Check out our latest edition!
Life After Divorce MEET LEESHA NEWKIRK!
A New Family Addition
My name is Leesha Newkirk, and unlike many attorneys, I didn’t know I wanted to be a lawyer when I was growing up — I didn’t even know for many years as an adult! Instead, I decided to become an elementary school teacher, and worked at a private school while studying for my bachelor’s degree. But after having my daughter, I realized that I didn’t want to teach other people’s children nearly as much as I wanted to teach my own. I switched my major and finished my bachelor’s degree while homeschooling my daughter. My husband and I made a living at the time by owning several businesses. I didn’t go to law school until a bit later in life — after my divorce. My kids were still young then, about 3 and 7, and my goal was to help other
where I practiced family, estate planning, and probate law until I moved away from Naples. I’ve always had my own businesses, so I admit I was a little nervous about working for someone else. But since joining Bruce Law, I’ve found it to be an excellent environment filled with openness, honesty, flexibility, and a good work/life balance. And while the legal world can get cutthroat and competitive, everyone here works together as a team. As an attorney, I quickly learned this work taxes your emotions just as much as your brain. I can relate to many of my clients on a personal level. The success stories are what give me the strength to fight another day. I love seeing people leave behind a horrible period to focus on their new lives.
Through my professional and volunteer work, I’ve helped many newly-single moms buy their first post-divorce house and earn degrees. I love seeing people pick up their lives and learn how to move forward. I also firmly believe it’s possible to go through a divorce with dignity. You don’t need to destroy each other, but communication is necessary for both exes. As a Christian counselor and family law mediator, I know that negotiation can create happier, healthier lives. And I still believe in love! My husband Rene and I married last year, and our blended family includes five children. Our oldest, 25-year-old Amanda, just passed the bar exam and works in the state attorney’s office. Twenty-year-old Jules is studying art and design at school, 16-year- old Wilfred is a high school sophomore, and 9-year-old Christian is in fourth grade. And time is flying with our newest edition, Charlotte, who recently celebrated her 6-month birthday. Our family only makes me more passionate about my work. I believe you can recover after a divorce, build a new life, and create a loving blended family because I’ve lived it. The worst periods of your life don’t have to define you. There is always light on the other side, and it’s my pleasure to help so many others find it.
single moms like myself. I was very involved in the single-parent ministry at my church, and I met many mothers who weren’t getting the child support and other resources they needed. It seemed so unjust to me, and I thought, “This can’t be how the system works.” I wanted to do my part to change it.
The Newkirk Older Children
–Leesha Newkirk
Leesha’s Family
After passing the bar in 2015, I opened a law firm
561-810-0170 • 1
The Power of Love Lists A Different Way to Think About Resolutions If you made New Year’s resolutions this year, you’re not alone. But those who feel exhausted by the whole idea are also in good company. There can be a lot of pressure to make just the right resolution, and even more pressure to follow through. Fortunately, there are ways to inject change into your life that don’t involve the typical resolution process. Instead of making a sweeping promise to yourself that you can either keep or break, try making lists of what you want to do as inspiration. For example, if you hope to spend more time outdoors, try writing down specific activities you enjoy. The list might say, “go to the park,” “play basketball,” or “read a book under a tree.” We do this as a couple and call it a “love list,” but other people call it a “relationship bucket list.” The list includes activities we’ve always wanted to do and some we enjoy but don’t have the chance to engage in very often. When we’re bored or can’t come up with an idea for a date night, we look at the list and remind ourselves of shared interests. It’s okay for your list to include long-term goals like “travel to Italy” or “go skydiving,” but it should also incorporate simpler activities close to home, especially those you’ve been meaning to do for some time. Maybe you’ve always wanted to try ax throwing. Or perhaps you did try it a couple of years ago and had a lot of fun but never made the time to return. Add easy-to-implement items like bowling, minigolf, game nights, picnics, and new restaurants you want to try. The idea is to include things the two of you enjoy doing together. If you’re so inclined, you can add some romantic options like watching the sun rise together, star gazing in the country, or kissing in the rain. Keeping the list in a central location where you’ll regularly see it can also help inspire you in your day-to-day life. After all, the power of suggestion goes a long way. Eventually, you might realize that it really has been too long since you last went to the aquarium, and taking the outing is worth your time. You’ll find yourself lazing around less and getting out and doing things more!
How to Clean Your Garbage Disposal What’s That Smell? While the garbage disposal is convenient and simplifies kitchen cleaning, it can release foul odors. Sometimes, you’ll be able to notice this smell instantly, but usually, it will creep up on you over a few days. But why does your garbage disposal start to stink? And is cleaning it an easy task? Why do garbage disposals smell? Over time, your garbage disposal releases odors if bits of food still haven’t gone through the grinding process and are stuck in the appliance. Your garbage disposal is great at breaking down the food you put in, but the food particles can sometimes accumulate and cause mildew and mold. How do you clean your garbage disposal? It’s best to clean your garbage disposal once a week or every two weeks to ensure foul smells don’t occur. While this may seem tedious, the process is simple and can take less than 10 minutes to complete. You can use several methods to clean this appliance. • Ice doesn’t only get rid of that nasty smell, but it will also sharpen the blades of your garbage disposal. Fill your disposal with ice cubes, and then turn it on. Let the blades shred all the ice until you can’t hear it anymore. Hopefully, the odor will be gone. But if not, here are some additional methods. • White vinegar and baking soda used together is another strategy you can try. You first want to turn on your garbage disposal and pour 1 cup of dry baking soda down the drain. Then, flush the baking soda with a cup of white vinegar. This is one of the best methods to remove rank smells from your sink. • Another strategy you can use is to cut a lemon, lime, or orange into small pieces and run it through the garbage disposal. The fruit helps wash away any bad smells and replaces them with a pleasant citrusy scent. While these remedies will help you remove odors, the best strategy is prevention. Avoid grinding vegetables and starchy foods, as they can easily clog your disposal. You can also grind eggshells and fruits frequently to remove any lingering debris from the blades.
