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HOW LITERATURE SHAPED MY WORLD
December marks a special time of year, one where the holidays are in full swing and on everyone’s mind. However, it’s also the time for an often overlooked but equally important celebration: Read a New Book Month. I’ve always been an avid reader, and I have fond memories of my mom taking me to the library when I was a kid, where I’d walk out at the end of the trip with a stack of books that was probably almost as tall as I was. Then, at home, I’d lay in bed or on the couch and read until my vision got blurry.
Now, I read about a book a week, and every morning, I dedicate 20 minutes to reading. This practice calms my mind and prepares me for the day ahead. Recently, I used this time to read “High Performance Habits” by Brendon Burchard, one of the two books that changed my life. Burchard’s book is incredibly thoughtful and describes the habits that many high-performing individuals share. I found the book so profound that I read it twice — something I hardly ever do — and even listened to it on audio during my commute to work. I mentioned, though, that “High Performance Habits” was just one of the two books that changed my life. The other is “The 10X Rule” by Grant Cardone. This book pushed me to think big, take massive action, and set ambitious goals. It transformed my mentality and taught me to create instead of compete. It reminded me to focus on my own actions rather than comparing myself to others.
This fascination and desire to read started because I was simply a curious kid. I wanted to know how things worked, how they were built, and everything in between. I’m 51 now, and when I was growing up, there was no internet, so whatever I wanted to learn had to come from a book. For example, when I moved to the northeast, I transitioned from playing baseball to lacrosse because it was more popular in Maryland. If you’ve never played, lacrosse is an incredibly complicated sport, and there isn’t much overlap between it and baseball. So, I decided to teach myself how to play. I picked up a book on lacrosse and read that book until the pages were wrinkled and torn. I practiced everything I read in my front yard and crafted drills based on the directions in the book. Looking back as I write this, I now realize that this experience was the first time I ever taught myself something from a book. It also laid the foundation for my belief that it was possible to teach myself anything. Ultimately, having that belief is what allowed me to go off and learn new things. It’s what allowed me to study law, run a business successfully, manage people, improve my health and fitness, and so much more. This ability to learn anything I wanted from reading alone felt empowering; it allowed me to view any knowledge as there for the taking if I could find a book on it.
This change in mindset was a turning point for me. It was at that moment that I decided to make significant changes in my life, gear up mentally, and set big goals for myself once again. I didn’t realize it at the time, but that book became the motivation to start my law firm from scratch in a highly competitive market. So, to anyone looking to learn something new or make a major change, I’d highly recommend picking up a book to help you. If you do, I’ve provided some active reading tips to help you better retain the information you read on Page 3 of this newsletter!
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For some people, it can be hard to understand that computer technology has only existed for around 60 years and technology as we know it today for 15 years. BUSTING THE TOP THREE MYTHS ABOUT MODERN TECHNOLOGY But keeping up with this constant evolution can be a challenge for anyone, regardless of how long technology has been a part of their lives. That’s why so many myths exist about technology; what was true five years ago may no longer apply. So, to separate fact from fiction and keep you up to date with the latest in tech, here are the top three myths about technology you need to stop believing today. No. 1: Charging your device for a long time will ruin its battery. Once upon a time, for many laptops, cellphones, tablets, or other devices, this was true. However, as technology advanced, so did its batteries. Now, most devices (particularly smartphones) have batteries that know when they reach their maximum charge level and stop accepting input. No. 2: Everything you do in privacy/incognito mode is completely private. If you’re a fan of using this browser setting for privacy’s sake, we hate to be the ones to tell you privacy/incognito modes aren’t private. This browser feature erases cookies and tracking data once you close the window, but your internet service provider and the websites you visited all know you were there. This means the only place your browsing won’t appear is in your device’s history. So, not only can someone find your history, but if you’re using this browser setting to protect your information from hackers, it doesn’t work. Sites can still see your unique browser’s “fingerprint” and use that to target you. No. 3: Once you delete a file, it’s gone . This one may sound counterintuitive, but it’s true. When you “delete” something on your computer, your computer doesn’t actually destroy it. Instead, it simply flags the file as available to overwrite whenever you need the space. Until the computer officially writes new data over the file, it’s still there (and can be found) .
IF YOU NEED HELP CALL BRAUNS
“I want to thank the Brauns Law team for their professionalism towards my accident case. A special recommendation and thanks to Miss Haley, who kept me updated at every level of my accident case. She is prompt in replying to emails with answers to my questions. I have recommended three people with ongoing accident situations, and they are proud of the job the Brauns Law team has been doing on those accident cases. Thanks to the team, and a special one goes to Haley.” –Basile Ngalle “The whole process was quick and easy. From the first day to the last day, they keep you updated every step of the way. They fight hard to make sure you get the most out of your case. BEST LAW FIRM EVER!” –Luis Munoz “The Brauns Law team has been nothing short of fantastic while handling my son’s case. I would recommend them to everyone dealing with a car accident.”
