Happiness Boosters

If you find yourself wallowing in negativity, science says you should do the following to improve your mood: • Volunteer. Donate a few hours to help in your community or give money to a good cause (check charitynavigator.org for ideas). • Flip through photos. Hang a few at eye level throughout your home for quick viewing. • Create a gratitude list. Write down a few things that you are thankful for in your life. Be specific. Tuck the list away and pull it out when you feel a case of the crummies coming on. • Let the light in. Sunshine lifts spirits and aids in sounder sleep at night.

Trailhead Direct Shuttle

Direct transit to trails service began June 5th and runs until Sept 26th. The popular shuttle service takes riders to the Issaquah Alps and Mount Si. King County Metro is taking stress off of popular trailhead parking lots as man are located in residential neighborhoods which can become bottlenecks on sunny weekends. Service began in 2017 andword quickly spread and additional resources were allocated. You can pick up the shuttle service in several locations including; Broadway, Denny Way, Capitol Hill Link Light Rail Station, Eastgate Transit Center and Issaquah Transit Center. A few of the trails are Squak Mountain, High School Trail, Poo Poo Point, Mount Teneriffe and Easy Sunset Way. This is such an amazing place to be in the summer and if you have not ventured out for a day hike this could be a great opportunity to get friends to join you for a fun day out of the city. trailheaddirect.org

Pets are a Key to a Long Life

We know how much love and affection pets can bring to our lives, but there’s more. Scientific studies have found that having a pet can significantly improve your health. Here are 5 ways a pet can help: 1. Heart Benefits. The American Journal of Cardiology reports pet owners are more likely to survive a heart attack than those who don’t own a pet. Another study found people who owned a dog were more likely to be alive one year after a heart attack. 2. Lower Blood Pressure. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) reports that pets help lower blood pressure (and heart rates). An American study found men who owned a cat had a lower resting heart rate and lower blood pressure than men who didn’t own a cat. And after a stressful event, their blood pressure returned to normal more quickly. 3. Mood Elevator. People, particularly seniors, who own pets are less likely to be depressed and lonely. Pets can provide companionship, humor, and add playfulness to our daily lives. 4. Kids and Health. Research presented at the 10th International Conference on Human Animal Interaction 2014 found that children who have pets have fewer sick days. They also reported that children who had pets had higher levels of self-esteem and functioned better emotionally. Research studies also found that children with pets coped better with divorce. 5. An Exercise Buddy. Dogs need regular exercise, which also gets their owners walking. This can improve their overall health. As an added benefit people improve their social network as they socialize their pet.

Work-At-Home

If it’s right for you, working from home can be profitable, but there are scams out there to entice you into a job that may not be legitimate. Look for an established company that asks for references and has an interview process. Here are some popular jobs: - Customer service representative – Amazon is one of the leaders in “telework.” Check “Hiring” on their website. - Virtual assistant – Learn more about the job from the International Virtual Assistants Association at ivaa.org. - Teacher – With more online students, there’s a need for more online teachers. Take a look at GetEducated.com. Go to Resources, and Online Teaching Jobs. - Coding/programmer/web developer – If you don’t have the skills, you can take some courses first. Check out CodeAcademy.com and learn for free. For more ideas, check out a site like Upwork.com.

Walk Your Way to a Long Life

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control the most beneficial exercise we can do on a regular basis is…walking! All you need is a good pair of shoes and few hours a week to do a simple aerobic conditioning activity that really works. The benefits are substantial – walking helps your heart, lungs, circulatory system, and controls body weight. The positive impact of walking is similar to that of running or jogging without stressful wear and tear on your joints, knees, and shins. If you don’t follow any other exercise program, just simple outdoor walking could add many healthy years to your life.

For Pet Owners

Four-legged friends are part of the family, but wouldn’t it be nice if they also did their part in keeping the house clean? Luckily, there’s plenty you can do to keep fur, fluff, and dander at bay. Contain the fur. Encourage pets to lay on old towels or sheets placed on the floor or furniture. Thoroughly and frequently vacuum. Use lint rollers to pick up stray hair at a moment’s notice. Keep paws clean. Before pets come in from outside, dip paws in room temperature water and dry them off. Stay stain free. If a pet throws up or urinates on the floor, clean it up quickly. Blot stains, absorbing as much liquid as possible; do not rub. Apply a solution of 1/4 teaspoon of clear dishwashing liquid mixed with one cup of tepid water. Rinse by blotting as well.

