Josephine St. Joseph’s women’s magazine
January 2016
Grandma’s touch Woman brings extra care to restaurant career
MAKE IT AND BREAK IT? Why no resolution will really make you happier
PARTY PERFECT
The pressure to make your child’s birthday a special occasion
DIY WORKOUT Exercise doesn’t have to require equipment
New year, new you! Pamper Yo u r s e l f T h i s Ye a r
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DIY workout Exercise doesn’t have to require equipment
16
A grandmother’s touch Woman brings extra care to restaurant career
20
Make them and break them? Why no resolution will really make you happier
22
Happy birthday! The pressure to make your child’s party perfect.
24
Get busy There’s plenty to keep you entertained this winter
26
girlstuff Adjust your eating
5
Mini makeover
6
Brush up
7
First things first
9
Is it worth it?
10
Out with the old
11
Dress for the job
12
Awesome apps
14
the regulars Editor’s note
Cover photography by Jessica Stewart | Josephine magazine
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inside
cover girl Bev Farrow’s first foray into the business world was as a secretary at her parents’ business, and this experience left a favorable enough impression for her to pursue a business degree after graduating high school in 1970. Her career since has included a variety of jobs, including ones early on at former St. Joseph businesses Furniture City and St. Joseph
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| Josephine magazine |
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We’re loving it
8
Average Joe
28
Getting Real
29
Meal time
30
Everybody get healthy
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Tobacco. “You’ll find I’ve closed a lot of businesses,” she says. “None of them are around anymore.” But all joking aside: Farrow remains an asset to the local business community and currently — at a time in life others might be considering retirement — feels right at home alongside a predominantly younger workforce at St. Joseph’s Chick-fil-A. Read more about her and her role there on page 20.
January 2016
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editor’s note
Looking for a way to save? By JESS DEHAVEN A new year is upon us, and as we all recover from a busy holiday season, now is the time we tend to reflect on the year past and make plans for the future. Whether you’re making the typical resolutions or planning a more personal change, we have several stories this month worth checking out. Losing weight has to be the most popular resolution women make each year. Making that happen generally comes down to two things: exercise and diet. But before you invest in pricey equipment, check out Jena Sauber’s story on page 16 about workouts that don’t require you to spend anything. Body-weight exercises don’t require special equipment, and they can be done just about anywhere. If eating better is on the agenda, you need look no further than the next page, where we have ideas for easy ways to get more fruits and vegetables into your diet. Maybe you don’t want to make a big change but would like to step up your look a little? Angie Lassman has some great ideas for mini makeovers that can make a major difference. See page 6 for that. Perhaps your relationship is something you’ve been thinking about? Deciding to stay with someone or leave can be a difficult choice. Crystal Wiebe has some things to consider as you make your evaluation on page 10. Wherever your goals are taking you, here’s to a bright 2016.
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girlstuff Food for thought Incorporate fruits, vegetables into diet easily
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crucial part of a healthy diet is getting enough fruits and vegetables, but making it a new habit can be difficult. For those who fall short of the recommended five to nine servings of fruits and vegetables a day, knowing where to start can be difficult. “For people who don’t get any servings or maybe only a few, the best thing is to strive to do better,” says Cara Harbstreet, a registered dietitian with
Mosaic Life Care. “You may not always get the recommended servings, but you can work to do better.” Vitamins and minerals in fruits and vegetables can help protect against disease. Naturally low in calories, a diet high in fruits and vegetables also can help maintain a healthy weight. Incorporating them into existing dishes and finding easy ways to prepare them can make sticking to a healthy diet possible. Frozen vegetables can be added to soups, casseroles, pastas and other foods to add nutrition without extra work. “If you are making macaroni and cheese, you can add peas or spinach or other vegetables easily,” Harbstreet says. “Pick what works for you.” Adding sliced fresh fruit, such as
strawberries or bananas, to breakfast cereal can add a boost of vitamins easily. Harbstreet also recommends keeping more fruit at hand, such as Clementine oranges, grapes and strawberries. “If you replace one snack a day with fresh fruit, that can make a difference,” she says. Not all fruits and vegetables are nutritionally equal, and Harbstreet recommends looking for a variety of colors in order to maintain a healthy diet. “If you think about iceberg lettuce versus romaine versus kale, you can see the different colors,” she says. “Generally, the deeper the color, the more rich it is in nutrients. You want a variety of colors.” — JENA SAUBER | Josephine magazine
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girlstuff
New year, new look
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Start 2016 with a mini makeover
he beginning of the year means New Year’s resolutions, ranging from weight -loss goals to savings plans. While your slate is clean, why not freshen up your look along with your life? There a few easy and affordable things you can do to start off the New Year with a new look.
First things first To look fresh you need to make sure that you’re actually starting off with a clean slate. The winter months bring dry, rough skin, so exfoliating is key, especially if you want to keep that summer glow year round. Keep it homemade and 6
January 2016
make a yummy-smelling exfoliator out of honey and brown sugar. Mix it up, rub it on and let it sit while watching your favorite show, then rinse. Your face will be looking and feeling fresh, just don’t forget to moisturize.
That golden glow
Speaking of that summertime glow, as the days get shorter, that golden tan is harder to get. We’ve heard of all the issues with indoor tanning beds, but sunless tanning is a safer alternative to stop you from looking like Casper the Friendly Ghost. The tan usually lasts a little over a week or two, and prices are affordable. Give your local tanning salon a visit to find out what level of spray tan is right for you.
Those pearly whites
They say the smile is the light in the window to your soul, and they, whoever they may be, are right. So why not brighten your light? These days, it’s
| Josephine magazine |
easier and more affordable than ever before to whiten your teeth a shade or two. Whitening gels, strips, toothpaste and UV lights are all options and available at most drugstores and beauty outlets. As always, it is a good idea to speak to your dentist before starting a whitening regime.
Hot lips
Another easy way to change up your look is by adding some color, specifically a lip color, and why not bring more attention to those pearly whites of yours? Whether you’re headed to a party or brunch with the ladies, a bold lip is the perfect way to go from work to play in a matter of seconds. This season’s hottest colors are fuchsia and brick red. That doesn’t mean you can’t venture outside of the box and get something totally crazy but totally you. Go for it. You never know what you might love.
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— ANGIE LASSMAN | Josephine magazine
girlstuff
Brushing up on brushes
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What are all those tools for anyway?
ver stepped into your favorite makeup store and felt overwhelmed by all of the brushes? Short brushes, fat brushes, skinny brushes, brushes made of hair and brushes made of synthetic fibers — each one is made for a specific purpose. Do you know how to use it? The following list can help you identify some of the most common makeup brushes you can use to put your best face forward.
