FEBRUARY 2023
COVER STORY
Learn How to Set Meaningful Goals with the Gumption to Go After Them, pg. 11
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Contents Publisher and Editor-in-Chief Kuanita E. Murphy, PhD Rural Leader Magazine, LLC is a digital publication that highlights every day people doing extraordinary things nationally and abroad. www.RuralLeaderMag.com www.GetRuralLeaderMag.com
About Us
Launched in March 2014, Rural Leader Magazine, LLC is a digital publication with a mission to highlight every day people doing extraordinary things in business, education, music, community, art, sports, and leadership nationally and abroad. Rural Leader Magazine honors exemplary individuals on a variety of levels, such as the 20 under 20 Honors, 40 under 40 Honors, Best Small Town Restaurant, Small Town America’s 100 Most Influential People, the Scholars of Collegiate Distinction, Fifty under Fifty, and the Eagle Elite Club.—
7 Four Ways to Maintain Your Wellness Goals this Winter 9 Top Three financial resolutions Americans are making to cope with uncertain times COVER STORY 11 Learn How to Set Meaningful Goals with the Gumption to Go After Them
15 Five Ideas to Infuse Fun into the Family Routine This Winter 16 Looking for career opportunities? Consider joining the next generation of elite technicians 18 Preparing for tax season: Three tips to keep your documents organized
Reproduction in any manner, in whole or in part, in English, or other languages, is prohibited without written consent. Send editorial ideas to Kuanita Murphy, PhD, Editor-in-Chief editor@ruralleadermag.com Contact Us info@ruralleadermag.com editor@ruralleadermag.com ruralleadermagazine@gmail.com
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Tell us what you think about our publications, if you have a great idea for a story, or to just share. We may print your comments in Rural Leader Magazine. By sending us your comments, you’re giving permission to call you for an interview. Please be sure to include your name, address, email address, and phone number so we can reach you. Write to us at info@RuralLeaderMag.com—
Editor’s Note Dear Readers, Inside this issue, there are a number of great articles about leadership best practices, building positive self-esteem and productivity! We hope you enjoy this issue. As always, I hope you enjoy this issue and continue to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn. Thanks again for your continual support! Sincerely, Kuanita E. Murphy, PhD Publisher/Editor-in-Chief
What you do matters. @RuralLeaderMag
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Four Ways to Maintain Your Wellness Goals this Winter Now that winter is officially in full swing, cold weather and shorter days are upon us, which can make it harder to stick to your wellness goals and resolutions. However, Registered Dietitian and Nutritionist Dawn Jackson Blatner offers the following tips that can help you invest in your well-being and stick to your health goals this season. 1. Exercise regularly. Regular exercise can boost your immune system, which helps your body avoid illnesses during the colder months. According to The New York Times, several studies have shown a strong link between regular exercise and lower risks of infection, including respiratory infections. Regardless of what exercise you partake in, 30 minutes of moderate physical activity five times a week can give your body an edge against cold and flu season this winter. 2. Winterize your hydration. Staying hydrated benefits your health in many ways, including aiding in the regulation of body temperature, preventing infections, delivering nutrients to your cells and lubricating your joints! It can also improve your sleep, cognition and mood. If you aren’t craving big glasses of ice water on cold wintery days, winterize your hydration by reaching for hot drinks like herbal teas or add a squeeze of winter fruit like oranges or grapefruit to your water to make it more flavorful. 3. Eat Vitamin D-rich foods. Eating foods rich in Vitamin D is always important, but especially in the winter. We make Vitamin D from sunshine, so when we are seeing less of the sun we have to make sure we are getting it in our diet. Vitamin D is associated with bone health, muscle function and immunity and is found in foods such as fatty fish, fortified milk, certain mushrooms and egg yolks. Eggland’s Best eggs contain six times more Vitamin D than ordinary eggs. Plus double the Omega-3s, 25% less saturated fat and more than double the Vitamin B12; they’re really a nutrient powerhouse! 4. Add seasonal produce. With each season our cravings change. The fruits and veggies we wanted in the summer like crisp, cold salads will likely be different in the winter. So lean into the season and add winter produce to your routine such as kale, sweet potatoes, cauliflower, brussels sprouts and spaghetti squash. Produce adds beneficial antioxidants and fiber to help keep cells and digestion healthy. Check out this hearty Sweet Potato Breakfast Bowl from Eggland’s Best and don’t forget to nourish your body during the coldest winter months while satisfying your taste buds!
