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“Uniqueness is what makes you the most beautiful.” –Lea Michele This holiday season, we should make it a goal to truly “see” each person’s uniqueness. It’s particularly meaningful this time of year, when so many feel invisible. Author Stephen Covey tells a story about “perspective,” or “how you see the world.”
He recalls a road trip to Florida with his college buddies, Stan and Eddie. “I’m the only one left,” he whispers.
Max smiles when he talks about his wife, Sandy, who has been gone for six years. He flashes back to their first date, falling in love, dancing in the kitchen, and raising their daughter. He is somber when he talks about his military service. He remembers bombs and bullets. “Too many didn’t come back,” he says. Max talks about “ice cream dates” with his daughter and how he told her he wouldn’t cry when he walked her down the aisle. “But I did,” he says, a wry smile creasing his face. He talks about swimming, fishing, and camping with his grandchildren up north and recalls with pride the top salesman award he earned at his company. I can feel Max’s heart sink as he recounts the health problems that resulted in him moving out of the home he loved after 52 years. Imagine having your car keys taken away. Or being told you must move out of the home that you built with your own hands. Today, Max is living in an assisted living community. If you walk past Max sitting in his wheelchair, you may see him as “another old man.”
Picture Mr. Covey riding on a subway and reading his newspaper. His peaceful ride was interrupted when a father and his young children boarded the train. The kids ran up and down, yelled, and threw things. Covey was annoyed at the kids and even more annoyed at the father who was allowing them to carry on. After several minutes, Covey asked the father if he could control his children. The man lifted his gaze and said softly, “Oh, you’re right. I guess I should do something about it. We just came from the hospital where their mother died about an hour ago.” In an instant, Covey’s perspective — his view of this man’s world — changed. This new information made him think differently, feel differently, and behave differently. In my elder law practice, I am sensitive about how people are treated as they grow older. Many people look at the elderly as “generic” people — like they’re all the same. They are not. No matter a person’s age, each person has his or her own stories and life experiences. Consider Max, who was married to his wife, Sandy, for 64 years. His eyes brighten as he talks about his first job and ripping open his first paycheck. He remembers his hands gripping the steering wheel the first time he was allowed to drive the family car alone. Max recalls his first dog, Abby, and how she followed him everywhere. And he remembers hugging Abby as she took her last breath because the vet said there were no other options. He proudly reminisces about walking to the podium to receive his college degree, the first in his family to do so.
He is not. He is unique.
Next time you see a “Max,” I challenge you to see him from a different perspective, a different world view. He is a person who had parents, a brother, sisters, a daughter, a wife. He has fallen in love, had a broken heart, seen his friends and loved ones die, and still, even today, has hopes and dreams. When you see Max as unique, you will change your perspective, like Stephen Covey on the subway. In an instant, you will think differently, feel differently, and behave differently . And that perspective is exactly what Max has earned — and what he deserves. Wishing you a truly merry Christmas, a peaceful holiday season, and a happy New Year.
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Impress the Guests
WITH THESE HOLIDAY HOSTING TIPS
The holidays are rapidly approaching, and soon, we’ll share laughs while enjoying the festivities with our loved ones. Before the celebrations begin, you must prepare your home for visitors, especially if they stay overnight. It can be stressful whether it’s your in-laws, best friends, or distant cousins coming to stay with you. You want to leave a good impression, but how do you ensure everyone’s needs are met,
refrigerator, and cupboards with your guests’ favorite foods and drinks. If you don’t know what they are, ask ahead of their visit! Your guests will appreciate your conscientious gesture and have a much more enjoyable time if they can eat their favorites while visiting.
Prepare a guest room. If your guests are staying with you, you need to prepare
somewhere for them to sleep. Make sure you make up the bed, have plenty of pillows and blankets on hand, and provide adequate closet space for their clothes. Even if they aren’t staying in a traditional bedroom, their sleeping area should still be ready when they arrive. Clear off a table for them to use as a nightstand and put sheets on the couch or mattress where they’ll sleep. Use real dishes. When we have company over for a meal, especially a large gathering, it’s usually easier to use plastic or paper options — saves on cleanup, too! The holidays are not necessarily the time for this shortcut.
including yours? Here are three tips for setting yourself up for a successful holiday, regardless of who stays with you.
Stock up on your guests’ favorites. Have you ever stayed with someone who didn’t have extra food for their guests? Don’t put your guests in this situation. Load up your pantry,
Break out the fine china if you have it, or use regular dishes for your guests. It’s okay for the kids to have paper plates, but if you want to make a good impression on visiting adults, nicer dishes will dress up the table setting and meal.
Tips for Sprucing Up Your Home This Winter
The most wonderful time of the year has arrived — the holiday season! However, as the days grow shorter and temperatures drop, it’s fun to make your home and living space as cozy, comfy, and clean as possible! Surely, you’ve heard of spring- cleaning, but winter-cleaning is a thing, too! Here are some ways to freshen up your house, even if there’s snow on the ground outdoors! Deep-clean carpets. Don’t wait until winter is over to get started on this! Although many like to wait for spring to be sure they aren’t tracking in muddy snow, what about keeping things clean throughout the winter? To deep -clean your carpets, you don’t have to rent a carpet cleaner — instead, use a carpet shampoo or trusted homemade solution to get dirt and debris out! Dust away. After the holiday celebrations draw to a close, break out the duster. Dust carries pathogens and allergens, which can cause illness or pesky sinus complications. Touch up paint. After having guests in your home and putting up and taking down decorations, walls can be scuffed and
chipped, but it’s nothing a tiny bit of touch-up paint can’t fix in a few quick minutes!
