Check out our latest newsletter!
THE REALISTIC APPROACH TO SELF-IMPROVEMENT NEW YEAR, NEW YOU THE LEGAL NAVIGATOR JANUARY 2024
New Year’s resolutions have now become synonymous with short- lived success, leading to burnout or even just full-blown failure a week or two into January. I know full well how bad this can make us feel! But it makes sense why most of us don’t succeed at our lofty New Year’s resolutions; we think we can go from complete indulgence and inactivity during the holidays to uber-healthy, meditative gym-goers overnight. It’s impossible! That’s why I decided to try a new approach. Instead of forcing myself to adhere to one strict goal for an entire 365 days, I decided to commit to micro-resolutions. These are 12 mini goals I can work toward, one per month in the year. Not only is it much more sustainable, but you can also enrich your life with even more transformations. A 30-day period is short enough to reach a single goal realistically but also long enough to build a new healthy habit. This means I have to create 12 different goals or resolutions for each month. For example, January can be entirely focused on becoming more active. Whether it’s going to the gym or getting my steps in, I want to incorporate fitness into my daily routine. February can be focused entirely on improving my home, not through renovations or buying a new home, but through smaller steps like decluttering one room at a time. If you’re not sure you can come up with 12 different resolutions, I’ve got you covered. Here are a few examples you can use as inspiration when creating your micro-resolution plan:
Another idea would be to reduce or completely stop the consumption of something each month of the year. For example, vastly limit or avoid having sugar for one month, then remove alcohol for another. Other things you can refrain from include caffeine, social media, TV, negative self-talk, and more. Even if you limit something one month, you can abstain from it entirely the next month! Making change is never easy, especially if we’re set in our ways. Trying to change our habits and entire lifestyle overnight is simply an impossible feat, and any goals to try to make those adjustments are unrealistic. This new form of New Year’s resolutions can be a more manageable way to realistically improve ourselves without stressing out over completing them during the year.
• Physical health • Mental health • Career advancement • Meditation
• Sleep quality • Active listening • Gratitude • Nutrition/healthy eating • Reading
• Creativity • Finances
Are you ready for micro-resolutions this year? We’ll take it one month at a time! I hope you can thrive in 2024, whether you end up sticking to every single New Year’s resolution or not. Happy New Year, and good luck!
Estate, Medicaid, and VA Benefits Planning — An Ohio Guide … download your free copy today!
740-452-8484 • 1
When we think of technological innovations, we may focus on things like smartphones and self-driving cars. But in today’s fast-paced and ever-advancing world, our homes are experiencing smart revolutions of their own. The Future of Home Living: Discover the Must-Have Smart Devices for Your Space
Smart home devices are easy to operate and make our lives easier. So, if you’re looking to make a digital upgrade to your home, here are three devices we recommend you check out.
Voice-Activated Assistants Voice assistants, like Amazon’s Alexa, Google Home’s “Hey Google,” and Apple Homepod’s Siri, can be incredibly helpful around the house. With just a simple verbal command, they can set daily reminders for specific tasks, appointments, or medications; place outbound calls for emergencies; and even provide basic first-aid instructions when asked. Robot Vacuums On average, Americans spend six hours a week vacuuming their homes. While this task may seem simple, it can be quite physically demanding. Robot vacuums clean even the toughest spots (like under the couch!) all on their own, then return to their charging station. Smart Pet Feeders We love our furry friends, but feeding them at the same time every day can be a challenge. Not only that but feeding our four-legged friends requires a bit of bending, too. Luckily, smart pet feeders do all the work for you! They distribute food and water automatically and on a consistent schedule.
Calm Your Mind, Boost Your Productivity: The Benefits of White Noise
Calming Effect White noise, especially calm nature sounds, exerts a soothing effect on the mind, providing a stable auditory environment that reduces sudden distractions. The calming influence can help you feel more positive and enable the mind to transition to a more conducive state for a deeper focus on work or study. Boosts Concentration White noise boosts concentration by increasing background neural “noise” in the brain, which helps essential neural signals to stand out and be detected, which can enhance cognitive performance. This can be particularly useful when you need to train your attention while tackling complex problems. Enhances Creativity Some studies suggest that moderate white noise can improve creativity and imaginative thinking. It keeps the idea gateway open during the generative process and enables you to think freely and develop novel solutions. Whether you’re studying, working, or engaging in creative endeavors, the benefits of white noise extend to a wide range of activities, making it a versatile tool for enhancing focus.
White noise is commonly used to help people fall asleep, but now, more people are using it to increase their concentration during the workday. By providing a consistent background sound, white noise can mask environmental distractions like chattering, traffic, or intermittent noises that may otherwise disturb concentration. Here are a few benefits of utilizing white noise in your day.
