Retirement Planning Strategies - February 2022

Retirement Planning Strategies - February 2022

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FEBRUARY 2022

HEALTHY, WEALTHY,

&Wise

1 Denver Federal Center Building 45, Entrance E-9, Room 1050 Lakewood, CO 80225

WHERE WILL YOU BE IN THREE YEARS? USE ‘VIVID VISION’ TO BOOST YOUR SUCCESS

Let’s imagine for a second that you took my advice last month and created New Year’s resolutions. How is it going so far? It’s possible that in the last 30 days, you’ve realized your goal has what I’ll call “The Goldilocks Problem”: It’s either too big or too small. I learned about this idea from Cameron Herald, one of the business minds behind the success of 1-800-GOT-JUNK? Herald wrote a book called “Vivid Vision: A Remarkable Tool for Aligning Your Business Around a Shared Vision of the Future.” In it, Herald explained that most people either plan too much or too little when they’re setting goals and resolutions. Both of these scenarios are problematic. If you plan too much, you’ll end up in the paralysis of analysis — nothing will get done because you’ll be so busy focusing on the plan that you’ll never implement it! If you plan too little, you’ll finish your resolutions in a snap without really moving forward to the life you want.

Once you’ve pictured your new life, Herald explains how to work backward from 2025 and set quarterly goals for 2022, 2023, and 2024 that you can “back into” to make that picture come true. For every quarter you ask yourself, “If this will be true in three years, what do I need to do this quarter to make it happen?” Then, write down the steps. Breaking your goals down this way makes even the most ambitious visions seem doable. Like Tony Robbins said, “Impossible is not a fact ... it’s an opinion. What’s impossible only remains so until someone finds a way to do what others are sure can’t be done.” This planning process I described might sound difficult, but “Vivid Vision” makes it easy. I went through all the steps for my business three years ago. My goal was to grow our company’s impact by about 3%. With the help of “Vivid Vision,” we saw a significantly higher increase! I was blown away by the numbers when my team and I sat down for our annual strategic planning meeting last month on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. At that meeting, we updated our three-year plan and pushed it out for one more year. Using “Vivid Vision” on a continuous basis allows us to keep the planning process ongoing so our work is never really done. If you’re having trouble setting personal or professional goals that feel exciting and achievable, I’d definitely recommend checking out “Vivid Vision.” Holding that picture of your future in mind could be just the motivation you need!

MY GOAL WAS TO GROW OUR COMPANY’S IMPACT BY ABOUT 3%. WITH THE HELP OF ‘VIVID VISION,’ WE SAW A SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER INCREASE!

Do either of those scenarios sound like what you’re going through? If they do, you might want to pick up a copy of “Vivid Vision.” The book lays out a plan for setting goals over the course of three years. First, you use a visionary technique to imagine where you’re going to be in 2025.

Are you retired on a beach?

Have you traveled to Europe?

–Ann Vanderslice

Do you own a second home?

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The Importance of a Good Night’s Rest

QUALITY SLEEP PROMOTES HEALTHY AGING

Eliminate unhealthy substances. Limit your intake of caffeine and sugar throughout the day — especially right before bed — for better rest. It’s also best not to drink liquids about an hour before bed, so you don’t wake up in the middle of the night to use the restroom which will disrupt your sleep.

Sleep is an essential part of our lives, but it becomes even more important as we get older, as it’s a necessity for healthy aging and staying energized. Ideally, everyone should sleep between 7.5 to 9 hours a night, but as we get older, this becomes much harder

to achieve. Health complaints, minor disturbances, and a decrease in melatonin levels make it difficult for seniors to get a full night of sleep, which can cause irritability and fatigue.

Regulate your sleep schedule. Keeping the same schedule for sleeping can reap immediate benefits. You will notice increased alertness during waking hours as well as enhanced memory and attention span. You may also start to feel tired around the same time every day, ensuring that you will actually go to sleep right on schedule.

To combat these disturbances, here are a few things you can do to ensure you get enough sleep during the night.

Build an active daily routine. Outdoor exercise and general movement every day is good for your body. Being outside and absorbing sunlight can balance and optimize your melatonin levels, which can help you fall asleep easier. On top of exercise, try weaving protein-rich snacks and meals into your

It can take time and patience to adjust to new habits to improve sleep, especially for the elderly. It won’t happen overnight, but the benefits that come with a better night’s sleep will have you feeling younger and healthier than ever before. If anything, you will feel more engaged and happier throughout your daily life.

routine. Foods like meat and nuts can improve sleep quality, and dairy foods contain tryptophan, which is a sleep-promoting chemical.

NATURAL INGREDIENTS FOR CLEANING Four Ways to Use Baking Soda and Vinegar

Instead of using harsh chemicals to clean, you can use natural products you probably already have in your home! Vinegar and baking soda are great resources for cleaning. Both are effective cleaning agents because they are on opposite sides of the pH scale, which measures how acidic a substance is. The scale goes from 1–14, with 1 being very acidic, 7 being neutral, and 14 being very basic. Baking soda has a pH of 9, and vinegar has a pH of 2. When combined, the mixture releases carbon dioxide gas that can help lift dirt and germs from surfaces. Individually, these products are already cleaning powerhouses. Baking soda dissolves dirt, grease, and other sticky substances. It’s also gentle enough to clean without leaving scratches. Vinegar breaks down minerals that form from hard tap water, which can cause stains on sinks, bathtubs, and countertops.

Please note that while bleach is popular for disinfecting surfaces, it’s unsafe when mixed with vinegar. Baking soda and bleach, however, are fine to mix together.

Here are a few ways to use vinegar and baking soda in your cleaning routine.

