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N ovember 2023 T he P ower of P rinciples
How Role Models Keep Me Accountable It’s easier to lose sight of ourselves than we’d like to admit. We spend the most time with people who share our opinions and naturally convince ourselves that our actions are right and just. I believe having a north star helps keep us on the right track. Regardless of our beliefs or views, we can all benefit from having a “What would Jesus do?” type measurement for our actions.
in Atlanta. Since the Roberts and King families were friends, all their children attended. So did my sister and I.
Coretta Scott King was there often, and Dr. King would attend our plays and stop by now and then to see what the kids were up to. Even as children, we all knew he was a man of great importance; the room would hush when he entered. Dr. King was a force to be reckoned with, but not in the machismo way of most men at the time. When I grew up, fighting was a regular boyhood activity. That was simply how you resolved conflicts. One of my first fistfights was on the day of Dr. King’s assassination after some other boys on the playground celebrated his murder. I realize now that it was an ironic response to throw punches in the defense of a man who advocated nonviolence. I’m naturally prone to retaliating against those who insult or offend me. So, having powerful alternative examples in Dr. King and Gandhi has helped me find other ways to fight for what is right. I like to think that my small exposure to Dr. King as a child has something to do with my constant pursuit of justice. My respect for my other role models comes from other places. Nelson Mandela was the epitome of persistence and perseverance. He served 27 years in prison because of his fight to end apartheid and only emerged stronger than before. That he later became South Africa’s president is a remarkable tale of triumph. Meanwhile, I see Jimmy Carter as a man who sticks by his principles. You’d be hard- pressed to find a man less hypocritical or more faithful to Christian values than he is. I also admire his commitment to conflict resolution through the Camp David Accords. I strive to follow these men’s lead to maintain my integrity in life and law. It’s dangerous to deify anyone, but role models give us an objective standard to judge our actions and ask whether we’ve measured up to our beliefs. Those faces on my wall help keep me honest and regularly remind me of who I want to be.
To keep myself honest, I’ve decorated one wall in my office with photographs of my role models. As I work, the faces of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Jimmy Carter, Abraham Lincoln, Mahatma Gandhi, and Nelson Mandela keep watch. History has shown that all these men had flaws; none of us is perfect. But I respect them all for their rock-solid principles and the way they used their powerful personalities for good. I actually knew Dr. King personally as a boy. I never got to see him speak, and I was only a small child, so our interactions were not particularly meaningful. But we crossed paths several times. Actors Julia and Eric Roberts’ parents ran a children’s acting school
–Michael Manely
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B oost Y our C hild ’ s C ognitive S kills W ith O rigami Practice patience and mindfulness. No running, jumping, or yelling involved. Children can partake in a soothing activity requiring their undivided attention when practicing origami. Origami is even considered a form of focused attention meditation, which involves concentrating on a single object to induce a relaxing state. Calmly focusing on folding a piece of paper into a unique shape requires you to be present in the moment and can be a fantastic way to introduce mindfulness to your family. Improve hand-eye coordination. Origami also helps younger children better understand spatial concepts such as measurements, shapes, and directions. Studies show that origami helps children improve their dexterity, hand-eye coordination, and spatial reasoning skills. Encourage a mathematic mindset. The shapes and measuring involved in origami are also an incredible way to implement geometric concepts, terms, and formulas. For older kids, you can make origami a geometry lesson! Use different geometric formulas and apply them to various paper shapes. This will help students better visualize and understand these mathematical concepts. Get started. There are endless resources online or at your local library to create age-appropriate origami activities. While you can purchase special origami paper, you can also use standard paper and scissors to cut sheets into the proper size. Fill your table with a rainbow assortment of colored papers and let your kids pick the origami shape of their choice. Before you know it, origami rabbits and birds will be lining your shelves!
If you’re looking for a family activity requiring minimal supplies and effort, origami should be next on your to-do list! Origami might seem too challenging or even not stimulating enough for children, but there are plenty of accessible and delightful shapes to keep your kids endlessly entertained. Plus, they won’t be able to stop themselves from filling your home with paper swans, dragons, and more!
Not only is origami a simple activity that just requires paper, but it also offers a variety of benefits to children and adults alike. Discover how origami can boost your family’s brains and the perfect way to start folding! K yle K okaram ’ s S econd C hance at J ustice
How Personal History Propels His Passion for Family Law
Kyle Kokaram jokes that he was “one of those kids who everyone says should become a lawyer because I argued too much.” He didn’t originally intend to take the advice and attended college as a business major. But he soon began searching for a new path. “I started researching individuals I admired,” Kyle remembers, “and a common denominator was they’d all gone to law school.” That learning environment helped Kyle develop a fascination with the law, and he passed the Florida bar in 2016. However, he says, “Family law was a journey; this was not the original destination.” Kyle first worked at a real estate firm but realized he “wasn’t passionate” about his work. After taking a position in family law “as a change of pace,” he says he soon “fell in love with being able to help people in need at a low point in their lives.” In retrospect, family law was always the perfect fit. “I get to be for others what I wish someone had been for me,” Kyle says. His parents divorced as a child, and he felt overlooked in the proceedings. Later, he believed his attorney didn’t properly advocate for him when he had a child outside of marriage and went through a legitimation process.