–Ashley and Chris Bruce
Is your friend or client married to a controlling, manipulative, narcissistic husband?
OUR BOOKS CAN HELP!
With some preventive measures and household items, your disposal will smell fresh and clean in no time!
The book can be downloaded for FREE at DivorceInformationBooks.com.
2 • BrucePA.com
When Your Prenup Is Less Than Ironclad Are Prenups Always Enforceable?
People who have signed a prenuptial agreement often assume their divorce will be straightforward. But for better or worse, that’s not always the case. Surprisingly, prenups aren’t always as ironclad as the people who signed them think. Florida judges can and will invalidate prenuptial agreements under the right conditions. When they do, the spouses must proceed with their divorce as if the prenup never existed. An unenforced prenup can substantially change both parties’ quality of life, but invalidating the agreement is no simple task. One of three scenarios must be present for a judge to consider invalidating a prenup. The prenup must have been signed unwillingly, the product of duress or coercion, or “unconscionable” due to withheld information from one spouse. While these criteria can cover many scenarios, some are more likely to pop up than others. Judges are more inclined to invalidate an agreement where one spouse did not have access to an attorney. To be clear, they will not invalidate a prenup if the person decided not to hire counsel — only
if they effectively could not. Judges only refuse to enforce prenups due to unfair circumstances, not bad decisions. Meanwhile, common coercion scenarios usually involve one spouse presenting another with a surprise prenup shortly before (or even the day of) the wedding. With so many pressures, it’s reasonable to assume the other person felt they had no choice but to sign, thus lacking the capacity to sign a binding contract. The court will not, however, disregard a relatively fair prenup negotiated over months just because it was signed close to the wedding. Since 2007, spouses have had the right to waive full financial disclosure in their prenuptial agreements. But if they did not explicitly waive this right, or if the couple signed the contract before 2007, the law requires reasonable
disclosure of assets by both spouses. Still, a failure to disclose is not enough to invalidate a prenuptial agreement. A court will only strike the prenup down if it is “unconscionable” — wildly unfair — due to the missing information. When considering a prenuptial agreement, we recommend you always seek legal advice to ensure your contract is both fair and enforceable. And if you’ve been the victim of an unfair prenup process, the Bruce Law Firm is here to help you understand your options.
Slow Cooker Chicken and White Bean Stew
Inspired by EatingWell.com
Ingredients
•
4 15-oz cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• • • • • • •
4 cups chopped kale 1 tbsp lemon juice 1/2 tsp kosher salt 1/2 tsp ground pepper
• • • • • •
6 cups chicken broth
1 cup chopped yellow onion
1 cup sliced carrots
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp finely chopped fresh rosemary 1 4-oz Parmesan cheese rind 2 1-lb bone-in chicken breasts
2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup parsley leaves
BLF relaxing after a Firm meeting
Directions
1. In a 6-quart slow cooker, combine beans, broth, onion, carrots, rosemary, and Parmesan rind. Top with chicken. Cover and cook on low until the beans and vegetables are tender, about 7–8 hours. 2. Remove chicken from slow cooker. On a clean cutting board, let the chicken rest until cool enough to handle, about 10 minutes. Shred the chicken and discard bones. 3. Return chicken to slow cooker and stir in kale. Cover and cook on high until kale is tender, 20–30 minutes. 4. Stir in lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Discard the Parmesan rind. Serve the stew drizzled with oil and sprinkled with Parmesan cheese and parsley.
561-810-0170 • 3
PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411
1601 Forum Pl. Ste. 1101 West Palm Beach, FL 33401
Meet Attorney Leesha Newkirk page 1
How to Clean Your Garbage Disposal Sick of Resolutions? Try Love Lists page 2 Are Prenups Always Enforceable? Slow Cooker Chicken and White Bean Stew page 3
The Benefits of Meditation page 4
The Power of Meditation EXPLORING 5 KEY BENEFITS OF MEDITATION
Boost emotional well-being. Some types of meditation lead to a positive outlook on life and an improved self-image. According to research, it can even help manage and reduce symptoms of depression toward maintaining a healthy mind. It promotes a sense of peace, calm, and balance in your life! Lengthen attention span. Did you know that meditating can improve your accuracy and focus when completing a task? This will help you focus on the tasks at hand, and you can better direct and control your full attention! Generate kindness. Meditation has been proven to increase feelings of positivity, encouraging acts of kindness toward yourself and those around you. Studies have shown that individuals have a heightened sense of
Meditation promotes better sleep, less anxiety, improved self-awareness, and lower blood pressure. Before the pandemic, the practice was trending upward in popularity, but now, meditation has become even more popular as it helps many to cope with stress and mental health complications.
compassion after meditation! For more positivity in your life and relationships, meditate!
Let’s take a look at many reasons to set aside 10 minutes in your day to meditate!
Improve sleep. A whopping 70 million people in the U.S. deal with some sort of sleep disorder at some point in their lives. Studies have shown that meditation can help individuals stay asleep for longer segments of time and reduce the severity of insomnia while reducing tension. If you haven’t already, incorporating meditation into your daily routine can bring positive benefits and results! And what do you have to lose?
Reduce stress and anxiety. Studies have proven that meditation reduces cortisol and the inflammation response, which can disrupt sleep patterns, bring on depression and anxiety, and cause fatigue. Through meditation, you may find a new perspective on stressful situations or build new skills to help you manage stress in the future.
4 • BrucePA.com
Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4Made with FlippingBook Ebook Creator