Sweet Potato Breakfast Bowl Prep time: 10 minutes | Cook time: 25 minutes Yield: 2 bowls Ingredients: 2 medium sweet potatoes (chopped into 1-inch cubes) 2 cups of baby spinach 1 tablespoon of olive oil Pinch of salt 1/4 teaspoon of pepper 1/2 teaspoon of onion powder 1 teaspoon of garlic powder 1 large avocado (salt and pepper for taste) 4 Eggland’s Best eggs, large Preparation: 1. Add sweet potatoes, olive oil, salt, pepper, onion powder and garlic powder in a medium bowl. Mix thoroughly. 2. Put the sweet potatoes in the air fryer for 25 minutes at 375 degrees for the perfect texture. Shake the basket at about 10 minutes. 3. While the sweet potatoes are cooking, lightly coat your nonstick pan with oil over medium heat. Once the pan heats up, crack 4 eggs into the pan, season with salt and pepper and cover it. 4. Cook until the whites are set, but the yolks are still runny. 5. Divide the sweet potato and spinach between 2 bowls. Top each bowl with 2 sunny-side-up eggs and half an avocado. 6. Serve with sausage or veggie links if desired. Enjoy! By following these four tips, you’ll be sure to set yourself up for wellness success this year! For more tasty and healthy recipes featuring Eggland’s Best eggs, visit EgglandsBest.com.—
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Top Three financial resolutions Americans are making to cope with uncertain times While preparing to ring in the new year, many Americans make resolutions about their finances. Unfortunately, some are feeling less optimistic about the year ahead, according to Fidelity Investments’ 2023 New Year’s Financial Resolutions Study. Over one-third say they’re in worse financial shape than last year, and only 65% believe they’ll be better off in 2023. The good news? About half say they’re ready to “live sensibly” or “plan ahead,” making practical financial resolutions focusing on balancing shortterm and long-term goals. Two-thirds of the survey respondents (66%) are considering a financial resolution for 2023. What financial resolutions are Americans making? Of those planning a financial New Year’s resolution, 94% say they’re approaching it differently, given the events of the last couple of years, focusing on practicality - with nearly half (45%) considering more conservative goals for the year ahead. The top financial resolutions are: 1. Save more money (39%) 2. Pay down debt (32%) 3. Spend less money (28%) For the first time in the study’s 14-year history, more Americans resolve to save for short-term goals
rather than long-term goals. Next generation savers (ages 18-35) are evenly split, with 50% saving for the short-term and 50% taking a longer view. Among those making financial resolutions, the top motivations are “achieving greater peace of mind” and “living a debt-free life.” Inflation’s impact. Inflation was cited as the top financial setback experienced in 2022, and its impact is expected to continue. In fact, respondents ranked it their top financial concern for 2023. Among those experiencing a financial setback in the past year, 44% had to dip into their emergency fund. Millennials led the way in this regard, with more than half (55%) reporting being forced to take this action. Additionally, 4 out of 10 (43%) Baby Boomers say they and their family are in worse shape financially compared to last year, possibly in part due to declining retirement balances. Positive practices in a season of living sensibly. While 2022 presented challenges, the study also reveals encouraging news: More people express having a positive relationship with money. When asked to describe their expectations for 2023, 29% describe their outlook for next year as “the year of living sensibly.” Encouragingly, nearly half (49%) expect to GetRuralLeaderMag.com |FEBRUARY 2023 9
maintain savings habits developed during the pandemic, and a similar number (46%) plan to get more involved in charitable giving in 2023. “Even if your focus is on immediate needs, longterm goals and objectives are what keep us going - and planning can help,” said Stacey Watson, senior vice president of Life Event Planning, Fidelity Investments. “Taking charge of your financial situation is a great way to help you feel a sense of control, even when external forces bring challenges. Saving more and paying down debt, even small amounts, can have a tremendous impact on a household’s financial and emotional well-being.” Sticking with resolutions. How can Americans resolve to build a stronger financial future in the new year? To start, those in better financial shape this year reported saving more, budgeting better and/or working more hours. In fact, over 80% of Americans say having a plan can help them deal with the unexpected. Making resolutions is a great way to start the year on the right foot - and this simple act can have a positive impact on your attitude and your finances. Get help planning and reaching financial goals. Want to plan and set achievable financial resolutions? Help is just a click away. Fidelity’s online resource,
