According to a survey conducted by Offers.com, the top two New Year’s resolutions in the U.S. for 2019 came in almost tied, with exercise more/lose weight at 38 percent and save money at 37 percent. So, how did that work out for you? Is your financial picture better now than it was 12 months ago? Are you more fit and lean?

The reason I love New Year’s is it feels like a clean slate—a fresh start. Whether you did great in 2019 or blew it altogether, I have good news. Today’s a new day—a new year—and a chance to start over or to do even better. We’ve been granted another opportunity. As for that saving money part, I have a great formula that’s been working for me and thousands of people I’ve led out of debt and into a lifestyle where they consistently live below their means.

Now that spring is in the air, it’s the perfect time to let go of all the extra stuff in our closets so we can really enjoy getting dressed for those sunny vacation days ahead.

There are always clothes you need to get out of your closet, drawers and wherever else you stash them—even the laundry bin. So, spend a little time behind closed closet doors ... and start spring cleaning early. But what to toss? Here are a few suggestions to help you get started.

The no-brainers. These are the stained sweatshirts, the holey sweaters, the mismatched socks and the souvenir T-shirts from the summer of 1973. There are just some things you don’t need to hold onto forever. That shrunken crop top and low-slung jeans you looked so cute in five years ago before two kids came into your life have got to go. Donate them to the next generation of Britney Spearses.

Don't come unraveled. Instead, enjoy the big chills of the season ahead in a big sweater. Save the coats to wear when the temperatures dip below freezing. Keep your fashion wits about you indoors and out with these cozy knit hits for fall and winter.

The Fair Isle sweater. It's THE sweater of the year. This classic is named after an island in the north of Scotland, where the softest heathered yarns were produced and used to make sweaters with yokes and cuffs in brightly colored patterns. The latest Fair Isle sweaters are updated in new colors and sophisticated designs. Take these sweaters with you on your next ski trip, or make them island-chic paired with short skirts and tall boots.

Vacations make us happy, but when we get back home, the ho-hum takes over. One week, we're bicycling in France, free as a breeze, and the following Tuesday, we're back to carpool and a messy kitchen. Were we ever away? That feeling of fun is buried under loads of emails and a to-do list as long as a barbecue fork.

Do you wish you could prolong that happy state or bring it back whenever you want? You can, according to esteemed happiness expert Sonja Lyubomirsky, author of "The How of Happiness."
One way is to give yourself a visual cue. Frame that picture of you in a helmet, screaming hysterically on a river raft in the Grand Canyon. Put it on the fridge.

It’s the holiday season. Still!

No one feels like doing work these last few weeks of the year, that’s for sure. The winter solstice helps shift us on a cellular level, and we realize the time between now and the dawn of 2020 is all about kicking back, spiking the eggnog and writing checks to charities you believe in.

So here are five end-of-year gifts, from me to I-believe-in-you. I offer them as steppingstones on your own personal path to well-being, however meandering it may have been this past year.

The only drawback? For these gifts to spark joy and provoke positive change, you have to do all the work.

When planning international travel there
is a recommended check list...

#1 Research: learning a little about where you are going is always to your advantage. Researching the country, their customs, culture and what is currently happening. Learning a few phrases in their language like “Hello”, “Thank you” and “Where is the bathroom” are helpful, as well.

#2 Be Prepared: Make sure your passport and driver’s license is valid for at least six months. Make copies of them on your phone, and hard copies to tuck in your luggage and leave a copy with someone at home.

You don’t have to be an adult to make a difference. We asked local Beaufort County children how they make a difference and help others, or who has made a difference in their lives. Here’s what they had to say just in time to warm your heart and remind you of the miracle of the season.

“I help my mommy with the garbage and laundry. My favorite part is when I stand on my tippy toes, and I get to put all the clothes into the washer.”
 — Giovanni, Kindergarten

The AJ Donohue Foundation began when a teenage cancer patient, who was receiving chemotherapy at Wolfson Children’s Hospital in Jacksonville, Florida, decided to give back to the hospital that had given him so much and to create his own legacy.  AJ’s idea was simple: Buy a comfortable recliner for every patient room on the pediatric cancer floor so that family members and friends of patients could have somewhere nice to sit and sleep during visits.

