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M arch 2024
S hift Y our T hinking
Adopting a Mindset of Optimism Is Key in Family Law Optimism isn’t something that first comes to mind when thinking about family law, but at The Manely Firm, we try to change that. Yes, there are difficult components to divorce, custody, and other family law matters, but when you pull back from these scenarios and look at what’s possible and what may come, optimism is a foundational part of family law.
emotional and mental baggage they have been carrying around, and it allows them to get free.
You could have the most expensive, beautiful Gucci bag you’re lugging around, but imagine what you could do if you set it down. Imagine what you could find without all that weight.
Many people view an optimist as a bubbly person who is always naive and giddy. But what if we stripped away those ideas and instead focused on the intellectual benefits of optimism? I think many people would come to a different conclusion: optimism helps you see what you couldn’t before. Just changing the frame of your perception through optimism, we can see opportunities where there was once anger, sadness, or negative emotions. “You could have the most expensive, beautiful Gucci bag you’re lugging around, but imagine what you could do if you set it down.” Once, I received a message from a potential client, which included background on their marriage. They explained they had been married to their spouse for several decades, and despite the absence of any emotional connection, they were unsure if divorce was the right answer.
Optimism isn’t a mindset designed to block out the bad.
It’s a necessary principle of the law of abundance. This is because your mindset allows you to attract and bring
forth a good life, no matter your circumstances. It’s understandable to feel upset, angry, or sad when
something bad or hurtful happens to you. But when you’re ready, turning your focus toward what is possible allows you to see what you couldn’t before. Setting down the bag allows you to hold more than you ever could before. March is National Optimism Month, and I challenge you to use this month to shift your thinking. We’re going to feel hurt and upset when bad things happen to us, and throughout the course of family life, there will be difficult moments. But those who respond from an abundance perspective — those who view the possibilities instead of the limitations — will see that the greatest things to come are all around them. Optimism isn’t about putting on the blinders and ignoring the terrible things that can happen. It’s about asking yourself what can happen now that you’re here. And in my experience in family law, there are far greater opportunities beyond what is happening right now. I’m honored to help you find them.
Cue the record scratch.
Let’s stop the conversation right there. Unless there is a unique situation, like a royal marriage in which the fate of the kingdom could be at stake, the answer is easy. A lack of emotional attachment is critical, and while divorce isn’t a decision to come to lightly, it’s important to consider the opportunities for emotional attachment that could be possible after divorce. We see this resistance in those considered “left behind” in a divorce. Knowing that your spouse doesn’t want you hurts, and those feelings are hard to manage. But if we pull back for a moment, there’s an opportunity here. Family law allows clients to remove the
–Michael Manely
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P ass the S lime ! A VISCOUS GAME FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY
Make memories and have fun passing the slime! What makes this game so
Knead the slime. It will be liquid at first, but it’ll thicken as you work it. After a while, the concoction turns into slime. The Rules Once you have your slime, have the participants sit in chairs arranged in a row just a few feet apart. Everyone should have something over their eyes (disposable masks work perfectly) and a wide bin in front of them. Make sure to have a lot of slime. It can be any color — but the more, the better.
great? You only need people, chairs, bins, and masks or eye coverings for an unforgettable experience. Slime is the latest and greatest fad among children, and it’s easy to see why: Its unique texture and bright colors keep kids engaged. How to Create Slime Before you can play, you have to make the slime. There
The rules are simple, but they need some coordination.
are many approaches, but the simplest recipe requires only three ingredients. You can customize it with food coloring and scale up the ingredients for larger quantities.
1. The person in front starts things off with their bin filled with slime. 2. They pull their bin over their heads, attempting to spill its contents onto the bin in front of the person behind them (without looking to see where the bin actually is). 3. That person pulls their bin over their head similarly, and so on until the end of the line. Directing the slime is the messy part since participants are blindfolded. That’s how you play pass the slime! Hint: If it gets stuck in your hair, try coconut oil. While pass the slime is particularly unique and fun, it’s just one of many ways to play with slime. You can also make art, form bubbles, and more. Children are imaginative and constantly invent new and exhilarating slime activities. The family who slimes together stays together.
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8-ounce bottle of Elmer’s white school glue
Food coloring of choice
• 1 1/2–2 tablespoons of contact saline solution or lens cleaner (make sure it contains boric acid or sodium borate) • 1 tablespoon of baking soda To begin, mix the glue and food coloring into a bowl. Stir in 1 1/2 tablespoons of contact solution. If you want a thicker consistency, add another 1/2 tablespoon.
Our Amazing Sales Director M eet C ory ! At The Manely Firm, our team members are the cornerstone of our success. Every member contributes their unique skills, dedication, and compassion to deliver excellent legal services for our clients. We deeply value their hard work and commitment to upholding our firm’s standards of integrity and professionalism. Together, we form a cohesive team that strives to provide the highest level of representation and support to our clients, ensuring that their legal needs are met with diligence and care. Our team’s collective efforts make a significant impact on the lives of those we serve, and we are grateful for their contributions.
Before seeking out a career in the field of law, Cory was working in software sales and acquired an invaluable skill set that allows him to effectively communicate with our clients to fully address their needs and concerns. “I remember on my second day at The Manely Firm, during training, I was listening in on a call with a client, and when I heard the individual’s emotion on the other end of the phone and realized that they were sharing all these intimate details of their situation with strangers in desperation, I was assured that this was the career for me,” Cory tells us. “I realized that I can make a difference in the lives of others and have an impact on their families and children, too.” At home, Cory has five children of his own, and as a busy dad, he enjoys family time with his wife and kids, playing sports, and coaching youth basketball. He loves getting outdoors and enjoying nature through hiking or running or even just smoking or barbecuing meat in the backyard! Cory, we are thrilled that you have chosen The Manely Firm home and look forward to continuing to help our clients on the road to a brighter tomorrow!
