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December 2022
THE TRUSTED ADVISOR Time Away Does Us Good
Making the Most of the Holidays
The holidays are approaching, bringing a work slowdown and time away from the office. But it can be hard to take a break when you’re invested in your work. Lawyers, in particular, have difficulty stepping away — and it’s even more challenging for those of us who own our firms. But over the years, we’ve developed better strategies to balance our work and personal lives. Before you begin your annual family gatherings, we want to share some of what we’ve learned and explain how important it is for you to take time for yourself and your loved ones. Zac: It’s never easy to take a 100% guilt-free vacation, but when Nick and I started this firm, we committed to making time for our families. And that includes taking time away to recharge and spend quality time together. Nick and I try to have each other’s backs. If he’s out, I pick up his slack, and he does the same for me. As trial lawyers, though, the process is trickier for us than most. More often than not, we’re on trial dockets, and with the courts so backed up, it’s incredibly hard to predict when you’ll be
not burned out. Stepping away is sometimes necessary to see a case in a new light, and develop a winning strategy. Nick: Travel is a priority for my family. We don’t buy many things; we prefer to spend our money on experiences. But that doesn’t mean I’ve always been great about unplugging and relaxing. Earlier in my career, my wife joked that I spent as much time working on vacation as I did while in the office. She was probably right. I’d get up at 3 a.m. and work until the kids woke up, then I’d answer emails and phone calls throughout the evening.
called to court. But we do our best to plan based on the information we have, and we’re always prepared to cover for each other when the timing doesn’t work out.
But as I got older, I started to gain perspective. My daughter is now 12. After seeing Zac’s daughter start college recently, I’ve realized that I don’t have many years left before my daughter leaves the house. I need to spend time with my family when I can. It’s not always easy; by the sixth or seventh day off, I start to get anxious and drift back to my email. But putting in the effort is worth it. It’s easy to burn yourself out in this profession. I’ve seen so many attorneys not take breaks, get fed up, and decide they don’t want to be attorneys anymore — all because they didn’t take time for their mental health. I love what I do, so I never want to wake up ready to quit. There will always be more work when I get back from time off. But while I’m away, I should focus on my family. Doing so is the only way to keep life in perspective.
It’s worth making that effort because there’s nothing more
important than time with family. With my kids still relatively young, they’re able and willing to travel with me. That won’t last forever, so I need to take advantage of that time. And taking breaks from my work is also good for my clients. I can serve them better when I’m
NordenLeacox.com | 407-801-3000 1 –Zac Leacox & Nick Norden
Locks of Love Son Makes a Wig for His Mother Melanie Shaha is currently fighting her third brain cancer battle. For 15 years, she’s been suffering from a benign tumor on her pituitary gland. Although she doesn’t mind being sick, going to her appointments, focusing on her treatment, and talking to loved ones about her cancer, she doesn’t like looking sick. If you didn’t know Shaha, you wouldn’t realize she was battling cancer. But this suddenly changed once she lost all of her hair. She had two surgeries, in 2003 and 2006, in hopes of removing the tumor on her pituitary gland, but they weren’t successful. Then, when she began radiation therapy in 2017, the treatment caused her hair to fall out. “Not having hair [makes] you stick out like a sore thumb, and well-meaning people can say things that break your heart,” Shaha told TODAY. She didn’t like all the attention and the looks people gave her in public. So, her 27-year- old son Matt had an idea. At first, Matt joked about cutting all of his hair off to make his mother a wig. But the joke soon became a plan, and Matt followed through in 2018. After graduating from college, Matt began growing his hair out. In no time, he had long and luscious hair. His mother tried to dissuade him from cutting it, but Matt wanted to help her feel confident and comfortable in her skin. So, he chopped it off and sent his locks to Compassionate Creations, a hair company in Newport Beach, California, that created a wig for his mother. Now, Shaha has a piece of her son to take everywhere with her beautiful new tresses. “The color is spectacular, and we had it cut and styled with a hairdresser. Matt said it looked great on me. It sure fills your emotional cup,” Shaha says. If you — or someone you know — would like to donate your hair to cancer patients, you can donate to Locks of Love, Wigs For Kids, Chai Lifeline, and Children With Hair Loss. Research donation centers in your area if you would like to give back locally.
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These emails claim your package is lost or more information is needed to process your order or shipment. Some may have a webpage link for you to submit personal information. Phishing emails like these are all too common; unfortunately, millions of people’s data is compromised as a result. Understandably, when you first receive these scam emails, you panic because you think they are legitimate. But remember, USPS, UPS, Amazon, and FedEx won’t ask for personal information over email. A good rule of thumb is never to click on links in emails — even from the actual company. Scammers are very good at making their emails look authentic. Instead, go to the delivery company’s website and log in to your account. If action is required, you should see a notification in your portal. Alternatively, you can call the business’s customer service line to check if their email is authentic.