Clean out washer and dryer. Cleaning the machines that clean your clothing and towels is paramount. Not to mention, ensuring they are clean and free of debris helps them run smoothly and efficiently. Clean out vents. All the vents in your home can become clogged with dust and debris — especially when you run the heat in the wintertime! Be sure to clean out any buildup! Wash baseboards. If you look down at your baseboards, you may notice they are dirty, are scuffed, or have a layer of dirt and dust resting on them. Don’t forget to wipe them down! Clean out the pantry. Don’t let old food get pushed farther to the back of the pantry, only to be forgotten until summer! Make it a point to clean out the pantry after each season — especially winter!
Sprucing up your home in winter is sure to help those cozy vibes flow through the house! After all, nothing feels better than a clean home!
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MichiganEstatePlans.com • 888.487.6150
What the HEALTH?
3 Ways to Develop Healthy Habits
Health. It’s both a positive, and for some “cringey,” word to hear tossed around. Leading a healthy lifestyle, whether it be mentally, physically, or spiritually, has a plethora of benefits and promotes feeling better and living longer. But sometimes, health means eating your broccoli, getting off the couch, or saying no to the second serving of cake. Making healthy choices starts with creating healthy habits and developing strategies to set yourself up for success. Here are three ways to incorporate making healthier choices into your daily routine. Identify your habits. Once formed, habits are hard to break without being aware of them. Tune into your habits — do you tend to munch away on the couch while watching TV? Do you make bad food choices every time you dine out? Do you tend to spend too much time on your phone? Once you identify habits that don’t serve you or your physical, mental, or spiritual health, you can make positive changes to disrupt those patterns and start the path to developing new ones. Create a plan. When creating a plan to incorporate healthier decisions in your life, the key is to start small and stay reasonable. If you always stop at a fast-food restaurant on your way home from work, try switching up the route to avoid the temptation. If your goal is to include more reading in your day, start with a few pages a day and go up from there. When we aim too high and miss the mark, it can lead to giving up quickly. Instead, plan for obstacles and keep your aspirations reasonable. Stay on track. Be sure to track your progress when you choose healthier options. Jot your accomplishments down in a journal or spreadsheet, even when you begin to fall off the wagon. By holding yourself accountable, you’ll find that you’re less likely to veer off track, and soon enough, healthy actions will become habitual in your life and daily routine.
Solution on Pg. 4
Helpful Resources • Is your estate plan up to date? Ask us about our FREE Estate Planning Checkup. Call our office or email Julie@mtolaw.com.
• Don’t miss Glenn on “Senior Law
Radio,” WHMI FM 93.5 every Sunday at 8 a.m. You can also listen live (or to previous shows) on WHMI.com.
• Questions about your money? Do you need help with your financial goals, investment management, or retirement planning? Glenn has partnered with his personal financial advisor, Brad Jerome, to bring expert financial services to our clients. Brad meets with you right in our office — no cost, no obligation, and no pressure. Just an opportunity to discuss your goals with a top-notch financial advisor to see where your path might lead. You can reach Brad directly at 517.301.3070. • Let us be your trusted advisor for all your legal matters. We have grown with the referrals we receive from our clients. We want to return the favor by helping you find a great attorney outside the field of estate planning, elder law, and probate. Our clients often call us in need of an attorney who focuses on personal injury, auto accidents, elder and nursing home abuse, workers’ compensation, Social Security disability, and many other areas. To get the best results, you need an experienced attorney to help. If you want a referral, call our office or email Julie@mtolaw.com. We are glad to help!
Your life is yours to take hold of. Incorporating healthy habits into your life will lead to positive outcomes.
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MichiganEstatePlans.com • 888.487.6150 915 N. Michigan Avenue, Suite 6 Howell, Michigan 48843
What’s Inside? 1 Being Unique Is Beautiful
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How to Impress Visitors This Holiday Season
Sprucing Up Your Home This Winter
Creating Healthy Habits
Helpful Resources
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Banish Trash With Plogging
According to Our World in Data, the world manufactures more than 270 million tons of plastic annually. About 8 million tons of this plastic winds up in the ocean — that’s 3%! Plogging, a fad that originated in Sweden to help minimize pollution, is taking the world by storm. Essentially, you jog and pick up litter at the same time! Some cardio and a giant clean-up effort? It’s a great way to enjoy the cool winter temperatures while doing something good for the environment! Plogging can be done with others, at any time, and pretty much anywhere litter or trash exists. It’s a win-win! The origin of the word “plogging,” according to the Farmer’s Almanac, comes from a combination of jogging and the Swedish word for “pick up,” which is “plocka upp.” All you need is a pair of running shoes, a trash bag, stamina, some free time, and water to stay hydrated! If you’re interested in taking up the hobby or plogging every now and then to make a difference in our environment, here are some tips to keep the activity fun and interesting!
Head out in groups. Everything is more fun with others! Round up a group of friends, family, or coworkers and join the initiative together. If you’re up for it, you can even make it a contest! Add in different exercises. Plogging doesn’t only have to incorporate jogging — while gathering trash; you can do squats, burpees, lunges, or even pushups. Switch up arms. While plogging, holding the garbage bag in the same hand can become uncomfortable, especially as that bag gets heavier! Be sure to change which arm holds it from time to time! Incorporate sprints. If jogging becomes too simple for you, try sprinting between trash to intensify the activity.
Plogging is a great way to reduce pollution while getting in your workout! Local parks, neighborhoods, and common areas are a great place to start!
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