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Learning to Let Go After Setbacks THE NEXT SHOT August 2026
720 Goodlette Rd. N, Suite 304, Naples, FL 34102 • AttorneyShapiro.com
August is National Golf Month, which seemed like a good excuse to reflect on one of my favorite hobbies and some of the lessons it has taught me over the years. Anyone who knows me knows that when I’m not working, there’s a good chance you’ll find me on a golf course. I’ve been fortunate to play some wonderful courses and take memorable golf trips, but one of the most valuable lessons I’ve learned from the game has very little to do with my golf swing. I recently spent a weekend at Streamsong playing the Red and Blue courses. During one of my rounds, I had everything working. I was driving the ball well, hitting solid approach shots, and putting together one of my better scores in quite some time. In fact, I had already started thinking about how much I would enjoy telling my friends about the round afterward.
Instead of focusing on the next hole, I spent the next several shots replaying what had happened. I was frustrated by the bad break. I was frustrated by the score I thought I was going to shoot. The more I thought about the hole behind me, the worse I played on the holes ahead of me. At one point, my caddie offered a simple piece of advice: “Forget the last two holes. Hit this shot.” The more I thought about it, the more I realized his advice applies to much more than golf. One thing golf has taught me over the years is that good holes and bad holes often come in bunches. Early in my golfing life, I thought that was simply a coincidence. Over time, I realized there is often a mental component to it. A bad hole turns into another bad hole because you’re still thinking about the first one. A mistake becomes bigger because you refuse to let it go. The best golfers in the world hit bad shots. They find bunkers, miss putts, and make mistakes. What separates them is not that they avoid adversity. It’s that they recover from it quickly. Life works much the same way. Sometimes, we do everything right, and things still don’t go according to plan. A business opportunity falls through. A health issue appears unexpectedly. An accident changes the course of a day, a year, or even a lifetime. Plans we worked hard to create suddenly take an unexpected turn.
necessarily those who avoid setbacks. They refused to let those setbacks define everything that comes afterward. There is an old saying that we often suffer more from reliving a setback than from the setback itself. I think there’s a lot of truth in that. We can’t control every bounce of the ball. We can’t control every challenge that comes our way, change yesterday’s mistake, or undo an unexpected turn of events. What we can control is our response. We decide whether a setback becomes a stopping point or simply part of the journey. And ultimately, we decide how much power we give those events over our future. Whether it’s a golf round, a business challenge, a health issue, or an unexpected accident, life rarely unfolds exactly as we planned. What I’ve learned is that our future is shaped less by the setback itself than by what we choose to do next.
Then came a hole that changed everything.
I hit what I thought was a great approach shot. It landed exactly where I wanted, but instead of staying on the green, it caught a slope and rolled into a bunker. Suddenly, what looked like an easy par became a struggle. It took me two shots to get out of the bunker, I missed a putt I normally expect to make, and walked away with a double bogey.
As it turns out, the most important shot in golf, and perhaps in life, is always the next one. - MSahracp iLr o.
The problem wasn’t the double bogey, though. It was that I carried it with me.
Over the years, I’ve seen that the people who move forward most successfully aren’t
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SMART ORGANIZATION TIPS FOR BUSY PARENTS Back-to-School Made Simple
before can transform hectic mornings into calm, predictable starts. These small habits add up quickly and create a sense of stability for the entire family. Use visual organization tools. Children thrive when they can see what is expected of them. Visual schedules, color-coded calendars, or categorized charts can guide kids through their day without constant reminders. These tools are especially helpful for younger children who benefit from clear, easy-to-follow cues. A central family calendar can also keep everyone on the same page. Between school events, extracurriculars, and family commitments, having one place to track everything reduces confusion and last- minute stress. Keep it realistic. It’s easy to overcommit at the start of a new school year. Many parents feel pressure to sign their children up for multiple activities, but too many commitments can quickly lead to burnout. Choosing fewer activities and focusing on what truly matters helps maintain balance and keeps schedules manageable.
Why is it that the first day of school always sneaks up on you? One minute, summer feels endless, and the next, you are juggling supply lists, new routines, and busy schedules. For many parents, the shift can feel overwhelming. However, with a little planning and a few smart systems, back-to- school season can feel far more manageable. Begin with simple systems. Organization begins before the first bell rings. Taking time to sort through clothes, supplies, and old materials can prevent clutter from piling up later. Experts recommend decluttering drawers and checking what you already have before shopping to avoid unnecessary purchases.
Creating designated spaces in your home also makes a significant difference. A small “drop zone” near the door for backpacks, shoes, and papers helps keep everything in one place. Even a homework station or supply bin can reduce daily chaos and keep kids focused. Build routines that stick. Consistency is the backbone of a smooth school year. Start easing into school routines a week or two early by adjusting bedtimes and morning habits. This helps children transition from relaxed summer schedules to structured school days without stress. Evening preparation also makes a major difference. Laying out clothes, packing backpacks, and prepping lunches the night
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Here’s What Every Rider Should Know THINK GOLF CARTS ARE SAFE?
