BRICK
THE
MAY 2022
MAGAZINE
ANN ARBOR
Governor Gretchen Whitmer Elevating the Women of Michigan Your Midlife Mojo! Five Tips to Improve Your Sleep
CHEF AVA YAU AT
OF RICE AND MEN
CHEF DE CUISINE
734.994.5111 LEWISJEWELERS.COM
H E A R T S O N F I R E S T O R E S , A U T H O R I Z E D R E TA I L E R S , H E A R T S O N F I R E . C O M
THE
BRICK MAGAZINE
MAY 2022
Publisher
•
Sarah Whitsett
Managing Editor
•
Marji Wisniewski
Art Director
•
Jennifer Knutson
Copy Editor
•
Angelina Bielby
Cover Photographer
•
Betsy's Photography
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Contributors >>
Allison Anastasio
Destination Ann Arbor
Adrianne Madias
Alexandra Bartscht
Melissa Joy
Maria Sylvester
Monica Brancheau
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Marji Wisniewski
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4 | The Brick Magazine
CONTENTS 6
Letter from the Editor
7
Miso Asparagus Salad
8
Governor Gretchen Whitmer — Elevating the Women of Michigan
12
Chef Ava Yau — Chef De Cuisine at Of Rice and Men
17
Spring Clean Your Finances
20
National Physical Fitness & Sports Month
22
Five Tips to Improve Your Sleep
24
Show Up with Your Pup: Ann Arbor Dog-Friendly Adventures
26
Push and Pull
28
Your Midlife Mojo!
A Letter from the
EDITOR
& PULL
Marji's dog Henry "pulling" her along Lake Michigan
PUSH
follow along on instagram: @thebrickmagazine find us on Facebook: The Brick Magazine Ann Arbor
I
have to be honest; I struggled a bit to think about what to write to you readers about our May theme of Push and Pull. I Googled “push and pull” phrases for maybe three days. I found that “push and pull” has many different meanings and connotations that are based on context. My first Google attempt found information on push and pull factors in relation to immigration — these factors being what motivates or "pulls" people to immigrate to a new country or what "pushes" them away from their home. This made me think about my conversation with Chef Ava Yau, who graces our cover this month (page 12). Chef Ava tells her story about her early life in Thailand and her pull to come to America to further her studies and continue focusing on her passion for pastry and cuisine. Another context where we experience push and pull is in parenting. Our contributor Monica Brancheau writes about the journey of raising children into teenagers (page 26). She lets us peek into her world as a mom raising multiple teens. She reminds us that our teens are grown up and independent in some moments, but at other times they still need to cuddle (and so do we!). It is this strange in-between time of push and pull — pushing towards adulthood, yet pulling back into childhood. A more literal take on the concept of push and pull is life with a dog. Dogs are always pushing us to take them for that daily beloved walk and pulling us along as they sniff and explore. If you are a dog lover like me, check out our story from our friends over at Destination Ann Arbor, where they share with us all the fun places around town our dogs can pull us toward (page 24). What are your thoughts about push and pull? Did you think of another way it can be applied? Drop me a line if you have other thoughts you’d like to share. I hope you enjoy our May issue. Happy spring!
Marji Wisniewski, Managing Editor
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Miso Asparagus Salad Serves 2-4
INGREDIENTS ●
½ lb soba noodles
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2 tsp kosher salt
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½ lb medium asparagus spears (about 10-12 spears), chopped into 2-inch pieces with tough ends removed
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2 scallions, chopped finely
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2 cups napa cabbage, chopped
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2 medium radishes, trimmed and thinly sliced
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Zest and juice of one lemon
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1½ tsp red or white miso paste
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1 Tbsp ginger, grated on a microplane or box grater
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2 cloves garlic, grated on a microplane or minced
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2 Tbsp soy sauce
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1 Tbsp sesame oil
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½ tsp sriracha (or more to taste)
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1 Tbsp sesame seeds, white and/or black
Miso Asparagus Salad
DIRECTIONS 1.
Boil the buckwheat soba noodles in salted water for 4-5 minutes.
2.
Add the chopped asparagus to the noodles in boiling water. Cook until the asparagus is just tender and bright green, for an additional 2-3 minutes.
3.
Drain asparagus and soba in a colander. Run cool tap water over the mixture until it is totally chilled.
4.
Slice the radishes into thin coins. Chop the cabbage and scallions.
5.
In a large bowl, whisk together the miso paste and 2 tablespoons of warm water until the miso has thinned out. Then add lemon zest, lemon juice, grated ginger, garlic, soy sauce, and sriracha. Slowly drizzle in the oil and whisk until thick. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and black pepper if needed.
6.
Add the asparagus, soba noodles,radishes, cabbage, and scallions and lightly toss to combine. Toss gently.
7.
Top with toasted sesame seeds to serve.
8.
(Optional: Serve with pressed and grilled tofu for a complete plant-based meal.)
