Principal Shield Financial - August 2021

Principal Shield Financial - August 2021

AUGUST 2021

WISE & WEALTHY NEWSLETTER

(619) 994-1110 WWW.PRINCIPALSHIELD.COM

ARE YOU SABOTAGING YOUR OWN RETIREMENT? THE SNEAKY PROBLEMWITH THE ‘MAÑANA SYNDROME’

Do you eject the DVD from the DVD player as soon as the movie’s over, or do you stick around until after the credits, just in case there are “stingers” at the end — or better yet, deleted scenes? I’m very impatient, and I used to eject the DVD right away. But since the Marvel franchise started adding stingers at the end of their movies, and more and more DVDs are including the deleted scenes, I find myself sticking around to make sure I don’t miss anything. You might say I’m a deleted scenes guy. Sometimes they’re the funniest parts of the movie! If you agree, I have good news: My book, “Who’s Stealing Your Retirement? 7 Cunning Thieves Who Are Trying to Ransack Your Nest Egg (And How You Can Catch ’Em),” has “stingers and deleted scenes,” too. I call them “Lost Chapters,” and I have a funny story to share about them. A while back, I talked with a friend and mentor, and he asked me what I was working on. I told him I was supposed to be working on a chapter about procrastination that I intended to include in my book. He immediately started laughing at me. I felt somewhat puzzled until he said, “Weren’t you working on that chapter last week when we talked?” I told him yes and explained that I was just getting back to working on it. “So, let me get this straight,” he said. “The guy who is writing a chapter about procrastination is procrastinating about writing the chapter?” Damn it, he got me! The irony was lost on me up until that moment. At that point, I started laughing. Needless to say, as soon as we hung up, I sat down and finished the chapter in record time. My story is proof that ALL OF US procrastinate, even when we know better. We put off the project our boss gave us at work or wait until the week of our high school reunion to start a new weight loss plan. Retirement Secret #242: Unlike past generations, who were able to rely on their employers or the government to provide financial security in retirement, today, your success will be determined almost entirely by YOU. I can show you how to create your own pension plan. Want to discover more? Get your FREE copy of my book, “Who’s Stealing Your Retirement? 7 Cunning Thieves Who Are Trying to Ransack Your Nest Egg (And How You Can Catch ‘Em),” at WhosStealingYourRetirementBook.com.

Why? Because it’s the easiest thing to do! It requires absolutely no effort to procrastinate. But it can cause a hell of a lot of damage. In fact, procrastination can be incredibly devastating and damaging to your financial life. This is especially true when it comes to saving for your financial future. The later you start socking your money away, the more money you’ll have to save if you plan to continue living the lifestyle you’re accustomed to. And that’s true for several reasons, but mostly because you’ll have less time for your money to grow. Stock market losses (which are inevitable whenever you gamble in the Wall Street casino) will hit you harder, too. One thing you CAN’T replace when you’ve lost it is … Wait for it! TIME! The problem is that for most of us, saving for retirement is too far down on our priority list. It reminds me of an amazing song by Toby Keith, “My List.” In it, he sings about the million things on his to-do list and which ones he checks off. He goes to the bank and the hardware store and puts a new lock on the cellar door. But he doesn’t get to the really important stuff: going for a walk, saying a prayer, taking a deep breath of fresh mountain air, or kissing his girl. I love Toby Keith’s list, and listening to that song always inspires me to consider my own priorities. But there’s one thing missing from his list, and that’s putting away money for retirement and life’s little unbudgeted emergencies. We all need to stop putting off ‘til tomorrow what should get done today. Saving money isn’t very sexy or even inspiring, but it is vital. Here’s the truth: Time can work for you or against you. The good news is that YOU get to choose which path it takes! You can make it work FOR you by saving for retirement early, or let it work AGAINST you by “waiting ‘til you can afford it.” If you’ve already put off saving for years, you’re not too old or too late to change your ways. There’s an old Chinese proverb that goes, “The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is today!”

Call me to kick your procrastination habit and plant that tree.

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WILL A NIGHT AT THE MOVIES CHANGE FOREVER?

Movie Theaters in Post-Pandemic Times

Out of all the businesses hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, few were affected more than movie theaters. For the past year, as movies have debuted on streaming services rather than in theaters, many industry leaders, critics, and theatergoers alike have raised the alarming question: Did COVID-19 kill the movie theater industry? In short? No. Not by a long shot. Though the past year has left the industry somewhat beleaguered (AMC closed 60 theaters permanently, Cineworld reported losses totaling $2 billion, and the Alamo furloughed more than 5,000 employees). Yet, despite all of this, a night at the movies is here to stay. When a Vox reporter reached out to various moviegoers about whether they would attend theaters once the pandemic ends, many of them said yes because streaming a film in their living room just can’t provide the same experience. Watching a movie in a theater completely immerses one in the experience — you can’t pause the film to watch later or do chores. And you’re in it with the whole theater. Comedies are funnier when you laugh with others. A hero’s triumphs are more spectacular when you cheer them on together. (Who didn’t go nuts when Captain America caught Thor’s hammer in “Avengers: Endgame”?) When you leave the theater, you feel a little closer to the strangers around you, and having been immersed in the movie alongside your friends, you can discuss how you liked the movie on the way home. Of course, movie theaters will still change as a result of the pandemic. Theaters are working to become more digital, some even moving to eliminate paper tickets and creating options to order concessions before your arrival. More theaters may promote private viewings of movies so people can be more careful about whom they watch movies with. Some theaters are also trying to create more of an “experience” for moviegoers by offering a wider array of food and even comfier seats.

