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D eveloping a P ositive M indset DURING NATIONAL OPTIMISM MONTH
MARCH 2023
you something new about running your business, such as how to market your company better, improve sales, improve or develop better processes, or reduce accounts receivable. These challenges are hands-
down the best learning opportunities. However, if you are a pessimist, these times where your business struggles become personally taxing and may not allow you to reach your next goal or success for
your business. If you can’t see each situation as a learning experience or a chance to improve, this path will be much more difficult, if not impossible.
Not only does optimism play a role in building and running my business, but it’s also a big part of my parenting efforts. By no means am I
an expert when it comes to parenting (quite the opposite), but I’m optimistic my kids will do well and see success in their own lives. We structure their lives in a way that works for them. We may fail at times, but I believe (and pray) they will become productive adults and all-around good people. No matter how low I feel about a particular situation, I know there is always a bright side to every experience. I recently experienced a situation that left me very disappointed with a colleague. While it was difficult at the moment, I believe it was a great lesson for me in how not to run my business and treat my colleagues. It was an opportunity to evaluate how I manage some of the relationships in my life. I’m pretty optimistic. I try to keep balance my optimism with an eye toward reality. Struggles and mistakes will always exist. Whenever things in my life feel like they are running very smoothly, I am keenly aware of the fact that something will go very wrong soon enough. But with a positive attitude, we can use the tough times to learn, grow, and improve. Take some time each day to work on developing a positive mindset, and you’ll experience new growth before you know it.
Nothing plays a more pivotal role in our everyday success than our mindset. When we wake up in the morning, we decide how we will view the day. Is it going to be a day where everything goes right, or is it more likely to be disaster after disaster? Those who believe everything will be all right are considered optimistic, while those who think everything that can go wrong will go wrong are pessimistic. March is National Optimism Month, allowing us time to reflect on our mindset and flip our perspectives to be more positive. I consider myself to be an optimistic person, but I’m also a realist. I’m going to accept each situation as it is and prepare for it as needed. With that in mind, I genuinely believe everything will work out how it’s supposed to in life as long as I’m in good health and my loved ones are in good health. I tend to think that things will be good and try to look at my life through that prism. Whether I’m struggling with an issue at work or in my personal life, I know I’ll come to a resolution that will put me in a better position than before. One of the most challenging tasks to undertake is building a business. It’s a difficult task that becomes borderline impossible if you don’t have a sense of optimism about yourself. There will be moments when you don’t have any new clients or customers and struggle with your bills. While stressful, these opportunities will teach
- Esther Vayman
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According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the number of people who work out of a home office has tripled between 2019 and 2021. This massive increase is mainly due to the pandemic. Prior to COVID-19, it was believed that if workers were not in an office setting, they would slack off while working remotely. However, the opposite has proven to be true. In fact, some studies show that many employees working from home are overworked as their personal and professional lives start to blend. When their home is also their office, do they ever really transition out of work mode? W ork F rom H ome ? TIPS TO ENSURE YOU AREN’T OVERWORKED
LOG ALL OVERTIME. On that note, if you do end up working after-hours or more than your slotted hours in the day, record it and “flex” your hours on a different day to balance out the overtime hours. Even if you are just putting in an extra 15 minutes on a Wednesday evening, mark it down — this way, you know just how much extra work you put into a particular task or project. BE VOCAL. If and when you become overwhelmed, it’s important to say something. When employees are outside of a traditional office setting and faces and body language can’t be observed throughout the day, it can be difficult to know when someone has too much on their plate and is on the verge of burning out. To bridge this gap, be vocal about your workload!
If you have adopted the remote work lifestyle, here are some tips to help ensure that you are not overdoing it.
STICK TO A START AND STOP TIME. In an office setting, employees are instructed when to show up and go home. Some even clock in and out, even for lunch breaks. If you are working from home, maintain regular working hours and avoid the urge to “check just one work thing” outside of your set hours.
O ur B illing and O perations A ssistant , A bby ASSISTING BEHIND THE SCENES Abby came to our team with an ample amount of experience. She graduated from Western Carolina University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Arts for acting before moving to the Atlanta area to be a part of the film industry. Abby started working with a law firm shortly before the pandemic as a records coordinator. She kept that team afloat by retrieving necessary documents for the legal team so they could continue to work remotely. Abby worked at the firm for three years before moving to Duluth this past July. She wanted to start working somewhere closer to home with a much more intimate setting. She wanted to see her coworkers regularly and be social, as her previous job had become remote. That led Abby through our doors, and we’ve been amazed by her skills ever since. You may never personally interact with Abby when you work with us, but know that she’s behind the scenes doing everything she can to assist. She’s creative at solving problems and never backs down from a challenge. As we progress through 2023, Abby hopes to have plenty of opportunities to go out and celebrate or travel. She loves going to concerts and sporting events with her friends and family. She grew up a Braves fan and never passes at the chance to catch a game at Truist Park. Additionally, Abby has recently started attending Atlanta Falcons games to support her second home team, but will forever be a Carolina Panthers fan at heart.
