Atlanta Divorce Law Group - January 2021

Atlanta Divorce Law Group - January 2021

LET YOUR CREATIVE

JUICES FLOW!

January 2021

are the perfect outlet to turn your post-divorce energy into a creative experience rather than a destructive one! One of the best things about a hobby is that, unlike the emotional divorce process, it has a clear beginning and end. When you bake a batch of cookies or play a tennis match, you know you’re finished when the desserts are cooling on the table or when you win 2 points ahead of your opponent. Not only is the process fun, but it’s also satisfying to finish it successfully. Even if you aren’t facing a divorce, you could probably benefit from the creative outlet of a hobby. Divorce is just one of many situations that cause us to inflict guilt, shame, and emotional damage on ourselves. Believe me, I’ve been there! When I’m struggling with negative thoughts, I push myself to do something I enjoy like reading, running, practicing yoga, or spending time with my kids. When I play dolls or Barbies with my daughter, I always get lost in her imaginary world, and before I know it, my problems are reduced to pulling on a doll’s tiny shirt or organizing a tea set for a party of imaginary friends. The same thing happens when I read an autobiography — I get so sucked into the character’s life that I can’t resist doing more research and completely geeking out over their story. Sometimes I have so much fun that I surprise even myself! This new year, I have a challenge for you: Take the energy you’ve been wasting looking for answers and channel it into something you love. Find more time for yourself and your hobbies this year, either indulging in old ones or exploring new ones. No matter where you are in the divorce process — or even if you’re not divorcing at all — I promise you’ll see positive results. THE MENTAL BENEFITS OF SPENDING TIME ON YOUR HOBBIES

A divorce will leave you with a thousand questions.

• • • •

Why did this happen?

Who am I now?

How will I move on? What comes next?

These questions can be valuable, but if they take up too much time and space in your head, then that energy will become destructive. That’s when dysfunctional behaviors like overspending, disordered eating, and substance abuse pop up. I’ve seen this before with clients who look for any escape they can find to forget their circumstances and mask their pain.

AtlantaDivorceLawGroup.com 678-203-9893

Fortunately, there are other, healthier ways to move on from a divorce and get yourself out of that vicious cycle. One of my favorites is exploring new and old hobbies. A hobby isn’t an escape from your life, but it is a safe space where you can put your negative thoughts aside and truly enjoy yourself. Whether you love baking, scrapbooking, woodworking, rock climbing, running, or collecting, indulging in a hobby will help you breathe after hours, days, or months of drowning in unanswered questions. January is National Hobby Month, and it seems only fitting because this month also has the highest divorcee rate of any throughout the year. It’s almost poetic that in a time of so much difficulty, the calendar also reminds us to do something productive and healthy. Your hobbies “This new year, I have a challenge for you: Take the energy you’ve been wasting looking for answers and channel it into something you love.”

–Sara Khaki

1

678-203-9893

2 ADLG Events to Kick Off Your New Year Start 2021 on the Right Foot

CHILD CUSTODY BOOTCAMP (COMPLIMENTARYWEBINAR) When: Tuesday, Jan. 19, at 7 p.m. Register: AtlantaDivorceLawGroup.com/Webinars/Child-Custody-Bootcamp A new year should be a fresh start, but it’s impossible to leave the past behind you when a custody battle is still raging. If you’re in the middle of this emotional turmoil, you’re not alone! Our team has helped hundreds of clients through the scary, confusing process of seeking and winning custody, and we’re here to give you a (virtual) helping hand, too. At our complimentary webinar, you’ll learn about different types of custody and how courts decide it. We’ll also discuss the importance of protecting your children from parental conflict, different types of custody schedules, and the do’s and don’ts of navigating child custody during divorce. No matter how chaotic things seem right now, we promise you’ll leave this webinar feeling confident, prepared, and ready to succeed in court in 2021.

Our complimentary divorce support groups and seminars are going online! Register for these upcoming events to gain knowledge, resources, and emotional support that can help you feel empowered while you go through major life changes. HAPPILY EVER AFTER DIVORCE SUPPORT GROUP MEETING (VIRTUAL SUPPORT GROUP) When: Thursday, Jan. 21, at 6:30 p.m. Register: AtlantaDivorceLawGroup.com/happily-ever-after-divorce- support‑group After a divorce, it’s normal to ask yourself, “Why?” and hope to find an answer. This internal quest is stressful, and court proceedings and child custody battles only make it more difficult. Luckily, there is a way to break the cycle, find closure, and look toward the future by listening to experts and sharing your experience with peers. Our Happily Ever After Divorce Support Group unifies people who are going through divorce. This month, our friend and the founder and CEO of Family Solutions Counseling, LLC, Kathleen Shack, is leading an online meeting that you can join from the comfort of your home! Sign up today to get her expert guidance, connect with new friends, and learn how to move into 2021 with confidence.