❯ POWDER BRUSH: If there’s only one brush in your makeup tool kit, it should be this
one. With its big, rounded head, the powder brush is the most common of makeup brushes and is used to apply powder foundation and sometimes blush. ❯ EYESHADOW BRUSH: Long and skinny, with a small but rounded head, this essential tool is used to apply and blend eyeshadow. ❯ EYE-BLENDING BRUSH: The top of this brush is smaller than the powder brush and more angled. Use it to blend eyeshadow along the crease of your lids. For that smoky-eye look, use the more round-headed smudge brush. ❯ BROW BRUSH: This pencil-thin brush has a small, angled head, which helps you fill in even the thinnest parts of your eyebrows. Be careful not to confuse it with the angled eye brush, which looks similar but is used to create precise eyelines.
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| Josephine magazine |
❯ BROW BRUSH AND COMB: This two-headed tool features a mini brush on one side, for smoothing out your eyebrows, and a tiny-toothed comb, which can be used to get mascara clumps out of your eyelashes. ❯ STIPPLING BRUSH: The bristles on this one often are comprised of a blend of synthetic fibers and goat hair. Use it to give your face a smooth, airbrushed look. ❯ ANGLED BRUSH: This resembles a larger version of the eye-blending brush. Use it to apply blush. For a more contoured application, try using the more horizontal head of a flat brush instead. ❯ LIP BRUSH: Super skinny, with just a short sprig of bristles at the top, this tool helps you apply gloss and lipstick with more precision. — CRYSTAL K. WIEBE | Josephine magazine January 2016
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We’re loving it A look at what Josephine staffers are crazy about this month One of my favorite apps isn’t something that helps you keep track of things or gives you directions somewhere, it just makes my technology a little more personal. Described as “wallpaper for girly girls,” Cuptakes offers all kinds of cute backgrounds that can be used on your iPhone and iPad, ranging from seasonal themes to inspirational messages and colorful designs. The 99cent purchase price gives you access to galleries that are constantly being added to, so you can change the look of your device whenever and as often as you like. The only downside is that right now the app is available only for Apple devices, although the makers are promising an Android version soon. — Jess DeHaven
I love African Pride Olive Miracle Hair Growth Oil, which can be used regularly to moisturize your hair and scalp. African Pride hair oil also can be used as a hot oil treatment and helps prevent split ends and reduce dryness. I love using this product because it’s a light oil which means you don’t have to use a lot and it leaves my natural hair shining and smelling really good. It’s found in most beauty supply and drug stores. — Erica Van Buren
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January 2016
Here’s a thriller that’s perfect for cold weather and curling up on the couch: “The Winter People” by Jennifer McMahon. The story switches back and forth between a woman dealing with the mysterious sudden death of her daughter in 1908 and a present-day teen searching for her mother, who has suddenly disappeared. Both stories involve people living in the same house, but it turns out that’s not the only way their stories are connected. The book is now available in paperback. — Jess DeHaven
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Slow cookers are great, especially during the winter months. I love using my Crock-Pot Lunch Crock Food Warmer (about $20) to keep a serving or two of food warm while at work or home. It also works great to gently heat aromatic spices for all-natural scents at home, or to melt chocolate for holiday treats. It has an easily removable metal liner with a plastic seal, a screw-on plastic lid and a carrying handle. When not in use, the short cord wraps around the base for easy storage. — Jena Sauber
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girlstuff
Best beginnings Get your day started right at work
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new year is full of fresh starts and beginnings. With resolutions all around, how about starting off on the right step at work each morning? Here are 10 simple ways to kick start a productive day: ❯ GET TO WORK ON TIME, OR EVEN A FEW MINUTES BEFORE. Walking in late can cause looks from the boss and coworkers which, no doubt, put you in a bad mood. Being on time gives a sense of accomplishment right off the bat. ❯ EAT BREAKFAST. Even if it’s not a large meal, some kind of food gets your metabolism going. Those hunger pains will set in mid-morning and deter productivity.
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You will be looking at the clock every five minutes waiting for lunch ... and it’s only 10:30 a.m. STAY FOCUSED AND ON TASK. Successful people start the day off on a clean slate. Within the first hour of work, make a list of goals to accomplish for the day. BE PRESENT AND ENGAGING. Regardless of what title you carry in the office, be a team player and fill the role of teammate. This means greeting your coworkers, chatting a bit with someone at the water cooler and being a part of the conversations around you. BE ORGANIZED. While clutter isn’t always a bad thing, take time to get your work space organized and ready to go. DON’T GET BOGGED DOWN BY A RELENTLESS PILE OF EMAILS. Check urgent emails and reply, but the rest can wait for later in the day. Budget your time wisely. Checking hundreds of emails can delay the start of your day.
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| Josephine magazine |
❯ IF YOU HAVE A MAILBOX AT WORK, CHECK IT. Office memos are important. Depending on your industry, something in your mailbox could be a part of the tempo for the day. ❯ DON’T IGNORE VOICEMAILS. Most people are not in the habit of checking their voicemails daily, if ever. Voicemails should be one of the first things you do in the morning. ❯ ATTEND A MORNING MEETING. If your office has meetings, try to do them within the first hour of work. This gets everyone off to a good, clear start of where their day is heading. ❯ STAY HYDRATED. Even if you’re a coffee drinker, your water bottle should be full at the start of the day. In fact, use it as a gauge to take that mid-morning break you’ll need. Get up, stretch your legs and fill it back up before lunch. — JENN HALL | Josephine magazine January 2016
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girlstuff
Is it worth it?
Deciding whether to stay in a relationship or leave
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hould you stay or should you go? That’s a real question that can be hard to answer in the context of a long-term relationship that is going through tough times.
Do you have fun together?
Of course, if the situation has become violent or otherwise abusive, it’s time to go. Don’t hesitate, just get out. But what if you are instead experiencing boredom, unmet needs and overall frustration? How do you know when to call it quits and when to roll up your sleeves and work on things? If you are having trouble figuring out what your heart is telling you to do, asking yourself the following questions may lead you to some clarity.
Ideally, your partner is your best friend. He or she is the person you turn to for advice, support and even just to share the events of your day. Take heed if you find that you are relying more on other people to fill this emotional need, or if you are not being a sounding board for your partner. If you aren’t talking to each other, start.
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January 2016
Life is too short to be upset all the time. While disagreements are bound to happen, there should be good stuff at the core of your relationship. Do you make each other laugh? Do you enjoy the same things? If you find yourself constantly avoiding your partner to have fun with friends or others, you could be in trouble.
Do you talk to each other?
Do you have chemistry?
Some people pretend that sexual attraction doesn’t matter, but it is a key to healthy romantic relationships. Do
you and your partner have a spark? Even if it has faded a bit through time and stress, you should still be able to feel the connection. However, if either person recoils at the touch of the other, you are not in a good place.
Can you see a future with this person?
