Take a look at our October newsletter!
Plan today for peace of mind tomorrow. OCTOBER 2022
Maintaining Our Mental Health THE VARIOUS WAYS TO IMPROVE YOUR MENTAL WELL-BEING
Maintaining and improving our mental health is incredibly important. Our health suffers whenever we feel mentally unwell. It’s something I’ve experienced myself and seen in my own family throughout the years. In October, we recognize World Mental Health Day, which allows us to reflect on our mental health and make improvements where necessary. Many people look at mental illness as taboo and think mental health struggles are a sign of weakness. This is simply not true. Since it has this negative stigma, many people are afraid to say they need a break or treatment. We’re all in need of a break from time to time, and taking one is not a sign of weakness. When we are mentally at our best, we see improvements in every aspect of our lives. There are even misconceptions about what treatment looks like and how it works. Talking to a counselor can be incredibly beneficial. It can provide us with new insights we hadn’t considered in the past. I’ve personally invested in my own mental health by seeing a counselor, and it’s helped immensely at times. David and I even talked with a marriage counselor before we got married. It’s not because we were having problems at the time, but we wanted to ensure issues or problems would not develop in the future. Counselors have the tools, training, and education to help us with our problems no matter how big or small they may seem.
I recently talked with a woman who had gone through a nasty divorce, which was followed by another bad relationship that eventually fell apart. I asked her if she had spoken to a counselor, and she said she had not. I told her that after my divorce, I saw a counselor to ensure I didn’t live a bitter life going forward. People who are hurt or wronged experience some bitterness, and sometimes they go through life with that mindset instead of working through it. By working through our problems, we can live a more fulfilling life. If you’re adamant against seeing a counselor, there are still ways you can improve your mental health. One thing that has worked for me is adopting an attitude of gratitude and keeping a gratitude journal. I’ll frequently write things I’m grateful for in my journal to remind me of all the blessings in my life. I even have an alarm on my phone that goes off at 10 a.m. every day and it just says gratitude. I take that moment to quietly reflect on things I’m grateful for, and it never fails to lift me up. I also try hard to give myself grace. We all make mistakes, and it’s safe to say we’re our own worst critic. We don’t need to judge and get down on ourselves whenever we make mistakes. Think about it as if someone else made the same mistake. Would you judge them as you judge yourself? “When we are mentally at our best, we see improvements in every aspect of our lives.”
Additionally, take time to appreciate the small things in life. Just going for a walk in nature or stepping outside into the fresh air can boost our mental health. You just have to find the strategy that works best for you and stick with it.
–Andrea Shoup
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Never a Dull Moment Why We Should Live for Today
We can’t change the past, nor can we predict or guarantee the future. In the end, all we have is the present, yet most of us live our lives ignoring its many possibilities. It’s easy to tune out the life around you, especially if you do many of the same things every day. Taking care of the kids, commuting, working, and running errands can blur together. Just as bad, when life isn’t going the way we want, it’s easy to fantasize about how things “should” be or how they once were. When we live busy or stressful lives, worrying or planning can also make us feel more in control. The problem with these strategies is that they don’t change anything. They help us discount the only thing we can control: what we do now. Life can pass you by that way if you’re not careful. The solution is to exist in the present moment as much as possible and enjoy the good things around us while we have them. Studies show that living this way makes people happier, healthier, and more likely to form strong relationships.
But how do you even get started? The process requires a different way of thinking called mindfulness. Mindfulness is about focusing on what is happening in the present moment — not that work deadline, the movie you just watched, what’s for dinner, or the kids’ extracurricular schedule. It takes practice, and many people use meditation or breathing to help. When mindful, we concentrate on what others say and become more fully present. We also start to notice the small things we usually overlook: the cool breeze on our skin, the sound of the birds, the feel of a sweater, or the sight of our loved ones smiling. Our lives become fuller. And our stress decreases because we’re not clinging to things beyond our command. No one ever stops worrying entirely, and some planning is necessary to live a successful life. But too much can leave us with no energy or time to enjoy it. John Lennon once sang, “Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans.” Start living in the present so you don’t blink and miss yours.
KELLI CONTINUES TO REACH HER GOALS ANYTHING SHE SETS HER MIND TO
Whenever we bring a new team member on at Shoup Legal, we want them to be able to grow in their role. We want them to gain the experience they need to pursue their dreams in the legal field. Our estate planning assistant, Kelli, has grown by leaps and bounds since she started working with us a little over a year ago and is well on her way to accomplishing the next step in her legal career. Kelli’s adventure in the legal field started after she worked with a paralegal during her own divorce. When the pandemic first began, everyone had to stay home, and Kelli took advantage of this opportunity to go back to school to finish her bachelor’s degree in criminal justice with a minor in English. With a year left in her program, she decided it was time to get some experience in the legal field, so she applied at Shoup Legal and we were delighted to bring her on to the team. She recently graduated and now has her eyes set on earning her paralegal certification. Kelli first joined our team in client services and quickly proved her dedication to our clients as well as her proficiency in law. Now, she’s working as an estate planning assistant and also helps out our business paralegal regularly. Kelli truly enjoys the entire process of her job. She enjoys getting information from our clients after they’ve met with our attorneys and loves bringing documents to life.