2 • swbwlawfirm.com
Published by Newsletter Pro • www.newsletterpro.com
AGAINST ALL ODDS How a DNA Test Unraveled a 50-Year-Old Mystery
As a parent, there’s no scenario more horrifying than your child going missing or getting abducted. Most of us can’t even imagine the despair and helplessness many parents have felt after the unimaginable happens to their family. There’s always hope the child resurfaces, even after many years — and one Fort Worth family recently learned why you should never give up that hope. In 1971, Alta Apantenco placed an advertisement in the local newspaper for a babysitter for her 21-month-old daughter, Melissa. Apantenco was recently separated from her husband and struggled to make ends meet. A woman named Ruth Johnson responded to the ad and agreed to meet Alta to discuss the position but never showed up. Ruth called Apantenco back days later, stating that she had a large backyard and would love to watch Melissa there. Desperate for child care, Apantenco agreed. A woman wearing
white gloves and multiple scarves in the August heat came to pick up Melissa from Apantenco’s roommate at her apartment — and that was the last anyone saw Melissa for over 50 years. The family searched for decades to no avail. Then, in November 2022, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children received a tip that Melissa was in South Carolina. While that lead didn’t pan out, the family felt reinvigorated to restart the search. Melissa’s father submitted a DNA test to 23andMe, and when the results came back, he learned about a granddaughter he didn’t know he had. Through some sleuthing, the family found Melissa under a different name on Facebook. It took time to convince Melissa that she had been kidnapped, but after the family asked her about a birthmark, there was no doubt in her mind. The woman who raised her had been abusive, so Melissa ran away at age 15 and eventually started a family of her own in a town less than 20 miles from where she was kidnapped. She’s since reconnected with her family and looks forward to making up for their missed time together. “It’s overwhelming, but at the same time, it’s the most wonderful feeling in the world,” Melissa stated.
TAKE A BREAK
Baked Salmon With Garlic and Lemon
Prepare to tantalize your taste buds with a zesty dish that combines salmon with the vibrant flavors of garlic and lemon!
Ingredients
• 2 lbs salmon fillets • 4 cloves garlic, minced • Juice of 2 lemons • 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp dried oregano • 1 tsp dried thyme • Salt and pepper, to taste
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375 F. 2. Line a baking dish with parchment paper. Place the salmon fillets on the baking dish. 3. In a small bowl, mix together the garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, oregano, thyme, salt, and pepper. Pour the mixture over the salmon. 4. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the salmon is cooked through. Serve and enjoy!
740-452-8484 • 3
Stubbins Watson Bryan & Witucky Co., L.P.A.
PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411
59 N. 4th St. Zanesville, Ohio 43701
Mon–Thu: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fri: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
740-452-8484 swbwlawfirm.com
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
How Micro-Resolutions Can Transform Your Life
1 2
The Remarkable Reunion 50 Years in the Making Baked Salmon With Garlic and Lemon Transform Your Home With These 3 Smart Devices! White Noise: Your Secret to Enhanced Concentration
3
Meet Kupata, Georgia’s Street-Roaming Pup Hero
4
The Stray Dog Who Captured the World’s Heart KUPATA’S ROAD TO FAME
We often think dogs live the good life, as they seem to do nothing but play, eat, and sleep. Yet, some dogs are busy at work, some without being asked to do so! Take Kupata, the stray dog in Georgia, for example. This street-roaming pup takes it upon himself to guard a crosswalk all day, every day. In the town of Batumi, this stray stays by a single crosswalk and forces traffic to stop to allow pedestrians to cross the street. He’s especially protective of children! If Kupata sees a car isn’t slowing down, he’ll bark at the driver as they drive away and run to protect the person crossing the street. One local even shared that Kupata will cross the road with children and stay at the park to protect the youngsters.
Kupata, which in English means “sausage,” has become a staple in the community due to his hard work, and locals all pitch in to care for and feed the stray dog. His consistently round belly shows just how loved he is. You’ll even see a massive painting of the beloved animal on a nearby building. Now, after tireless days of guarding his street, Kupata has his own doghouse provided by the city with an accompanying star on the road with his name on it. Kupata’s dedication made him go viral on social media, and now travelers from all over the world come to see Kupata. Don’t distract him, though. He’s busy at work!
of stray dogs in the country need shelter, food, and companionship. According to activists, around 500,000 stray dogs and cats roam the streets of Georgia. While stray animals may get a bad reputation for being dangerous or unfriendly, Kupata proves that even these furry friends deserve love and recognition.
Sadly, even though Kupata remains cherished by his community, thousands
4 • swbwlawfirm.com
Published by Newsletter Pro • www.newsletterpro.com
Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4Made with FlippingBook Ebook Creator