Bruce Law Firm October 2018

AND GOT PAST MY FEAR OF SPEAKING How I Ruined My Future in Sportscasting October 2018

Did you enjoy the rest of your summer vacation? It’s kind of hard to believe it’s over. I had a great visit to Colorado with my family — a nice way to cap off the season. We had all kinds of fun in the mountains, and Russell and Ruby got to meet their little cousin. It was an excellent time that went by in a flash! Now I’m looking out the window, and the afternoon thunderstorms are about to commence. With fall approaching, we don’t see a lot of change in the weather, but we are fast approaching the holiday season. Halloween will be here before we know it, and we’re going to try and take the little ones down to my wife’s cousin’s home for a Halloween party in Fort Lauderdale.

Thinking about the spooky holiday, nothing used to give me more of the heebie-jeebies than public speaking. Today, it’s integral to my job, and I’ve overcome my fear of it so that I can stand on my feet, put on a suit, and say something that makes sense without getting nervous. But when I was younger, I experienced what felt like the worst public speaking disaster ever. It happened in middle school. At that age, I wanted to be a sports anchor, and to that end in my fledgling career, I was the weather person on our middle school news station. One morning, I was getting ready to cover the weather before the anchors started their portion of the show, and unbeknownst to me, our camera people accidentally switched cameras so that the one on the anchors was on me. The show went live, and right as it did, not knowing the camera was on me, I went to adjust the map. The map fell off the wall, hit me, and knocked me off my chair. I was a deer in the headlights. This whole scene had been broadcasted live to the entire school. For the next week, I endured complete ridicule. It was awful. I thought I would never get through it. Fortunately, my parents gave me some advice that changed my mind. They convinced me that it couldn’t get any worse than that. If I could survive that, I could get through anything. And you know what? They were right. Not long after my failed attempt at weather reporting, we had to give a book report in class and talk for two minutes straight. The report had been looming, and I’d been nervous about it. But after what happened and my parents’ pep talk, something clicked. I probably should have been more terrified, but as I got up in front of the class to give my speech, I no longer felt afraid. Thanks to my parents’ encouragement, my disaster became a learning moment, and it changed the way I thought about failure. Once I got over that, I got past my fear of public speaking.

What’s a fear that you’ve had to overcome?

– Chris Bruce

Ruby loves breakfast while camping!

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Help Yourself Heal MOVING ON WITH YOUR LIFE AFTER A DIVORCE Divorce is a stressful and challenging time in your life, and recovering from it is no easy task. After going through the emotional strain, you may be wondering how to move on. Here are some strategies to help in your recovery.

HAVE A FUN AND SAFE HALLOWEEN!

LEARN FROM THE EXPERIENCE

Learning from our mistakes is how we progress through life. After a divorce, take some time for yourself and reflect on the mistakes you made in your previous relationship and, most importantly, learn from them. Write down characteristics you would appreciate in another partner and which ones you want to avoid. A few questions you may ask yourself are “What’s the most important aspect in a relationship to me?” or “What’s the lasting quality I want in a relationship?”

Happy Halloween, you goblins, ghouls, witches, and spooks! It’s that time of year again when kids and adults alike can dress up and roam the streets as their favorite heroes, frights, or princesses. While kids are eager to show off their outfits and fill their pillowcases with sugary treasures, it’s crucial to be aware of the potential dangers on Halloween night. EVEN THE MOST FRIGHTENING GHOULS NEED TO BE CAREFUL Make sure your kids understand basic road safety. According to Safe Kids Worldwide, “Children are more likely to be struck by a vehicle and killed during Halloween than any other day of the year.” Before heading out for some good old-fashioned trick-or-treating, take the time to go over basic safety tips. Teach kids to look both ways before crossing, use crosswalks and traffic signals, cross streets on the corners, and never run across the street. Making eye contact with drivers before walking in front of their cars is also a good way to make sure the driver knows the child is there. PRACTICE STREET SAFETY

MOVING ON

Forgiving your partner, and more importantly, yourself, is essential when you’re trying to recover from a divorce. Feelings of anger, resentment, or sadness can follow you after your marriage is over — and carrying that emotional baggage can keep you tied to the past. To move on with life, you will need to let it go, move forward from what was, and focus on what is and what will be. To help with this, try attending events with your family or going out with friends, as this will help you to think in the present.

REVIVE YOUR LIFE

Once a relationship is over, it gives you a chance to rethink the views you have for yourself, open yourself up to new experiences, and meet new people. However, trying to force yourself to move on from a divorce isn’t necessarily a great idea. One way to help yourself move on is to think positively. Having a positive attitude about your life will help push you forward, while negative thinking may drag you back. Trying new activities can also help you explore yourself and your interests. If there’s something that you’ve always wanted to do, now is the time to try it.

CHOOSE SMART COSTUMES

Divorce may feel like the end, but as the saying goes, “When one door closes, another opens.” Take this time to learn, grow, and move on as a better and brighter you.

Halloween wouldn’t be Halloween without costumes! They should be fun, but you can also make them safer by following a few simple guidelines. Add reflective tape to candy bags and costumes and wear light colors to stand out in the dark. Buying or making the right-sized costumes is also important. If they’re too large, they create a tripping hazard, and if they’re too tight, they can restrict movement. If your child wears a mask, make sure they can see out of it properly.