What do see when you think ahead one, five or even 20 years? Can you imagine growing old with your partner? If so, does that seem like a good thing or is it a depressing picture? If your goal is to build a life with someone, you need to share core values and have similar goals. Some compromise is unavoidable, but don’t get to a point where either party resents changing plans or holding off on what they want because of the other person. Resentment turns into contempt, which is almost impossible to overcome. — CRYSTAL K. WIEBE | Josephine magazine
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girlstuff
Cutting the clutter
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imilar to keeping your work, home and personal life in order, tips and tricks to create a more functional and clutter-free life are simpler than you may think.
Cleaning up clutter can be a sanity-saver in keeping work and living spaces down to minimal levels of stress. While asking yourself questions like “Can I live without this?” and “What does this item mean to me?” may be simple, Tausha Taylor, owner and licensed counselor with Tailored Counseling, LLC, says taking slight steps can help with keeping what is most memorable.
“A lot of us were raised by grandparents that lived through the Great Depression era, and they never threw anything away, so some of those traits were passed on to their children,” she says. “With so many people being unemployed and in tight times, there are people who still hang on to everything.” Noting that there is a difference between clutter and hoarding, Taylor says there are simple tips that can help in getting rid of items and keeping spaces organized. “There are people who feel safe with having a lot of things and there are also a lot of people who like to live a minimalist’s lifestyle,” she says. “My suggestion would be to find a happy medium, and if there is an object that you haven’t touched it, used it or needed it in any way for more than a year, then it might be time to think about getting
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| Josephine magazine |
rid of it.” According to HGTV.com, organization can keep clutter out of many living areas in your home. By starting small, the psychological relief can lead to more time for yourself and family. “Most people think, ‘I might need this sometime,’ but a lot of the time, if and when that day arises, they can’t find where they put that item,” Taylor says. “You need to ask yourself if it is interfering with your life or the life of others important in your life ... and if the answer is yes, then it is probably time to start doing something.” Donations to nonprofits and asking family members if they need items also can keep would-be clutter functional and purposeful. — KRISTIN HOPPA | Josephine magazine
January 2016
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January 2016
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Dress for success Put your best foot forward with your appearance at a job interview
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or most job seekers, your interview outfit won’t be picked apart like in “The Devil Wears Prada,” but choosing one still can be daunting. Just as you would know some background information on the company you want to work for, don’t stop there, says Stephanie Mill, a Kansas City area CAbi stylist. Doing your homework on the company culture will help you dress for the interview. “You could be the most qualified person on paper for the job, but if you don’t have the look they want to portray, you may be passed up,” Mill says. Taking the effort in your appearance may make you feel more confident in a stressful situation, says Monica Walker, corporate talent acquisition specialist for American Family Insurance in St. Joseph. “You sit up straighter because you’ve dressed professionally,” she says. “If you dress professionally, you feel professional.” “A good rule of thumb is the saying ‘Dress for success.’ I think that’s really true,” Walker adds. “It shows you’re professional, you’re interested in the position and you’re putting your best foot forward.” According to today.com, dressing one or two levels up from the position to which you’re applying is a smart move. The thought behind this is that it shows you’re a serious candidate concerned about making a good impression. Whether you’re interviewing for a job in a more traditionally conservative setting such as finance or law or a creative environment like design or advertising, know your audience, Mill says. For jobs in the creative sector, “These people want to see a sense of style … with how you mix your textures and patterns and how you accessorize,” Mill says.
A good rule of thumb is the saying ‘Dress for success.’ I think that’s really true. It shows you’re professional, you’re interested in the position and you’re putting your best foot forward. — MONICA WALKER, corporate talent acquisition specialist for American Family Insurance She recommends ditching the monochromatic suit for mix-and-match pieces. Try a pencil skirt with a textured jacket over a patterned silk shell. A statement jewelry piece or two is also a good idea. For creative jobs, “I think it’s OK to amp your jewelry up a little more, but you don’t want it to be overkill,” Mill says. Walker agrees. “I think anything is fine as long as it’s not distracting,” she says. “I like to accessorize myself.” For more conservative settings, Mill says to aim for a more polished look with a solid-colored suit or a classic accent jacket with a pencil skirt. Show a little of your style by accessorizing with one statement piece of jewelry and just one of the following: a printed scarf, patterned shoes or a printed purse. Hemlines are important regardless of where you’re interviewing — Mill suggests skirts and dresses no more than 1 to 2 inches above the knee. And don’t forget about your neckline, either. An often overlooked, but equally important piece of the outfit is your handbag. Mill recommends carrying a tote instead of a purse to neatly organize your resume and other important papers
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relevant to the interview. If you need a reason to replace your old purse, a job interview is a good one, she added. “I do think a handbag says a lot about someone,” she says. “Even if it’s faux leather, it can look really classy.” And “If you haven’t had a compliment on your hair or makeup in months, you need to refresh your look,” Mill says. Hair and makeup should be neat and tidy. Walker recommends avoiding bright lips, nails and bold eye shadows. While you may not want a friend to give you a new hairstyle, it’s perfectly OK to save some money and update your interview look by going closet shopping. “It’s OK to borrow something from a friend,” Walker says. “No one’s going to know.” A friend or family member whose style you admire and who you know will be honest with you might be a good person to “preview” your interview outfit, according to monster.com. “You only have a short time to sell yourself,” Walker says. “Even the little things that people probably think don’t make a big difference really do.” — LISA HORN | Josephine magazine January 2016
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Apps for a better new year O Weight loss (Fitocracy app)
ver the past decade, mobile phones have gotten a bad rap for being soul-sucking, attention-draining bricks that are quickly destroying communication and society (that may be exaggerating a bit). But what if they could help people for the better? There are apps that can help save people money, lose weight and ultimately improve their life. It just takes a little bit of looking around to get there.
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You can try tracking calories with apps like MyFitnessPal Calorie Counter or track your running or walking with something like FitBit or Nike+, but what keeps you motivated? The award-winning Fitocracy app encourages people to feel more connected, rather than going the weight-loss route alone by opening them up to the Fitocracy community with other like-minded exercise folks. According to the app, it works with expert trainers to help people reach their fitness goals and easily tracks just about any workout, which are available for free or people can make up their own. “A lot of Fitocracy’s magic comes from its social side. We’ve been told that Fitocracy is extremely addictive and people often spend all day on the site,” co-founder Richard Talens said in an email. In the app, you can join fitness teams led by expert trainers who provide personalized workout and nutrition programs and unlock achievements to visualize your progress.