If there were one word to best describe Kelli, it would be dedication. She’s dedicated to our clients and wants to help them in whatever way she can. She’s incredibly task-oriented and starts each day by writing out the goals she wants to accomplish.
When Kelli is away from work, you can usually find her on a boat, especially if the weather is hot. She grew up in Canyon Lake, and her parents still live there, so she spends plenty of time in the water with them, her son, and her fiancé. She’s also a crafter who has recently gotten into cross-stitching.
Kelli is dedicated to helping our clients. When you work with her, you’re in good hands.
Plan today for peace
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Between Oct. 17 and Oct. 23, we recognize National Estate Planning Awareness Week. If you’ve been thinking about creating an estate plan or you need to make some updates or adjustments to your current estate plan, there’s no better time than the present. Many people don’t fully understand the importance of creating an estate plan. We see so many people go through incredibly difficult times because there was no estate plan in place. Families get overwhelmed with the probate process and all of the fees, all while they’re trying to grieve their loved ones. Some people think it doesn’t matter what happens after they’ve passed, but if they could see the pain their family has to go through, there’s no doubt they would have put an estate plan in place. It’s almost like a preventable disease. You can prevent additional suffering after you pass by creating an estate plan. IT’S NATIONAL ESTATE PLANNING AWARENESS WEEK! The Benefits of Having a Plan
Pumpkin Pie Parfaits Inspired by Kenarry.com
These parfaits are an easy fall dessert everyone can make!
Ingredients
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3.4 oz instant vanilla pudding mix
• • •
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp ground cloves 1 cup vanilla sandwich cookies 8 oz whipped topping
• • •
2 cups cold milk
15-oz can pumpkin purée
1/2 tsp cinnamon
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Directions
1. In a large bowl, whisk together pudding mix and milk. Let sit for 5 minutes, then stir in pumpkin purée, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ground cloves. 2. In a blender or food processor, crush vanilla sandwich cookies into crumbs.
3. In small jars or glasses, place cookie crumbs on bottom, then pumpkin mixture, then
whipped topping. Repeat these layers twice and end with cookie crumbs.
Here are a couple of reasons everyone should have an estate plan.
Avoid the probate process. The probate process is incredibly time-consuming and can be expensive. When there’s no estate plan in place, the family has to go through probate so the courts determine who gets what. This can lead to fighting within the family. Your estate will also have to pay for lawyer’s fees, executor fees, probate court costs, and other expenses. Since probate is a legal process that requires filings in a public court, anyone can view the finances and property left behind. Give your family time to grieve. Your family is probably going to be distraught after you pass away. They are going to want some time to process their emotions and feelings so they can grieve in peace. If there is no estate plan, your family will have no time to grieve. Instead of reflecting on past memories, they will be dealing with probate and trying to ensure everything is taken care of. It’s essential that everyone has an estate plan to make things easier for their loved ones. Even if you already have one, you should be sure to keep it updated in case there have been any significant changes to your life. When you have an estate plan, you give yourself and your family peace of mind.
4.
Chill until ready to serve!
Free Estate Planning Seminar
Do you or someone you know have questions about estate planning and how to preserve your legacy? If so, this is the workshop for you!
In our FREE workshop, you will discover the
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e of mind tomorrow.
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Plan today for peace of mind tomorrow. 39755 Date St., Ste. 203 | Murrieta, CA 92563 (951) 445-4114 | www.shouplegal.com
Inside This Issue
1 | Maintaining and Improving Our Mental Health
2 | Taking Each Moment as It Comes 2 | Become Acquainted With Kelli 3 | Time to Create or Update Your Estate Plan
3 | Pumpkin Pie Parfaits 4 | Halloween Safety Tips
Halloween is all about letting the ghoul times roll, but monsters and ghosts aren’t the only things parents need to worry about this holiday. Most older kids don’t want an adult chaperoning — they want to venture off with their friends to enjoy the night all on their own. While Keeping Safety in Mind HAVE A SPOOKY GOOD TIME
Here are a few safety tips so you and your older kids can enjoy the spooky evening with no worries.
Pack the essentials. Always make sure your child has their phone on them in case of an emergency, no matter if it’s to call you or an emergency line. You could even share locations so you’re able to track where they are or use another location tracking app like Life360 or FamiSafe that’s available on your devices. If they plan to stay out for a while, have your child take water bottles, flashlights, and even a small first-aid kit with them. They actually come in handy when exploring the Halloween night and the unexpected happens.
Plan a route and curfew. Some older kids still love the nostalgia of trick-or-treating, or maybe they plan to pull some Halloween pranks with their friends. Whatever the reason may be, they may want to enjoy the evening without a parent. One of the best ways to make sure they’re staying safe is to plan a route and a curfew. Choose which routes you feel comfortable with them going on, either somewhere nearby or somewhere in the neighborhood. And choosing a curfew time is essential so you know when to expect their return. This way if something happens and you cannot reach them or they aren’t back in time, you have a general idea of where they can be on the route.
Older kids deserve a bit of freedom, as long as they can do it responsibly. Consider these tips to make sure the night is trick-free and full of the best treats.
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