Since we’re already celebrating everything golf this month, it feels like the right time to talk about something we see come through our doors more often than people might expect: golf cart accidents. Golf carts are everywhere in Naples. They’re on the fairways, of course, but you also see them cutting through neighborhoods and cruising along beach paths. Many people treat them like oversized toys, which is exactly why we get the calls we do. A cart that tips on a sharp turn or rolls
distracted driving is distracted driving, whether you’re doing it in a pickup truck or a Yamaha Drive2. Another thing worth knowing is that Florida has specific rules regarding the use of carts outside a golf course. You need a valid driver’s license and can only operate on roads with a speed limit of 30 mph or lower. And you have to carry a government-issued ID. Most people don’t know any of that until something goes wrong.
into a ditch doesn’t feel so casual after the fact, and the resulting injuries can be just as serious as anything we see from a car crash. Speed and distraction are among the biggest factors in these accidents. Carts max out at 15 mph, which doesn’t sound like much until you’re taking a sharp turn on a wet fairway. Staying slow and keeping your eyes ahead, especially with passengers on board, makes a big difference. Remember,
Cart maintenance is easy to overlook, too, particularly with rentals that see heavy use and irregular inspections. A brake issue or steering problem on a rental cart is not your fault, but it can absolutely become your problem. None of this is meant to take the fun out of the season. Golf carts are part of what makes this area so enjoyable. We just want you to get home safely after every round. And if you or a loved one is ever injured in a golf cart accident, our team is here to help.
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DRUMSTICK PIE
Ingredients
• 1/2 cup salted butter, melted • 3 cups graham crackers, crushed • 6 sugar cones, finely crushed • 5 cups vanilla ice cream, softened
• 2 cups chocolate chips • 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup peanuts, chopped (optional) • 1/4 cup sugar cone pieces (optional)
Directions
1. In a medium bowl, stir together melted butter, crushed graham crackers, and crushed sugar cones. 2. Press the crust mixture into a 10-inch springform pan. 3. Smooth the ice cream over the crust, then chill in the freezer while you prepare the chocolate ganache. 4. In a medium bowl, add chocolate chips. Microwave cream for 45 seconds or until hot, then pour over the chocolate chips. 5. Stir chocolate and cream together until the chocolate is completely melted. 6. Pour chocolate ganache over the top of the pie, and sprinkle with crushed cone pieces and chopped peanuts as desired. 7. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for 3 hours before slicing and serving.
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POPPY RELAXATION SMORES WATERMELON
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720 Goodlette Rd. N, Suite 304 Naples, FL 34102 AttorneyShapiro.com
Inside Life Lessons From the Fairway Page 1
A Busy Parents’ Guide to Back-to-School Organization Real Clients Share What It’s Like to Work for Us Page 2 A Few Things to Know Before Your Next Tee Time Drumstick Pie Page 3 The Butterfly Population Crisis We Can’t Ignore Page 4
A FRAGILE WONDER FACING REAL PRESSURE Why Seeing Fewer Monarch Butterflies Should Concern Us All
Across North America, something extraordinary is slipping away. Populations of various butterfly species are declining at an alarming rate. Western monarchs, in particular, have become a powerful symbol of how vulnerable these insects are to the pesticides, habitat loss, and climate change reshaping the land they depend on. What makes the western monarchs’ story especially heartbreaking is how visible the loss can be. In California, sanctuary sites once counted hundreds of thousands; today’s totals look painfully small by comparison (dropping down to just 12,260 this migration season). In some cases, exposure to toxic pesticides has caused sudden, devastating die-offs of hundreds of monarchs at once. Why the Decline Is So Severe Butterflies are deeply tied to the plants and places they need to survive. Monarch caterpillars depend on milkweed, and adult monarchs only lay their eggs where it is present. But recent studies have found pesticide residues on milkweed at urban sites, nurseries, and even home-garden plants. Scientists have now documented a broader crisis as well. From 2000 to 2020, butterfly populations in the U.S. dropped sharply overall, and some species
declined by 90% or more. For many experts, it’s a warning sign that these losses are part of something much larger than the western monarch alone. A Reason to Keep Going Researchers are testing new ways to track monarchs, locate important breeding sites, and better understand where protection efforts can do the most good. That work matters because when we restore habitats and reduce pesticide use, insects rebound faster than many people expect. With effort and collaboration, hope for the western monarch and other fading species still remains.
At sites like Natural Bridges State Beach in Santa Cruz, a few hundred monarchs still move through the trees in a quiet, breathtaking migration. Their numbers are lower than they once were, but their presence remains unforgettable. The monarch’s journey is a reminder that fragile things can still be fierce, and that protecting what we love is always worth the effort.
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