Friends—The Key To A Longer Life

According to Harvard’s School of Public Health, men who have lots of friends, social contacts, and relatives live longer, more satisfying lives. In a study of 28,000 men in their early 40s to late 70s, researchers found that men who were socially isolated loners were 20 percent more likely to die prematurely. The socially isolated group also was 53 percent more likely to die from heart related diseases and stroke. Unmarried men included in the study had markedly higher death rates than married men with a strong family support system did. It appears that making friends and nurturing social relationships not only will make you healthier, but it could make you a lot happier too!

Safer Driving

When the sun goes down, it’s harder to spot obstacles on the road and the likelihood of encountering a drunk or tired driver increases. It’s little surprise, then, that fatal car crashes are three times more likely to happen at night than during the day, according to the National Safety Council. Luckily, there are several night driving strategies that can help keep you safe.  Increase the distance between your car and the car in front of you. A three-second lead is suggested during the day; at night, you should double this number.  Use lights to your advantage. Turn on blinkers long before you need them and tap brakes as you slow down to alert drivers behind you.  Maintain your headlights. Change headlight bulbs when they are getting dim or have burnt out. Use low beams during fog, and keep headlights on from an hour before dusk to an hour after dawn.  Avoid glare. If a car with bright beams is blinding you, shift your gaze to the right side of the road until the car has passed.

How to Deal with Unlikable People

Despite your best intentions to get along with the people you meet, occasionally you’ll encounter someone you simply do not like. If this happens to you, here are a few tips on how to proceed with tact.  Focus on the positive. Even though this person has habits or characteristics that drive you crazy, don’t focus too much on these negative attributes. Try to find something positive to focus on instead. Though this might be difficult, it will likely help you tolerate this person a bit better.  Be kind. It’s true what they say: Act the way you would like to be treated. You don’t need to go out of your way to be friends with an unlikeable person, but at least be nice. If you are polite and kind to him, perhaps his actions will eventually reflect yours. Also, don’t talk badly about him behind his back. Try to be truly kind. This is to help you stay positive and perhaps let go of the negative feelings completely. Love your neighbor as yourself!

4 Cases of Pain and Hope

1. Backaches – An old mattress can cause back pain, but you may want to have your doctor check your vitamin D levels – a deficiency can cause back and joint pain. A daily supplement can help if that’s the culprit. Weakened vertebrae, muscle fatigue, and back spasms may be eased with daily stretching, yoga, and hot and cold therapy applied via heating pads and ice packs (see your doctor for help with how to use this correctly). 2. Aching joints – Pain sensitivity is particularly acute for women who have gone through menopause. If you eat tomatoes, eggplant, potatoes, dairy, and/or gluten, keep a food diary to see if food sensitivity is a culprit of your pain. 3. Lethargy and fatigue – Remaining alert and awake ensures you’re working at your highest levels of productivity. If you’re also suffering from sensitivity to cold and unexplained weight gain, hypothyroidism could be to blame. Of course, poor sleep could be at fault; get 30 minutes of aerobic exercise every day to increase levels of deep sleep. 4. Foot pain – Though gout affects joints throughout the body, the most common place for this painful condition to occur is the base of the big toe. Pain concentrated in the heel or arch of the foot may result from plantar fasciitis. Ditch the high heels and tight-fitting shoes, and lose excess weight to help decrease pain. Alcohol and stress can increase gout flare-ups.

Get Enough Vitamin E!

Check with your doctor before taking Vitamin E supplements! A recent study by researchers at Johns Hopkins University concluded that high doses of Vitamin E may increase the risk of dying from heart disease. Once thought to decrease heart disease and protect against cancer and Alzheimer’s disease, thousands of people have been adding Vitamin E supplements to their daily regime. What should you know? The average person needs a minimum of 10 IU of Vitamin E daily, which you can obtain from foods like nuts, whole grains, spinach, or other green leafy vegetables. What should you do? Check with your physician first before taking Vitamin E supplements. Warning: Never take more than 150 IU daily of Vitamin E.

15yr Mortgage

Time to Refinance into a 15yr Mortgage Loan? This might be the perfect time for you to consider refinancing. Interest rates are still low and with values up you have lots of equity. John Porter at 206-954-8736 or john@mortgagemasterwa.com

Heart Health

To keep your heart healthy, AARP.org says use the FIT approach:  F=Fill your plate with food that won't pack on pounds; find fun ways to exercise.  I=Individualize your eating and workout routine.  T=Team up with others.