AJ and his family and friends, or “Team AJ” as they would become known, began selling stickers and t-shirts in an effort to raise the $50,000 needed to purchase the recliners. AJ had learned to fly small aircraft while battling his illness, so an airplane themed logo was created for the Team. The price of the sticker: $2.  In just a few months, Team AJ met and exceeded its fundraising goal. On September 23, 2006, the morning after the $50,000 goal was surpassed, AJ passed away. He was 18.

Did you know Cleopatra had facial tattoos?  Discovery of ancient Egyptian mummies, have revealed some of the world’s earliest tattoos, proving the art is thousands of years old. Obviously, today’s advanced tattooing technology and techniques don’t even resemble the ancient process of sharpening sticks to a fine point, then dipping in black suet. Tattoos of all kinds, including cosmetic tattooing, has reached tremendous popularity and growth and with that have come better guidelines, restrictions and results. Cleopatra would be a fan!

Microblading is a relatively new term in the permanent cosmetics world. With its popularity on the rise, some may not understand what microblading is. Basically, it is tattooing the eyebrow area to make the eyebrows full, shapely and visible. The procedure is the same even though different practitioners call it by various names. Some names you may have heard include: permanent cosmetics; microblading; feather stroking; or cosmetic tattooing. Any time color is injected into the skin with any device, manual or machine, it is a tattoo.

Since most us have new, or renewed, health insurance policies that started January 1, now is a good time to get up to speed on your health insurance terminology. The more you know and understand your insurance, the more use and value you will get out of it. So here we go:

Allowable charge: How much the insurance company has agreed to pay your provider for certain medical expenses, and how much your provider has agreed to accept. Can be based on usual, customary and reasonable amounts.

“I think a change would do you good.” —Sheryl Crow

I may not have a lot on common with Sheryl Crow (definitely not the voice), but I like her music, and as an insurance agent/broker thick in the middle of the Medicare Annual Enrollment Period (AEP), I have to agree with the above lyric.  It’s what I advise my clients: If you have Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage (Part D), or a Medicare Advantage plan (Part C), a change might do you good!

AEP (Open Enrollment) runs from October 15 through December 7. Here’s why it’s important to look at your options during this time period:

I wish I could make you cut back on sugar, breathe away your stress or eat only grass-fed beef. But wishes are like dishes: You usually have to do them yourself. What I can do is introduce you to “power-ups”: moment-by-moment strategies to spark joy and boost your well-being this holiday season.

1) DANCE TO ENHANCE
The Setup: A stressful workday has ended. You’re exhausted. You’d planned to lift weights at the gym, but it takes all your strength just to stumble home and collapse on the couch. Where’s your energy? Where’s the remote? Where’s the wine?

The Power-Up: Start the music. As soon as you get home, crank up Lady Gaga or a playlist of your favorite tunes and—without thinking, without excuses—start dancing around the house. You don’t need a partner, shoes or even clothes.

With just one switch of a handbag, you can change your whole fashion outlook on life this fall. A new handbag is one of the best attitude adjustments you can make for yourself and your wardrobe. Here are some of the big switches for the season ahead:

Handbags are probably one of the first new purchases many of us make every season. Since we carry them daily, they are our best accessory friends. This fall, crossbody bags are still utilitarian favorites, in all shapes and sizes. Check out the new saddlebag designs. Let’s face it, these bags are a lifesaver, leaving hands free.

My heart was pounding, and the smoke alarm was screaming, and I was in full-on panic mode. Flames were reaching toward the adjacent wood cabinets. It happened so fast! I didn’t have time to run to the pantry to search for baking soda.

I had a rip-roaring fire on my hands, and I was in slow motion thinking about how sad it would be to be homeless for Christmas.

I’d turned my back for a few seconds to find a utensil. When I returned, small flames were shooting from the burner. My quick thinking told me to smother the grease fire, so I grabbed a pot lid to do that. But the lid wasn’t airtight, and soon the flames were double the size—and spreading.
That’s when I locked eyeballs with the fire extinguisher that had been sitting on the counter for so long it blended into the decor.