I
by Allison Anastasio
n Michigan, we have to wait so long for our gardens to come back to life! Asparagus is one of the first green things that pop out of the dormant soil. Because our state is the top grower of this nutritious crop, local farmers’ markets are flush with the locally-grown green stalks. You can definitely taste the difference when you purchase directly from farmers at the Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti Farmers’ Markets. This salad is an example of something you can make in bulk and serve for lunches all week long. Buckwheat in its purest form is high in protein and gluten-free. Add your favorite protein to personalize this delicious entree salad. Chef Allison Anastasio of Last Bite Chef is a personal chef and culinary educator based in Ann Arbor. In December 2021 Chef Allison and her partner purchased a historic 1870s Greek revival home in Ypsilanti, Michigan. They named the property The Newton of Ypsilanti after the second owner, Charles Newton, who made substantial renovations to the structure in the early 20th century, including the installation of a 1700s tavern in the lower level. In April 2022, The Newton of Ypsilanti opened as a bed & breakfast, gathering place for the community, and as the new headquarters of Last Bite Chef. Whether you’re here for an overnight stay or visiting for an event, your time at the Newton of Ypsilanti will be full of delicious food, local art and the stories of historic architecture. For more information about the property, please visit www.theNewtonofYpsilanti.com. If you have a rental request please email Allison at thenewtonofypsilanti@gmail.com.
Governor Gretchen Whitmer Elevating the Women of Michigan by Marji Wisniewski
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I
t’s been a year since we featured Michigan’s Governor, Gretchen Whitmer, on our May 2021 cover. A few weeks ago, our Managing Editor, Marji Wisniewski, sat down with the Governor again to discuss the current issues and future plans that affect the women of our state. This interview is also available via video link on our social media and website. Women in Leadership Marji: Here at The Brick, we are passionate about celebrating women, lifting them up, and sharing their stories. How are you elevating the women of Michigan? Governor Whitmer: First, I appreciate the work that The Brick does. We are taking a lot of aggressive actions to support the women of our state. It’s undeniable that this pandemic has exacerbated the gender disparities that were long there before. This has been called a “she-session” because so many women have left the workforce. In the first days of my administration, I signed an executive order designed around pay equity, gender protections, and the 12-week parental leave. This is just for state jobs, I want to see this expanded for all. We’ve made huge investments in early childhood education and daycare. We’re going to continue with the free preschool work that we’ve been doing to make sure everyone in the state has access. We’re working really hard to level the barriers that women face.
MI Income Tax Credit MW: Can you talk about your plan to triple the MI earned income tax credit. What will that mean to our pockets in 2022 and 2023? GW: My goal is to get it done now so we can feel the immediate relief. The earned income tax credit is a great policy that has had bipartisan support over the years. This bill recognizes that there are a lot of people in our society who work full-time but still don’t make enough money to just meet
their daily needs. The earned income tax credit, the Michigan part of it, is about $3,000 to 730,000 families in Michigan. The best part of it is we are disproportionately helping kids. One million Michigan kids live in these households that would benefit. That’s half of Michigan’s kids that live in a household that have a parent or guardian that works fulltime yet doesn’t make enough money to meet their needs. $3,000 is a lot of money that can help these households, of which many are women led. The tax credit supports working families and single-moms in particular.
Affordable Childcare MW: For our readers who have young children and need childcare, what have you done to make that more affordable to the average Michigander? What can we expect from you in regards to even more expansion of affordable access to childcare in the future? GW: In the last budget we expanded the “Great Start” readiness program, which is for four-year-olds. We have increased eligibility so that 22,000 more kids have access to this phenomenal program. 112,000 more Michigan families got access to free or very low-cost childcare if they make less than $49,000 a year (as a family of four). We’ve made some real investments in this space, but we have an opportunity to do more and that is reflected in the budget that I introduced about a month ago. Legislature is doing their part and we’ll start to negotiate it at some point soon, but this is something that I hope to expand on. May 2022 | 9
I’d like to earn four more years and a Legislature that will actually work with me to codify this important right to autonomy in our reproductive choices that we make. MW: You have chosen to lead by example by enacting a 12-week parental leave for state employees. How can we encourage other organizations to follow suit? GW: That’s right. It has been utilized by a number of folks. It makes a huge difference and gives parents the ability to bond with their newborn children. And we’ve seen as many men take the leave as the women, which is great. This is something that helps the whole family. It can work - and it can make for a better environment for a workforce that’s happier and more efficient because they’ve got the support they need.
Investments in Education MW: In July of last year, you signed the “School Aid” budget into law making it the largest investment to date in 10 | The Brick Magazine
our public school system. What are some of the ways this has improved our schools over the last year? And, what still needs to be done to support the learning loss they face because of the pandemic? GW: One of the things that we’ve been able to do, even in the midst of all the other tough things we’ve been navigating, is every year we’ve made record investments in public education. I think that’s critical now, more than ever. The pandemic has been the worst kind of disruption our children’s learning. I proposed yet another state historic level of funding, investing in our kids. It is really important to focus on how we make sure there are great people at the head of the class teaching our kids. We’ve made this incredible investment in terms of improving the condition of the buildings and access to technology. These are the wrap-around items that will help our kids catch up. And of course, wrap-around services like a school nurse, health care in the school, mental health care, counseling support. I know we all say our kids are resilient - and they are - but there’s no question that they are carrying the stress of the last two years and we want to help them work through it and have the support they need to get back on track.