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Quit smoking (Smoke Free app) St. Joseph resident Ben Kramer has two addictions: “X-Men” comic books and smoking. With a child on the way, he says he realized the latter was likely killing him (the former, he says, he’ll have to work through). What he’s been using is the Smoke Free app, which lets smokers see the fruits of their labor against smoking: how much money they’ve saved, how many cigarettes they’ve not smoked, how long they’ve been smoke-free, how much life they’ve 1.874 pt regained and how their health is improving. “It’s really amazing. I stopped two months ago and I’ve basically gained so much. I still get the triggers that make me want to buy a pack, and this is a nice reminder that I shouldn’t,” he says. The app is based on more than 20 different, evidence-based techniques to help people become and stay smoke-free.
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Money savings (Mint) Local savings enthusiast Nancy Rabin has been interviewed several times in Josephine and with good reason — she loves to save money. One of the ways she does that is through Mint, a money-logging app that can connect to your bank account track how much money you’ve spent, what you spent it on and where you can free up some money. “My mobile bank has kind of adopted the look of this, but this is still the best. Before, I was spending a bit too much on fast food and not realizing how it was all adding up. This really helped point that out and what I could cut out to free up some space,” she says. The app also can provide users with reminders on when to pay bills, how to budget better and what credit offers are out there to help them along the way. — ANDREW GAUG | Josephine magazine
Hear wedding bells? Plan your big day with helpful articles on the latest trends and a handy checklist in the 2016 Josephine Wedding Planner – now published twice this year!
January 10th in the
Vol. 2 coming in July!
DIY WORKOUT
Exercise doesn’t have to require equip
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Connie Hale teaches an aerobic class at the St. Joseph Campus Family YMCA. Hale has been an instructor for 14 years.
pment Jessica Stewar t | Josephine magazine
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Jessica Stewar t | Josephine magazine
Body-weight exercise can include a variety of movements. The St. Joseph YMCA offers classes like the one Connie Hale teaches.
Body-weight training doesn’t require equipment
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ne barrier to starting regular exercise can be a lack of equipment or the need to get a monthly gym membership, but body-weight exercises can eliminate the need for extra equipment and keep workouts at home.
“With body-weight training, you don’t use machines or free weights. Anything you can do with a machine or free weight, you can do with body weight,” says Melody Atwood, a personal trainer with the St. Joseph YMCA. “There’s very little margin for error and risk of injury because you don’t have any weight pressing down on your spine.” Body-weight exercises can improve strength, flexibility and balance while encouraging weight loss. Examples of body-weight exercises include push-ups, sit-ups, squats, burpees and wall sits,
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all of which can be done at home with no equipment. “It’s very good for daily mobility activities, especially for people who have arthritis and don’t want to use weight or have a lot of impact or compression,” Ms. Atwood says. She recommends using online resources to learn about body-weight exercises or scheduling a session or two with a personal trainer to learn proper technique. The YMCA has classes that utilize body-weight exercise, as well. “Start slow. Go at a moderate pace,”
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she says. “Don’t go crazy with reps, maybe six to eight to start with. Do it once a day, either morning or evening — whatever works best for you.” Connie Hall has been teaching cardio and strength-training classes for 14 years, and she enjoys doing body-weight exercises and using weights. She teaches several classes a week at the YMCA and Anytime Fitness. “Don’t get discouraged,” Hall says. “Stick with it. If you want to lose weight, eat right, eat less and exercise more.” For those looking to step their workout up a level, high-intensity interval training can help provide results faster, Atwood says. The training includes alternative reps of strength training, such as push-ups or sit-ups, and cardio, such as jump rope or sprints. “You can do that anywhere. The benefits are that it kicks up your metabolism so your body burns a higher number of calories for a longer period of time,” she says. “You can do it outside. You can stop at 15 to 20 push-ups and then sprint for 20 seconds.” No matter the type of exercise, it can be difficult to start a new routine, Atwood says. Making it a habit is important, she says. “I think people get set in their routines,” she says. “It’s a habit. They don’t break away from it often. Being in Missouri, the weather is a limiting factor, too.” As the new year rolls around, Atwood encourages people to make health a priority and keep themselves accountable for their healthy habits with a workout partner or by sharing their goals with family and friends. “Just start,” she says. “Starting is the hardest part.” — JENA SAUBER | Josephine magazine
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Bev Farrow puts sprinkles on Lucy Bodenhausen’s ice cream cone. Farrow is a mother and grandmother figure to those who work at and visit Chick-fil-A in St. Joseph. 20
January 2016
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A grandmother’s caring touch St. Joseph woman brings extra care to restaurant career
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hen Bev Farrow decided to attend business college, she likely didn’t envision a career as a surrogate mother and grandmother at a fast-food restaurant. Of course, that’s not her official title — but “administrative director” doesn’t quite do justice to the care the St. Joseph native has shown not only in her current job but also in all the others that preceded it. “Everything I’ve done has worked out,” she says. “I’ve always been able to be where I’m needed.” Currently, her place is with the St. Joseph Chick-fil-A, where her official duties include managing accounts, payroll and new hires — and her unofficial ones include inviting young guests behind the counter to use the ice cream machine and offering life advice to her teenage team members. Given that one of these young co-workers already knew her as Nana (and is actually her granddaughter), it was natural for the nickname to stick among the others, as well. And it’s a fitting nickname for someone with the big-hearted motto she follows: Always help someone, because you might be the only one who does. Farrow has lived by this through many jobs and phases of life, from various administrative positions early in her career to her time as a teacher’s assistant and then a day care owner when her own children were at home. She closed her day care when she and her husband, Lonnie, decided to pursue ownership of a Dippin’ Dots franchise. They sold the business after seven years in order to care for their mothers and some other family members — but another opportunity for them to work side-by-side came in 2011, when they
Jessica Stewar t | Josephine magazine
Bev Farrow takes a customer’s order at Chick-fil-A. She works with her granddaughter, who calls her Nana. That’s what a lot of her younger co-workers call her also. jokingly asked Chick-fil-A’s general manager, whom they knew from church, if the restaurant was hiring. “I was planning to go back to work, but never really thought I would go into the food business again,” Farrow notes. “But I loved the atmosphere and values at Chick-fil-A.” Thus, she soon found herself back in the fast-food industry — but as with all her previous jobs, her focus was really on people. “Everybody that walks in our door is like family,” she says. “You learn to know them by name, and I’ve seen some of their kids grow up.” She also often sees her now-grown day care kids, who come in with families of their own. And with her teenage team members, she has a chance to continue helping with the growing-up process by being a sounding board for them concerning issues with family, friends and school. “These kids — you just kind of like to take them under your wing and be there for them and listen to them,” she
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says. “Sometimes I have to take a step back and remember they’re not really my kids or grandkids.” Her maternal instinct extends even to the restaurant’s owner, Jared Johnson, whom she calls “son” due to the fact he’s close in age to her own sons. Fortunately, this isn’t a title he minds. “She is kind of like a mother around here and keeps me in line,” Johnson says, adding that in addition to being sweet and loyal, Farrow also is very organized and level-headed. “She brings a soothing presence to the organization when things get kind of crazy.” Although her husband no longer works at Chick-fil-A — which Farrow notes undoubtedly makes her the chain’s most senior employee in St. Joseph — she has every intent to continue in both her official and unofficial roles there. And for any young co-worker of hers in need of a little grandmotherly care on the job, this is good news. “I just feel that need to be there for them,” Farrow says. — ERIN WISDOM | Josephine magazine January 2016
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Make them and break them?