Seattle Stairway Walks

Spring is here so it’s time to get outdoors and burn some calories. There are 650 public stairway walks in the city. When I was a kid we would hang out at “the Stairs.” Our stairs were in Cedar Park on 130th and went from the bluff down to the Burke-Gilman. It would sure be fun to check off all 650! www.seattlestairwaywalks.com

Home Equity Cash Out Options

One option is to apply for an equity line of credit. There are many advantages to an equity line and this may be your best option. Once it is open, your home equity line functions like a credit card. You can access money as needed in amounts of your choice. Maintenance costs are usually low and will be on the par with credit card annual fees. There may be a special low introductory rate and it will usually carry lower rates than a home equity loan. This type of loan is great for financing your children’s college education. If you have college-age children of varying ages, you can get tuition money for the first child, then pay down the balance in time for your next offspring’s higher education. If you are selling your home, an equity line of credit can provide you with fast cash for home repairs that your buyer might require before final sale. A home equity loan can also be a wise choice if interest rates are good. With this loan, the entire funds are paid to you upon closing of the loan. You will have monthly payments for the life of loan so you can plan ahead financially. Most loans will carry a fixed rate, rather than the variable rate commonly found in home equity lines of credit. The home equity loan is good for eliminating high-rate credit card debt. Paying off the credit card balances and making just one home equity loan payment per month can create substantial savings due to lower interest rates and tax deductibility of interest.

Got Burn-Out?

Are you bummed by job burn-out? If quitting your job isn’t an option, take these five steps to improve your situation. • Identify stress factors and learn how to manage them. Be proactive rather than passive about workplace issues. Know the difference between the “shoulds” and the “musts.” If you have too much work and too little time, talk to your supervisor. • Reconnect with your core work. Maybe you’ve strayed from what you were originally hired to do. Focus on the work you enjoy doing. • Take care of yourself. Take time off to recharge your batteries. • Build new relationships. Make friends with people who might have fresh ideas and perspectives. Do something different – open a Twitter account. • Plan your next move. Outline what you’d have to do to change careers and start taking action.

Get a Memory Boost

Have you misplaced your keys again? If you’re like most people, it’s an occasional annoyance. But if it’s happening more frequently than you’d like to admit, maybe it’s time for some memory boosters to help strengthen your mind. Here are five easy tips to improve your memory power: 1. Keep Items Where You’ll Need Them. Keep your keys by the front door; eye glasses in the same place everyday, and wallet/purse in the same location. 2. Keep A Notebook With A Calendar. Keep names, phone numbers, important dates, medical information, to do lists, and a notepad. Carry it with you (or carry a small notepad), so you can jot down information as needed. 3. Minimize Distractions. Focus on one thing at a time. Turn off the TV or radio when you need to focus your attention on a task. 4. Exercise Your Mind. Read, do crossword puzzles, play cards, chess, or a musical instrument to keep your mind active. Watch television shows like Jeopardy. 5. Take Care Of Your Body. Go for a walk, swim, or bicycle. It’ll clear your mind. And remember to eat a balanced diet and get enough rest!

Buy Now? Or Rent?

If you’re thinking of investing in a house now or wondering whether you should wait, here are three important things to consider: 1. Renting vs. Buying. If you rent a home, it could cost you less each month...and you might have more money to invest in other endeavors. But if you put your money in a low-interest money market fund, generally you will not earn as much as if you had invested your money in a house. Rents have been rising so you might buy for less than rent? 2. Housing Prices and Interest Rates. You may be waiting for the housing prices in your area to fall. My opinion is home prices have hit the peak or close to it. Interest rates are near the bottom as well, currently hovering in the low 3% range. 3. The Break-Even Point. The average break-even point for buying and selling a house is generally five to seven years. If you plan to move before then you may want to seek professional advice before purchasing property if you want to realize a profit on your investment.