphs, discovering off-the-radar gems, music, the role of mentors, and more. Episodes further delve into each guest's individual identity through their sense of taste (with food, design, style, etc.) and discovering foods of their heritage. Holland is at the vanguard of contemporary California cuisine with decades of accolades to her credit. "Tanya's Table" offers a critical platform for Holland to connect with influential figures for real-talk conversations. Teeming with idiosyncratic charm and hospitality, Holland is the voice of 2021 that podcast-devotees are destined to love. For detailed information regarding Tanya Holland and the featured guests for Season Two of "Tanya's Table," please download the Tanya's Table Celebrity Guest Bios one sheet (LINK). The episode schedule for Season Two of "Tanya's Table" is as follows: Ayesha Curry (January 19), Danny Glover (January 26), Bonnie Raitt (February 2), Phil Rosenthal (February 9), Alicia Garza (February 16), Elizabeth Falkner (February 23), Lars Ulrich (March 2), Jonny Moseley (March 9), Maneet Chauhan (March 16), Ericka Huggins(March 23), Lizz Wright (March 30), Festus Ezeli (April 6), Edouardo Jordan (April 13), and Karen Akunowicz (April 20). About MuddHouse Media:MuddHouse Media is a company composed of diversified knowledge and skill sets, specializing in the most niche and mainstream facets of lifestyle, culture, sports, comedy, music, art, business, entrepreneurship and more. Follow us on @MuddHouseMedia and check out all our podcast shows at MuddHousemedia.com including Tanya's Table, featuring award-winning Chef Tanya Holland, Holding Court, a popular tennis podcast featuring ESPN commentator Patrick McEnroe, Greek God of Hops hosted by Former Red Sox Champ Kevin Youkilis, Being American by Governor Deval Patrick, Killer Genes by Melissa McCarty and Kelly McLear, and many more.
Meet Cor Performance Leggings, from the Brand Known for Breaking All the Rules in All the Right Ways
Pioneering zero-waste fashion, Cor pushes the limits of versatile, functional everyday fashion and introduces the new age of luxe athletic apparel custom made for movementLOS ANGELES, Calif. – (January 6th, 2021): CorⓇ activewear introduces a new standard of performance, industry-leading sustainable design, and couture-inspired style at a uniquely collectible price point. Spearheaded by CEO Asha Kai. Cor’s cutting-edge approach redefines luxe athletic apparel custom-made for movement. Now, from the celebrated creators of Ultracor, discover an all-new brand aiming to not only master the functional, everyday legging as we know it but to change the game entirely. “As a busy CEO and mom of three, I need a legging that can keep up with my active lifestyle,” says Kai. “The Cor collection is designed to move with you, no matter where the day takes you - and offered at a practical price point for building your go-everywhere wardrobe quickly.”Whether heading to the neighborhood playground, running to college classes, cycling at the gym, or doing yoga at home, Cor is ready for anything. The all-new collection features super-soft leggings and sports bras in five sophisticated digital prints and a range of deeply saturated colors: Ombre Stars, Leopard, Camo, Galaxy, and Ombre Leopard. Discover the advanced performance fit of a precision laser-cut design made to order. Each piece is custom crafted from specially-formulated, silky-smooth material offering breathable, sweat-wicking comfort for all-day movement. A mid- to high-waist legging with an elasticized waistband offers a trendsetting, flexible silhouette in a functional pull-on style. When it comes to sustainability, every distinctive Cor design is engineered to push the limits of environmentally-conscious fabrication. The entire collection is hand-crafted from start to finish right in the heart of Los Angeles, relying on an industry-leading digital print-on-demand process that pioneers the new age of eco-luxury activewear. The brand’s zero-waste/zero-inventory model challenges the traditional manufacturing status quo, reducing its carbon footprint by 95% and avoiding the use of chemical-based washes or water. With detailing that rivals the most elite fashion houses in machine-washable colors and prints designed to stand the test of time, every Cor selection is a seamless addition to a sustainable, durable everyday wardrobe. Embrace the next generation of luxe athletic apparel with the couture-inspired, sustainably-produced Cor collection (Legging $130, Scoop Neck Bra $89). Also, discover the Ultracor movement combining quality, performance, and fashion made custom just for you. Shop the collection at CorActivewear.com (international shipping available) and follow @coractivewear on Instagram for the latest style releases, celebrity fans, and product updates. # # #About Cor:Launched in 2020 by CEO Asha Kai, Cor introduces the next generation of eco-luxury activewear for everyone. The brand pioneers an industry-leading zero-waste fashion approach with a digital print-on-demand model that requires no chemical washes or water, reducing its carbon footprint by 95%. Discover the advanced performance fit of a precision laser-cut design in couture-inspired prints and deeply saturated colors. Every machine washable piece is custom made to order using ultra-soft, breathable fabric engineered to wick away sweat in a flawless, modern style. Shop the collection at CorActivewear.com (international shipping available) and follow @coractivewear on Instagram for the latest style releases, celebrity fans, and product updates.