Why no resolution will really make you happier
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t’s that time of year again — the end of it. It happens just about every 365 days, and we’re all supposed to stay up way past our bedtimes, wear a lot of sequins, drink champagne and tip our hats to the incredible year we’re about to have. It’s all about marking the very second that our lives will suddenly restart. There’s this notion of a clean slate that comes along with the new year. A chance to start over, an opportunity to be better, a renewal of faith in ourselves. That’s why we decide exactly how to make our lives better and resolve to make it a reality. We make promises to ourselves in the name of the new year that we never got around to in the more average months. There’s no motivation like an arbitrary holiday to help you accomplish your life’s most challenging goals. What could go wrong? The Washington Post estimates that somewhere between 40 and 50 percent of us make New Year’s resolutions to celebrate the grandiose holiday. Then, about a week into our elaborate plans to make our lives more desirable, about a quarter of us have already abandoned our goals. Six months in, less than half are still with it. And, finally, by the time we’re ready to make our next resolutions, only 8 percent of us have kept up with the last one, according to Forbes. Why is it so difficult to stick with a resolution? Because Jan. 1 doesn’t matter on July 17. Motivation works when it’s in front of you, not when it’s in the past. In order to make changes that will make you happier, you have to want it and commit to it. There has to be a real desire to change something in your life, and for
92 percent of us who want change, desire apparently has nothing to do with the start of a New Year. Every time it comes around, we expect something to change when the clock strikes midnight on the last day of the year. Perhaps it’s because we need that hope to help us pull through. But the slate is not wiped clean on the first of the year, and the reality of trying to transform our lives in a divine way with all the complications we still have to face discourages us from sticking with our goals. We put all our eggs in one New Year’s basket and think that if we start doing this or stop doing that we’ll just be so much happier. It doesn’t work that way. Anna Kegler writes about the psychology of setting goals for RJ Metrics, exploring the way our minds work with our wants. It’s surprising how we reason through our desires and turn them into accomplishments (or not). When you set a goal, Kegler says, you actually adopt that achievement into your self-image, shifting your sense of identity. This happens because “the human brain can’t tell the difference between what we want and what we have,” Kegler writes. So now your self-image no longer matches reality – there’s something you consider to be a part of yourself that you have not yet achieved. From that point on, your mind works to close the gap by accomplishing this goal. Our brains also work to discipline us in the direction of our goals, both rewarding and punishing us along the way. Every little achievement along the path toward your achievement is rewarded with a dose of happiness, otherwise known as dopamine. Kegler says this is what helps us keep focused and motivated. The brain’s reward system is also the reason New Year’s resolutions aren’t so simple to keep up with. The goals we set when the calendars change are supposed to be in effect for an entire year, and we typically don’t devise smaller
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| Josephine magazine |
steps that help us work toward the big accomplishment. Rather, we tend to vow that we’ll change something about ourselves – lose weight, spend less, spend more time with the kids. Those broad expectations for ourselves aren’t effective because there are no stepping stones along the way. No reward, no motivation. Conversely, our noggins also punish us when we fail to live up to our own expectations. When we don’t meet a goal, Kegler says the brain actually cuts off dopamine and leads to feelings of loss, sadness, anxiety and fear. It’s like a breakup, but we do it to ourselves. Queue another factor working against the resolution. We set year-long goals without little steps and, when we don’t feel like we’re accomplishing anything in the first few weeks, we feel horrible about ourselves. And maybe a contribution to that guilt for failing our goals is what psychologists refer to as “social reality.” Kegler says the pre-achievement praise for setting a goal makes us feel happy and motivated. It changes our social reality, helping us earn positive attention for our intentions. But this can work as the reward before the work. Your brain is so pleased with setting the goal that it starts to feel like it’s already been accomplished. Then the goal slowly fades away because talking about it was almost as rewarding as actually achieving it. Resolutions fall into this trap because we all share our grand plans for transforming our lives when the year comes to a close. Everyone awes over our ideas and, before we know it, we don’t really care about actually accomplishing them. When you’re reflecting on your 2015 as it comes to a close, think about whether or not a resolution is really the best way to make the changes you want to see in your life. If your only motivation is Jan. 1, try to find something you can care about all year long. — KENDALL FOLEY | Josephine magazine January 2016
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Party perfect The pressure to make your child’s birthday a happy, joyous event
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irst you set the date. Then you make the guest list. Next comes the party planning. The pressure is on to plan the perfect event. Planning what should be a joyous occasion can quickly become a daunting task. Deciding
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what kind of party you want, picking a theme and scouting a location that will support your extravaganza are all big factors to consider. Party stores and websites can provide inspiration and help you along the path to planning your child’s birthday party.
| Josephine magazine |
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parents out there go to great lengths to have the biggest and best party every year and often include the parents of the children on their guest list. “Beginning at the first birthday celebration, the pressure to have a big party is on. After the first birthday I hear, ‘She will only be 3 once,’ quite often,” she says. “There may be an unspoken competition to have the biggest and best party, but I think most parents’ main concern is to have the party that the child wants to have, even if they change their mind 13 times in the days before the celebration!” Hart’s boys are both young, so for now she and her husband can make most of the planning decisions on their own. She knows, however, that soon they will both have very strong opinions about what their parties should include. “I do enjoy planning birthday parties for my kids, knowing how much they will enjoy it when the party day comes,” Hart says. “Kids’ interests change so often that I think I wait too long to finalize a theme and stress myself out to get everything done in time. I don’t feel like I’m in competition with anyone for the ‘best party,’ but I challenge myself to fulfill the ‘theme’ expectation as creatively as I can at the lowest cost possible.” Anyone who has experienced the stress of party planning will have advice on how you should handle yours. Learn from those who have gone before, and don’t make yourself crazy in the process. “Don’t let anyone else pressure you to make your kids’ parties over-the-top spectacles,” Hart says. “Talk to your kids and see what they want. Let them help plan and execute the event. Shop at thrift stores and dollar stores for decorations. Get crafty. Explore Pinterest for ideas, and then make them your own. Let others help if and when they offer. You don’t have to do it all yourself.”
