Soto Law Group - March 2021

Soto Law Group - March 2021

March 2021 Soto’s Chronicles

DeDe Soto

Protecting your most valuable asset — your family

FROM THE DESK OF

DeDe Soto

Welcome March!

We are all a bit of Irish in the month of March. With March Madness and luck of the Irish, I do hope we will start to experience more “normalcy” — whatever that means! I have been trying to workout at the beach during this crazy time, and that has been my happy place, or sense of normalcy. Having said that, now is the best time to get your affairs in order or help a family member with their estate planning. I have recently opened a second office in Indian Wells, so if your family is in the desert, feel free to reach out to us and schedule an appointment. We are still conducting much of our business via Zoom – so no need to come into the office in order to get started. However you spend your St. Patrick’s Day, I wish you many blessings and lots of leprechaun luck!

Proud to Be an Entrepreneur Honoring Mom and Pop Business Owners Day

America was built on the backs of small-business owners. Every day that entrepreneurs wake up, work hard, and grow their businesses, they have an impact on the community and the people they employ. And I’m not just blowing smoke. According to the Family Owned Business Institute in Michigan, family-owned businesses account for 78% of job creation in the U.S. and employ 63% of the workforce. Entrepreneurs, business owners, and families with a dream are changing lives just by putting in the hard work! At this time last year, our work got really hard. It wasn’t easy to navigate business ownership in the middle of a pandemic, but by working together and adapting, we were able to grow. March 29 is Mom and Pop Business Owners Day, and I want to encourage you to celebrate yourself a little bit — even if your mom-and-pop shop has grown to be much larger. This month, I want to celebrate all that we have accomplished and offer further motivation to fellow business leaders who are feeling tired, burned out, and stressed. Here’s a great story from Mower County, Minnesota, that proves small businesses are what push our country forward.

Until next time, many blessings,

Mower County boasts about 40,000 residents, but what it lacks in size, it makes up for in heart. An alliance of small-business

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owners and residents make up a group the county calls Pay It Forward, which is dedicated to helping those in need in both big and small ways. When an elderly gentleman’s snowblower was stolen, Pay It Forward donated a new one. When a little girl in the community was born with brittle bone disease, Pay It Forward donated $2,000 to help the family cover medical expenses. When an elderly couple needed dozens of trees removed from their lawn, a local tree service in Pay It Forward volunteered to do it at no cost. The group has also donated funds for an adaptive bike and helped families update their homes to be more accessible, sometimes at a cost of over $65,000. With each action, Pay It Forward is doing more than giving back to its community — it’s creating a legacy and a foundation of people who step up to help their neighbors when times are tough. The group’s impact has been so widespread that it earned Mower County a spot on the annual “Nicest Places in America” list by Reader’s Digest, and I think that’s a worthy title. I believe the work Pay It Forward does in its community is powerful and worth celebrating. I know the residents and citizens who participate in Pay It Forward wouldn’t want much credit for the work they do, but they’re creating

ripples in Mower County and setting a precedent that being a community member doesn’t mean you just live and work there. It means you help improve the lives of those around you. As small-business owners, we have a unique opportunity to do just that. I hope you’re as inspired by the small businesses of Mower County as I am, and I hope you will join me this Mom and Pop Business Owners Day and toast the hard work entrepreneurs do every day.

3 Irish Travel Destinations for Your Bucket List

DON’T MISS THESE HISTORIC SPOTS!

noblemen of nearby Athlone Castle shared drinks in the 12th century. Find more historical tidbits at SeansBar.ie. Ireland’s Spookiest Castle – Coolderry, County Offaly If you’re a fan of thrillers and true crime podcasts, you won’t want to leave Ireland without visiting Leap Castle. This 16th- century haunt was built by the fierce O’Bannon clan, who famously ordered two brothers to throw themselves off a rocky cliff as a test of strength. The survivor was named clan chief, and later Leap Castle was built on that very site — beginning its long and bloody history. Read more about its haunted priest’s house, murder hole room, and bloody chapel at LeapCastle.net and meet the many ghosts that haunt its halls. A Famous Smugglers’ Shortcut – Newcastle, County Down Get ready to tie up your hiking boots! This roughly 2-mile hike, called Hare’s Gap, is one of the most famous and beautiful routes in Ireland. When you climb through this pass in the Mourne Mountains, you’ll be rewarded with views of glacial cliffs, boulder fields, and ancient-looking stone walls. Legend has it that the pass was part of the Brandy Pad smuggling route, used to ferry goods like soap, leather, spices, and coffee.

Traveling to Ireland might not be an option for you right now, but like a leprechaun hoarding gold, you can still fill up your bucket list with all of the pubs, rolling hills, and lucky sites you’d love to see. This month when you’re planning your trip to Dublin, Galway, or Cork, add these spots to your itinerary. The Oldest Bar in the World – Athlone, County Westmeath When Sean’s Bar closed because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the entire country of Ireland groaned. The pub is famous for its Irish whiskey, music, and history, which stretches back to 900 A.D., far enough to earn it the title of “Oldest Bar in the World.” As of this writing, Sean’s is slated to reopen when it’s safe again, and considering it has already survived the bubonic plague and the Spanish flu, odds are good that it will make it through this, too! Soon, you’ll be able to raise a glass in the same rooms where the

Safe travels, and ádh mór (good luck)!