A few months ago, USA Today ran an article titled “Leni Klum, Lori Harvey, Lourdes Leon, and more celebrity kids becoming fashion trendsetters.” The article shared how the Gen Z children of big-name celebrities such as Steve Harvey, Will and Jada Pinkett Smith, and Madonna have sought to create their own fame through their fashion choices. Children of celebrities often have to work hard to leave their parents’ shadows, and in the age of social media, that means a lot of posts, tweets, snaps, and videos. None of that may shock you. Members of Gen Z are on their phones and other electronic devices watching videos, viewing posts, and commenting on and discussing the ones they like and don’t like. Why wouldn’t Gen Z celebrities’ main avenue for bolstering their fame be their social media accounts? Still, that phenomenon has downsides. The pressure of fame has been exacerbated by social media, especially among minors. Today, one of the most popular answers to the question “What do you want to be when you grow up?” among children ages 7–14 is to be an influencer, a comedian, a vlogger, or an entertainer. As more young people make money (some enough to live quite lavishly) by posting pictures and videos online, more of their viewers aspire to do the same without understanding the pressures or consequences that can come with that lifestyle. The more public you make your life, the more public your mistakes and flaws become along with it. Just as many children of celebrities are starting to come into their own fame, many other celebrities have kept their children out of social media, at least until they themselves consent to be on it. Celebrities like Ryan Gosling, Ashton Kutcher, and Adele understand better than most the pitfalls of a social media presence, especially when famous, which is why they’ve all elected to keep their kids off it for as long as they can. Perhaps many other parents and children would do well to follow suit. In a world where avenues to becoming famous are multiplying online, it’s best to understand the pressures of internet fame before pursuing it. WHATWE CAN LEARN FROM CELEBRITY CHILDREN The Pressures of Internet Fame

However, these changes, especially given the circumstances of the past year, are hardly surprising. The movie theater industry has been evolving

for over 100 years, and it certainly won’t stop evolving now.

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We all know caffeine is the stimulant in our morning cup of coffee that energizes us for the day. But could it also leave your skin looking and feeling refreshed? Most Americans (62%, in fact) would agree that a cup of coffee a day keeps the drowsiness away. According to some dermatologists, though, the caffeine that keeps us awake may also liven up our skin as part of our daily skin care routine — but how? As it turns out, caffeine can help keep your skin healthy in a number of ways. For one, it has antioxidant properties. Antioxidants protect the body from free radicals, which are unstable atoms that can destabilize cells, leading to illness and aging. Free radicals cause wrinkles, so using skin care products with caffeine in them can minimize the amount of wrinkles on your face. Secondly, caffeine can reduce eye puffiness because it increases circulation in the blood vessels just below the skin. However, it should be noted that this effect doesn’t last long, so you should apply the right caffeinated skin care products daily to maximize this benefit. CAFFEINE: THE SKIN CARE STIMULANT? How This Coffee Ingredient Could Energize Your Skin Care Routine

Caffeine can also get rid of subdermal fat and cellulite by metabolizing fatty acids as well as aid in the production of collagen (the most abundant protein in the body, aka what’s literally holding you together). However, before you start applying skin care products with caffeine to your face and expecting all of the above results, you should know that not all dermatologists agree on the extent of these purported benefits. Paula Begoun of Paula’s Choice skin care products says that caffeine “doesn’t work well” for puffy eyes or cellulite. On the other hand, Jennifer L. MacGregor, MD of Schweiger Dermatology Group, insists that caffeine is best for brightening puffy eyes. In any case, the potential benefits of adding caffeine to your daily skin care regimen far outweigh any possible drawbacks. So, what are you waiting for? Energize your skin with a little caffeine!

TAKE A BREAK

Solution on Page 4

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PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411

10435 Cadwell Rd. Santee, CA 92071

INSIDE

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Are You Sabotaging Your Own Retirement?

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Internet Fame and Lessons From Celebrity Children

Will a Night at the Movies Change Forever? How Caffeine Could Energize Your Skin Care Routine Why Are So Many Young People Lonely?

SOLUTION

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WHY SO MANY YOUNG PEOPLE ARE LONELY And How to Stop It

The Post-Dorm Friendship Drought Even before the advent of social media, people moved away from the conditions that created friendships when they left their college dorms. According to sociologists in a 1978 study, there are three conditions that lead to making friends: “proximity, repeated and unplanned interactions, and settings that encourage people to let their guard down.” Young people are much less likely to come across these conditions in their lives after college.

Given the choice between an elderly person living alone in the countryside and a young recent college graduate living in a major metro area, who do you think would have a greater chance of experiencing loneliness? While many seniors do suffer from loneliness, you may be surprised to learn that people in their 20s and 30s experience loneliness today more than any other age group. In fact, the post-college years are when loneliness peaks despite opportunities to interact with others in the workplace or other social environments.

How to Fix It Loneliness isn’t easy to tackle. It takes time and effort to alleviate, and it starts with actively looking for opportunities to form relationships with other people. It can be scary putting yourself out

A Front Row Seat to Everyone’s Highlight Reel When you view someone’s social media, chances are you’re seeing a “highlight reel” of their life. When you compare

your behind-the-scenes footage to that highlight reel, it can leave you feeling unaccomplished and isolated, which further leads to loneliness. Given that millennials are very involved with social media, it’s no wonder their age group is lonelier.

there, but you might be surprised by how accepting other people can be. Rejection is always a possibility, but so is the remedy to your loneliness. You’ll never know how many future friends you may have until you get out and look around for them!

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