SEIU Healthcare mourns the loss of Maureen Ambersley, nurse, due to COVID-19
RICHMOND HILL, ON, Jan. 6, 2021 /CNW/ - SEIU Healthcare, the union that represents over 60,000 frontline healthcare workers in Ontario, mourns the loss of our dear member Maureen Ambersley, a Registered Practical Nurse (RPN), due to COVID-19 and extends our deepest sympathies to her family, as well as her union sisters and brothers who work at the Extendicare nursing home in Mississauga. Our union has reached out to Maureen's family to offer whatever support is needed at this difficult time.
Maureen passed away yesterday at the age of 57 and leaves behind her parents and two children. She was a dedicated union steward and an exemplary RPN for over 16 years.
STATEMENT FROM SEIU HEALTHCARE PRESIDENT, SHARLEEN STEWART:
"Maureen's family, friends and colleagues are in deep sorrow.
On behalf of our union family, I extend our deepest sympathies to Maureen's family, as well as her close friends and colleagues who we know loved her like a sister.
Maureen represented everything good about what it means to serve your community. For her last birthday she encouraged friends to make donations to SickKids Hospital Foundation. Maureen dedicated her working life to caring for our most vulnerable as a nurse in long-term care.
Maureen Ambersley is the fourth member of SEIU Healthcare to die during the pandemic. Christine Mandegarian, PSW, Arlene Reid, PSW, Sharon Roberts, PSW, and now Maureen Ambersley, RPN, were all women of colour serving on the frontline who died because they showed up to work in service of their community.
It must be said that the death of healthcare workers is preventable and the result of ongoing policy failures.
As Ontario families bury more workers and residents in long-term care, we reiterate our demand of the provincial government for a new action plan to get us through this out-of-control crisis."
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
SOURCE SEIU Healthcare
EMD Serono Appoints Manuel Zafra as New Managing Director for Canada
MISSISSAUGA, ON, Jan. 6, 2021 /CNW/ - EMD Serono, the biopharmaceutical business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, is pleased to announce the appointment of Manuel Zafra as the new Managing Director for Canada.
In this role, Zafra is responsible for the Canadian healthcare business sector and will ensure patients across the country benefit from the organization's innovative therapies in oncology, neurodegenerative diseases, fertility and endocrinology.
"EMD Serono is a company that aspires to create, improve and prolong life; with fertility, neuroscience, endocrinology and oncology at the core of our business," said Zafra. "I look forward to working with the Canadian team as we continue to build on our core, to deliver innovative drug therapies to improve patient outcomes and address unmet needs."
Manuel Zafra brings more than 20 years of experience in the multinational pharmaceutical industry, setting new business standards in different treatment areas such as neurology, oncology, ophthalmology, hematology and diagnostic imaging. He joined Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany in 2013; most recently serving as the General Manager and Managing Director for Merck Hungary, where his leadership helped launch a new business model and transformed the organization's internal culture.
"When curious minds get together, they inspire each other to deliver on their fullest potential – for our patients and for the organization," explains Zafra. "Our innovative, collaborative and people-focused culture empowers every employee to make a meaningful difference in the lives of Canadians who rely on our treatments."
Zafra's career at Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany is an example of the company's commitment to promoting internal talent and its focus when promoting the professional development of those who are part of it. Zafra will succeed Gaby Murphy who was the Managing Director for the Canadian business for the last five years and is continuing his career with EMD Serono in the United States.
About EMD Serono, Canada EMD Serono, Canada, is the Canadian biopharmaceutical business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany. EMD Serono, Canada has integrated cutting-edge science, innovative products and devices, and industry-leading patient support and access programs. EMD Serono, Canada has deep expertise in neurology, fertility and endocrinology, as well as a robust pipeline of potential therapies in neurology, oncology, immunology and immuno-oncology. Today, EMD Serono, Canada has more than 100 employees across Canada with headquarters in Mississauga, Ontario.
About Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, a leading science and technology company, operates across healthcare, life science and performance materials. Around 57,000 employees work to make a positive difference to millions of people's lives every day by creating more joyful and sustainable ways to live. From advancing gene editing technologies and discovering unique ways to treat the most challenging diseases to enabling the intelligence of devices – the company is everywhere. In 2019, Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, generated sales of € 16.2 billion in 66 countries.
The company holds the global rights to the name and trademark "Merck" internationally. The only exceptions are the United States and Canada, where the business sectors of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany operate as EMD Serono in healthcare, MilliporeSigma in life science, and EMD Performance Materials. Since its founding in 1668, scientific exploration and responsible entrepreneurship have been key to the company's technological and scientific advances. To this day, the founding family remains the majority owner of the publicly listed company.
SOURCE EMD Serono, Canada
Healthcare Workers File Human Rights Complaint Against Nursing Home Chain and Provincial Government
RICHMOND HILL, ON, Jan. 6, 2021 /CNW/ - SEIU Healthcare, the union that represents over 60,000 frontline healthcare workers in Ontario, has filed an application with the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario on behalf of workers at Responsive Group's Rykka Care Centres, pursuant to section 34(5) of the Ontario Human Rights Code.
Healthcare workers are standing up to the private, for-profit nursing home operator for being discriminated against based on their gender and skin colour. SEIU Healthcare is standing shoulder to shoulder with exploited workers in this sector who are predominately of people of colour and overwhelmingly women.
The complaint is calling for better working conditions for the applicants, as well as orders to replace the management at the Rykka Care Centres.
The Crown and its Ministries of Health, Labour and Long-Term Care have also been named as Respondents to this application for their responsibility in regulating and overseeing the operation of long-term care homes in the province.
SEIU Healthcare has been calling on all levels of government to end the discriminatory and exploitative system of for-profit care across Canada that allows privileged and powerful men like Mike Harris to put their financial interests before our elderly moms and dads and the workers who care for them.
Our union has lost four members during the pandemic. All women. All women of colour.
Statement from Sharleen Stewart, president of SEIU Healthcare:
"Everyone knows that the working conditions in long-term care are abhorrent. We have a care economy in Ontario that exploits working women of colour, who are intentionally abused by their employers, as well as their government.
After the devastating year workers have had, SEIU Healthcare supports working women of colour who are standing up to say enough is enough. That means calling out violations of the Human Rights Code where and when they occur.
It's time we boldly change the conditions of work and care in our nursing home system once and for all."
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
SOURCE SEIU Healthcare
Recipient of Ontario Together Fund, Viva Healthcare Packaging (Canada) Ltd. is Increasing Production of "Made in Canada" Medical Grade Face Masks to over 22,500,000 per Month
TORONTO, Jan. 6, 2021 /CNW/ - Viva Healthcare Packaging (Canada) Ltd., Innovative Packaging and PPE, a Toronto-based manufacturer of plastic products, is a recent recipient of an Ontario Together Fund investment of $450,000. The Ontario government is delivering targeted investments through the fund to increase the Province's stockpile of made-in-Ontario personal protective equipment (PPE). Viva is using this grant to retool operations and expand production of PPE supplies.
"Face masks play an important role in reducing virus transmission. As municipalities are mandating the use of face masks in all public spaces, Viva is ramping up production of 3-ply disposable face masks, in regular and children's sizes, to over 22.5 million masks per month by early 2021. We are honoured to apply our expertise in high volume manufacturing towards PPE production, to help combat COVID-19, and to prepare for potential future challenges with an ample and timely supply," said James Bokla, CEO, Viva Healthcare Packaging (Canada) Ltd.
Viva's plans include the addition of two state-of-the-art high output face mask-making lines. All lines will run 24/7 with inventory sufficient to support quick deliveries.
Viva's face masks are Health Canada approved and certified to ASTM F2100 Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3. Prices are competitive and offer much shorter lead-times. Viva also offers an innovative line of medical and non-medical face shields, and will soon be introducing hand sanitizer gel sachets and wipes.
Viva has had tremendous response from healthcare providers and manufacturers who are proudly wearing Viva's Made in Canada face masks.
ABOUT VIVA
Viva Healthcare Packaging (Canada) Ltd., Innovative Packaging and PPE, is the largest manufacturer of media cases in the world and one of the world's largest injection-molding companies. In business for over 48 years, Viva has three locations world-wide, including Canada (Toronto), Poland and Hong Kong. Viva's flagship manufacturing plant is located in Toronto, housing 200 of 300 injection-molding machines globally.