–Erika Welborn
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UNLOCK THE POWER OF ACTIVE READING
3 Proven Strategies for Total Engagement
Pre-reading prep can make all the difference. Before you even pick up a book or click on an article, prime your brain for the information you’re about to obtain by asking yourself a few questions. These two are great starting points: • What is the topic of what I’m about to read? • What do I already know about this topic?
Have you ever read a few pages of a book only to realize you weren’t paying attention to what you were reading at all? Instead of focusing on the words in front of you, your thoughts were drifting off. If this sounds like you, don’t worry; it’s normal! What it does mean, though, is that you weren’t actively reading. Last month, we shared tips in our newsletter on how to become a more active listener. This month, we wanted to follow up our article on Page 1 with tips to help you become a more active reader!
Doing this will help you make connections and get your brain ready to read!
Ditch your highlighter for a pen. The act of writing something down crystallizes that information in our brains and helps us remember it longer. So, as you read, instead of highlighting sentences or phrases you find important, write in the margins instead. You can summarize the important point, ask questions, write keywords, and note whatever else you want on the page. Pause and paraphrase. At the end of each paragraph, page, or chapter, stop and ask yourself what you just read. Try to sum everything up in just one sentence if you can. Forcing yourself to reflect on what you read and mentally organize it creates more connections and permanence in your brain.
Active reading is when you become involved and engage with the text as you’re reading. It has been shown to improve reading comprehension, memory, vocabulary, learning, and even critical thinking skills. So, if you’re looking to learn everything you can from your next book (like the two David mentioned on Page 1!), try these three tips for active reading.
TASTY HOLIDAY CHOCOLATE MOUSSE
CHIMNEY CHRISTMAS GIFTS IGLOO
MISTLETOE ORNAMENT PARKA REINDEER
SLEIGH SNOWMAN WREATH YULETIDE
INGREDIENTS • 10 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped • 4 tbsp butter
• 4 large eggs, separated • 2 tbsp granulated sugar • 1/2 cup heavy cream
DIRECTIONS 1. In a medium heatproof bowl, add chocolate and butter. Set the bowl over a saucepan of barely simmering water and stir until chocolate and butter are melted and blended, then remove from heat and let cool slightly. 2. In a medium bowl, beat egg yolks until thick. Then gradually add melted chocolate mixture, stirring until blended. 3. In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until foamy. Then gradually add sugar, beating until stiff peaks form. 4. In another bowl, beat cream until stiff peaks form; fold egg whites and then cream into the chocolate mixture. 5. Pour into individual serving dishes and chill for 3 hours or until set.
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404-418-8244 | WWW.BRAUNSLAW.COM 3175 SATELLITE BOULEVARD, SUITE 330 DULUTH, GEORGIA 30096
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Reading, the Unsung Hero of Self-Improvement
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Separate Myths From Realities in the Digital World
Our Clients Say It Best
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Make Every Page Count
Tasty Holiday Chocolate Mousse
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Sleep Position Secrets
A DREAMER’S GUIDE THE LINK BETWEEN SLEEP POSITIONS AND DREAMS
Lateral (On Your Side) Sleeping on your side, particularly in the fetal position, commonly leads to emotional dreams, possibly due to the sense of vulnerability or comfort this position provides.
Dreams are mysterious journeys into our subconscious. They can be filled with strange places, familiar faces, or bizarre scenarios. While the content of your dreams may seem random, research suggests the position you sleep in can influence their nature and intensity. The Impact of Sleep Position on Dreams The way you sleep can affect how often you enter the rapid eye movement (REM) stage and, consequently, the types of dreams you experience. While researchers can’t conclusively identify the relationship between sleeping positions and dreams, they have reached some research-based theories. Supine (On Your Back) Sleeping on your back allows for more unobstructed breathing and less fragmented sleep and may increase the likelihood of vivid and intense dreams because you’re more likely to reach REM sleep. Prone (On Your Stomach) Sleeping face down is associated with more restless sleep, less REM, and potentially fewer dreams, meaning your dreams will be less vivid and memorable.
While sleep position can influence the frequency and nature of your dreams, it’s only one piece of the dream puzzle! Dreams remain a complex aspect of human consciousness, but it’s pretty neat to know that how you sleep may play a part!
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