RECEPTIONS WEDDINGS LUNCHEONS REUNIONS DINNER PARTIES MEETINGS
— CHRISTINA HECKMAN | Josephine magazine
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Pinterest can be an inspiration or an overwhelming bottomless pit of options that make you feel inadequate as a mother. I recently experienced both simultaneously. While planning my daughter’s second birthday party, I searched Pinterest to get ideas to fit our theme. I was bombarded with thoughts on decorating to party favors and everything in between. I found myself putting a lot of pressure on myself to make my daughter’s party absolutely perfect despite the fact that she didn’t care at all. I spent hours making decorations that ended up in the trash. While it all turned out just fine, in the future I plan to keep things a little more simple and hopefully less stressful. Jenyl Hart, a mother of two, feels Pinterest adds a lot of pressure to plan the perfect party. “I admire the families that have the time and resources to be able to host huge, ‘perfect’ parties,” she says. “I want to make my kids happy so they enjoy their party, but I don’t want to set the bar so high that they’ll be disappointed by future parties that aren’t quite as exciting as a previous one. I don’t feel there is an expectation to have a big party but definitely a themed party with creative favors, themed foods, themed party activities, etc.” Julie Riggs, store manager at The Party Store, has many years of experience in the balloon and party industry. “People come in quite often looking for assistance in planning their parties,” she says. “Since the inception of websites like Pinterest, people often have fabulous ideas but have no clue how to actually make them happen.” With so many options available, it can be overwhelming. Some parents go in trying to plan a simple party and get a little carried away, while others are swinging for the fences from the start. “I know that the pressure to have a memorable party comes from the other parents and the tendency to compare ‘ours to theirs,’” Riggs says. “Many
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The Krug Park pond reflects the lights displayed at the entrance of the park at Holiday Park.
Beat wintertime doldrums
F
inding something to do may seem more challenging in the winter, but with a little creativity, you can find things to do around town or even at home. Countless ideas are at your fingertips. Whether it be with your kids, friends or partner, you can find something everyone will enjoy.
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For starters, if you haven’t had a chance to drive through Holiday Park at Krug Park, you have until Jan. 3 to see the lights. You might even find a few gingerbread house kits at a reduced price to keep the kids entertained for a while.
With the kids or family
One thing to consider while searching for winter activities is checking out the St. Joseph Convention & Visitors Bureau. Even lifelong residents may not know what this town has to offer. “The best resource is our calendar of events at www.stjomo.com,” says Beth Conway, director of communications
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at the St. Joseph Convention & Visitors Bureau. “Also, tour one of our 13 unique museums. Many have winter hours but are open. Check the website (www.stjomo. com/see-do/museums) before touring.” One great annual event for kids is Super Science Saturday. Science educators from Missouri Western State University and three area high schools present interactive science experiments for children of all ages. The 2016 event will be from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 30, in Remington/Agenstein Hall at Missouri Western State University. Admission is $4 for adults and $2 for students. For more information, visit stjosephmuseum.org.
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There’s plenty to keep you entertained around town during colder months The City of St. Joseph has an events calendar at stjoemo.info. One option there is to take the family to see the Harlem Globetrotters at 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 21, at the Civic Arena. The Remington Nature Center, another family-friendly venue, hosts a Fish Feeding Frenzy at 10:30 a.m. every Friday. Kids can help cut worms and watch as the staff feed the aquarium fish corn, peas, live minnows and worms. The center also offers a variety of crafting events geared toward kids. These events are from 1 to 3 p.m. on the following Saturdays.
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JAN. 16 — Flurry of Snowflakes JAN. 30 — Splatter Blobs FEB. 13 — Edible Igloo FEB. 27 — Build a Birdfeeder MARCH 12 — Cave Drawings
File photo | Josephine magazine
“We also have an indoor monthly scavenger hunt that kids can participate in any time we are open (10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 1 to 5 p.m. on Sundays),” says Andrea McCoy, manager of the Remington Nature Center. “Twelve items are hidden throughout the building, and they have to write down the locations of where they are hidden to win a prize. Hidden items and prizes change every month.” All events are included in the admission price, $3 for adults, $2 for seniors 60 and older, and $1 for youth ages 4 to 15. Children 3 and under are free, and all kids must be accompanied by an adult. For more information, visit stjoenaturecenter.info. The local libraries offer several events, including storytime for kids, book clubs for teens and a monthly family movie night. Check out the St. Joseph Public Library’s calendar of events at sjpl.lib.mo.us and the Rolling Hills Consolidated Library’s calendar at rhcl.org. Some indoor activities you can do at home include making paper snowflakes or other winter-themed crafts or baking and decorating sugar cookies. If all else fails and the weather is agreeable, go outside and build a snowman, go sledding, make snow angels or build a fort and have a snowball fight. You also could head over to the Bode Sports Complex to go ice skating. Call 816-271-5352 for information.
With your friends or partner
The Tipple Hill Winery located in Easton, Missouri, is Buchanan Coun-
Jack Hilsabeck, left, helps his grandchildren Kasey Hilsabeck, 2, and Jacob Hilsabeck, 5, Maryville, Missouri, prepare worms to feed the fish earlier this year at Remington Nature Center in St. Joseph. ty’s newest winery, and the business also hosts a number of special entertainment events. There are several other wineries in the region, so perhaps a visit with your friends or partner is exactly what you need during this season. Visit tipplehillwinery.com and www. nwmissouriwine.com for hours and information on wineries in our area. If you like theater, you can visit the Missouri Theater Friday, Feb. 12, through Sunday, Feb. 14, to see “Mary Poppins” (with or without the kids) or the Robidoux Landing Playhouse March 4 through 13 for “The Odd Couple.” Visit rrtstjoe.org for info. Also check out stjosephmuseum.org for information on local museums. Several have events throughout the winter. This winter, you can enjoy playing miniature golf inside the St. Joseph Museum. The museum invited local businesses and organizations to sponsor, design and construct a hole with the theme of various exhibits in mind. The miniature golf holes will be featured throughout the museum. The kickoff will be held at 6 p.m. Friday, Jan. 15. For $35 per person, you can enjoy mingling, hors d’oeuvres, wine and miniature golf. Pre-paid reservations are required and can be made by calling 816-232-8471. After the kickoff, The Museum Mini-Golf Marathon will be available for visitors for $2 per player in addition to admission from Jan. 16 through March 1.