Planning Now Will Make the Move Smooth

Moving can be very stressful, but there are ways to help you tackle the task. Here are six quick tips to make your next move go more smoothly: 1. Have a garage sale well before you begin packing. That way you won’t be taking unnecessary items to your new home. (Here’s your chance to unload all the things you don’t want or don’t need any longer. You’ll be glad you did.) 2. Use sturdy, reinforced boxes. Go to a professional moving company to get the right boxes. Your grocer’s boxes just won’t do. Remember to pack your boxes carefully. 3. Use towels, blankets and pillows to separate pictures and fragile items. Pack all your glass items and dishes vertically and with packing materials to prevent any breakage. 4. Label all your boxes. Mark boxes with FRAGILE ITEMS on the outside. 5. Pack one box with essential items: coffee, tea, soap, toiletries, flashlight, plastic ware, snacks, paper towels that you can open when you arrive. Mark this box OPEN ME FIRST...that way you’ll have the essentials when you arrive at your new home. 6. Lastly, work with your moving company. Be sure to have your shipment’s registration number, and let the company know how to reach you at all times. If you are in the market for a buying or selling a home and need competent and caring representation, please call me at 206-226-0565.

Over-Extending On Your Home?

Are you “house-rich but cash-poor”? In other words, you spend so much on your mortgage (and building equity) that you don’t have cash to spend on other needs. The key is to get back into financial balance. Each case is different, so do your homework and consider these actions:  Sell your house and buy (or rent) something smaller. Sounds drastic, but it frees up assets and is particularly relevant if you are close to retirement.  Refinance your current mortgage (when mortgage rates are down). Talk to John Porter at Mortgage Masters (206-954-8736 or john@mortgagemasterwa.com) to see if this option would be beneficial to you. He would love to help!  Look into a reverse mortgage (if you’re 62 or older). This lets you access your equity but there are up-front costs and you’ll want to remain in your house for the rest of your life. Talk to a financial planner to fully understand this option.

Lowering Home Heating Bills

As temperatures drop, the heating bill rises. Before the shock of your first higher-than-average bill, here are some things you can do to your house to make sure you’re not wasting money. • Keep Heat Inside – Close the fireplace flue or damper tightly when you’re not using it. Replace worn weatherstripping around windows and doors. Add caulk or foam sealants around your electric outlet boxes. These small measures can add up. • Adjust Temperatures – Lowering the thermostat by only 2-3 degrees can make a big difference. Having a programmable thermostat is even better since you can set it to 10-15 degrees cooler when you’re not home or awake. Turn down the water heater to the “warm” setting – it’s still 120 F, plenty warm for a hot shower. • Give Your Furnace a Check-Up – Make sure your furnace is running as efficiently as possible and you’ll be getting the most bang for your buck. Electric and oil heaters should be serviced every year, while gas heaters should get a check-up every two years.

Practice Gratitude

The benefits of being grateful can be huge. Studies show that people who are more grateful sleep better, feel healthier, have higher self-esteem, have more energy, and experience less stress. Staying grateful isn’t always easy, but with all these physical and mental benefits it’s absolutely worth the investment of your time. Here are some easy ways to practice gratitude on a regular basis. Try out a few of them to see which suits you best. Keep a “gratitude journal” to jot down 1-2 things you’re grateful for daily. Actively work on cultivating positivity by looking for a bright side to negative situations. Pay someone an unexpected complement each day. Talk about 2-3 positive moments from the day during nightly dinner conversation. Offer a heartfelt – not routine – “thank you” for a mundane task, such as someone holding a door open for you at the store. Say out loud what you’re grateful for, even if you’re talking to yourself. Put a picture of your family, or whatever you’re most thankful for, somewhere you’ll see it multiple times a day. Donate your time to a favorite cause. Monetary donations are great, but donating your time is even more effective at making you feel grateful.

Don't Get Hurt Playing in the Snow

• Have A Fitness Test: A visit to your doctor is important if you are starting a new exercise program. Your doctor may find an undiagnosed heart condition or other disease that will require workout modifications. • Know Your Body: It sounds basic, but many fail to make adjustments to account for known body weaknesses. For example, if you have knee problems you may want to try a stationary bike instead of a treadmill. • Wear Proper Attire: Wear proper shoes that fit and grip the ground to avoid slipping or tripping. Workout clothes that keep you warm but not hot are best to avoid getting overheated and passing out. • Act Your Age: When you get excited about a new workout or sport, you can do too much, too quickly and push yourself too long. Work with a trainer, and make sure you’re using the correct technique. • Feed Your Muscles And Hydrate Your Body: A high protein meal one hour before your workout will give you the fuel you need to keep going. Thirty minutes before you exercise, drink about 16 ounces of water. Drink more water during your workout to replace the fluids you’re losing. • Know The Injury Warning Signs: If you have any of the following for more than 48 hours, see a physician: joint pain (including swelling, redness and heat), reduced range of motion, or numbness, and tingling.

Find More Hope

With a healthy dose of hope, people can power through stress, feel empowered to chase their dreams, and find a beacon of light when the going gets tough. Research has shown that hopeful patients heal faster and hopeful employees are more satisfied with their jobs. Conversely, people who aren’t hopeful often feel sluggish and have little motivation and energy. So how can you amp up the hope in your life? Read on! Seek mastery: Obtaining mastery provides a sense of empowerment and purpose, instilling a sense of hope. Expand your skill set by imagining what you want to achieve and make plans to reach those goals. Write down steps you need to follow to get the results you seek. Find role models: If you suffer from a sense of hopelessness, find people who have overcome similar situations to yours. Learn from their experiences. Surround yourself with others who can help you through particularly trying times. If you don’t know anyone personally, check projecthopeexchange.com for support. Evaluate options: Feeling trapped can stifle hope. During those times when you feel stuck, think about how you’ve handled similar situations in the past or how similar strategies from different situations can help you with this particular issue. Make a plan…even a few steps you can take right now can give you something concrete to focus on. Give hope to others: Perform small acts of kindness. By doing so, you offer hope to others, and this can help boost your mood and outlook on life … and increase your feelings of hope in the process. The positive effects of acts of kindness build on each other, so make this a part of your daily routine instead of following a one-and-done approach.

