Obiorah Fields, LLC - August 2020

Take a look at this month's newsletter from Obiorah Fields!

OBIORAHFIELDS.COM | 404-994-6218 | AUGUST 2020

WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN LOVED ONES DISCOURAGE YOU?

and trust I’ve received from those who have tried to discourage me. Why are the people who have tried to steer me away from my hopes and dreams the same people who love me and say they want what’s best for me? I hate playing psychiatrist with people, but if I had to hazard a guess to answer that question, it would be this: I think it’s because they’ve been discouraged by people they trusted, and whether they know it or not, they’re perpetuating that cycle. They probably thought they were protecting me from the disappointment or heartache that would come with the failure to accomplish the things that I wanted to do.

to the family and friends who have discouraged me. The first response, which admittedly is a lot easier said than done, is to overcome the voices of discouragement I’ve internalized. Whenever I hear the voice of somebody I love trying to discourage me from achieving my goal, I have to tell myself I’m living my life, not theirs, and I have to move forward regardless of what they might say. The second response is to forgive the people who have discouraged me. If I don’t want to internalize their discouragement, I can’t internalize bitterness toward their words, either. The truth is that I don’t fully understand why they’ve tried to dissuade me from following my dreams. If it’s because they’ve been discouraged in similar ways themselves, then I can’t stay frustrated and upset with them forever. I have to break the cycle if I want to truly be free to live my own life. Overcoming bitterness, frustration, and discouragement, especially when it comes from the people we love, is not easy — but it is possible. For anyone who reads this and can relate, I just want to say that I wish you well in all you try to achieve, and I hope no one’s words will hinder you.

Whenever you hear words of discouragement come from somebody you don’t really know or trust, it’s easy to dismiss. But when the people who are closest to you, your family and friends, the people you trust the most in this world, try to discourage you from pursuing your goals, it’s a lot more challenging to shake. I know how that feels. I’ve been there. I’ve been told, verbatim, that I was stupid, that I was ugly, and that I would never be successful — all by people I love and who love me — at different times in my life. That type of discouragement is not easy to overcome. It meant that for so much of my life, the voices in my own head that said I wouldn’t get where I wanted to go or do what I wanted to do were the voices of the people I felt closest to. It made it a lot harder to challenge those negative thoughts and a lot easier to internalize insecurities.

“FOR SO MUCH OF MY LIFE, THE VOICES IN MY OWN HEAD THAT SAID I WOULDN’T GET WHERE I WANTED TO GO OR DO WHAT I WANTED TO DO WERE THE VOICES OF THE PEOPLE I FELT CLOSEST TO.”

If you’ve ever had your family and friends tell you that you couldn’t achieve your goals, you can probably relate to the insecurity and inner conflict I’ve described. In all of that, however, I’ve decided to respond

That discouragement is hard to reconcile with the obvious signs of love

–Danielle Obiorah

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POWERS OF ATTORNEY: THE BASICS YOU SHOULD KNOW

ALL ABOUT COLLAGEN THE PROTEIN THAT HOLDS US TOGETHER Even if you have heard of collagen, chances are you don’t know much about what it does for the human body. Collagen makes up a third of the body’s proteins. In some ways, it is the glue that holds our bodies together (the first part of “collagen” comes from the Greek word “ kolla ,” meaning “glue”). Getting your body to produce more collagen can have amazing health benefits, particularly for those who are aging and noticing more wrinkles. There are around 16 types of collagen proteins in the body, but type 1 collagen makes up roughly 90% of a person’s collagen count. Type 1 collagen gives structure to our tendons, bones, connective tissues, and skin. When we’re younger, our bodies produce enough collagen to keep our skin tight and strong. However, as we age, our bodies naturally produce less collagen, which contributes to thinner skin and wrinkles. Fortunately, there are certain foods and nutrients you can consume to boost your collagen production and keep your skin smoother and stronger for longer. Collagen begins in the body as procollagen, which is created when two amino acids, glycine and proline, combine. Vitamin C aids this process, so any foods with high concentrations of these nutrients help your body produce more collagen. Egg whites are a great source of proline, along with foods like asparagus, cabbage, and dairy products. Additionally, pork skin, chicken skin, and gelatin all have high levels of glycine. If you want to get your vitamin C levels up, citrus fruits, bell peppers, and strawberries are tasty choices. Watch out for foods and habits that can damage your collagen production, like eating lots of refined sugar, exposing your skin to too much sunshine, and smoking. By adopting habits and diets that enhance collagen production, you can keep yourself looking younger and feeling better, even as you get older.

Everyone knows you should at least have a last will and testament prepared before

you die. Some people even go as far as setting up a trust to avoid the probate process. Wills and trusts are not the only important elements of an estate

plan, however. Say you become incapacitated toward the end of

your life and are, therefore, unable to make decisions for yourself while still alive. That’s where powers of attorney come into play.

WHAT ARE POWERS OF ATTORNEY?

Powers of attorney are legal documents that assign the legal authority to an “attorney-in-fact,” who is usually a family member or close friend of the “principal,” the person who has become incapacitated, to act on behalf of the principal after they lose the ability to make decisions for themselves. These decisions might include carrying out the principal’s financial and medical wishes.

WHAT ARE THE TYPES OF POWERS OF ATTORNEY?