We have all heard of it, and most of us know others who have had it. But very few of us really expect it will happen to us. The diagnosis of breast cancer is a woman’s fears realized. Questions like why me? How bad? Will I survive?

Then a second wave of questions rushes in, like will I need chemo? Will I lose my hair? Will I have to lose my entire breast? What does reconstruction mean? Well, there is hope for these questions.

It isn’t unusual for a group of six women authors, who write in similar genres to be friends,  but to coordinate their talents and schedules to create what I predict soon to be a best-selling collaboration novel on the historical women of the French Revolution, is just pure genius.

Ribbons of Scarlet, with foreword by Allison Pataki (which makes seven women writers) is written by Kate Quinn, Stephanie Dray, Laura Kamoie, Sophie Perinot, Heather Webb and E. Knight, all New York Times bestselling authors and storytellers extraordinaire.

Dear Readers: If you’re like most people, you’ve made a few hare-brained money decisions in your time. That’s just being human. However, if you’re striving to get yourself on track, I suggest that you review these ten smart money management tips. This Halloween, treat yourself to a more secure financial future!

Stick to your budget, no matter how large or small: Living beyond your means is dangerous no matter how much money you make. So even if you’re lucky enough to earn a big paycheck, it’s important to create—and stick to—a realistic budget. Use an online budget tool and make a list of your essential expenses and another list of your nice-to-haves. If your income won’t cover both, start crossing off the extras you can live without. And don’t be tempted to pull out the credit cards to cover any excess. Keeping on top of debt is an important part of smart budgeting. While you’re thinking about debt control, remember to stay on top of any student loans!

Autumn is one of my favorite times of year, and it’s not just the oversized taffy apples. I’m talking crispy cool days that call for turtlenecks and yoga tights, a seasonal shift to fading colors and falling leaves, and great sales on outdoor furniture.

“Every leaf speaks bliss to me, fluttering from the autumn tree,” writes Emily Bronte.

“This is the season of the harvest,” writes Elson M. Haas, “the fruition of all the growth of spring and summer.”

Fall is fashion’s favorite time of year. Designers roll out the runways with updates on the classics and totally new inspirations that will give you a wardrobe ready for the season ahead. Check out these 10 must-have items to add right now:

A Big Blouse 
The blouse is back, and it is big ... in volume, that is. Drama is the name of the blouse game, with billowy sleeves, big bows and standout collars. Romantic is the look of this fashion trend.
A plaid jacket   Designers are mad for plaid this fall, and the plaid jacket is one of the season’s key pieces. Top off pants and skirts with a roomy jacket in menswear plaids or checks. Then, for a new twist, cinch it with a skinny or wide leather belt.

I think we’ve been looking at physical activity all wrong. We often link it with losing weight, but to be honest, it takes a lot of moving to lose a pound or two. As I’ve learned, the value of physical activity is that it makes you feel better, makes you move better, gives you a sense of joy.

The bottom line? Including some sort of daily physical activity in your life keeps you healthy. That’s really why we should be doing it. Knowing that may be more of a motivator than watching the scale.
Most of us have that backward. We work out to lose weight and then quit when we don’t. But maybe the key is to turn our thinking around: We work out to be healthy, and every day we do, we’re healthier.

A recent study found that increased activity in middle age and beyond may decrease the risk for death from all causes—cardiovascular disease and cancer—according to a study published recently in The BMJ.

Halloween is one of the most successful and widely celebrated holidays in the United States, coming second only to Christmas.  Many of us have grown accustomed to the traditions that come with Halloween, complete with Trick-or-treating, costumes, parties and jack-o’-lanterns. But where did these customs come from? In many cultures, there is a day for honoring the dead. It is said that on this day, the “veil” is thinner and spirits walk among us. This day, although often landing on different dates in other cultures, goes by many names: Samhain, All Saints Day, All Hallows Eve, Dia de los Muertos (Mexico’s Day of the Dead—a 3-day holiday) and, of course, Halloween.

When I heard the theme for Paisley’s September issue would be #AgainstAllOdds and since I write about seniors, the first person who came to mind was Ernie Andrus. At age 95, Ernie, a WWII Navy Veteran, has graced us in the Golden Isles at least twice now during his treks across the country. His determination and will to keep going is such an inspiration, but he is not the only senior citizen who makes me think of perseverance.