Viva's core business includes medical products for the healthcare sector (face masks, face shields, hand sanitizer sachets and wipes), injection-molded tubes for health and beauty, food, and industrial commercial brands, and media cases for DVD and gaming manufacturers.
Putting Bradford on the big pharma map and giving the district a health check
06 January 2021 Prof Dinesh Saralaya recalls that when he was young, despite the family being Hindu, his mother sent him to a Catholic school in Madras (now known as Chennai), essentially, to broaden his horizons.The Consultant Respiratory Physician at Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has certainly done that. He is director of the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) patient recruitment centre in Bradford.Well respected in his field, he has run clinical trials for 11 years and forged important links with big pharma - undoubtedly one of the reasons the Novavax Covid-19 Vaccine trial came to Bradford.Now he has another string to his bow, in the form of an honorary visiting professorship from the University of Bradford. But despite his many accomplishments in life, he remains fastidious and humble and focused on improving the health of people in the local area.“I have worked in Bradford for 19 years, we established the clinical trials unit here in 2009 and it has grown to become one of most reputable centres in the world. That’s why today, Bradford is one of only two cities in Yorkshire to host the Novavax Covid 19 Vaccine trial.“We need to be doing more research of this kind in communities. Bradford is a city of high economic deprivation but also has higher than the national average levels of various illnesses, such as asthma, COPD, diabetes and heart diseases. I can use my links to get this level of clinical research where it’s most needed.”Prof Saralaya grew up in Madras, graduating from its university and gaining a doctorate in Medicine, before coming to the UK in 1995. He achieved an University Gold Medal for having stood first in his doctorate exams in 1994. His father, Lakshmi Narayana, was also a doctor. Prof Saralaya became a member of the Royal College of Physicians in 1997 and after training in various parts of the country, came to Bradford in 2001 as a senior registrar and was appointed consultant at BTHFT in 2004.He has pioneered the use of Omalizumab in the treatment of severe allergic asthma and has been involved in ‘mist’ clinical trials involving the newer biologic treatment in severe asthma. In 2016, Dinesh was the leading investigator in the APEX 2 study, which was the largest study in the UK on the effectiveness of Omalizumab in the treatment of severe allergic asthma.Asked what his honorary professorship meant, he said: “I am delighted to be joining the Faculty of Life Sciences and will be working to forge links between colleague at Bradford and the life sciences industry but more importantly I will be using my previous track record of extensively being involved in research, alongside the skills provided by the University, to benefit the city of Bradford. I’m very excited about this opportunity.“As a consultant respiratory physician, I’m concerned about the health inequalities in this area. Bradford has an asthma rate which is above 10 per cent, whereas the national average is 8.5. It also has higher proportions of COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) and this is due to things like cigarette smoking, health education and so on. That is why it’s so important to do research. I have run asthma trials across the world. The clinical trials unit in Bradford is recognised as being in the top five severe asthma trials units in the UK and one of the best in the world.”Recently, it was announced the University of Bradford’s Digital Health Enterprise Zone is hosting one of the world’s first mass Covid-19 vaccine trials, run by US biotechnology company Novavax in conjunction with Bradford Institute for Health Research (BIHR), part of the Bradford Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.In 2015 and 2016 Dr Saralaya was awarded the best Principal Investigator Award for the UK for his delivery into the commercial respiratory research portfolio by NIHR. In 2014, Dr Saralaya was appointed Associate Director of Research at the BIHR and has grown the institute’s commercial research portfolio to over £1.25 million pounds annually. In 2019 he was awarded the joint NIHR/ Royal College of Physicians award for research in England for the year 2018-19Prof Saralaya now lives in Bingley with his wife Sudha with whom he has a son and cites a love of travel, politics and history among his passions. Note to editors: this is the second of three features on recent honorary professors at the University of Bradford who are involved in healthcare. The first (issued yesterday), was on Mel Pickup, CEO of BTHFT. The third (which will be issued tomorrow) is on Brendan Brown, CEO of Airedale NHS Trust. Contact n.hudson2@bradford.ac.uk with any queries.Pictures: Consultant Respiratory Physician at Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Honorary Professor at the University of Bradford Dr Dinesh Saralaya. Picture credit: BTHFT.
Episode 23- The Train It Right Life - Live In The Now!
Happy New Year Everyone! It's time to Live in the now! Thanks for your support, listening, reviewing, sharing and subscribing! It's time to make 2021 great!
The Year of the Quitter: Seven Things to Stop Doing in 2021 Instead of making new resolutions to add (and later discard) in the new year, Steve Cook says we should be focusing on what we want to subtract.