MW: I saw that your budget has tripled the number of literacy coaches in our schools to help every child read by third grade. This is so important. However, I would also be interested in hearing how you are planning to support our children’s mental health in school as they have experienced an unprecedented few years of challenges to their mental health. And not only providing the funds for that, but how do we help schools hire and keep the talented staff? GW: Part of the budget that I’ve introduced, (and I hope the Legislature sees the wisdom in it), was driven by parental involvement and the expertise of our educators; is a bonus structure. So, for everyone who works in our public schools and comes back to their same district in the fall, they get a $2,000 bonus. If they return again the following fall, they receive another $2,000. We need to hold on to the experts that we have. We recognize that many are leaving, as these last few years have taken a toll, and we already had too few people going into the profession in the first place. So, we’ve structured this to encourage people to stay with their district and make a commitment that supports the kids, and also encourage more people to go into education in the first place.
Reproductive Choice MW: In September of last year, you called on the legislature to send Senator Erika Geiss' bill that repeals our nearly-centuryold ban on abortion to your desk. You said you have always stood with those fighting for their right to choose and you said you’d stand in the way of any bills that seek to strip away fundamental rights from women or get in the way of doctors' ability to do their jobs." Where does this stand today? How will the other states changing their abortion laws effect the women of Michigan? GW: I think every person in Michigan should be concerned about this because the Supreme Court is going to make a determination on Roe v. Wade. Most Supreme Court observers think that Roe’s days are numbered, or at least Roe as we know it. And that means in states like Michigan that have anti-choice laws on the books - that’s what we will revert to — the 1931 law that criminalizes reproductive healthcare in a number of ways, not just in regards to abortion. This is going to compromise our health, make Michigan less competitive, and hurt our ability to have multiple generations want to call Michigan home and continue to build their lives here. It’s going to be a huge problem for us. So, I’d like to have a new statute that I can sign into law that will protect us. I don’t know if this Legislature makeup is ever going to do that. In fact, they’ve given us reason to believe that if they had a different governor, they would have already made Michigan an anti-choice state. It’s my veto that is keeping choice alive in Michigan right now. I’d like to earn four more years and a Legislature that will actually work with me to codify this important right to autonomy in our reproductive choices that we make.
Update from April 7, 2022 Press Release from the Governor’s office: On April 7, 2002 Governor Whitmer filed a lawsuit using executive authority to protect legal abortion in Michigan taking action to protect abortion access.
MICHIGAN’S PRE-ROE BAN The current version of Michigan’s law criminalizing abortion without exceptions for rape or incest was enacted in 1931. In 1973, the passage of Roe v. Wade rendered Michigan’s 1931 ban unconstitutional and abortion became legal in the state of Michigan. This year, Roe could be overturned in the Dobbs v. Jackson case, triggering Michigan’s 1931 abortion ban.
GOVERNOR WHITMER’S LAWSUIT The governor’s action today represents the first time a governor has filed a lawsuit to protect a woman's right to abortion since the U.S. Supreme Court signaled its recent willingness to consider overturning or circumscribing the federal right to an abortion. The lawsuit asks the court to recognize a constitutional right to an abortion under the Due Process Clause of the Michigan Constitution. It also asks the court to stop enforcement of the 1931 Michigan abortion ban. The abortion ban violates Michigan’s due process clause, which provides a right to privacy and bodily autonomy that is violated by the state’s near-total criminal ban of abortion. It also violates Michigan’s Equal Protection Clause due to the way the ban denies women equal rights because the law was adopted to reinforce antiquated notions of the proper role for women in society.
MICHIGANDERS ON ABORTION For Michiganders, this issue is beyond settled. According to a poll from January 2022, 67.3% of Michiganders support Roe and 65.7% support repealing Michigan’s 1931 trigger ban on abortion. Over 77%, believe abortion should be a woman’s decision. A sizeable majority of Michiganders agree that abortion is a decision to for a woman to make in consultation with a medical professional she trusts.
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Photo by Betsy's Photography 12 | The Brick Magazine
CHEF AVA YAU CHEF DE CUISINE AT OF RICE AND MEN
W
by Marji Wisniewski
hen Chef Ava Yau and I met for an hour-long Zoom call, her camera wasn’t working, so I couldn’t see her as we talked. But in her voice, I could hear her passion for food and the joy that it brings her to delight others through her cuisine and pastries. At the end of our call, she graciously offered to cook for me and my family. I stopped by Of Rice and Men to pick up my handcrafted order from Chef Ava. I was greeted with warm welcomes from the staff, who all were just as warm when they spoke about Chef Ava. The restaurant feels like something you’d find in downtown Chicago, but with an Ann Arbor hug. As my family enjoyed our meal, in between tasting the duck dumplings and the beef teriyaki udon, my husband proclaimed, “Let’s go back there this weekend with friends!” Chef Ava’s culinary craft is something you have to experience more than once; knowing her story makes it all the more special and savory. INSPIRING AND ASPIRING I was born and raised in Thailand within my large extended family. Our family had five homes in one big fenced-in area, similar to how many families live in Thailand. My aunts, uncles, and cousins were all steps away, so we spent time together every day. I remember having so much fun. My family also had a second house right next to the beach that my dad operated as a hotel and grocery store. I definitely started in the hospitality business young! In our country, we typically eat five times a day. Because of that, I have a lot of memories from my childhood that include food. We would all sit at a big table and have many plates of food to share together. On the weekend, I would wait for the snack lady to come by with her cart. For lunch we’d go get noodles at the noodle shop nearby. Then we’d wait for the ice cream cart to come around. We ate whatever we wanted to eat, and lots of it. I was so accustomed to seeing all these dishes at mealtime that later in life when I would sit down and only see one or two dishes, I couldn’t get that excited to eat.
