Medicare Plans for Hawaii - March/April 2022

Agents For Life

(Not So) Well-Heeled MY JOURNEY FROM PUMPS TO FLATS

MEDICARE PLANS FOR HAWAII

Everything looks better in heels. At least, that’s what I thought when I was younger. As soon as I put them on, I felt cute. It didn’t matter if I was wearing a formal dress or jeans or whether I was at a business meeting or dragging the kids through Costco. I even used to wear them in the kitchen while I cooked! In my mind, heels had all kinds of benefits. I enjoyed feeling taller, I didn’t need to hem my jeans, and I was sure they made me look more professional. As a young mother with five kids, I was eager to be taken seriously, and I thought the pumps would help. I was a businesswoman mom in shorts and 2-inch heels. David and I also used to go to many more parties and events back in San Diego, so of course, I needed a new pair for every occasion. I had different colors and styles, some short and some tall. At one point, I think I had about 60 pairs of shoes. They weren’t all heels, but it was still a little embarrassing. Yet, I’d look into my closet full of cute shoes and think, “You complete me.”

Then in 2012, I joined David in Waikiki to start our new business. At the time, we were selling energy- saving technology to hotels. Our car was still being shipped from San Diego, so I’d walk to hotels and other businesses to introduce myself and get appointments. Naturally,

I dressed very professionally, complete with 6-inch heels.

David Bennett (808) 392-7515 [email protected]

I spent the entire first day walking up and down Kalakaua Avenue, and by the end, I was angry and miserable. My feet were screaming at me, and I still had to walk home. Meanwhile, I was the only person walking around Waikiki in heels, and I got a lot of strange looks. It was only later that I realized they must have thought I was either fresh off the boat (which I was) or brazenly working the streets in the middle of the day (which I was not!). Soon, I started wearing flats and carrying a pair of heels in my bag to put on at the door. As time went on, I went from 6-inch heels to 4-inch, and finally, 2-inch. Then, I stopped

Irma Bennett (808) 799-0399 [email protected]

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March/April 2022

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doing even that much as I started meeting more clients at their homes. Leaving my heels on the stoop was risky, and more than once, they got eaten up by the family dog. After a while, I realized I couldn’t keep losing good pairs of shoes that way. The final straw came when David and I went out to dinner at Aloha Tower. I was wearing heels, and the ground was uneven. I twisted my ankle, fell, and my knee popped out of place. It took me about eight months to fully recover, during which time I saw an orthopedic doctor. She told me that heels look great when you’re young but explained the havoc it wreaks on your spine, joints, hips, and knees. Humans weren’t designed to walk like that, and I was actually hurting my health.

So, I finally acclimated to Hawaiian culture and got my first pair of slippers (called flip-flops on the mainland). I’ll wear short heels for a special occasion, but it’s definitely not the norm. And while I still enjoy window shopping, I find even boots with a wide heel a struggle to walk in these days. Over time, I’ve learned to accept being less tall and embrace my comfort and health. I still find cute shoes, but these days, they’re flats.

–Irma Bennett

REFRAMING YOUR LIFE WITH OPTIMISM A GLASS HALF-FULL

We all tell ourselves stories about our own lives — even if we don’t think of them that way. They’re howwe gain our sense of self and decide if we’re lucky or unlucky, smart or dumb, successes or failures. These stories shape how we see the world and determine what we expect from ourselves and others. And which stories we decide to tell ourselves indicates our optimism or pessimism. Though most of us have a natural disposition toward seeing a glass as half-empty or half-full, science proves that optimism is the superior approach. Studies show that optimists are generally happier, healthier, and wealthier. So where does this magic come from — and if you’re a pessimist, how can you harvest it for yourself? Winston Churchill famously said, “The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.” These lines of thinking explain why optimists tend to find more success. An optimist who believes they are worthy and able to overcome obstacles — and who is sure it will all turn out okay in the end — is more likely to try new things and persevere in the face of setbacks than a pessimist who assumes the worst outcome.

We can all reframe our lives — even if it’s not easy at first. Start by identifying the negative stories you tell yourself, like “bad things always happen to me” or “I can’t do anything right.” Then, assess whether it’s true. Chances are, it’s not. Consider what a more accurate story would be, and start replacing the old one in your mind. Further, if optimists see the opportunities in difficulties, start looking for opportunities yourself when encountering a new challenge. Even more importantly, stop thinking of your unsuccessful attempts in any endeavor as a failure. You can focus on what you didn’t achieve, or you can focus on what you’ve learned. Using the latter tactic is more likely to make you try again and eventually succeed. If you’re a natural pessimist, the glass may always look half-empty to you. But you can learn to rethink your assumptions, try something new, and challenge yourself every day. Simply reminding yourself of another way of thinking is a great place to start. Once you’ve begun reframing your life, you may wonder how you ever lived any other way.

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It’s More Than Just Tidying Up 4 HEALTH BENEFITS OF SPRING-CLEANING

Sunday, March 20, is the first day of spring — which means it’s time for some spring-cleaning. Did you know that cleaning is not just about tidying up a physical space? It’s also about improving overall well-being. Here’s how organization and cleanliness can help you in more ways than you might expect. Spring-cleaning reduces stress and depression. Tidiness and mental health are actually connected. Studies have found that having a clean home is directly correlated to happiness and your ability to focus. Anxiety can spike when laundry is piling up, items are strewn everywhere, and papers get scattered on various surfaces within the home. Clearing the clutter is a great way to boost your mood and increase those feel-good hormones. It prevents illnesses. Doorknobs, refrigerator handles, light switches, countertops, and remote controls are all things we touch many times a day. Cleaning anything that’s used often is one way to reduce the spread of germs. By

keeping household surfaces clean, we help thwart the spread of viruses and illnesses.