Nothing is more important to us than helping our clients with whatever they may need. We’re able to meet and exceed expectations regularly thanks to the hard work and dedication of our fantastic team. Not everyone’s efforts can be seen on the front lines, however. Some of our team members work diligently behind the scenes to ensure everything runs smoothly for our clients. One individual who is consistently going above and beyond to assist coworkers and clients is Abby, our billing and operations assistant.
We’re so glad to have Abby on our team! We know she has a bright future ahead of her, and we can’t wait to see what she does next!
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Which Disney character do you identify with the most?
QUESTION AND ANSWERS: DISNEY CHARACTERS
Elyssa Ariel from “The Little Mermaid” Amanda H. Nala from “The Lion King” Jenny Holley Shiftwell from “Cars 2” Kendall Sleeping Beauty because I like to sleep! Mari Moana Grace Mulan — I’ll fight my own battles!
Esther Julieta Madrigal, Mirabel’s mom in “Encanto” Stephanie Helen aka Elastigirl from “The Incredibles” Becky “Pocahontas” Loni Belle Maggie Alice in Wonderland Morgan Mike Wazowski from “Monsters, Inc.” Aimee Merida from “Brave” Emily Marie from “The Aristocats”
Bella Mulan Julia S. Merida from “Brave” Tom Johnny Tsunami S moky S picy B roccoli F ritters
Amanda D. Belle from “Beauty and The Beast” Katie Anna from “Frozen”
ingredients • 2 1/2 cups chopped broccoli • 1/4 cup chopped onion • 1/4 cup packed cilantro • 1 tsp oil, plus more for frying • 1/3 tsp salt
BRAIN BREAK
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder • 1/2 tsp smoked or regular paprika • 1 tsp chipotle pepper powder • 1 tbsp barbecue sauce • 3/4 cup chickpea flour
Inspired by VeganRicha.com
directions 1. In a food processor, add broccoli, onion, cilantro, and 1 tsp oil and process until uniform. Transfer to a bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well to distribute. 2. Let mixture sit for 2 minutes for the broccoli to leak enough moisture so you can form patties. If mixture is too wet, add more chickpea flour. If mixture is too dry and does not stick well, wait another few minutes or sprinkle some water and mix. 3. Shape into 5–6 patties. Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add oil and spread it in the pan. 4. Pan-fry the patties for 4–5 minutes per side. 5. Serve with Sriracha, ketchup, barbecue sauce, marinara, or a cooling ranch as desired.
BASKETBALL BOOKS DAFFODIL DAYLIGHT GUINNESS IDITAROD
LEPRECHAUN POPCORN RAINY SHAMROCK SUFFRAGE WINDY
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3625 BROOKSIDE PKWY, SUITE 130 ALPHARETTA, GA 30022
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THE POWER OF OPTIMISM
HOW TO AVOID BEING OVERWORKED REMOTELY LEARN MORE ABOUT ABBY
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OUR FAVORITE DISNEY CHARACTERS SMOKY SPICY BROCCOLI FRITTERS
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THE GREAT MAC AND CHEESE LAWSUIT OF 2022
C an T his L awsuit E lbow I ts W ay to a C ourtroom W in ? THE MAC AND CHEESE LEGAL DEBACLE
Here’s a fun fact for you: In the fall of 2022, a woman in Florida sued food giant Kraft Heinz — all because it took her a few extra minutes to prepare her mac and cheese.
NPR reports that Ramirez’s lawsuit reaches beyond her kitchen and even beyond the state of Florida. It “looks to cover consumers in Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Utah, New Mexico, Alaska, Iowa, Tennessee, and Virginia who purchased the
This may sound like a made-up plot straight out of “The Onion,” but it’s true! The woman’s name is Amanda Ramirez, and according to National
mac and cheese cups during the applicable statute of limitations period.” Over 100 people fall into that category, maybe including you! Does Ramirez stand a chance? It’s hard to say. NPR reports that her legal team expects Kraft to try to get the case dismissed, but the U.S. does have a history of successful lawsuits against misleading advertising by food companies. According to NBC News, a class-action lawsuit filed over a non-GMO advertising campaign cost Chipotle $6.5 million in 2020. And just last spring, a Florida attorney went to bat against Burger King, claiming its Whoppers were smaller than advertised.
Public Radio, she’s suing Kraft Heinz for $5 million over its “misleading advertising.” What exactly misled her? Well, Kraft’s cup of Velveeta Shells & Cheese claims it will be “ready in 3 1/2 minutes” — when in fact, that’s just the microwave time.
Apparently, Ramirez felt betrayed when it took her slightly more than 3 1/2 minutes to peel the lid off the container and add water to the noodles. Her outrage only climbed as she
waited for her pasta’s cheese sauce to thicken after 3 1/2 minutes of staring at the microwave window. Before long, she was steaming over the notion that she’d been ripped off by a greedy manufacturer intent on selling false convenience.
As we write this, the mac and cheese fiasco is still unresolved — but you can bet we’ll be watching the news. We may even chow down on a bowl of Velveeta Shells while we do it!
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