Holland & Usry - April 2020

SHARE A LAUGH

LET’S FACE IT — WE COULD ALL USE ONE!

• Relieve pain by releasing endorphins, our body’s natural painkillers.

Note from Rob: I wrote this long before the coronavirus outbreak, but I stand by it! Okay, the picture may be noncompliant with guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, so look at it as the hope of joy to come! Folks, we’re gonna get through this. Hang in there, stay safe, and be well. Know that if you need us, we’re here for you. We’ll make any arrangements you need so you can feel comfortable making contact with us. April is National Humor Month, which seems right since it kicks off with April Fools’ Day. Honestly, I’m no fan of April Fools’. It celebrates practical jokes that can be mean-spirited, but the health benefits of good humor merit a long look at how we can use it — seriously! A 2017 study published in the American Journal of Physiology lists powerful reasons to find the lighter side of life and lists these findings.

• Contribute to healthy blood vessels and increase blood flow.

• Strengthen relationships. Here’s my favorite quote from the study: “When people share laughter, there is a special connection between them. By creating positive emotional and social connections, using humor may lower defenses and establish rapport.” So the question becomes this: How can we inject more humor into our lives to create the chance to share that laugh? It’s challenging. No one ever said to grow up because it’s fun. I found a great article on HelpGuide.org, a nonprofit website devoted to mental health and wellness, which gives some laughter hacks for our pressure-filled, fast-paced lives. Here’s what they recommend. • Smile! It’s a head start on a laugh. Look at people and smile. They smile back. For the record, your phone won’t. And Siri doesn’t know how to laugh. (Yes, I asked her.) • Count your blessings. Literally — make a list. No blessing is too small. For example, I didn’t have to take out the trash today. Seeing all the positive things can block out the joy- killing negatives.

Humor can:

• Decrease stress hormones and trigger the release of dopamine, the brain’s “pleasure and reward” chemical. The study tells us, “People who see the amusing side of problems are more capable of coping with stress.”

• Move toward laughter. If you’re late to the joke, folks often want to share. Just ask.

•

Build the immune system by releasing antibodies.

• Spend time with fun people. You don’t have to be the comedian if you invite one along, and humor often feeds off itself. So, find the joy in your day. Seek out the lighter side of life. Share a laugh. While the only thing it might change is how you feel, it might just make life more fun, better, or both. And that’s the point.

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ENCOURAGING YOUR LITTLE GIRL Tips for Raising Strong, Confident Women

In a time when it’s so easy to let technology and school run your child’s life, what’s your role as a parent or guardian? We often hear motivational quotes talking about the importance of risk-taking and resilience, but it can be tough for little girls to learn from just YouTube videos and school alone. Here’s how you can encourage your daughter to spark her own confidence during her toughest moments.

them how the brain grows and adapts rapidly whenever we encounter failure and that failure and mistakes are a part of life. Once they understand that failure isn’t permanent, they’ll be inspired to take risks and solve their problems.

TRUST YOUR DAUGHTER WHILE TEACHING GRIT.

Psychologist Angela Lee Duckworth studies successful people in a wide variety of fields, from business to the military, and has found that the quality most successful people share is grit. The ability to stay engaged with tough tasks for a long period of time is a skill that takes a long time to build, but it’s not impossible for your girl to begin developing grit right now. Duckworth believes the growth mindset can start young girls on a path to embracing failure and moving forward from it. However, a lack of trust in your daughter can suffocate her growth. Despite all the adult-directed activities we give our kids, we need to step back and let them make some of their own decisions. We can give them encouragement and help along the way, but for the most part, we need to trust they can solve problems on their own.

ENCOURAGE BRAVERY AND A GROWTH MINDSET.

Even children can feel pressured to perform to high standards yet stay within their comfort zone. They might think, “I’m not strong enough to climb this tree.” But whether it’s climbing trees or building things with others, small feelings of bravery can grow larger as they grow older.

When you put faith and trust in your little girl to handle her most difficult problems, she’ll learn to do the same for herself.

Self-empowerment will be a crucial skill in their lives, so encourage a mindset focused on growth through the process of learning. Teach

Testimonial HEAR WHAT OUR CLIENTS HAVE TO SAY ABOUT US! “Rob Usry and staff were wonderful on my workers’ compensation case. I highly recommend them.” “Getting hurt on the job wasn’t something I anticipated. So when I got electrocuted (7,400 volts), resulting in two surgeries and extensive nerve damage, I was in a bad way. Enter Rob Usry! Rob fought relentlessly on my behalf for two years. No matter how trivial my wants or needs, Rob was available to me. Every office visit, I was treated like family. They made an otherwise stressful ordeal not so stressful. –Joe M.

And when workers’ comp wouldn’t honor the lifetime medical by refusing me a doctor’s appointment, Rob stepped in on my behalf and negotiated a substantial monetary settlement, allowing me to get and pay for my appointments. I wholeheartedly recommend Holland & Usry to anyone in need of their services. Thanks Rob Usry AND the rest of the team. You guys are awesome!”