Our city, Phetchaburi (also known as Phet Buri, located about one hundred miles outside of Bangkok), is known for three key ingredients used in Thai cuisine. Phetchaburi produces high-quality sea salt, palm sugar, and Key limes, earning the nickname “The City of Three Tastes” — salty, sweet, and sour. It has been recognized as a UNESCO City of Gastronomy. The farm-to-fork practice is also alive and well in the provinces, where farmers deliver fresh produce and seafood directly to food outlets and manufacturers as well as local households. All of this exposure gave me an early introduction to the hospitality and food industry. But working with food for a living wasn’t something that I saw myself doing. It was actually my dad who said to me, “Ava, you should be a chef.” I didn’t take his suggestion seriously at the time. I thought I wanted to do something different, but I ended up not liking what I had chosen to study, which was mass media.
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Photo by Betsy's Photography
Photo by Betsy's Photography
When I wasn’t breadmaking, working to continuously improve dishes, and washing dishes, I was reflecting. The pandemic gave me the gift of time. I had time for the f irst time in many years to think more about my life and the people that I care about. So, in my twenties, I went on a journey to discover what I really wanted to do. I enrolled in the Japanese Baking Academy, and later the European Pastry Academy. I was fortunate that Thailand offers many opportunities to study the culinary arts. After my pastry studies, I went on to learn more about Thai and Japanese cuisine. I like both pastry-making and culinary cooking. When studying bakery arts, you learn that successful pastry
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chefs must be organized and clean. Everything needs to be measured and perfectly timed. Pastry is concise and precise because of the science behind it. Cooking is less restrictive; you can add a little bit of this and a little bit of that. That’s what I enjoy about it. People usually focus on becoming either a pastry chef or a chef de cuisine, and it’s rare that a chef chooses both. However, I was born a Gemini, so I’m not surprised that I was drawn to two different disciplines!
VIVA LAS VEGAS When I was twenty-seven, I was accepted into the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco, where I studied French pastry. Although I had traveled all around Asia and Europe working with organized event companies, living somewhere else year-round was a big move for me. Soon after I graduated, I was offered a prestigious position as a pastry chef for the Bacchanal Buffet at Caesar’s Palace — the largest buffet in Las Vegas. While I was in Vegas, I had the opportunity to work with Korean celebrity chef Akira Back, who won Iron Chef in 2008. I also worked with Netflix’s Sugar High Champion, Executive Pastry Chef Mathieu Lavallee, at the ARIA Hotel in Vegas. The pastry shop was like a dream for pastry lovers! Moving to Las Vegas allowed me to work with some of the top chefs in my industry. It also taught me how to organize the way I work and plan out a menu. In Vegas, you can learn things you can’t learn anywhere else because of the access to top talent and high-end equipment that other restaurants just don’t have. I would say that if you want to be the best, go to Vegas. You will learn everything there!
stop thinking, at least for a couple of hours, about all the hard things in the world. So, during the take-out only time at our restaurant, we created a breadmaking kit for our customers. We gave customers the ingredients with instructions so they could bake the bread at home themselves. I believe that making bread helps release the stress as your hands move and work with the dough. Making bread can magically help you to relax. During 2020, it was all hands on deck with the crew that we had. I was cooking and washing dishes; we all did whatever we could. It was rough for everybody, but we made it. We were happy to fully reopen in May of 2021. When I wasn’t breadmaking, working to continuously improve dishes, and washing dishes, I was reflecting. The pandemic gave me the gift of time. I had time for the first time in many years to think more about my life and the people that I care about. I believe this
THE WOMAN OF RICE AND MEN After living in Las Vegas for about four years, I started to plan my move out to Ann Arbor. I narrowed my search to jobs in fine dining, such as in a luxury hotel or a resort. I was lucky to learn about the Blue LLama Jazz Club in Ann Arbor. I contacted Chef Louis Goral, and he asked me to come out to Ann Arbor to do some testing and get to know each other. Our excitement to work together was mutual. I packed my bags and moved out to Ann Arbor to work with Chef Louis to open a new concept in town. We opened Of Rice and Men in March 2019, next door to the Blue LLama Jazz Club, at 312 S. Main Street. It was an exciting first year. However, in March of 2020, we had to close both restaurants for indoor dining due to the pandemic. We continued to operate with a very small staff and found ways to offer unique carryout experiences to our customers. One day, I had a thought: People should be making more bread so that they can
Photo by Betsy's Photography
May 2022 | 15
Photo by Betsy's Photography
pandemic brought people closer to one another, even though we couldn’t physically be together. For example, I have a step-sister who lives in a different state. Previously, I had never reached out to her in the many years I have lived in the US. But during the pandemic, I contacted her and invited her to visit me. We finally met last year, and I’m thankful that the pandemic pushed us to make that effort.