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Life Events hub, was created to help anyone, Fidelity customer or not, plan for and manage life’s significant moments. You can find checklists and resources for situations including job changes, caring for loved ones, divorce and navigating the college journey. No matter what your focus - building emergency savings, paying down debt, managing spending or saving for retirement - Fidelity can help you create a free, flexible plan for whatever matters most to you at Fidelity.com/freeplan. In January during Financial Wellness month, the company offers 31 days of educational events, financial tips and interactive tools to inspire you to kick off the new year with a renewed focus on finances. Representatives are available at no cost to answer questions 24/7 at 1-800-FIDELITY, or online at Fidelity.com.—
COVER STORY
Learn How to Set Meaningful Goals with the Gumption to Go After Them
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Whether you’re a college grad, young professional or in mid-career, chances are you’ve already faced challenges that seemed overwhelming. Throughout your career, you’ll continue to face opportunities to choose one path or another, but without clear, meaningful goals - and the gumption to pursue them - you may find your path veering from the life you really want. This is one of the key messages of the debut book by Sharon Price John, “Stories and Heart: Unlock the Power of Personal Stories to Create a Life You Love,” which illustrates core principles that helped her succeed - from climbing a daunting tree in childhood to leading some of world’s best-known brands, offering personal lessons and insights in an approachable manner and understandable format. As president and chief executive officer of the beloved publicly traded company Build-A-Bear Workshop for nearly a decade, John successfully led the 25-year-old organization through the “retail apocalypse” and global pandemic to emerge as a reimagined corporation that delivered the most profitable year in its history in 2021, followed by the recently announced expectation to repeat that feat for the company’s 2022 fiscal year. Beyond offering candid stories that educate and inspire, she guides readers through her framework for using their own personal stories to enact meaningful change in their lives. In addition to each chapter’s “Story,” a related “Question from the Heart” and personal exploratory exercise helps provide actionable guidelines to creating a life you love, with an invitation for readers to challenge their own mindset through the lens of each experience shared. Your own stories reveal your values and goals. Originally hailing from a small town in Tennessee, John learned early that she had a natural sense of determination to achieve what she wanted in life, although her perseverance was challenged by life circumstances, including overcoming obstacles like having zero connections in New York’s advertising world when pursuing her first job in the Big Apple. She shares her stories together with concrete exercises to help you focus on your life goals, determine the core values important to you - plus techniques to help you overcome hurdles, like those inner voices that may discourage you from taking the next steps in your career. “The goal is for this book to be as much a journey for you as it was for me,” John explains. “This is an
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opportunity for you to think about what matters in your life while hopefully revealing an appreciation and understanding that your personal stories and the meaning you have woven around them not only impact your journey, but can be predictive of it.” Reflective exercises John guides readers through include: * Brainstorming goals for the next five years. * Listing wishes for lifelong experiences. * Identifying values that are most important to you. * Rejecting the negative voices in your head. * Understanding how perfectionism can block achievement. * Redefining failures. * Listening to your own instincts. * Imagining your goals being met - and taking specific actions to get there. Harnessing your gumption to achieve what you want. “If you’re unfamiliar with the term, the word ‘gumption’ is a little different from determination. Gumption is a mix of drive, passion and creativity - not just sheer will,” adds John. “This is where the concept of being dedicated to your goals becomes important. The power to create a life you love is within you.” In “Stories and Heart,” John shares that beyond identifying the specific life goals most important to you, the next crucial step is learning to harness your dedication, faith and gumption to take concrete actions in pursuit of those goals - even when you’re unsure of the outcome. Taking positive action toward those goals, even in small steps, provides the fuel necessary to achieve them. “When we identify what it is we really want, our ability to have conviction in achieving those goals increases. It is pretty incredible the things we can achieve when we understand the power of directing our efforts toward a specific desire or outcome,” John explains. “Real momentum in life starts when you clarify and begin taking steps, with conviction, toward something desirable.” To learn more about John, her journey and her tips for setting your own meaningful life goals, visit StoriesAndHeart.com or check out her podcast at ForbesBooksAudio.com/shows/stories-heart. You can order her book, available now, at Amazon. com.—