His marriage in 2022 and the recent birth of his second child have only reinforced his passion for doing what’s best for each family. “Now I get to be someone who prioritizes the things my clients think are important,” he says. “I can help people feel like there’s a light at the end of the tunnel. And I can help ensure they have a resolution they cannot only live with but also makes them happy.” Kyle joined The Manely Firm in April 2023 and quickly came to appreciate the wealth of resources available to him. “There are so many attorneys I can access at a moment’s notice,” he says. “There are years of experience and wisdom on this team, and there’s nothing somebody hasn’t seen before.” “The difference in perspective that we at The Manely Firm apply to our practice is so antithetical to other firms where I’ve worked,” he continues. “We’re so focused on productive litigation rather than going to war with the opposing counsel. Everyone here works hard to keep tensions down. I think that really benefits the clients and shows them that we care.”
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“L ife is like riding a bicycle . T o keep your balance , you must keep moving .” –A lbert E instein
We’re regularly urged to believe in ourselves but less often reminded to believe in each other. In “The Go-Giver Marriage,” authors John David Mann and Ana Gabriel Mann named “believe” their fourth secret to a successful relationship. As with the duo’s other tips, the guidance applies far beyond romance to every aspect of our lives. We all have insecurities that lead us to question ourselves and our choices. As children, we relied on those close to us to lift us up and help us gain confidence. That need doesn’t disappear when we’re adults; everyone appreciates validation. More words of affirmation and fewer words of criticism help keep relationships healthy and positive. This secret is particularly crucial for The Manely Firm because divorce almost always erodes a person’s self-confidence. Our clients often find themselves questioning their values, judgment, and futures. Our ability to demonstrate that we believe in them goes a long way in how they navigate a difficult and stressful time. In their book, the Manns explain that contempt is the opposite of believing in someone. All types of relationships are more likely to fall apart once contempt slips into your interactions. We can avoid this problem by separating what someone does from who someone is. For example, say a coworker speaks over you in meetings and dismisses your opinion. You could address the problem by calling them self-centered and closed-minded. Or you could be more productive by saying, “It upsets me when you cut me off in meetings and makes me feel like you don’t respect my experience.” You can call out hurtful or disrespectful behavior in healthy and productive ways. In other words, identifying problematic behaviors is healthy, but labeling people based on those behaviors is destructive. Labeling people can breed contempt and defensiveness, but identifying problems creates opportunities for discussions and solutions. Belief involves remembering the goodness in people and recognizing their positive attributes. The Manns recommend praising people for who they are while reserving criticism for what they do. Everyone at The Manely Firm tries to model these behaviors for our clients struggling with an ex-spouse or having difficulty with their children. Doing so also strengthens our relationships with each other so we can be more effective for our clients. How Confidence and Encouragement Improve Relationships T he P ower of B elief
T asty A pple P ie
I ngredients
• • •
2 9-inch unbaked pie crusts
• • •
3/4 cup granulated sugar 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
6 cups thinly sliced peeled apples
1 tsp cinnamon
2 tbsp butter
D irections 1. Preheat oven to 425 F. 2.
Place 1 pie crust in a 9-inch pie plate.
3. In a large bowl, combine apples, cinnamon, sugar, and flour. 4. Spoon mixture into pastry-lined pie plate and dot with butter. 5. Cut remaining crust into 1/2-inch-wide strips, then arrange strips in a lattice design over top of pie. 6. Trim, seal, and flute edges. 7. Bake for 35 minutes or until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbly.
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What Would Your Role Models Do?
Paper Folding Fun for All Ages Kyle Kokaram’s Personal Perspective on Family Law
How Belief Can Save Relationships Tasty Apple Pie
Transform Your Cooking With Chef-Endorsed Kitchen Hacks
Chefs are artists and scientists, honing their skills in the kitchen to create culinary masterpieces. These experts have developed a range of kitchen hacks to help home chefs elevate their cooking game. Whether it’s enhancing flavors, saving time, or ensuring consistent results, these tips can make your culinary experiences more enjoyable and successful. Bon appétit! Hold the Cork Before throwing the cork away after finishing a bottle of wine, a clever hack popularized by Chef Motokichi on Instagram is to slide the cork beneath the handle of a pot lid. Not only does this make the top easy to grab, but it also prevents your hand from coming in contact with the hot handle! Because sparkling wine corks tend to be a bit thicker in size, they’re best suited for the job. Peeling Garlic Made Easy Executive chef Nicholas Poulmentis of Akotiri in New York recommends thinking ahead when preparing garlic. The night before you cook, place garlic cloves in a container filled with water, and the next day, the skin will peel right off without a knife or tool. Chilled Plastic Wrap Is plastic wrap often more of a struggle than a help? Chef Chaz Eicke of The Salad House in New Jersey has a genius tip: Chilling your plastic wrap in the refrigerator will help prevent it from creasing and sticking together. C ook L ike a P ro CHEF-TESTED HACKS TO ENHANCE YOUR CULINARY CREATIONS
Protect Your Fingertips Sydney Willcox, culinary instructor at The Brooklyn Kitchen, recommends tucking your fingers into your palm on your nondominant hand while chopping vegetables and herbs. If you use your knuckles to guide your knife, you won’t ever accidentally cut your fingers! Slice Meat the Right Way Did you know that slicing meat with the grain can lead to a tough and chewy entree? Willcox has another tip for that! She recommends always slicing meat, even tender filet mignon, against the grain. Creating restaurant-quality meals in the comfort of your own home has never been easier. These tips can help take your cooking skills to the next level while reducing time, frustrations, and errors!
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