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To remove hard water stains from your sink, place a towel soaked in vinegar over the area. After a few hours, remove the towel and scrub the area with baking soda and water. If your laundry has mildew on it, add half a cup of baking soda into the laundry detergent. Then, add one cup of vinegar during the rinse cycle to kill bacteria. This method won’t ruin the fabric of your clothes. Instead of using chemicals that could damage your pipes, unclog and clean your drains by using half a cup of

baking soda and one cup of vinegar. This concoction will fizz up, but once it settles, flush the drain with hot water for five minutes. Afterward, run cold water down the drain. The grout between tiles can be annoying to clean. To clean the grout, create a paste using baking soda and water, then spritz with vinegar. Immediately after doing this, scrub and rinse the area. Repeat these steps if needed.

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Cleaning is all about trial and error. Try these tricks to find what works best for you!

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DON’T LIKE FISH?

Other Ways to Get Your Omega-3s

If you made New Year’s resolutions for your health, there’s a good chance “eat better” is on the list, including adding more Omega-3s to your diet. These fatty acids have a whopping 17 health benefits, such as fighting heart disease and Alzheimer’s. That’s probably why doctors often recommend them. Omega-3s have a ton of functions. For example, they create a phospholipid layer of cell membranes to help give cells structure. There are a lot of these fatty acids in your brain and eyes, and they are critical for the cognitive development of babies as well. Omega- 3s can also improve your heart health by reducing the amount of inflammation you experience. Just as Omega-3s are important for the beginning of life, they’re equally important to help you maintain good health throughout your life. The most popular source of Omega-3s is fish; so, what if you don’t like the taste of seafood or have an allergy?

2. Edamame and kidney beans are also good substitutions. Boil or steam edamame and put them in your salads or side dishes. Kidney beans are a popular side dish as well and can be used in curries, stews, chili or rice.

3. If you’re looking for new cooking oil, soybean oil can replace vegetable or olive oil. You can also use it as a salad dressing.

4. Eating mixed greens such as kale and spinach is beneficial as well. These greens can be sautéed with soybean oil for even more benefits. 5. If you need more of an Omega-3 boost or are experiencing high levels of inflammation, there are supplements you can explore like krill oil, cod liver oil, fish oil, and algae oil.

Here are some substitutions to consider.

1. You can add chia seeds, hemp seeds, flaxseeds, and walnuts to your meals to get the needed nutrients. They are great additions to granola, oatmeal, salads, smoothies, or when mixed with milk or yogurt. You can even put them on toast with peanut butter.

Train Your

BRAIN!

Chocolate Pecan Fondue

Inspired by TasteOfHome.com

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 cup half-and-half cream • 2 tbsp honey • 9 oz semisweet chocolate, broken into pieces • 1/4 cup pecans, finely chopped

• 1 tsp vanilla extract • Fresh fruit of your choice • Shortbread cookies • Large marshmallows

DIRECTIONS

1. In a sturdy saucepan over low heat, combine cream and honey. Stir until mixed thoroughly and heat until warm. 2. Add in chocolate, stirring until melted. 3. Stir in pecans and vanilla.

4. Transfer to a fondue pot or a slow cooker to keep warm. 5. Serve with fruit, cookies, and marshmallows of your choice.

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Ann Vanderslice Federal Benefits Made Simple, an E.A. Buck Company is an independent financial services firm helping individuals create retirement strategies using a variety of insurance and investment products to custom suit their needs and objectives. This firm is not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. government or any governmental agency. E.A. Buck is an independent financial services firm, offering investment and insurance products to consumers. Securities offered only by duly registered individuals through Madison Avenue Securities, LLC (MAS), member FINRA/SIPC. Investment advisory services offered only by duly registered individuals through AE Wealth Management, LLC (AEWM), a Registered Investment Adviser. Insurance services offered through Ann Vanderslice Federal Benefits Made Simple an E.A. Buck Company. MAS, AEWM, and Ann Vanderslice Federal Benefits Made Simple, an E.A. Buck company are all separate entities. 1204219-2/22.

issue INSIDE THIS

Succeed Personally and Professionally With ‘Vivid Vision’ PAGE 1

Quality Sleep Can Promote Healthy Aging

How to Clean Naturally PAGE 2

Swap Fish for These Substitutes! !

Chocolate Pecan Fondue PAGE 3 Eat Smart While Abroad PAGE 4

Restaurant etiquette can vary widely across country borders so here are five things to keep in mind while exploring cuisine in new places! China While eating in China, don’t stick your chopsticks into your meal straight upward. It brings a curse of bad luck since it reminds those in the Chinese culture of the incense that burns at funerals. It’s also bad luck in many other Asian cultures for similar reasons, including Japan and Korea. When setting down your chopsticks, let them rest on the rims of your rice bowl or on the table. Chile With the exception of bread, in Chile, you must use utensils for everything you eat! It’s considered bad manners to eat with your hands. Even French fries and pizza are eaten with a knife and fork. Egypt It’s never acceptable to refill your own beverage while in Egypt. It’s customary to wait for someone else to do it. When your neighbor’s glass is half-empty, refill their glass, and they’ll return the favor! FIVE TIPS FOR EATING IN FOREIGN COUNTRIES

England Port — a sweet after dinner wine that originated in Portugal — is enjoyed in a very specific way in England. It must be continuously passed to the left side of the table until the bottle is finished. If the port is not passed, it’s impolite to ask for it. Instead, someone can ask the person who has it, “Do you know the Bishop of Norwich?” Once they reply they don’t know him, the response goes, “He’s a very good chap, but he always forgets to pass the port.” Italy In Italy, it’s considered a cardinal sin to ask for cheese when it’s not offered to you. If you want to blend in with the locals, don’t ask for extra cheese on anything - your pasta or even worse — seafood!

We hope these tips help you on your next journey abroad! Bon Appétit!

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