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Five Ideas to Infuse Fun into the Family Routine This Winter As we enter a new year during the cold, dark months of winter, it’s easy for anyone to lose their spark. It can be especially challenging to motivate your kids after a long holiday break. By shaking up the routine and infusing some fun and creativity into family activities, you can help beat the winter-time blues. Here are a few fun, family-friendly ideas to help keep spirits up: 1. Get creative in the kitchen. A great (and tasty!) way to have some fun and teach your kids a thing or two is to get creative in the kitchen. Get them started with an easy recipe they can take the lead in preparing. The Frigo Cheese Heads brand has easy, healthy and creative snacks, like Fruity Cheese Kabobs, which are as fun to assemble as they are to eat. 2. Make a point to get moving. Motivation and movement go hand in hand, and there are lots of ways to get everyone in the family moving, even during the chillier months. Explore your local hiking trails or go bowling. If you’re in a snowy climate, embrace it with sledding, ice skating or snowshoeing adventures. Staying in? Consider starting an exercise challenge and up the excitement by offering prizes that your kids will be motivated to earn. 3. Get a change of scenery. Sometimes a change of scenery is all you need to combat the winter blues. Check out local event sites and plan one day each
month for your family to explore a new festival, museum, indoor or outdoor market, park, music show or other unique local offering. 4. Throw a party. Planning a gathering is sometimes just as fun as the party itself. Host a party with your kids and let them be involved in coming up with the theme, menu and guest list. Let them get creative by making up games for a game night that both kids and adults will enjoy. Take it one step further and have them create handmade party decorations and a trophy for the winner to take home. 5. Volunteer together. Brainstorm a few simple but meaningful things to do at home that can benefit the world. Seemingly small things like starting a compost pile, collecting food shelf donations or contributing to a charity event at school are great ways to get involved and make a difference. Or consider signing the entire family up for volunteer and fundraising opportunities, such as working at a food bank, participating in park cleanups or walking or running to raise money for a charity. Most importantly, infuse some fun and positivity during the short days of winter to help your kids keep their spark and revitalize them for the rest of the school year!—
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Looking for career opportunities? Consider joining the next generation of elite technicians There’s good news for those entering the job market, people wanting a career change or military veterans searching for a new path forward: Landing a rewarding lifelong career as a truck and trailer technician has never been easier. You don’t need years of expensive education or training to enter this field, which is currently in high demand. With just a short period of training, you can learn to service America’s fleet of trucks and trailers that are the backbone of the country’s economy. Technicians are in high demand. With the persistent need for delivery services and a responsive supply chain due to today’s on-demand lifestyle - in addition to the fast-changing technological developments occurring in the trucking industry - companies nationwide are actively recruiting technicians who can learn how to service both diesel-powered and today’s more sustainable electric vehicles (EV), from medium to heavy trucks to tractor-trailers. Paid training and no experience required. Fortunately, if you’re interested in joining this evolving, in-demand field, you can find a training program that will set you up not just for a great job, but for a 16
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lifelong career. FleeTec Academy, powered by Cox Automotive Mobility Fleet Services, offers an unmatched paid training program that provides competitive wages, all your living expenses and travel to one of the academy’s two locations: Phoenix and Indianapolis. The four-week program offers intensive, hands-on training from professional instructors to ensure each student will learn the advanced skills required to be a successful technician. Here’s what the training program provides: * Four-week accelerated academic environment alongside equally ambitious candidates. * Paid living expenses and travel to the training location. * Competitive pay throughout the four-week training program. * Practical application in a mechanical shop environment, not just classroom learning, plus interpersonal skills required to set yourself apart from the rest and drive your career to the next level. * Guaranteed job placement with Cox Automotive. * Best-in-class employee benefits on Day 1. * $20,000 worth of tools to equip you on your essen-