Holiday Shopping Scams
Businesses boom during the holiday season because more people buy their products and services. But this means potential scams can also increase, but you can do a few things to ensure your personal information and banking details are safe. You may see products online or advertisements on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok that pique your interest. But before you click “buy,” ensure the website is legitimate. Search for the product on a search engine to see if the same links appear. Carefully read reviews, look for website security credentials, and research unknown retailers before purchasing. It’s better to take extra precautions to ensure your information isn’t compromised. In addition, never use public Wi-Fi when purchasing items online. You’re more likely to be hacked when the Wi-Fi connection isn’t protected or in a secure network. Hackers tap into public internet sources and intercept your data through techniques like eavesdropping. Although it’s appealing to use public Wi-Fi because you think it’s free, it’s not. You pay with your personal information and data. If you or someone you know is a victim of fraud, report the scam to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) online or by phone at 1-877-382-4357. For more information on scams, fraud, and identity theft, go to USA.gov/scams- and-frauds to learn how to protect yourself better.
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Tired of Feeling Anxious and Fearful? Read ‘You Are Not a Rock’ by Mark Freeman
We’ve all felt anxious, guilty, fearful, and sad — it’s a part of life. Perhaps you’ve tried to avoid or suppress these emotions, but you’re not a rock. As humans, we experience these feelings all the time. Trying to control them may only make matters worse. So, instead, focus on something you can control — your actions.
with different techniques. The book is divided into two sections titled “The Basics” and “The Transformation.” The first half is about learning basic mental health skills and unlearning ways of thinking about mental health that cause us challenges. The second half focuses on how to create and build what you want to see in your life instead of trying to avoid and control what you can’t see. As you read, you’ll learn how to recognize your problems, practice mindfulness, prioritize and follow your values, and understand your fears. The strategies in “You Are Not a Rock” are the same tactics Freeman used in his personal life, and he shares some of those stories in the book. There are exercises at the end of each chapter that Freeman highly encourages you to complete. By performing these exercises, you can better understand the book’s contents and implement Freeman’s tactics in your life. Before Freeman helps readers begin their journey, he states that strengthening your mental health is like working on your physical health — you won’t see instant results. “Changing your brain takes time and effort … I’m not going to share with you any magical supplements or special mantras. This is simply a book about actions,” Freeman says in his introduction.
That’s the central premise of Mark
Freeman’s mental health book “You Are Not a Rock.” He aims to teach readers how to build emotional fitness and overcome their struggles and hardships
If you’re interested in reading “You Are Not a Rock,” you can purchase your copy wherever books are sold online or in bookstores.
Have a
Winter Vegetable Shepherd’s Pie
Laugh
Inspired by BBCGoodFood.com
Ingredients
• 6 1/2 cups potatoes, cut into large chunks • 2 tbsp olive oil • 2 onions, sliced • 1 tbsp flour • 2 large carrots, cut into rounds • 1/2 cauliflower, broken into florets
• 4 garlic cloves, sliced • 1 sprig rosemary • 15-oz can diced tomatoes plus liquid • 1/2 cup water • 1 1/2 cups frozen peas • Milk, to desired consistency
Directions
1. In a pot, boil potatoes until tender. 2. In a pan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook until softened. Stir in flour and cook for 2 minutes. Add carrots, cauliflower, garlic, and rosemary and stir until softened. 3. Pour tomatoes into mix and add water. Cover and let simmer for 10 minutes, then remove lid and cook for 15 minutes until thickened. Stir in peas and simmer. 4. Drain and mash potatoes. Stir in milk to desired consistency. 5. Preheat oven to 375 F. Spoon hot vegetable mix into pie dish, then top with mashed potatoes. Bake until top is golden brown.
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Inside This Edition
3 2 1 How Zac and Nick Overcome Vacation Guilt
What Started as a Joke Became Reality Tired of Feeling Anxious and Fearful? Winter Vegetable Shepherd’s Pie Protect Your Personal Data From Scammers
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’Tis the Season for Giving — Not Stealing How to Avoid Holiday Scams We get busy shopping for Christmas gifts online and in-store during the holiday season. It’s the season that keeps on giving — but not for all. Scammers will devise clever ways to con you out of your hard-earned money. Some will take advantage of your generosity. So, as you scroll through shopping websites and wait for your gifts to come in the mail, be sure to protect yourself from scammers. Here are some tips.
Holiday Mail Scams
Shipping companies will give you updates and status on your items when you order something online or ship a package off. Although this tool is excellent for tracking where your orders are, scammers will send phishing emails pretending to be these shipping companies.
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