EXPERIENCE THE DIFFERENCE Of Rice and Men is not a big Las Vegas-sized restaurant. We have a smaller kitchen, but we have dishes you might not find anywhere else. Because I’ve traveled all over Southeast Asia, I wanted to bring a fusion of cuisines here to our restaurant. It’s not the typical American Asian cuisine, but something deeper, yet still presentable to the American palate. I would say it’s Asian with a modern twist. We feature a menu that is Thai-infused, but also includes dishes with Japanese and Korean influences. Some of our sushi is similar to what you can find at other places, like California rolls, but a few varieties are more unique, like our Miyazaki A5 Wagyu Nigiri or Seared Foie Gras Nigiri. I hope our guests have a palate-pleasing experience from tasting our hand-crafted (never frozen!) food. Nowadays it’s hard to find a restaurant that makes and handles their food that way. Just today, I was interviewing a new hire and she was actually surprised that we do everything here by hand. People tend to forget that when you do everything by hand, it takes time because we don’t use machines, and it costs more because of the quality. I hope people can see that in our dishes and appreciate that.
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I also hope that everyone has a good time when they’re here in the restaurant. The atmosphere depends on the day, and sometimes even changes with what music we play. Some days the vibe is a little “hippy” and some days it feels more modern. It’s not a traditional Asian restaurant with a quiet atmosphere and soft music. We are a bit livelier than that! People love to come and sit up at our bar, or eat before or after seeing a live show next door at the Blue LLama Jazz Club. I’d say music is a special ingredient in our success.
NEVER GIVE UP While I was studying out in California, my dad passed away in Thailand. To date, this has been the biggest challenge that I’ve faced, and it totally changed me. It shifted my focus and purpose. It has compelled me to do everything I can to make him proud, even though he’s no longer here. To this day, I’m grateful to my dad for seeing something in me at a young age that I didn’t yet see in myself. When I’m asked if there’s something that I feel accomplished about in my life, I have to answer, “Not yet.” Maybe I have too many goals. I’m sure my mom is proud of me; I just feel like I need to continue to work to make my dad proud of me. My close friend in Indonesia, who is a lot like my dad, told me “Ava, keep doing what you’re doing, and you will be a success.” There are moments when I feel so tired and want to give up, but I don’t. I go to sleep and wake up the next day and I start to fight again. As I always say to my cook, everybody wants to be the chef, but how far are you willing to go to become the chef? If you’re really committed to something, then I say “OK, then never give up! With a passion for marketing that started as a young girl, Marji Wisniewski created her own marketing and communications organization in 2017. As owner of Blue Zebra Marketing Solutions, she helps local and regional businesses and nonprofits tell their story through branding, graphic design, content creation, and PR. She focuses on customized solutions for each client that are more unique than a zebra’s stripes. Marji is looking forward to her new role as Managing Editor of The Brick Magazine. Marji has a love for gardening, all things Lake Michigan, Pilates, her family, and dogs.
Photo by Andrea Piacquadio
Spring Clean Your Finances by Melissa Joy
T
he fresh, clean, organized feeling of spring isn’t just for your closet or garden beds. This is the perfect time of year to spruce up your finances with some planning, weeding, and planting. Use this guide for inspiration. Pick one or two strategies that are worthy of your focus, then dust things up and roll out your spring with confidence! Ready to get started? You can download a SpringCleaning Resource Guide at http://pearlplan.com/ springcleaning.
REASSESS GOALS AND UPDATE YOUR CALENDAR The most organized financial lives are goal-oriented. Create and revisit your financial goals as you start to work on your money life. Some goals may be short-term, like creating a budget. Some goals may be more long-term, like setting a future age or date for your retirement. If you think about it, your financial goals are really your life goals that have a cost or require some of your financial resources. So, don’t just think about your accounts. Think about your life.
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Use a spreadsheet or make a list of where you’ve spent money. Categorize your expenses to see where your coins land. Don’t forget to track down recurring or hidden expenses like subscriptions and app purchases. And if you have kids or a partner, their spending may count too. As you gather and organize where your money goes, determine what is necessary and what is discretionary. It’s okay to have discretionary spending, but you want to make sure that your money is supporting you in a way that feels right for you. Trim the fat if there are things that don’t align with your current life. Evaluate hidden costs or boost spending on things that are valuable to you. Reset with a Financial Fast. Did your 90-day lookback reveal careless spending that felt messy? Clean things up with a financial fast. Personally, I don’t love longterm financial austerity. That said, if you feel like you’ve experienced too much spending creep, lock things down for a short period of time to reset you spending habits. Once you’ve set your goals, make sure that you have a game plan to implement without chaos. Get out your calendar. Mark dates that will be important for future financial actions. Examples include boosting your savings around the time you get a raise or bonus, reminders to set budgets for big spending times like vacations, back-to-school, or holidays, or scheduling times to meet with your financial advisors. If you’re in a relationship or make financial decisions along with other family members or important people in your life, it might be time to check in with a family meeting. Some of your goals are likely shared, and cooperation and communication are both critical and potentially challenging. If you need more regular communication, set a monthly financial date where you tackle money conversations as a team. Or, if you’re flying solo, maybe you want to enlist a friend who also has big financial goals so you can be each other’s accountability partner.