OK, here’s a bit of silliness to start your dendrites dancing: What do Chubby Checker and every yoga class in the world have in common?

Think now. (If you’re wondering who Chubby Checker is ... YouTube.) Yes! It’s “The Twist.”

Chubby Checker made twisting a wildly popular dance in the ‘50s, but for thousands of years before him, yogis were doing twists as part of their daily bliss-making practice: deep, penetrating twists around the spinal column that are done standing up or sitting down, upside-down or right-side-up, by slowly, gently twisting to the left and then slowly, gently twisting the opposite way, moving as far as you can, coming to your edge ... but not powering through.

If you’re ready to update your wardrobe, chances are you’re going to want to add something denim to your shopping list. And while you may need to replace some of your old favorites, the newest denim choices this fall are anything but basic. From relaxed carpenter jeans to fringed miniskirts to snakeskin prints, there is plenty of new jean therapy for everyone.

Here are a few tips for boosting your denim mood right now.

• When shopping for a new pair of jeans, it is best to head to the store. Unless you have a brand you’ve recently worn and know your exact size, it will be difficult to order denim online. As there are so many different designs available now, a morning session of actually trying on jeans may be the best way to find a new favorite.

It is difficult to read Jane Carson-Sandler’s story, let alone live through it. But this tenacious, altruistic and immensely strong woman has a reason to keep putting her truth out there: the only way to transform nightmare into purpose is by sharing her experience.
 
Early on the morning of October 5, 1976, shortly after her husband left for work, a ski-masked man brandishing a butcher knife broke into  Jane’s home. Threatening her between clenched teeth, he bound, gagged and blindfolded both her and her 3-year-old son. After taking the boy away, he viciously raped  Jane, but all she could think the whole time was Where is my son? What are you going to do to my son?

Have you ever woken up and felt like your limbs aren’t responding to what your brain is asking them to do? How about taken a long road trip, and when you go to get out of the car, you’re not sure if you can actually make contact with the pavement without toppling over?

Short, tight and stiff. These are all conditions your muscles want to avoid, but they need your help. Muscles, like many other systems in the body, retain memory. That memory is what propels the body into motion, recalls specific movements, and retains the muscles normal physiological shape. So, when you’re lying down, sitting, or standing for a period of time, your muscles want to stay in that position, which causes them to shorten and become tight. By stretching, you are activating the muscle memory and returning them to their normal designed state. Stretching will enable the joints to lubricate themselves, increase blood flow into muscle tissue, reduce muscle tension and improve range of motion. These are all necessary to improve balance, strength and physical stamina.

“Sunglasses and a great pair of heels can turn most outfits around.”

Yes, sunglasses are one of the best accessories to add a touch of glamour to anything you wear, but they are also one of the most important ways to protect your eyes from harmful UV rays—oh, and to give you a break when you don’t want to put makeup on!

Would you be surprised to learn that one of the most popular college courses in America teaches students how to be happy? Probably not.

Most adults discover that you can be crazy rich, drive the biggest Tesla, take a luxury vacation that costs $4,500 a night—breakfast not included—but if inside you’re feeling miserable and depressed and unhappy, what good is it?

Welcome to Professor Laurie Santos’ wildly popular course at Yale University called “Psychology and the Good Life.” I haven’t taken it yet, but as a dedicated student of Positive Psychology, I’ve studied the research for years, including a recent overview of Santos’ work by Adam Sternbergh called “How To Be Happy.” The article was published last summer in New York Magazine, now available online at The Cut, and is well worth reading.

Few things in life seem to conjure memories of our youth more than the infamous family road trip. Road trips have almost no socioeconomic boundaries, and for that brief period of time riding in the family truckster, crisscrossing America’s highways to visit Grandma or the Grand Canyon, all are equal: same rest stop bathroom breaks; same fast food and same universal “are we there yet” from the back seat.

Nobody wants their vacation memories to be the time the car broke down in the middle of nowhere and had to ride in a smelly tow truck and sleep in a one-star motel bed for half of the vacation waiting on repairs. For the most part, problems can be avoided with a bit of pre-road trip preventative maintenance.