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| Josephine magazine |
If leaving your house during the winter is less than appealing, you can take advantage of the time you have indoors. Think ahead to warmer weather and plan your summer vacation, redecorate a room in your house or organize the closets you’ve been ignoring all year. You also can organize your photos or work on a scrapbook. Playing board games or watching a movie while drinking hot cocoa are great ways to leisurely pass time during the winter months. If you don’t have any reason to leave your house you could even hunker down under a Snuggie and have a movie marathon or binge watch a show on Netflix. Perhaps your friends might enjoy participating in a board game or video game tournament. Another fun event to host is a Super Bowl party. According to nfl.com, for the first time in Super Bowl history, the game will be branded with the Arabic numeral 50 instead of the Roman numeral L. That alone is reason to celebrate and plan a big party for Sunday, Feb. 7. If you are looking for something a little different, you could seek out volunteer opportunities in the community. The United Way is a great resource for this. With so many informative websites available, you really should have a hard time getting bored this winter. — CHRISTINA HECKMAN | Josephine magazine January 2016
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Average Joe I saw my dad cry once. He
Don’t cry, man Tears are part of being human, even for guys ALONZO WESTON has been a columnist and reporter for the St. Joseph News-Press for more than 25 years. He and his wife, Deanna, have two children and a dog. The St. Joseph native is also a sports junkie who doesn’t pick up after himself. If you’d like to suggest an idea for this column, contact Alonzo at alonzo.weston@ newspressnow.com.
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cried after his mother died. Pop wiped his eyes with a white handkerchief and sobbed as he held on to her casket during the funeral. He sang a goodbye song, too. It made me cry to see pop cry. Here was a man I grew up seeing being able to keep his emotions in check. He carefully controlled his tears and his anger. He cried. Even on his deathbed when the doctor told him he had two choices and neither of them good, pop just gave a distant stare. Dry-eyed he looked at no one in particular but saw something far away that we’ll never know. Now Grandpa Jim wasn’t afraid to cry. He never cried in fear or in pain, but would get misty-eyed from a distant thought. On holidays he looked at grandkids and family through moist-eyed memories of how things change so quickly. No, pain never made Grandpa Jim cry. I saw him fall off a ladder at 70 years old and say a cuss word or three and climb back up on the roof. No tears. Men are taught early not to cry in public or even cry at all. A notears ethos is ingrained in our idea of masculinity early on from dads, uncles, coaches and Westerns. We are to suck it up, patch it up and move on. Throughout history men have cried, but it was and still is really more about what you cry over than the act itself. In Greek and Roman literature, there are accounts of noble warriors crying for fallen comrades or loved ones. Tears for self were prohibited. In the Bible it reads: “Jesus wept.” He wept not for himself but for humanity. The Movember Foundation conducted a United Kingdom-wide poll recently and found half the men surveyed said they felt like crying at least once a month.
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| Josephine magazine |
They also felt the pressure to be successful and be a real man, according to a story on the survey on the AskMen.com website. “Men and boys face unbelievable pressure to live up to an archaic stereotype of what it means to be a man, and in the process they neglect their own mental and physical health,” said Sarah Coghlan, Movember UK county director, in the article. Another study done by Mind, a UK mental-health organization, found that 80 percent of men would rather suppress their anxieties than show emotion. But former NFL head coach Dick Vermeil and former Speaker of the House John Boehner have been ridiculed here in America in the media for shedding tears. The website The Art of Manliness listed a few acceptable times a man could cry. These include: the death of a loved one, death of a pet, while getting married, when you first see your new son or daughter and after playing in your final game. Men are allowed to cry after the following movies: “Brian’s Song,” “We Were Soldiers,” “Shawshank Redemption,” “Old Yeller” and “Gladiator,” to name a few. The website also listed the times when it’s not OK for a man to cry: when your favorite sports team loses, when you are looked upon to be a source of strength for others, when you are frustrated or when you have an important job to do. I’ve cried over the loss of loved ones and pets. As a news reporter, I’ve gone to my car and cried alone more than a few times after interviewing people who suffered a tragedy. After all, we’re still human. Tears are part of showing that we are.
January 2016
Getting real In today’s society, most
everyone is concerned about their health in one way or another. You cannot watch a simple sitcom without being bombarded with commercials advertising medications that are supposed to help us live longer, be happier and have more romantic relationships. To maintain good health, I have tried several methods of exercise in my lifetime. From the unsuccessful ones, like jogging (imagine a water balloon being tossed in the air, then hitting the ground in a hurried fashion and that will give you a visual of my experience), aerobics (convinced at one point during a session that I was doing the waltz while everyone else in the room was doing the rumba), weightlifting (started with cans of food as my weights and ended with a great pot of soup but no muscles), to my newest, and by far the most successful program, fat-burning housekeeping. Housekeeping, you ask? Well, I recently read an article that stated that simple household chores were a great way to build muscle and burn calories. Some of the calorie totals burned, per hour, were anywhere from 544 calories for moving furniture to 68 calories for changing light bulbs (yes, the chart was that specific). I decided this may be my new workout plan. Both my house and I would benefit. Knowing the housecleaning tip “clean from the top down,” I began with the cobwebs. I took the feather duster and hit the corners of the kitchen, stretching out a little farther than I typically do, knowing this was now my workout and a good stretch is important with exercise. Satisfied with my “warm up,” I moved to the cabinets. Showing off my skills a bit, I added an advanced move to my newly designed workout — the cabinet push up. I put my hands on the
countertop and began to push myself up and down. Like any good aerobics instructor, I counted off “One, two, three ... how in the world did that package of Cheezits get behind the coffee maker? There’s not enough to put back in the cabinet, and I don’t want to throw them away ...” I stopped my push-ups, opened the crunchy snack items and popped them in my mouth. After the carb-loading, I went back to work. I wiped off the cabinets and saw the one, lonely peanut butter cookie that was left over from the night before, cozily tucked in a Ziploc bag, taking space on my clean cabinet. Hating that the cookie was causing a cluttered look on my clean space, I removed the cookie from the plastic and shoved it in my ol’ pie hole. Feeling very accomplished, I continued my workout by cleaning out the fridge. “Who put this jug of chocolate milk back in here when it’s almost empty?” I thought. Wanting a clean shelf, I took off the lid and chugged what was left in the carton. I tossed the empty container, some wilted greens and a fuzzy tomato into the trash, smiling at how efficient this workout was. Last thing on the exercise plan was sweeping the floor. I bent way over during this activity to provide myself more of a core workout while gathering all the crumbs and dog hair with my broom. A silver object got flicked out from under the cabinet and immediately caught my eye. “So that is where that Hershey kiss went!” Before I even thought about it, that chocolate nugget was unwrapped and in my mouth. Since I have begun my new exercise program, I am never hungry and I have gained 5 pounds. I am sure it is because a person starts adding muscle before they begin to burn fat.
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| Josephine magazine |
Cleaning up A workout routine that’s guaranteed to add weight STACEY MOLLUS is a humor columnist and author who believes laughter is the best form of exercise. She loves sparkles, stretchy pants, sunbeams and family. Her first fiction novella, “Sylvia, please don’t be dead,” is available in bookstores and online. You can contact her at queenofchocolates@live.com.