Knoxville, TN (January 2021)—In January, we typically look back over the previous 12 months and contemplate what we intend to do differently in the upcoming year. (Curiously, these resolutions are often the same ones we made and abandoned the year before!). With 2020 behind us—and none too soon, you’ll probably agree—Steve Cook hopes you’ll take a different approach this year.
Rather than adding to your already jam-packed to-do list, look for what you’ve been doing that isn’t serving you well. Then quit doing it.
“Many people found that 2020 stripped away their illusions and showed them the parts of their lives that aren’t working,” 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). “Wherever you’re suffering—finances, lifestyle, relationships, spirituality—if you dig down to the root you might find the problem is you’ve bought into a cultural narrative that tells you to hustle, grind, stay busy, and keep pursuing more.”
Not only does blind pursuit of “the American Dream” not lead to happiness, it actively detracts from it. Thus, it stands to reason that we need to slow down, take an honest look at our choices, and stop the proverbial madness.
“We are taught that quitters never win,” says Cook, a life and business coach, speaker, trainer, and author. “Well, sometimes they do!”
In Lifeonaire, Cook challenges us to consider what we really desire out of life. Through this fictional story, he shares how Americans blindly pursue financial wealth—thinking that money will reward them with what they want—and helps us to discover that our heart’s desire is to become more than just a Millionaire…what we really desire is to become a Lifeonaire.
That said, here are seven things you should quit doing in 2021:
QUIT using money as a metric to measure how successful you are. You should not stop doing smart things with your money, but do stop measuring your success on it. Chances are there are many people that have much more than you yet are still not happy. At all.
“One thing I have discovered in my years of coaching wealthy people is that they never seem to have enough,” says Cook. “They measure their success based off of how much they have and consequently they never have enough. This measure itself leads to discontentment.”
QUIT taking on debt. “Most every person that I talk to would like to eliminate all of their debt, however most of those people will go deeper into debt in the following year,” says Cook. “They will convince themselves that they need something enough that it is worth going into debt for.
“Marketers will do whatever they have to in order to get you to buy their products and services; they really don’t care that you want to be debt free,” he adds. “Make it a point to stop borrowing money this year. You will find that there are things that you can actually live without, and it is the first step toward becoming debt free.”
QUIT trying to keep up with the Joneses. It’s a game that you cannot win! Whenever you compare yourself to someone else, you will always find someone that has something bigger, better, prettier, or newer than what you have. It’s a very slippery slope to be on. Instead learn to be grateful for and content with what you have.
“Keeping up with the Joneses often means keeping up with a pretty picture that doesn’t represent what is going on behind closed doors,” notes Cook. “The Joneses oftentimes finance their way to that pretty picture. You don’t see the amount of work they do to maintain it, the stress they are hiding, and the disfunction in their relationships that comes along with the pretty picture.”
QUIT surrounding yourself with people who try too hard to impress you (and others). Most people are too busy worrying about their own lives to really care about you. That is not an indictment of people, instead it suggests that the same insecurities that you may have about how you look, what you have, or how successful you are, may be shared by many. Make this the year that you surround yourself with people who have come to a place of contentment—those who aren’t trying to impress anyone.
QUIT taking financial advice from people who are not better off than you. “It is amazing how often people take advice from others who are doing no better, if not worse than they themselves are,” says Cook. “I’ve seen people get marriage advice from divorced people, and business start-ups getting advice about how to do things from struggling businesses. The only advice you should get from those who are struggling is what NOT to do.”
QUIT working so many hours. Cook insists the most successful people work less, often make more, and love their life. Their business complements instead of competes with their personal life. They experience freedom and independence with their time, finances, and choices.
“Years of conditioning have us believing that hard work means working a lot,” he reflects. “The truth is, short periods of efficient hard work are much more productive than “overdrive” 60-hour work weeks. And if you have young children, long work hours and lots of business travel are especially dangerous. Now is when they need you in their lives. Work will be there later.”
QUIT putting off living life until someday when you have more wealth. Let’s face it, in 2020 many people realized how short life can be. It’s time for you to start experiencing life to the fullest. When you are trying to live life with money as the measure, you will never have enough. You will put off doing the things you could do right now in hopes that someday you have more available to enjoy life. Live it today.
“The Lifeonaire approach is to change the rules of the game of life,” concludes Cook. “Rather than playing life the way the world around us expects us to, we go against the grain and live life to the fullest. If you stop doing the things above, you will begin to have the space and time to do the things in life that really matter the most to you, which will also give you the time to grow and experience life to the fullest.”
# # #
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.
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