Cory, our sales director, has been a part of our team for about six months now, although with the impact he’s already made, it feels like much longer. Cory works to ensure our firm communicates with potential clients and those in need and seeking our services as we lead with care and do it the Manely way — with compassion and a client- centered approach. “We are usually working with individuals in some of the most difficult situations of their lives, and it’s our job to practice empathy and help people to understand the results that they want to have,” Cory says.
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“S pring is nature ’ s way of saying , ‘L et ’ s party !’” –R obin W illiams
The next time you board an airplane, listen closely to this line during the safety demonstration: Put your oxygen mask on before assisting others. How to Incorporate Self-Care This March S elf -C are I s S elfless Off the airplane, “putting on” our own oxygen mask can be vital to our well-being, growth, and ability to help others. Many of us have loved ones or colleagues who depend on us; our roles as parents, siblings, children, and employees or employers require us to give of ourselves. But without our own masks, we can only do so much before we run out of air ourselves.
S t . P addy ’ s I rish S oda B read
Inspired by Epicurious.com
Simply put: You can’t grow or help others unless you take care of yourself.
It’s easy to get overwhelmed with the options one has for self-care, so we have a few simple places for you to start:
• Be Mindful: Spend one minute, twice daily, meditating and reflecting on your emotions. Don’t criticize yourself. Simply acknowledge your emotions and reset. • Be Active: Schedule a 15-minute walk or add stretch breaks into your day. It’s amazing what just a few minutes can do for your mind and body! • Be Pampered: Schedule a regular manicure, pedicure, or another form of pampering. It’s a helpful way to escape, if only for an hour. • Be Consistent: Focus on eating cleaner, healthier food. Start with one meal or food group, and make a habit out of choosing the more nutrient-dense options. At The Manely Firm, we don’t just talk the talk when it comes to self-care. This year, we are encouraging our employees to consider improving their professional, personal, health and wellness, and financial lives. During quarterly reviews, we ask employees to share their professional goals, and we actively look for resources to help. They are encouraged to share other aspects, but this isn’t required. Our hope is that this reflective time helps them in whatever manner they need. That care extends to our clients, too. We ask them from the onset where they want to be in five or 10 years after their family law conflict is resolved. Everything we do is catered to those goals they discuss with us. We have the opportunity to be fully on their team, helping them reach their goals and care for themselves and those they love.
Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day right with a fresh loaf of Irish Soda Bread!
I ngredients
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Nonstick vegetable oil spray 2 cups all-purpose flour, extra for dusting
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3/4 tsp baking soda
3 tbsp chilled unsalted butter, cubed
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5 tbsp sugar, divided 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
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1 cup buttermilk 2/3 cup raisins
1/2 tsp kosher salt
D irections 1. Preheat oven to 375 F. Coat an 8-inch round cake pan with nonstick spray. 2. In a bowl, whisk together flour, 4 tbsp sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Cut butter into the mixture with your fingers or a pastry knife until crumbly. Make a well in the center and pour in buttermilk. Gradually mix until dough comes together. Mix in raisins. 3. Using floured hands, form dough into a ball and transfer to pan. Sprinkle with remaining 1 tbsp sugar. 4. Bake bread for about 40–45 minutes or until golden brown and a tester stick comes out clean. Let bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then enjoy!
This March, we hope you find ways to practice self-care. You will notice growth and, more importantly, be closer to your goals.
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211 Roswell St. NE Marietta, GA 30060 (866) 687-8561 www.allfamilylaw.com
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The Secret to Family Law Success: Optimism
How to Make and Play With Slime In the Spotlight
4 Easy Ways to Help Yourself St. Paddy’s Irish Soda Bread
Exploring Sintra, Portugal
T his B eautiful C ity I s S traight O ut of a F airy T ale ADD SINTRA, PORTUGAL, TO YOUR TRAVEL PLANS!
As spring break nears, you might already have plans to travel to Punta Cana, London, Key West, Paris, or a similar destination city. One more to add to your travel checklist is Sintra, Portugal. This
rooms are painted as an optical illusion, with doors and hallways looking three- dimensional when they’re just flat.
Once you head back outside, the rest of the grounds are just as lovely. The enormous gardens have many trails, marked and unmarked. You can get lost in the beautiful oasis, and we encourage you to put aside at least half a day to explore the gardens. Quinta da Regaleira Quinta da Regaleira is the city’s second significant castle boasting beautiful gardens, but its main draw is the initiation well. This 80-foot-deep well is a wonder as it sinks into the earth with mossy walls. We suggest you go early, as this is another big attraction for those visiting the city, and officials try to keep people moving as they arrive, mainly as it’s one-way traffic on the steps themselves. Once on the grounds, you can explore many grottos by following their main paths. The castle itself isn’t as opulent as Pena Palace, but it’s still a lovely location to visit. Sintra is perfect for any vacation, and though these are the main draws for the city, by no means are they the only ones. We encourage you to check out this city and see if it fits your travel plans.
beautiful town rests on the hills of Serra de Sintra, just outside the capital, Lisbon. The two castles within the city are the main draws, and it’s easy to see why.
Pena Palace and Gardens The National Pena Palace and Gardens are absolutely stunning. The palace is adorned in primary colors, with intricately carved yellow, red, and blue buildings. It’ll cost you 10 euros to explore the grounds and a couple of extra euros to go inside, but it’s worth it! The carvings include many styles, including Neo-Islamic and Neo-Renaissance. Everything is opulent, and you’ll have a great time as you take in the extravagance. Some
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