There are essentially two types of powers of attorney, ordinary and durable; and three types of powers of attorney, general, specific, and springing, which can modify the first two types. When it comes to estate planning, durable powers of attorney are the more relevant of the main two types. It’s what you would use if you become medically incapacitated or otherwise unable to handle your daily affairs. General and specific powers of attorney dictate whether an attorney-in-fact handles all or only part of the principal’s affairs, and springing powers of attorney only come into effect after a date the principal chooses.

WHY SHOULD I HAVE POWERS OF ATTORNEY?

Like all aspects of estate planning, having powers of attorney in place helps you better prepare yourself for the unexpected or the inevitable. If you are diagnosed with a terminal illness that might leave you unable to make your own decisions, or if you’re approaching old age and just want to be prepared, you’ll need to draft powers of attorney. Moreover, you’ll need the help of experienced estate planning attorneys like Danielle Obiorah and Teri Fields. Give them a call today at 404-476-6414.

2 | ObiorahFields.com | Your Rights, Our Fight

ALL ABOUT PREMISES LIABILITY LAWSUITS COVERING THE BASICS

In every state in the U.S., property owners must provide reasonably safe environments to accommodate visitors. If they don’t and a visitor injures themselves on the property, they could file what’s known as a premises liability lawsuit. For example, if you’re shopping at a mall, and you slip and fall on a wet floor with no warning sign nearby, you could potentially file a suit against the owners of the mall to have them pay for any medical bills or time missed from work.

Rental properties are usually an exception to the usual parameters of premises liability, however. Landlords are not responsible for injuries that happen on a renters’ property because they are assumed to be in control of that property. There are still a few cases where the landlord is responsible for a renter’s injuries, such as when they result from dangerous conditions that existed before the tenant moved in or injuries resulting from a landlord’s negligent repair work. When you step onto someone else’s property, you fall into one of three categories: invitee, licensee, and trespasser. When you enter a property for commercial purposes, you’re an invitee. When you do so for social reasons, you’re a licensee. In both of these cases, the invitation of the owner is an implied promise that you will be safe. If you injure yourself, it means they broke their promise. If you’re trespassing on someone’s property, however, the owner is not liable for any injury you incur. Premises liability cases can be tough to navigate, but with the incredible legal team at Obiorah Fields, you’ll get the compensation you deserve. Call 404-476-6414 for a free consultation on your case.

While the concept of premises liability is pretty straightforward, like any other area of law, it’s nuanced. To start off, several different situations can lead to premises liability lawsuits, including not only slip-and-fall accidents but also inadequate maintenance, inadequate security, animal and dog bites, and others. So long as your injury occurs as you’re going about activities that are reasonably expected in the context of the property, there’s a good chance you could file a premises liability lawsuit.

At Obiorah Fields, LLC, we’re not your standard, run-of-the-mill law office. We don’t just do what’s required of us — we go the extra mile to make sure justice is served in every case we take on. If you’ve worked with us before and you know somebody who could benefit from taking us on as their legal team, please don’t hesitate to give them this newsletter and show them who we are! We want to help as many people as we can. We’re just one phone call away from new potential clients. If they contact us through our website and give us their name, contact info, and a brief description of their situation, we will give them a free case evaluation and report. Don’t hesitate to refer us! DO YOU KNOW SOMEONE WHO NEEDS OUR HELP? GIVE THEM THIS NEWSLETTER!

NEED A SPEAKER? If you are interested in having Teri Fields speak to your organization about legal issues, please contact us at 404-994-6218.

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INSIDE THIS ISSUE

When Loved Ones Discourage You

The Protein That Holds Us Together

FAQs About Powers of Attorney

Covering the Basics of Premises Liability Lawsuits Do You Know Someone Who Needs Our Help?

Engaging Indoor Activities

STUCK INSIDE?

3 ACTIVITIES TO KEEP YOU BUSY

Summertime means getting out of the house to enjoy the sunshine and the bright blue sky. But even during this great time of year, you may have to spend some of these precious days inside, not outside. Rather than scrolling through social media or reminiscing about better days, here are a few ideas you can use to turn a day spent indoors into a fun summer memory!

trip, such as travel, board, food, and souvenirs. You can also research and figure out where you’re going to stay

ahead of time, whether that be a hotel or an Airbnb, to optimize your experience. Once you

have the groundwork done, you’ll have a better idea of how your trip will go and be able to focus on the fun stuff when the time comes!

GET CRAFTY

CHANGE IT UP

You’re bound to have a few materials floating around the house that you can use to create a new art project or even start a new hobby. If you have extra sheets of paper lying around, then give origami a go. Do you have a shirt you don’t wear anymore but still love? Turn it into a new pillow cover or a bag. You can also create fun garden decorations by painting rocks, making a wind chime, or repurposing an old boot into a new plant holder. You never know — whatever you choose to do could become your next passion.

If you’ve been putting off rearranging or reorganizing a room in your house, then a day at home is a great chance to get started. Switching up the layout of your stuff gives your home a fresh new look and provides you with an opportunity to deep-clean your space. If you have a patio or porch, then try sprucing up those outdoor spaces with new furniture, potted plants, or trendy decor. Just imagine how satisfying it will feel once everything is in a new place and sparkling clean. Even when you’d rather be outside enjoying the last days of summer, these indoor activities will keep you entertained and give you something fun to look forward to!

PLAN YOUR NEXT VACATION

Spending the day inside might just be the perfect time to plan your next vacation. Use this time to calculate the expenses of the