Spring-cleaning helps you breathe better. Spring often brings pollen that triggers allergies for many. But pollen isn’t the only thing to blame when people have difficulty breathing. When dust and pet dander build up in your home, your respiratory system is greatly affected too. Deep-cleaning your air filters and vents can make breathing effortless — and it’s truly amazing how this can improve your well-being. It keeps you more active. Off the couch and on your feet! Even just running the vacuum and clearing the clutter from the dining room table will get you up and moving, which is healthy for your heart and body. This spring season, putting some elbow grease into your cleaning will benefit you in more ways than one. Trust me, you’ll thank yourself later!

VEGAN REUBEN

DIRECTIONS

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read something dull or attempt a crossword puzzle or sudoku. Return to bed only when you’ve started to feel drowsy again. It feels counterintuitive, but it works. Finally, don’t forget to set yourself up for success before bed. Avoid alcohol or caffeine in the evenings, keep a consistent sleeping schedule, and turn off phone and TV screens, which emit stimulating blue light. The tricks we’ve outlined will probably help you fall back asleep, but we’re sure you’d prefer to slumber the whole night through.

1. Cut tempeh into 4 thin slices. 2. In a shallow bowl, combine broth, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, liquid smoke, onion powder, paprika, and garlic powder. Marinate tempeh in mixture for 30 minutes. 3. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil. Cook tempeh in the oil for 5 minutes per side. 4. Between toasted bread, layer tempeh, sauerkraut, cheese (optional), and dressing. Enjoy immediately.

• 8 oz tempeh • 1/2 cup INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 tsp garlic powder

vegetable broth • 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar • 1 tbsp vegan Worcestershire sauce • 1 tsp liquid smoke • 1 tsp onion powder • 1 tsp paprika

• 2 tbsp olive oil • Bread of choice, toasted • 1/2 cup sauerkraut • Vegan Swiss cheese (optional) • 1/4 cup Thousand Island dressing

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Inspired by MyDarlingVegan.com

MEDICARE PLANS FOR HAWAII

PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411

1326-C Alewa Dr. Honolulu, HI 96817 (808) 392-7515 hawaii.seniorhealth.pro

Inside This Issue

1 How Irma Ditched Her Heels

2 Half-Empty or Half-Full? You Decide. 3 Get Healthy While Spring-Cleaning! 3 Vegan Reuben 4 Fall Back to Sleep Faster

AWAKE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT? HOW TO FALL BACK ASLEEP

There’s a popular myth that the older we get, the less sleep we

don’t go right back to dreamland, worrying about the upcoming day or blaming yourself won’t help. Use the bathroom, get a drink of water, or kick off a blanket if you need to, but otherwise, stay in bed and focus on sleep. And whatever you do, don’t stare at the clock. Focus on relaxation. After you’ve avoided getting worked up, it’s time to seek out full-on serenity. If you meditate, now is the perfect time to do so. Otherwise, you can use more rudimentary relaxation techniques. Start with deep breathing, inhaling slowly through the nose and

exhaling through the mouth. As you do, relax all of the other muscles in your body one by one, starting from your toes and heading up. Sleepiness will likely return soon. Take your mind off sleep. We’ve told you not to watch the clock, but we’re pretty good at estimating how much time has passed in our heads. If you’ve been trying to sleep for more than 20 minutes with no signs of success, it’s time to get out of bed and do something else. Avoid screens, loud noises, or bright lights; instead,

need. That’s unfortunately not true, but you’ve probably noticed that people generally have more difficulty sleeping as they age. Specifically, many of us struggle with waking up in the middle of the night and being unable to fall back asleep. So what do you do when it’s hours until daylight, but you’re wide awake? Stay calm. If you wake up in the middle of the night, don’t panic. You may be able to fall back asleep quickly, but not if you’re anxious about the fact that you’re awake. Even if you

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Your Agents for Life Thank you for being our client! We appreciate the confidence you have in us and look forward to serving your Medicare needs for another year. Licensed Broker — What It Means for You We are Licensed Brokers, which means we are contracted to represent Medicare plans from multiple insurance companies. Our allegiance and loyalty are to you, our customer, not to any insurance company. As your Broker, we help you select the Medicare plan that best fits your needs, regardless of which insurance company it’s from. Our promise is that we’ll tell you both the good and bad about each Medicare plan so you can evaluate the tradeoffs. You’re a smart person. Once you understand the differences, you’ll know which plan is best for you. And that confidence will give you peace of mind. Family and Friends If you know someone who needs a trusted advisor for their Medicare plan, we would love to help them. Call us today. We’ll take very good care of them for you. Thanks!

David Bennett (808) 392-7515 [email protected]

Irma Bennett (808) 799-0399 [email protected]

The Best Plan for You in 2022

Having second thoughts about your Medicare plan?

Maybe you tried a new Medicare plan this year … It sounded really good, but the reality is not what you expected. Or maybe you feel you missed out on some benefit that others are getting … If you’re having second thoughts about your Medicare plan for 2022, give us a call and let’s talk it through. We can help you. What if your needs change in 2022? If your health care needs change during the year, your current Medicare plan may not fit your situation the way it did before. When things change, give us a call and let’s talk it through. We can help you understand your options. What about all those advertising claims? The purpose of the advertising claims you see is to make the phone ring. Advertisers want you to respond so they can switch you to another plan. Unfortunately, many of the great benefits they advertise are only available in certain areas or to those with limited income. Call us to avoid the pressure of a sales person. We’ll let you know which benefits are available in your area and for your income level. And just as important, we’ll explain the things you’ll give up by changing plans.

Call us with your questions. We are your Agents for Life.