Stress Relieving Tips

When we’re stressed, we’re less able to focus and we’re doing damage to our overall health. Here are some science-based methods for de-stressing quickly. • Breathe – Stress makes us take short breaths. Concentrate on deep breaths through the nose, exhaling through the mouth, for several minutes to increase oxygen flow and reduce tension. • Pattern Reset – Forcing your brain to focus on something else, such as the repetitive task of doing dishes or knitting, can help get your mind off whatever’s bothering you. • Go for a Walk – Not only will a 10-minute walk physically remove you from any stressful situation, the exercise releases stress-relieving endorphins in your brain. Dancing to your favorite song works, too. • Take an e-Break – We love technology, but it can also cause a huge amount of stress. Turn off your phone or computer to increase your ability to relax, and don’t leave your email inbox open all day. • Have a Snack – It’s important to be mindful about snacking (stress eating is nobody’s friend), but some nibbles can be helpful. Potassium can help modulate blood pressure, which can in turn reduce stress levels, so have a banana. Something like a handful of nuts offers a satisfying crunch and the energy your brain needs to get past the stress.

Home Maintenance this Fall

Fall is a great time to address home maintenance projects. It is tough to get a roofer out in the summer months but now you should be able to get a competitive bid. There is still time to tackle a painting project before it gets too cold, and the rain won’t stop. Landscaping projects in the fall months will pay off in the spring and look great all winter. Now is the time to get your furnace service competed for your peace of mind and you can make that furnace last by having it tuned up yearly. (Try Glendale Heating at 206-800-7354) If you want to invest in new windows do it now so you can enjoy lower heating bills and pay yourself back that much quicker. Adding additional insulation in attic and crawl spaces will make your home quieter and much easier to heat in the winter and cool in the summer. Fall is for home maintenance and Seahawks!

Retirement Financial Fears

Now is a great time to come up with a plan for retirement. You’ve worked tirelessly your entire life, and retirement is your time to finally and fully enjoy that hard-earned rest and relaxation. Unfortunately, not being able to afford retirement is a fear many people have. Get ahead of the game so you can rest easy.  Start saving now, at your current age. Establish a monthly budget that includes tucking money away for retirement.  Stick to the retirement plan. Do not withdraw money early for expenses if you have any other options.  Avoid borrowing, and keep debt to a minimum. If you need to borrow make yourself the lender and pay yourself interest.  Use a 401(k) plan to boost retirement savings. These plans allow funds to be invested directly from a paycheck before they’re subject to taxes.  Take advantage of company matching opportunities for retirement contributions.

Good Credit

Buying a home may seem like a complex process. That’s because it is! There are a lot of moving parts, one of which is the lending process. Did you know that lenders evaluate your financial status based on your credit history, your income (or ability to pay the loan), and your debt-to-income ratio? The main tool lenders use is your credit score because it gives them a quick picture of your credit history. Good credit health is critical to getting the loan you want. Call my preferred lender John Porter at Mortgage Masters at 206-954-8736 or john@mortgagemasterwa.com. He is here to help! • Credit age: Lenders will want to see a long credit history from a variety of financial institutions. Lenders love to see cards that have been open for a long time, even if you don’t use it today. Closing accounts when you pay off debt only lowers this score (sometimes just temporarily). Think about keeping some accounts open that you’ve had for a long period of time, even if you don’t use the card. • Credit card utilization: Financial institutions will want to see a credit card utilization below a certain range, though each has its own scale of what’s acceptable. It’s a good idea to use less than 30% of your available credit. Lenders want to see that you have a great history of paying down debt and keeping usage low. • A blemish-free history: Mortgage companies want to see that you’re able to repay loans. A missed payment will ding your credit score and show on your file for lenders to see. Always make payments on time. • Debt-to-income ratio: Your credit utilization figure, total debt, and your income will allow lenders to calculate your debt-to-income ratio. This allows them to assess risk by looking at your capacity to repay a further loan. That’s why it’s important to keep your file up to date and to keep your debt low. • Collateral: Lenders will want to see what kind of assets you have that could be used to repay the loan should you default. Collateral could be equity in a house or business. This will provide security against the loan and increase chances of a loan being approved.