Here at ADLG, we’re not letting COVID-19 slow us down. Sign up for these virtual events to get the information and support you need without leaving home.

Soup is perfect for sick days and alongside grilled cheese, and Grandma always seemed to have a recipe to make everything better. For as simple and comforting as soup can be, recreating those memories from your stovetop includes a few tedious steps. Become a soup master with this go-to guide to winter’s favorite dish. MIND YOUR PEAS AND CARROTS. The magic of a hearty minestrone or old-fashioned chicken noodle soup comes from the flavors of vegetables to create the perfect blend of comfort and taste. However, overcooking or undercooking vegetables can ruin this delicate balance. So, consider the vegetables you want in your soup and plan accordingly. Start by chopping vegetables into bite-size pieces that will easily fit on a spoon. No one wants a spoonful of soup that’s just carrots after all! Then, add vegetables to your soup based on cooking time and flavoring. Carrots, onions, and celery should “sweat” in the pot with oil and seasoning before you add the broth to capture the fullest flavor of these ingredients. Potatoes and other root vegetables can be added in the boiling phase, while leafy greens only need minutes in the pot toward the end to capture their full flavor. SIMMER TO BLEND FLAVORS. Simmering is the key to a great soup. Once all your ingredients are in the pot, reduce the heat to a low simmer. This allows the flavors to play together without overcooking. If a soup is boiled for too long, the vegetables, meats, and/ or pasta can become mushy and underwhelming. SEASON GRADUALLY — BUT GENEROUSLY. No one enjoys a bland soup, but too much seasoning can overpower the natural flavors of your ingredients. Add your seasoning to vegetables as they sauté in the pot before adding the stock. Then, add the stock and the remainder of your ingredients. Only add more seasoning as the soup simmers and do a taste test. Add a bit of salt and pepper until it’s perfect! If you over-salt, don’t panic. Adding more stock, potatoes, noodles, or cream can fix your soup in a pinch.

Soup’s On! PERFECT YOUR SOUP RECIPE WITH THESE 3 TIPS

Bonus Tip: Always serve your soup with bread, toast, or crackers. It’s the perfect vehicle to soak up all the flavors!

2 AtlantaDivorceLawGroup.com

DON’T GET LOST IN THE SAUCE THE 4 BEST COOKING AND TRAVEL SHOWS

Streaming services are booming right now, and there’s no shortage of entertainment between HBO Max, Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu, Disney+, and more. But the important question is this: What are the best binge-worthy cooking shows? Here are four streamable culinary shows you’ll love.

12 seasons are streaming on HBO Max. The show follows Bourdain as he travels and discovers little-known places in order to celebrate diverse cultures by exploring their food and dining rituals. ‘GORDON RAMSEY: UNCHARTED’ Want something a little more recent? Hop on Disney+ to watch Chef Gordon Ramsey of “Hell’s Kitchen,” who has seven Michelin stars, leap out of helicopters to take some of the most epic adventures you can imagine — ranging from the icy waters of Alaska to the plains of New Zealand — all while learning to cook local food along the way. The latest two seasons are available right now! ‘GREAT CHEFS OF NEW ORLEANS’ Whatever your favorite cooking show may be, it was likely influenced by this classic. One of the oldest cooking shows in the U.S., “Great Chefs” has aged like a fine wine. In this series, you’ll meet some of the best chefs in New Orleans and learn how they create and prepare an appetizer, entree, and dessert. Two seasons are available to Amazon Prime members!

‘THE CHEF SHOW’ Get cozy at home and turn on Netflix to watch Chef Roy Choi, the man responsible for bringing the food from the movie “Chef” to life, on “The Chef Show.” You’ll get incredible home-cooking tips while enjoying appearances from your favorite celebrities, like Tom Holland trying oysters for the first time. This show travels all over the world to explore recipes and honor the tradition of sharing good food. Four seasons are out now! ‘ANTHONY BOURDAIN: PARTS UNKNOWN’ If you’re not familiar with the late Anthony Bourdain, you’re missing out on one of the most influential, internationally lauded chefs of the past few decades. “Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown,” one of his longest- running TV shows, filmed 12 seasons over seven years, and all

Concierge Partner’s Corner

HERE’S WHAT OUR Clients Are Saying!