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WITH THESE 4 TIPS Improve Patience and Reduce Stress Switch Focus When agitated, it’s common for our thoughts to center on the irritant. Though it may feel difficult to do when you’re stressed out, switching your focus will help you calm down and be more patient. For instance, if you find yourself growing more and more frustrated by hitting red lights as you drive, try focusing on green instead. Looking for passing cars, signs, trees, or anything that is green will help break that hyper-focus and shift it from negative to positive. Soon, those red lights will be less bothersome. Meditate A great way to increase your patience is by meditating, a combination of the first two tips — focus and breathing. Meditation helps people constructively manage thoughts by allowing them to practice observing their thoughts from a neutral perspective. Regular meditation can reduce stress and improve patience throughout the day. Even just 5–10 minutes of daily practice can have a tremendous impact over time. Practice Acceptance While the above tips can help you improve your patience, sometimes you must simply accept that some things can’t be rushed. There will be times when we cannot control the outcome: A red light will change to green when it changes and no sooner. Learning to accept that can help people let go of their frustration, become more understanding of their situation, and greatly improve their patience.

In this fast-paced world, it can be easy to grow impatient. Things as small as waiting for a slow website to load or waiting in a long line for coffee can sometimes leave people feeling frustrated and anxious. Practicing patience helps reduce stress and helps you realize it's okay if something takes a few extra minutes. If you find yourself feeling impatient, here are a few helpful tips. Breathe Deeply When you feel stressed, your breathing gets shallow, which amplifies anxiety. Practicing deep breathing can help reduce stress and frustration by relaxing your body and mind. This is as simple as taking a few quiet moments to inhale through the nose, drawing your breath into the belly and lungs. Count to four to help you focus as you inhale. Then exhale slowly through your mouth. After a few repetitions, you will find that your mind and body feel calmer. Take a Break!

Asparagus and Smoked Mozzarella Pizzettes

Inspired by EatingWell.com

Ingredients • 1 lb prepared whole-

Directions 1. Preheat oven to 500 F and ensure there are two racks in your oven. 2. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper, stretch each piece of dough into a 7-by-3-inch oval and arrange evenly on the pan. 3. On a second baking sheet, toss asparagus with oil and 1/4 tsp salt. 4. Place dough on top rack and asparagus on bottom and bake for 3 minutes. 5. Remove both trays from the oven, sprinkle cheese over the dough, then top with asparagus and scallions. 6. Return pizzettes to oven and bake until the crusts' edges are golden, about 8–10 minutes. 7. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with walnuts, mint, and orange zest before serving.

wheat pizza dough, divided into 6 equal portions

• 12 oz asparagus

spears, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces • 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil • 1/4 tsp salt • 1 cup shredded smoked mozzarella cheese • 1/3 cup scallions, thinly sliced • 2 tbsp walnuts, toasted and chopped • 1 sprig of fresh mint leaves, torn • Zest of 1 orange

AQUAMARINE BASKETBALL BUTTERFLY CLOVER

DAFFODIL GREEN IDES LEPRECHAUN

MADNESS SPRING TANGERINE WOMEN

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INSIDE THIS ISSUE From the Desk of DeDe PAGE 1 Thank You, Fellow Small-Business Owners! PAGE 1 3 Irish Travel Destinations for Your Bucket List PAGE 2 How to Be More Patient and Less Stressed PAGE 3 Take a Break PAGE 3 Asparagus & Smoked Mozzarella Pizzettes PAGE 3 Could an Electric Bike Replace Your Second Family Car? PAGE 4

Could an Electric Bike Replace Your Second Family Car? The U.S. has the most extensive road system in the world, so it probably comes as no surprise that U.S. households have two cars (1.88, to be exact) on average. This number has remained relatively steady since 2001, but in the last year, many people began to reconsider their driving habits in light of the pandemic. With professionals working from home and students schooling remotely, many family cars stayed parked in the driveway. While this helped save on fuel costs, car owners still had to pay for insurance, maintenance, and registration, which left some people wondering if owning two vehicles was necessary. Enter the electric bike (e-bike), an eco-friendly alternative, especially for those in two-car households. Forbes contributor Scott Kramer traded his second family car for an e-bike in late 2019 and says he has no regrets. “I can share our other car with my wife when needed. Or just take an Uber. I love the two electric bikes that I own and ride them religiously to do errands within 5 miles of the house.” What if your trek is longer than 5 miles? It’s tricky to say precisely how far a rider can go on a fully charged battery because an e-bike’s range is affected by speed and terrain. At a minimum, riders can expect to go 30 miles roundtrip without a problem.

Some bikes can travel up to 100 miles on a single charge, and, as with electric cars, the technology improves every year. If range is less of a concern than speed, swapping a car for an e-bike may mean slower speeds and longer travel times, but not always. Top speeds vary by model and brand, but many get up to 20–30 mph. Also, you’ll save time by avoiding traffic and having to look for parking. There are, of course, some drawbacks. Highly rated e-bikes come with a hefty price tag — $1,200 at the low end and over $7,000 at the high end — which can be more than a good used car. They’re also heavy, which is bad news for anyone who needs to bring theirs up a flight of stairs. Finally, depending on where you live, e-bikes might not be a viable option for year-round riding. The bottom line is that if you’re looking to decrease your car- ownership costs, an e-bike might be a viable alternative worth looking into.

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