CONQUER YOUR CASH FLOW Your budget and cash flow must be under control to assist with the rest of your financial life. Here are some helpful exercises to make sure things are in control. Do a 90-Day Lookback. It can be overwhelming to try to figure out a 12-month budget if you don’t love spreadsheets and tracking things to the dollar. I’ll be honest, budgeting is not my personal cup of tea either. If you’re not a natural budget diva, take your last three months of spending and do a deep dive. First, grab your paystub and see where the cash goes. Then, pull all your statements or log in to accounts — credit cards, bank accounts, PayPal, or Venmo.
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You may decide to minimize spending across the board for a month. Or perhaps there is a certain category of spending that feels excessive. Decide to skip clothes purchases for several months or gather all your unused gift cards to use for weekend spending in lieu of entertainment funded by your bank account.
DECLUTTER Shred Away. Financial documents can really pile up. Go through old statements to determine what you must keep and what can go. If you keep monthly statements but the year-end statement has a twelve-month summary, get rid of the duplicates. You may prefer to receive statements electronically. Make a list of accounts that should be adjusted or changed. Take Credit. Pull off your annual free credit report (annualcreditreport.com) to review your credit accounts. If you prefer to pull this periodically, you can stagger the three agencies to pull them every four months so that you’ll have a frequent cycle for review. If there are unexpected or unattended accounts, take care of business. Having trouble making payments? Change your payment method or address your cash flow issues with a return to the budget strategies. It’s okay to seek credit counseling if the challenge requires professional assistance.
CONSOLIDATE ACCOUNTS Sometimes investors seek diversification via account location. Old employer retirement accounts and small accounts opened
along the way can be collecting dust and largely forgotten. Unattended accounts are not necessarily diversified, and sometimes neglect can cost you. If you have too many accounts, set aside time for a review process to determine a strategy to reorganize for management and success.
TIE UP LOOSE ENDS There are so many opportunities to clean up messy money spots in your life. And let’s be honest: Sometimes those neglected tasks contribute the most stress and anxiety to your financial life. You know you should do them, and that knowledge travels with you as an uninvited angst-laden companion. Make a list of neglected tasks so that you use your springcleaning energy to accomplish the maintenance your financial life deserves. Some examples to consider: •
Updating your beneficiary designations
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Investing forgotten cash in retirement accounts
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Drafting or updating your estate plan (wills, trusts, powers of attorney, healthcare power of attorney)
•
Boosting your percentage of savings to retirement accounts
•
Setting a goal for cash levels of your emergency reserves
Whew! That’s a lot. Not sure where or how to get started? Lists are a great way to get going. Set a timer for a 15-minute brainstorm, putting pen to paper with your personal financial to-do list. This will help you to stop the avoidance and start the action plan. You can prioritize by the most urgent actions or the easiest to get done. Whether your list is long or just a few items, accomplishing these money house-cleaning chores will come with a return on investment for you and your money. And I wouldn’t be surprised if it feels like a health investment in your personal wellness. Take things one at a time so you don’t get overwhelmed. As with most endeavors, incrementalism is your friend. I always say a well-lived financial life is the compounding return of good decisions over time. Spring cleaning your financial life is a gift to yourself. You’ve got this! Melissa Joy, CFP®, CDFA® is a financial planner and divorce financial analyst with more than two decades of experience in the world of financial services. In 2018, Melissa fulfilled a lifelong dream of starting her own company by founding Pearl Planning, located in Dexter, Michigan with additional locations in Grosse Pointe, Birmingham, and Charlevoix. https://pearlplan.com
May 2022 | 19
National Physical Fitness & Sports Month by Adrianne Madias
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ay is a month for movement! Last year, President Biden proclaimed the month of May as National Physical Fitness and Sports Month. We all know that physical activity is good for our health, but did you know that it also improves our mental well-being? Exercise reduces stress, relieves symptoms of anxiety and depression, and improves memory. This is made possible with endorphins, which are neurotransmitters that are released by the brain to alleviate pain and promote pleasure.
KNEE PULLS AT THE BARRE
(Benefit areas: abs, heart)
Find a railing, countertop, or stable surface. Stand in a plank position with your feet together at a 45-degree angle. Lift to the ball of your foot, tuck your hips, and engage your core and glutes. Pull your right knee toward your wrist using your lower abdominals, then switch to the left knee like a march. You can increase your speed to get your heart rate up; take it as fast as you can! Don't forget to breathe — exhale as the knee comes in. Do this for 20 seconds with a ten-second break; repeat three times. 20 | The Brick Magazine
BRIDGE LIFTS
(Benefit areas: hamstrings, glutes) Lay on your back with your feet close to your glutes. Cross one ankle over the opposite knee. Press through your heel to lift your hips as high as you can, then lower back down with control. Keep your glutes engaged in both directions. For something more advanced, extend your crossed leg straight up to the ceiling and point your toe above you as you lift and lower. Repeat 12-15 times on each side.