Design With Simplicity

With home decor, the word “simplicity” may conjure images of starkly modern interiors with hard, polished surfaces and not much in the way of color. But simplicity can be a part of any design aesthetic—it’s just about the idea that “less is more.” First–clear the clutter. Clutter makes it difficult to focus, as your attention bounces around and can actually make you fell stressed. Next–ask yourself what the purpose of the room is. If it’s to relax in front the TV, start removing items that don’t add to that purpose. If it’s to sleep, maybe remove the TV and any other distracting items. Keep editing! Look at each item and remove any that don’t have a purpose. This clears floor space for ease of movement and helps you choose a few statement pieces that don’t compete with one another. So why choose simplicity? Rooms that incorporate simplicity feel more open, which can reduce stress and encourage relaxation. Spaces that are less cluttered are easier to clean, too, which means you spend less time cleaning and more time enjoying the room. An organized home also means sudden house guests don’t cause cleaning anxiety.

Selecting the Right Tree to Plant

Trees are a major landscaping feature for your home, and a major investment as well. Choosing the right tree for your yard is about much more than just what looks pretty in the garden center. Consider these factors before you start planting this spring. What is the tree’s job? You might want property border definition, a privacy screen, shade, brilliant fall colors, or fruit growing in your yard. Narrow your search to trees that fulfill your needs. What trees are best suited to your location? Don’t invest in a beautiful tree if it won’t thrive in your climate or the soil in your yard. Also keep in mind how much extra watering a tree will need, and when. Trees generally need more water in the first two years before they’re established. What kind of maintenance is involved? Leaves that turn bright colors every fall may be a vibrant focal point for your garden, but those leaves will also need to be raked up. Find out what a tree will need in each season, including any pruning and disease prevention. How much space can the tree occupy? Be aware of how large a tree will get when it’s mature, and plant accordingly. Even if you won’t be in your house 20 or 50 years in the future, careful planting today means future occupants won’t need to uproot the tree. The Arbor Day Foundation has a helpful “Tree Wizard,” where you answer some questions to find out what types of trees are right for you. (https://www.arborday.org/shopping/trees/treeWizard/intro.cfm)

5 Ways to Think Positively

How you approach life can affect your health, according to several studies by medical professionals. Positive people tend to have fewer health problems and live longer lives than pessimists. The good news is if you’re not typically the bubbly type, you can learn an optimist’s skills to help improve your health and how you feel. How to do it: 1. First, determine the things that make you feel the happiest. It might be spending time with positive friends or favorite family members, walking the dog, or watching a funny TV show. Helping others tends to help you feel better too. 2. Next, schedule one of those things in every day’s agenda. Make it a necessary part of your day. 3. Focus on positive thoughts. When a negative thought arises, pause and find a way to spin it to the positive. Even if you don’t believe it at first, just thinking it or saying it aloud can affect your outlook. For example, change “No one wants to talk to me” to “I’ll find a way to talk to others at least once today.” 4. Make being healthier a priority. Exercise boosts your mood and has been proven to reduce stress, which can increase negativity in your life. A healthy diet makes your body and mind feel better, making it easier to be positive. 5. Avoid negative people. Nothing sidetracks a positive day like someone who always has something negative to say. It won’t happen overnight, but after practicing positivity for a few weeks you’re sure to have a better outlook.

Give With Confidence

GoFundMe.com is a fundraising site for people and projects raising money in the face of natural disasters, personal calamities, or other financial problems. Unfortunately, there are some unsavory folks hoping to claim money as well. Here’s how to know your money is funding a legitimate purpose:  Avoid campaigns with minimal information about specific issues or financial problems.  Perform a reverse image search on Google. Right click on the main photo and select “Search Google for Image.” If there are a lot of results, the photo was stolen and the campaign likely isn’t real.  Contact the fundraiser. Click on the little green envelope to send an email if you want clarification or have questions.