January 2016
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Meal time
Dinner parties I love dinner parties that are small enough to enable good conversation, have good food and drink and thus usually a good time is had by all.
My friends Steve and Bob host great dinner parties, and I always enjoy their hospitality. I was somewhat puzzled, however, when I overheard Bob invite someone to the same party and he was asking them if they had food preferences. So later I asked him why he never asked me what I liked? His reply was “You like everything.” Humph. Consequently, I started thinking about it. I am not a picky eater. I identify with James Beard when he said he liked just about anything as long as it was well prepared. I agree. Almost. A fabulous Asian cook, my late friend Maggie Gin and I fixed him a platter of pigs ears, well done and crispy. I liked them but drew the line at eating a platter of snouts! So I don’t like everything. Touring rural China, I was served a bowl of fish soup. I like fish soup but not when eyeballs are floating around. When in Italy with my Italian mentor Giuliano Bugialli, we had lunch at a small country restaurant whose specialty was Screech Birds on Toast: a small, featherless naked bird, head on, stretched across a piece of toast. You were supposed to eat it, crunchy head and all. Couldn’t do it, so gave my bird head to GB. So, Steve and Bob, I don’t eat everything. However what I like, I really like. Everybody likes this.
Onion Gratin 1½ pounds yellow onions 3 tablespoons unsalted butter 2 teaspoons fresh thyme, minced (or dried 1 teaspoon) 2 large eggs 2/3 cup cream 2/3 cup all-purpose flour Salt and freshly ground pepper 1 cup grated Gruyere cheese 30
January 2016
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Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Peel and halve onions, slice into 1/4-inch wide pieces. Melt 3 tablespoons butter in large sauté pan. Add onions, thyme and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Stir to coat onions with the butter, then cook slowly over low heat until they are very soft. This may take up to a half hour, but you are not trying to caramelize them. (They may color a little). When done, set aside to cool. Beat the eggs well, stir in the cream and then the flour. Wisk everything together and pour batter through a strainer. Combine the batter with the onions and cheese and season with salt and pepper. Pour into a buttered gratin dish and bake until gratin is slightly puffed and browned, about 25 minutes.
in half lengthwise, then cut into 1/4 inch slices. In a large skillet, melt butter and oil, sauté the leeks and mushrooms until the leeks begin to soften. Add the stock and endive, cover and simmer for 10 minutes, until the vegetables are soft. Drain (reserving the liquid) and transfer to gratin or baking pan. Reduce the reserved liquid down to about 4 tablespoons and use it to moisten the vegetables. Sprinkle walnuts on top. This can done in advance. Heat in a 425-degree oven until heated through and the walnuts are crisp. Season with salt and pepper.
Winter Gratin 3/4 pounds Belgian endive (3 or 4 small heads) 1 bunch leeks 2 tablespoons butter 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 3/4 pounds mushrooms, sliced 1/4 inch thick 1/3 cup chicken stock Salt and freshly ground pepper 1/2 cup ground walnuts Cut bottoms off the endives, then cut crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces. The leaves will separate. Cut off bottom of leeks, and trim the tops to the lighter green area. Cut
| Josephine magazine |
LONNIE GANDARA TAYLOR is a St. Joseph native who has returned home after a prestigious career in the culinary field. She taught cooking classes in the San Francisco Bay area for years and was a professional assistant to Julia Child, James Beard, Martha Stewart, Simone Beck and Martin Yan, among others. She is a graduate of the Paris Cordon Bleu, the Academie du Vin in Paris and the first culinary class held in the Oriental hotel in Bangkok, as well as being the author of five cookbooks.
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Everybody get healthy As we come to the end
of the year, many of us have the tradition of making New Year’s resolutions. While made with good intentions, too often our promises to better our lives fade by Valentine’s Day. So rather than making the usual appeal to “eat better,” “exercise more” and “be healthier,” I’m going to challenge you to take on the new year with a slightly different approach. Step outside yourself for a minute — OK, maybe for a few minutes — and think about the past year. What was your impact on the world around you? How did you affect your family, your coworkers, your friends, people you don’t even know? What did you do to help your community? Too often, we get caught up in our own little world, our own calendars and schedules, and forget about looking outside that world. Every person we meet, every encounter we have with someone else is a chance to have a positive impact. However, it takes looking up from our phones, forgetting about the time crunches and putting our own schedules on hold even just for a moment. Make a resolution to take those moments and say “thank you,” smile, compliment someone, offer a stranger a hand, spend time helping with community events or make a positive impact outside your own little world. Look for a challenge. Nearly every change requires a “stressor” or a challenge. Canyons are formed after years of rivers wearing on the Earth. We learn by engaging our mind and body in new ways with new information. The body heals and grows based on the stress placed on it. The only way our well-intentioned resolutions will truly bring about change is if we actively seek out the challenges and then
take them on. That means looking outside your comfort zone, being humble enough to make mistakes and learn from them and being brave enough to keep going until the challenge is met. Maybe it’s a class to learn something new, an exercise routine to improve your fitness or a shift in eating habits to improve your health. Find the challenge and stick with it. Don’t forget who you are. You are human. The human body is a magnificent, self-healing, selfregulating, beautiful machine. Muscles, tendons, ligaments and bones work together to provide structure and allow movement in every imaginable direction. The lungs, heart, arteries, capillaries and veins make up an incredible delivery system, bringing oxygen and nutrients to all the parts of the body. The human brain is capable of not only controlling the functions of the body, but also of interacting with the world around us, caring for others, creating beautiful artistic masterpieces and making scientific discoveries. What a wonderful thing it is to be human! And what wonderful opportunities we have with such a gift. Use those legs to move you to new places, use that mouth to speak kindness to the world, use those hands to work for good, use that brain to learn, to discover, to love. You have the ability to do so much with the mind, body and soul you have RIGHT NOW. Our goal should be to care for our bodies so that we can remain capable to do all those things. Make this New Year different. Find a way to make a change not only in your own life, but in the lives of those around you. Don’t be afraid of the challenges that lie ahead — tackle them with confidence. And don’t forget about the power you have in being YOU.
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| Josephine magazine |
A fresh start Resolutions should be about more than losing weight DR. MAUREEN HOLTZ has been a physical therapist with Performance Plus Rehabilitation Center since May 2012. She is a St. Joseph native and a graduate of the University of Missouri’s Doctor of Physical Therapy program. While she has experience with pediatric and inpatient physical therapy, she enjoys the setting and challenges of outpatient orthopedic physical therapy. Dr. Holtz is particularly interested in the treatment of adolescent athletes, pregnant and postpartum women and transitioning patients from physical therapy to fitness and wellness programs. She also has written and produced ongoing quarterly newsletters for both patients and physicians in the St. Joseph area. In her free time, she enjoys running and weight training, as well as spending time with her husband and two sons.
January 2016
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