CLAM SHELLS
(Benefit areas: side seat, thighs)
Lay on one side with your forearm on the ground, keeping your shoulder and elbow in line. Pull your heels toward your glutes then lift your toes up off the ground. While keeping your big toes together, lift your top knee as high as you can while keeping your hips facing forward, pressing back into your glutes. Lower your knee with control towards the ground. Use a loop for added resistance, or extend your leg longer for extra stretch!
KICKBACK ROWS (Benefit areas: triceps, biceps) Stand in a hinged position, with your weight in your heels and core engaged. Extend your arms toward the bottom corner of your room. Slide your elbows high along your waistline, then extend your arms long past your hips. Curl your fists back in toward the shoulders and extend your arms back to the bottom corner. Use any size weights; we use two to five pounds in our studio. Do this 12-15 times.
Cycle through these moves three to five times. Be mindful of not just your physical health, but your mental well-being too! If you'd like to try our studio out, here's a link to redeem three free classes! We hope to see you at the barre! https://bit.ly/3r8K5C0 Ann Arbor native Adrianne Madias is the owner of The Barre Code Ann Arbor. After graduating from Arizona State University with a BS in Supply Chain Management, she moved back to the area and worked in the corporate world for nearly a decade. She decided to change her career path because her true passion is fitness; she enjoys contributing to other women’s lives by helping them gain confidence in their health and strength from the inside out. She began training in Chicago the summer of 2011 and opened in August of that year near central campus. The studio is now located on the North Side of town at 2793 Plymouth Road.
May 2022 | 21
Five Tips to Improve Your Sleep by Alexandra Bartscht
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y name is Alexandra Bartscht; I am a pediatric sleep consultant and the founder of The Restful Nest. Using my experience as a former elementary school teacher, I have combined my passion for childhood development with my deep interest in improving the quality of sleep. As a mom of four, I know firsthand how sleep affects both my health and my children’s health and overall well-being. I’m passionate about helping others understand that sleep is not a luxury, but a necessity. The Restful Nest helps parents around the world learn the tools and techniques necessary for their children to develop independent sleep skills in the home. Most importantly, I help both children and adults learn to love and value the importance of sleep, creating a healthy lifestyle for the entire family.
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Today I’m encouraging you to create new and healthy habits by following these five accessible sleep tips. Research shows that it takes the average person 66 days for a new behavior to become automatic, so I encourage you (adults and children) to dedicate time to sticking to these tips to find continued success. TIP NUMBER ONE
CREATE A CONSISTENT SCHEDULE Our body clock works best when it is regulated. For this reason, it’s important to choose a consistent bedtime and morning wake time. This consistency helps us to connect with our natural circadian rhythm, helping our body learn when it’s an appropriate time to make melatonin and wind down before bed, and when our body should begin producing cortisol to
help us wake for the day. Regulating our body clock allows us to fall asleep easily and wake up feeling refreshed. Be sure to choose a reasonable and achievable bedtime for yourself or your child so that you can stick with it. TIP NUMBER TWO
FOLLOW A CONSISTENT BEDTIME ROUTINE A 30- to 45-minute bedtime routine is a fantastic way to cue your brain and body that you are transitioning into nighttime. The routine should be a set of activities you perform every evening in the same order leading up to bedtime. The routine should be relaxing and something that you look forward to each evening, so choose activities that you find enjoyable.
TIP NUMBER FOUR
CREATE A CONDUCIVE SLEEP ENVIRONMENT All too often bedrooms are cluttered and too bright, affecting our quality of sleep. When creating the perfect sleep environment, it’s important to think about turning the bedroom into a cave-like refuge — cool, dark, and quiet. •
Get rid of all the distractions and the clutter. Hide toys, mobiles, books, and soothers that play music or display light. These items can easily become a distraction from sleep.
•
Lose the light. Invest in blackout blinds and curtains. After eight weeks of age, we want a pitch-black bedroom for all sleep. Remember, any natural or artificial light will affect the body’s melatonin level, signaling a wake-up.
•
Use a white noise sound machine. Skip the fans that go back and forth, machines that play music, rainstorms, birds chirping, etc. If it’s not continuous noise, it can affect sleep quality. My favorite sound machine is the Dohm from Yogasleep. The white noise is not only continuous, relaxing, and womb-like, but it will block out any unnecessary noises (the garbage truck in the early morning hours, dogs barking, siblings in the house, dinner guests, etc.).
•
Keep the temperature cool. The temp in your bedroom should fall somewhere between 66 and 72 degrees Fahrenheit. Think about keeping the room on the cooler end in the summer and the warmer end during the winter months.
Some ideas for a relaxing nighttime routine include: •
A warm bath with Epsom salts. Studies show that giving your body magnesium before bed relaxes your muscles, mind, and body.
•
Read a good book or try some journal writing. Find a special comfy chair or settle on the couch in the living room. Reading outside your bed will help send a message to the brain and body that when you climb into bed, it’s just for sleep.