tial mission to keep America’s trucks up and running after two years of service with Cox Automotive. “From hands-on training and instructors who go above and beyond to guaranteed career opportunities and great pay, FleeTec and Cox Automotive Mobility Fleet Services have taken really good care of me,” said FleeTec graduate Tramone Sims. “After FleeTec, I feel like I can go out and work on any type of truck and really grow my career.” Upon completion of the training program, you’ll be qualified to perform preventive maintenance and light repairs. You’ll learn the ins and outs of Cox Automotive’s industry-leading tools and techniques from the ground up, including unmatched safety procedures. The program requires a two-year commitment to the company upon completion, with a guaranteed
technician position where you’ll continue to receive mentorship and learn even more valuable industry skills at one of their many service centers or field service locations nationwide. To date, over 240 technicians have completed the program. “Technician training, recruitment and retention are critical to the growth of our business and the industry as a whole,” said Ted Coltrain, executive officer, Cox Automotive Mobility Fleet Services. “It’s an opportunity of a lifetime for someone who has what it takes to remain focused and dedicated to both work and education full-time as they complete this exceptional training program.” Interested? Visit CoxAutoInc.com/mobility/fleetec to watch videos of FleeTec students, learn more about the training program and to apply.—
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Preparing for tax season: Three tips to keep your documents organized Taxes can be a daunting task. Some people are so anxious that they put it off until just before the April 15 deadline. According to a survey by IPX1031, 32% of Americans waited until the last minute to file taxes in 2022. Of those who procrastinated on filing, 25% said that they waited because filing taxes is too stressful and complicated. While you can wait until the deadline to file, you’ll only increase your tax anxiety. If you find tax season intimidating, check out these three tips that can help ease tax time stress. 1. Take a deep breath. It may seem trite, but the first thing you need to do to tackle your taxes is to take a deep breath. You likely already have everything you need to start your tax forms. It’s just a matter of finding all your documents and organizing them so you can easily fill out your information and submit your forms. Start early to help ease your tax season stress, so you have plenty of time to input and review your information. If you wait until the deadline, you’ll only get more anxious about the prospect of being late or making mistakes on your tax forms. Another way to manage tax time stress is to tackle 18
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your tax forms one section at a time. You can do this over the course of a few days or a couple of weeks. You can enlist the help of a partner or friend to keep you accountable and sit with you while you do your taxes. 2. Get organized. Whether you’re doing personal or business taxes, creating a system with specific categories will help you stay organized throughout the year. That way, when it’s time to tackle taxes, you’ll have everything you need right in front of you. First, create a deductions and expenses folder. In this folder, you’ll keep cellphone and internet bills, receipts for supplies (like pencils, pens and papers), client dinner receipts and documents of charitable donations. Next, you’ll set up an income folder where you’ll store your paystubs, bank statements and other records that prove any income you have produced during the year. If needed, you can create another folder for business tax documents like W-2s, property taxes and self-employment forms. Lastly, make an investments folder. Here, you can save retirement contributions to IRAs or other accounts, tax-deferred investments, nondeductible
investments and any other taxable investments. By setting up and using this organizational system throughout the year, you’ll be able to breeze through your tax forms with minimal stress. 3. Go digital. Now that you’ve got the system in place, it’s time to simplify taxes by going digital. Recreate the organizational system above on your computer. You can also store or sync the folders on the cloud or mobile device so you can access documents on the go. You can also upload invoices, receipts and other documents into digital files as soon as you receive them. The easiest way to convert physical documents into digital ones is to scan them. Simplify the process by using an application like Mopria Scan. This app allows you to scan directly from any Mopria certified device to your Android device without installing multiple apps, software or drivers for every scanner or printer you use at home or the office. You’ll also have easy access to scanned pages on
your Android device’s cloud storage or other applications. You can even scan your stuff and email it to your professional accountant so they can deal with it! Download the Mopria Print Service or Mopria Scan apps and relieve tax time stress. Don’t let tax season anxiety get you down. Using these three tips, you’ll be able to complete your tax forms quickly and set yourself up for success for the next tax season.—
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