Is your friend or client in need of a guide as they prepare for divorce? our divorce strategy book can help!

MAKE A PLAN

The book can be downloaded for FREE at GetOrganizedForDivorce.com.

Before heading out to trick or treat, create a plan and discuss it with every member of your family. This ensures that if someone in your group wanders off, they’ll know where to look for you or where to go. In case you’re separated, label your child’s costume with your name, address, and phone number. If your children are old enough to trick or treat without adults, make sure that their cellphones are charged and on them at all times, and schedule regular check-ins.

If your friend or client lives in the South Florida area, we will mail them a hard copy of the book upon request.

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Make Your Own Traditions

HOST AN ALTERNATIVE HOLIDAY GATHERING. For some, it’s Friendsgiving; for others, it’s a gathering that isn’t listed on the calendar. Decide how you want to spend your time this season, and get your friends in on the new tradition by hosting an event with them. Plan a menu and send out a sign-up list to attendees so you’re not responsible for making everything yourself. Choose a few simple decorations like candles and wreaths that create a warm, intimate atmosphere. Gather and enjoy the good company, great food, and new traditions that you’ll make this year. RELAX. Above all, honor what you are feeling this holiday season. It doesn’t have to be a big event or trip to visit your relatives. After all, extra days off can mean time to reboot and just be at home. If you’re not up for celebrating, connect with a close friend or two and just stay in with takeout and movies. Or book a weekend getaway to a spa with your daughter. Connect with people who value you and what you bring to this world. Homemade Marshmallows

The holiday season can be a time of joy, filled with warmth and good tidings. Many people look forward to this season for the opportunity to spend time with loved ones, but when you’re trying to navigate different family dynamics and changes in your own life, it can bring up a lot of emotions that make it hard to have fun. Here are a few strategies to help manage the hurdles associated with the holidays and make sure you’re taking care of you . SPEND HOLIDAYS WITH THE PEOPLE YOU LOVE. Sometimes they’re our family members, and sometimes they’re not. You can have a holiday that leaves you filled up and happy — not drained and frustrated. Surround yourself with people who make you feel good. Creating a tradition around the people you want to spend time with and not feeling obligated to make it to every family gathering might be liberating. If you’d rather spend it with a group of your closest friends in a new location, give yourself permission to do that.

have a LAUGH

ingredients

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3 packages unflavored gelatin 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

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1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

1 cup light corn syrup

Powdered sugar, to coat

Directions

1. In a mixing bowl, combine gelatin and 1/2 cup cold water. Let sit while you make the syrup. 2. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine sugar, syrup, salt, and 1/2 cup water until the sugar dissolves. 3. Raise heat to high and bring syrup up to 240 F, using a candy thermometer to check for temperature. 4. With an electric whisk on low speed, slowly whisk syrup into gelatin mixture. Switch speed to high and whip for 15 minutes, until very thick. Fold in vanilla after whipping. 5. Dust a nonmetal baking dish with powdered sugar and spoon mixture into dish. Smooth mixture, top with more powdered sugar, and let stand uncovered overnight. 6. Cut into squares, decorate, and serve.

Inspired by foodnetwork.com

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PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411

1601 Forum Pl. Ste. 1101 West Palm Beach, FL 33401

Overcoming Obstacles page 1

Trick-or-Treating Safety!

Recovering After a Divorce page 2

Tips for Planning Around the Holidays page 3 The Surprising Origins of Trick-or-Treating page 4

Why There Are Kids on Your Porch Asking for Candy THE HISTORY OF TRICK-OR-TREATING

Halloween itself is a kind of mishmash of four different cultural festivals of old: two Roman fêtes, which commemorated the dead and the goddess of fruit and trees (not at the same time); the Celtic Samuin or Samhain, a new year’s party thrown at the end of our summer; and the Catholic All Saint’s Day, designed to replace Samuin and divorce it from its pagan origins. Long before there were young’uns on your porch dressed as Thanos with candy-filled pillowcases in hand, the Celts believed that Samuin marked an overlapping of the realms of the living and the dead. To trick the spirits leaking into our world, young men donned flowing white costumes and black masks — a great disguise when ghosts were about. The Catholic Church was never a big fan of these pagan traditions, so they renamed it “All Saints’ Day” and gussied it up in religious garb. By the 11th century, people were dressing up as saints, angels, and the occasional demon instead of spirits. Eventually, costumed children started tearing through town begging for food and money and singing a song or prayer in return — a practice called “souling.” But when did they start dressing up as Minions? Starting in the 19th century, souling turned to “guising,” which gave way to trick-or-treating in mid-20th-century America, and the costumes diversified. So put on some clown makeup and a big smile, scoop up a handful of sweets, and scare the living daylights out of ‘em — ‘tis the season!

As Halloween looms and you load up your grocery cart with candy, you may ask yourself, “Why do I provide these spooky gremlins with a sugar high every Oct. 31, anyway?”Well, when your doorbell starts ringing around 6 p.m. this All Hallows’ Eve, you can thank the Celts for this tradition of candy and costumes.

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