When you go through a divorce or fight a custody battle, your life changes dramatically, so it only makes sense that your housing changes with it. Whether you’ve moved out of the family home and need to house hunt or stayed behind and are facing financial pressure, a mortgage loan officer can help. John Gilmore, a loan officer with Truist here in Georgia, is one of the best in the business. Over his 19 years in the industry, John has helped clients in

“Jeanette Soltys and her team (Becky Davey and Kate Farmer) are some of the most amazing, caring people out there. From the beginning, they respected my request to not have an ugly battle in court and instead supported and encouraged an amicable solution that both parties could agree to. I can’t say enough about how great they were. They gave quick responses to all of my questions, were honest, reliable, and professional, and got the job done as painlessly as possible. They helped me in so many ways, quickly and cost-effectively. Thank you, Atlanta Divorce Law Group!” –Jamie B.

more than a dozen states and territories secure mortgages and refinance their homes, including Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington, D.C., and West Virginia. He’s also a Certified Divorce Lending Professional, so he knows how financially challenging a split can be. “We help our clients purchase and refinance primary, vacation, or rental homes,” John says. “Whether you are buying your dream home, want to save money each month, or are going through a divorce and need to be the sole owner or paying off your former spouse, we have programs that can help!” If you’d like expert advice to get you through your housing transition, reach out to John today. He’s always available, even on nights and weekends. To get in touch, call 770-378-0794 or email [email protected].

3 678-203-9893

Let That Fresh Air Fuel You 4 TIPS TO MAKE GETTING OUTSIDE EASIER

3.

Take your work outside. If you’re working from home, take some work outdoors. Phone and virtual meetings are a great outdoor option, especially if you’ll just be an active listener and aren’t required to do any work simultaneously. Attach a note to your meeting reminders to get yourself set up outside five minutes before you start. Create a schedule. It might feel strange to set reminders throughout the day to step outside, but you easily get wrapped up in activities and overlook breaks, and these reminders are exactly what you need. Start with 10-minute blocks three times a day. If you stick to them, soon you won’t need a schedule to get outside anymore.

Hunkering down and waiting for the dark and chilly winter season to pass sounds pretty nice. But the reality is, if we deprive ourselves of time outside, we do ourselves a big disservice both mentally and physically. Staying indoors all day affects your energy and mood, which makes it hard to get anything done, so here are four easy tips to make it easier to get a little fresh air.

1.

Make it a priority. Getting outside means making the conscious effort to do so. If you want to reap its benefits, you have to decide to make it a priority in your day-to-day schedule. If you make the act important to you, you have more motivation to actually do it. Use mornings effectively. Waking up and getting the day started can be hard. But studies have shown that natural light helps decrease your melatonin production, which means you feel ready to face the day sooner. So, set yourself a second alarm to head outside and take a quick walk around the block just after waking. Don’t even wash your face or grab coffee. Just get out there.

4.

2.

Winter weather may be cold, but even when you’re bundled up under a jacket and scarf, just 5–10 minutes outside can do wonders for your mood and energy for hours.

Your 2021 Playlist 15 Empowering Songs to Help You Tackle the New Year

If you’re worried about dragging your 2020 baggage into 2021, we have just the thing you need to change your mindset: music! After one listen through this empowering playlist, we promise that you’ll be ready to dance your way into 2021 and make it your best year yet.

1. “I Will Survive” – Gloria Gaynor 2. “Rise” – Katy Perry 3. “Eye of the Tiger” – Survivor 4. “Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You) - Kelly Clarkson 5. “Shake It Off” – Taylor Swift 6. “This Mountain” – Faouzia 7. “Warriors” – Imagine Dragons 8. “Born This Way” – Lady Gaga 9. “Titanium” – David Guetta 10. “Only the Strong Survive” – Jerry Butler 11. “Woman’s World” – Cher 12. “Shake It Out” – Florence + the Machine 13. “I Gotta Feeling” – Black Eyed Peas 14. “Roar” – Katy Perry 15. “Fight Song” – Rachel Platten

Are you pumped up yet? We can’t wait to see what you accomplish in 2021!

4 AtlantaDivorceLawGroup.com