All Things in Moderation

It’s likely that at some point we have all been warned to be mindful of too much of a good thing. A piece of pie tastes delicious, while eating half a pie in one sitting is bad for the waistline and could likely bring a stomachache. Exercise is good, but overdoing it could cause pain or even things like muscle strain or injury. Time with a loved one can be precious, although sometimes too much time with just one person starts too feel like just that—too much.

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Who is Your Family?

When you think about your family, who do you think of? Take just a moment to clear your mind and think about your own family. Do you think about your extended family or only your more immediate family? Perhaps you are married and have children that first come to your mind. Maybe you are in the empty-next stage and you now think about grandchildren or even great-grandchildren. Do you think back to your immediate family growing up, possibly including parents and siblings? Do you recall grandparents, aunts, and uncles? What about cousins, nieces, and nephews? Does your family include any half-siblings or adoptive family members? Do you have stepparents, stepchildren, or in-laws that are family? Do you limit family to those you are related to biologically, or do you also include friends and chosen family members? Do you include pets when you talk about your family?

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LifeBio Granted Certification

We are pleased to announce that National Women’s Enterprise Business Certification has been granted to LifeBio. The Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) is the largest certifier of women-owned businesses in the United States. WBENC is also a leading advocate for women business owners and entrepreneurs. They believe diversity promotes innovation, opens doors, and creates partnerships that fuel the economy. WBENC provides certification standards for women-owned businesses and the tools to help them succeed. Congratulations to Beth Sanders, LifeBio Founder and CEO!

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Current Events

“Row, row, row your boat, gently down the stream! Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily, life is but a dream!” sings the well-known children’s song. It makes life sound so cheerful and easy. In real life though, do you ever feel like you are rowing up stream? Does your boat ride ever seem a little choppier, so also a little less gleeful?

Perhaps this year has felt that way for you. There have been so many things happening in 2020 that can make it seem like the current is flowing against us. The COVID-19 pandemic, a struggling economy, and racial tensions would be enough of a deluge on their own. Then things like wildfires, killer hornets, delaying of events like the Olympics, U.S. presidential campaigning, and hurricanes have also rained down. Now for large sections of the population, heading back to school looks different this year—whether that means meeting online, a hybrid of online and in person, or in person but having to wear a mask and socially distance. In 2020, the water seems to be raging, and many people are wondering when is the tide going to change?

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Happy National Dog Day!

Since its inception in 2004, National Dog Day has been celebrated annually on August 26th. It was founded by Colleen Paige, an animal welfare advocate and a dog trainer. The intent of such a day was to bring more awareness to the number of dogs that need rescued from public shelters, pure breed rescues, and other pet rescues each year. Now, thanks to social media posts and being adopted into New York legislation in 2013, National Dog Day has grown in recognition and popularity. It is a day to celebrate all kinds of dogs—whether family pets, working dogs, foster dogs, purebred, mixed breads, or mutts. Many people use the day to recognize the dogs that put their lives on the line each day to do things like protect their homes and families, serve with law enforcement, and work as guide and companion dogs helping people living with disabilities.

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Music to Your Soul

Have you ever woken up in the morning with a song already running through your head? Or do you ever get an earworm that stays with you for much of the day? Does music move you throughout your day or even throughout life? What type of music brings a smile to your face? What are some of your favorite songs? Who are some of your favorite musicians? Do you have certain songs that bring back happy memories—maybe a song from your childhood, the first song you learned to play on an instrument, a song from a concert you attended, the song you danced to at your wedding, a song you sang to your children, or an uplifting song that reminds you of a powerful movie?

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Go for the Gold!

What an event the Olympics Games are! Picture Olympics past that you have watched. Envision the lighting of the torch from its eternal flame in Olympia, Greece, and then being transported around the world to that year’s host country. Can you recall past Opening Ceremonies and the unique ways in which the torch was lit, such as when it was ignited by an arrow in Barcelona in 1992, or when Muhammad Ali lit the torch in Atlanta in 1996? Have you been impressed by the grandeur of Opening Ceremonies with the costumes and cultural displays? Imagine cheering on your country’s athletes in sporting events. Do you enjoy hearing triumphant stories of overcoming adversity, which might even make you root for the underdog (like the 1980 Miracle ice hockey game, the 1988 Jamaican bobsled team, or Eddie the Eagle)? Has your heart ever swollen with pride watching a medals ceremony with the playing of a winning country’s national anthem? Do you enjoy the recaps shared during Closing Ceremonies, as smiling athletes prepare to return home?

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The Dog Days of Summer

When you hear about the “dog days of summer,” what do you think of? Perhaps as a child you found the phrase curious. Did you ponder if it meant that on those days, humans felt like dogs, preferring to lie around panting from the heat? Or maybe you wondered if something happened to dogs in the heat, so it was a warning to keep dogs away from hot pavement? Did you think they were they called dog days because kids out of school had more time to play with their dogs then? Or did you come up with some other reasoning behind the saying?

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Emotional Wellness- Part 1 of 2

What is Emotional Wellness?

Emotional Wellness allows people to accept how they are feeling. Based upon that awareness, they can begin to understand why they are feeling that way. Then they can determine how to act in response to their feelings. Having emotional wellness allows a person to express their feelings more freely. Acceptance of one’s emotions affects a person’s ability to effectively manage through challenges and changes in life. Emotional wellness is the foundation upon which we build a quality life.

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The Rocking Chair Test

What to do? Oh, what to do? Have you ever thought to yourself, “What should I do?” Have you ever stopped to question, “How should I respond? What do I say?” Or maybe you have asked, “What is the right thing to do in this instance?” Perhaps you have pondered, “What next?” Have you ever been faced with a decision in which it was difficult to decide which path to take?

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