–Rich M.

www.bhollandlawfirm.com

Why Seriously Injured Victims Should Hire a Car or Motorcycle Crash Attorney

5. You don’t know how to engage in settlement talks. Negotiations can be drawn out and bewildering. Don’t risk them wearing you down. 6. You don’t know how to use medical evidence or how to protect your right to compensation for future medical treatment. Your doctor is one of the most important witnesses in your case. To get money for future medical care, you’ve got to prove it the right way.

You alone pose little threat to the insurance company. Here are seven reasons why you need professional help.

1. You’re an injured amateur against a gigantic insurance company loaded with professionals intent on making money by cheating you. Just ask yourself this: How many of those insurance company ads tell the story of how the insurance company helped a single injured victim? 2. The insurance company won’t take you seriously because they know what you don’t. Do you really know what you’ve got to prove to win your case? Do you really know how to prove it under the rules of evidence? 3. You don’t know how much insurance is available . This is a prime mistake, and it can lead to a shockingly low result. Insurance coverage is complicated, and you might have access to money you don’t even know about — coverage on YOUR OWN policy. 4. You don’t know how what your case is worth, which risks you cheating yourself and your family out of compensation you should get. Your case also needs a keen evaluation of punitive damages. This is especially true if you get hit by a drunk driver.

7. For child victims, you don’t know court procedures or legal requirements for handling the settlement. Most children’s settlements require a hearing to convince the judge to allow the settlement. You also have some options to manage your child’s settlement money. While hiring an attorney may seem like “one more thing” on a long list, it’s an investment costing little time and no money that can give you a priceless benefit: peace of mind. We work to make a friendly, welcoming environment where you can get your questions answered and get pointed in the right direction.

Good News

EASTER LAMB CAKE

“A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.” –Proverbs 17:22 “What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?” –Romans 8:31

Ingredients

• • • •

2 1/4 cups cake flour 2 1/2 tsp baking powder

• • • •

1/2 cup butter

1 cup milk

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/4 cups granulated sugar

4 egg whites

Equipment

•

1 lamb-shaped, 3D cake mold

Directions

1. Heat oven to 375 F. Coat lamb cake mold with vegetable oil and wipe clean after a few minutes. Then grease again and flour cake mold. 2. In a bowl, sift cake flour, then sift flour again with baking powder and salt. Set aside. 3. In a large bowl, beat sugar and butter together to form a batter. 4. Add flour mixture and milk to the batter alternately. 5. Stir batter until smooth and add vanilla extract.

6. In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. 7. Fold 1/3 of egg whites into batter mixture, then fold in the remaining whites. 8. Fill cake mold with batter and avoid air pockets. Place the lid on the cake mold, secure it tightly, and place it on a cookie sheet. Bake for 1 hour. 9. Let cake cool completely before decorating with frosting, candy, and edible Easter grass.

864.582.0416

Inspired by AllRecipes.com

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* This newsletter is intended to educate the public about personal injury, workers’ compensation, criminal defense, and family law issues. You can copy and distribute it as long as you copy the entire newsletter. But the newsletter is not intended to be legal advice; you should ask a lawyer about your specific case. Every case is different, and all case outcomes depend on unique facts and laws.

101 W. St. John St. Suite 206 Spartanburg, SC 29306

INSIDE this issue

1

Share a Laugh

2

Tips for Raising Strong, Confident Women

Testimonial

3

Hiring the Right Attorney

Easter Lamb Cake

4

Laughter Yoga’s Rise as a Global Health Movement

If you no longer want to receive this newsletter, call Pam at 864.582.0416 or email [email protected] .

LAUGH WITH ME! A LIGHTHEARTED APPROACH TO DECREASING STRESS

We’ve all heard that laughter is the best medicine, and it turns out that human physiology supports this claim. When we laugh, our body releases a flood of feel-good chemicals and neurotransmitters. Our blood flow increases, and our production of cortisol, a hormone associated with stress, decreases. Oh, and laughing also burns calories! The feel-good, endorphin-inducing benefits of laughter are exactly what prompted Dr. Madan Kataria to develop laughter yoga in 1995. Laughter yoga incorporates breathing, stretching, clapping, and of course, laughing. Kataria developed the initial idea after coming across research into the benefits of laughter on overall health and well-being. He began to put the research into practice by telling jokes to his patients, and after seeing the positive effects, he took his material to a local park. Parkgoers, who were initially skeptical, joined in on the practice, and the first laughter yoga club was born. The laughter meetup had everyone in high spirits — until the group ran out of jokes. Unsure of what to do next, Kataria found another medical book suggesting the group didn’t need jokes to laugh. Fake laughter is just as beneficial as the real thing because the body can’t tell the difference between the two.

Collaborating with this wife, Madhuri, Kataria combined common yoga warmups and breathing techniques with facilitated laughter to create the form of laughter yoga that is practiced worldwide today. If you’re interested in trying laughter yoga for yourself, then you’re in luck. Laughter yoga clubs exist across the United States and the world. Videos on YouTube can teach the basics, but laughter yoga tends to be most beneficial in a group setting. Just think about the last time you found yourself in a fit of giggles with a group of friends or during a comedy show. Didn’t it feel great? Rather than wait for a silly situation to trigger laughter, use laughter yoga to promote laughter and alleviate stress on any day at any time.

www.bhollandlawfirm.com