Mistakes to Avoid When Selling

There are plenty of mistakes you can make when you sell your home but most can easily be avoided. • Pricing Your Home Incorrectly. You need to set the right price when you put it on the market. If you start high, you may keep buyers and other real estate agents away. If you lower your price in increments, it may be too late, as the home may already be viewed as “overpriced.” In this hot market it also pays to give buyers time to see the home! I suggest allowing at least 6 days of market exposure. • Failing To Stage Your Property. You don’t get a second chance to make a first impression! Look at your home from a buyer’s point of view: clean it up, clear the clutter and get it in model-home shape. Selecting The Wrong Agent. You need to hire a REALTOR® who understands your goals and will meet your needs. I have been with Coldwell Banker since 2000 and am ready to help!

Causes and Cures of Pain

From aching joints to general fatigue, sometimes we’re plagued by symptoms, but we don’t know what the medical problem could be at the root of our pain. Here are a few health issues that could be causing your problems, and a few “quick tips” that may help. 1. Backaches – An old mattress can cause back pain, but you may want to have your doctor check your vitamin D levels – a deficiency can cause back and joint pain. A daily supplement can help if that’s the culprit. Weakened vertebrae, muscle fatigue, and back spasms may be eased with daily stretching, yoga, and hot and cold therapy applied via heating pads and ice packs (see your doctor for help with how to use this correctly). 2. Aching joints – Pain sensitivity is particularly acute for women who have gone through menopause. If you eat tomatoes, eggplant, potatoes, dairy, and/or gluten, keep a food diary to see if food sensitivity is a culprit of your pain. 3. Lethargy and fatigue – Remaining alert and awake ensures you’re working at your highest levels of productivity. If you’re also suffering from sensitivity to cold and unexplained weight gain, hypothyroidism could be to blame. Of course, poor sleep could be at fault; get 30 minutes of aerobic exercise every day to increase levels of deep sleep. 4. Foot pain – Though gout affects joints throughout the body, the most common place for this painful condition to occur is the base of the big toe. Pain concentrated in the heel or arch of the foot may result from plantar fasciitis. Ditch the high heels and tight-fitting shoes, and lose excess weight to help decrease pain. Alcohol and stress can increase gout flare-ups.

Get Things Done

Allen’s key idea is to start with a “mind sweep” ─ get everything out of your head and down on paper (or other written form). Once your mind is cleared, your productivity goes up and you can focus on creative action. His five basic stages of mastering your personal or professional “workflow” are: 1) Collect. Capture anything and everything that is on your mind. 2) Process. Decide what each thing means. Is it something you should do? Do it now or later? Can you delegate it (and track on a “Waiting For” list)? 3) Organize. Place the items in categories, such as Projects, Calendar, Next Actions and Waiting For, and sub-categories of your choice. (To help you visualize this, he includes a diagram for navigating through the processing and organizing phases of your workflow.) 4) Review. Go over Calendar and Action lists daily and do a weekly customized review to get clean and current. 5) Do. Make choices about your actions based on what you can do, how much time and energy you have and your priorities.

Thank You! Thank You!

Thanks to all of my clients and friends who support my practice and graciously referred me to your friends and neighbors! Rather than pester people with unwanted calls and visits, I build my business based on the positive comments and referrals from people just like you. I couldn't do it without you! Your trust in me and Coldwell Banker will never be taken for granted and anyone you send my way will get nothing but the best in quality and personal representation. Outstanding service is how a good agent builds their business and from my first days in the business in 2000 I have strived to become an agent you are proud to recommend to others. Thanks again!!

Favorite Caddyshack Lines

My top ten quotes from one of my all-time favorite sports movies: 1. You’ll get nothing and like it. 2. My uncle says you’ve got a screw loose. Your uncle molests collies. 3. Last time I saw a mouth like that it had a hook in it. 4. You’re rather attractive for a beautiful girl with a great body. 5. I’ve sentenced boys younger than you to the gas chamber. Didn’t want to do it. I felt I owed it to them. 6. This is a hybrid. It is a cross of Bluegrass, Kentucky Bluegrass, Featherbed Bent and California Sensemila. 7. Just be the ball, be the ball Danny. 8. Two wrongs don’t make a right, but three rights make a left. 9. That’s a peach, hon! Oh, by golly…I’m hot today! 10. This is the worst-looking hat I ever saw! When you buy a hat like this I bet you get a free bowl of soup! Looks good on you though…