Make Doctor Visits More Productive

Going to the doctor can be a bit stressful, even if the reason for your visit is as simple as an annual check-up. It’s easy to become flustered once you’re in an exam room, and the questions you may have had in mind to ask your doctor can quickly disappear. You can make your next appointment a stress-free success with a bit of preparation. Try these tips: • Take notes: If you’re having specific symptoms, keep a journal of the day-to-day changes. Add details like what you eat, what time, changes in mood or appetite, as any little detail might be important. If you’re taking medications, include those as well so your doctor is fully informed. Make notes, too, of questions you have for your doctor – your visit is a two-way conversation and you want to maximize both your own time and your doctor’s. • Timing is everything: Delays at the doctor’s office can increase feelings of anxiety and nervousness. If you can, make appointments first thing in the morning. That could help you avoid the inevitable delays as doctors see other patients and appointment times run over. Try to make sure your day is as free as possible so you don’t stress about your next task if you end up waiting. • Be honest: Not being entirely honest or withholding information from your doctor can be a detriment to you and your health. Remember: your doctor is there to help you. If you find you have a hard time actually saying something you’re embarrassed about–try practicing it out loud in a mirror before your appointment. • Be flexible: You may have a specific treatment in mind when you go into your appointment, but your doctor is a professional. It’s a good idea to at least listen to all the options.

Signs Your Parents Need Help

The elderly population is expected to double by 2029. It’s a fact of life we have to face sooner or later: At some point, one or both of your parents, as independent as they seem to be, are going to need extra help at home. Approach the situation carefully, but keep an eye out for these early signs you may notice when you visit them.  Difficulty getting around. Are they having trouble with the stairs or getting in the shower or bathtub? There are adjustments you can make to their home to make it safer, such as removing small area rugs, installing grab bars in the shower and using nightlights to light the path to the bathroom.  Physical health issues. Are they making their doctor appointments? They may be limiting their social activities because they can’t hear or see as well as they should. Do they keep a list of their medications? Some older people are, in fact, over-medicated. Offer to go with them on one of their next appointments.  Forgetfulness. Do they remember things you talked about? Do you see unpaid bills on the table? Is the house clean and is the dirty laundry under control? Is there food in the refrigerator? Work with them on solutions, such as hiring a cleaning service or considering a meal delivery option. There are many resources available to help you help them. Check out sites such as the National Council on Aging (www.ncoa.org), www.care.com and www.agingcare.com. To engage their minds and keep them (or anyone over 50) up-to-date on aging issues, take a look at www.aarp.org.

Wax Paper

Here are just a few handy wax paper tricks to have up your sleeve. • It polishes chrome surfaces like sink faucets and shower fixtures. • It helps sticky things (like can openers, zippers, and irons) move more smoothly. • It attracts dust, so it’s a good stand-in for a dusting cloth. • It helps seal wooden kitchen utensils and cutting boards.

Donating Clothes And Accessories

Is it time for a wardrobe facelift? Before hauling your old clothes away to the same secondhand store or tossing them in the trash, consider these options. Blue jeans: Old blue jeans donated through bluejeansgogreen.org will be turned into insulation in communities that need it most. Shoes: Both soles4souls.org and oneworldrunning.com accept gently worn shoes to donate to people in need around the world. Wedding and formal dresses: Most people only wear formal clothing a few times, so if your wedding dress or formal gowns are still in great condition, pass them on! Soon-to-be-military brides are on the receiving end at bridesacrossamerica.com, and Project G.L.A.M. (wgirls.org) provides teenage girls with prom dresses. Eyeglasses: If you’ve updated your prescription lately, donate old frames and lenses to new-eyes.org, where they’ll be passed on to someone who can’t afford new eyeglasses.