•
Have a cup of chamomile tea or a warm glass of milk. Consider a bedtime snack of a carbohydrate and a protein (peanut butter and whole-grain bread, turkey or cheese on whole-grain crackers, etc.).
•
Practice some yoga, stretching, or mindful meditation. I cannot say enough good things about the Moshi app — it provides soothing stories and meditation for children. TIP NUMBER THREE
TIP NUMBER FIVE
ELIMINATE ELECTRONICS AND KEEP LIGHT TO A MINIMUM
HIGHLIGHT SLEEP SUCCESS
Light plays a huge role in our ability to sleep. Light pollution, whether it be natural light shining through the windows or artificial light from house lights, streetlights, the television, your cellphone, or a computer screen, can change our body clock in dramatic ways.
This tip is geared more towards adults and older children. If you’re constantly telling yourself you’re a bad sleeper, the chances are high that is going to be true. Cut out the negative self-talk and try to avoid bringing it into daily conversations. Change your mindset. Curb the negativity and focus on nights of sleep success.
When our body is exposed to light, we produce cortisol to help us wake up in the morning and stay awake throughout the day. When our body is exposed to darkness, we make melatonin, the sleepy hormone that helps us fall asleep initially and stay asleep throughout the night. That is why it’s so important to have sun exposure during the day to help us stay bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, and equally as important to turn off electronics and dim lights before bed. Aim to turn off electronics at least one hour before bed.
Alexandra Bartscht Pediatric Sleep Consultant Founder of The Restful Nest Alexandra@therestfulnest.consulting The Restful Nest can also be found on Facebook & Instagram: www.facebook.com/therestfulnestconsulting/ www.instagram.com/the_restful_nest
May 2022 | 23
Show Up with Your Pup: Ann Arbor Dog-Friendly Adventures by Destination Ann Arbor — Originally posted July 27th, 2021
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hether you’re taking a hike, walking through the park, lounging in the hotel, or relaxing on the patio, having your doggy pal by your side always improves the experience. Use our suggestions below to help plan the perfect dog-friendly getaway in the Ann Arbor area. Ann Arbor has some fantastic pet-friendly accommodations. The Graduate Ann Arbor takes it up a notch by providing specialized door tags, dog bowls, dog treats, and tons of
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cuddles from the staff! The door tags allow guests to inform staff that their pet is in the room, ensuring they take extra care while cleaning. Speaking of pampering your pooch, Grizzly Peak Brewing Co. offers an entire doggy menu! Enjoy the patio with your furry friend and order up some delicious pub food for you, and pup food for them. The bowl your dog’s meal comes in goes home with you and some of the proceeds of the meal are donated to the Humane Society of Huron Valley.
Paddle down the Huron River with your furry pal! Rent a kayak at the Argo or Gallup canoe liveries. You’ll enjoy a leisurely trip down the river with plenty of ducks, geese, turtles, and fish to entertain you. Have a swim and enjoy the sunshine and scenery. Nichol’s Arboretum (known by the locals as The Arb) is a great place to take a stroll. You’ll find meandering paths through fields and wooded areas. Pack a lunch to enjoy under the shade or take an afternoon siesta in the sun. Head to downtown Ann Arbor and discover the colorful street art and murals. Be sure to get some photos for Instagram or just to remember the trip with Fluffy. If you do, be sure to tag us @annarbor for a chance to be featured on our social media pages! Grab some Korean-inspired grub at HOMES Brewery. Along with some fantastic food, the beverage menu is full of craft options that will delight your palate. With a large and inviting patio, there is plenty of space for you and your furry friend to enjoy a lazy afternoon or evening. On hot summer days, a frozen treat sounds good to everyone! Stop by Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream for treats all around. They have all your favorite flavors along with special treats made just for your fur baby. While the health department only permits service dogs inside the storefront, Ann Arbor is a great place to walk around and enjoy your frozen treats outside.
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TOPDRAWERA2.COM Ann Arbor summers are all about being outside and soaking up the sunshine. Bill’s Beer Garden is a large outdoor area with community-style tables and an outdoor bar. Peruse the store then grab a drink and relax with your furry friend. You’ll be joined by locals who love dogs. Fido will get tons of attention while you sip a cold one. Home to miles of trails, the Ann Arbor area is a fantastic place to get out for a walk or a hike. The Border to Border trail is a network of 40+ miles of paved paths that connect the communities of Washtenaw County. Explore the sections running through Gallup Park, or check out the nearby towns of Dexter and Chelsea. This is just scratching the surface of all the dog-friendly activities and places the Ann Arbor area has to offer. Let us know your favorite thing to do with your dog by emailing us at info@annarbor.org! Destination Ann Arbor is a non-profit organization whose mission is to promote sustainable tourism to elevate economic vitality and quality of life for the residents of Washtenaw County. Visit our website at www.annarbor.org to learn more about all the great things going on in the Ann Arbor area. Instagram, Facebook, Twitter - @AnnArbor Pinterest - @DestinationAnnArbor
May 2022 | 25
Push and Pull by Monica Brancheau
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hen my children were babies, I thought that was one of the hardest and most joyful experiences I’ve ever had. When my children were toddlers, I thought that was one of the most nail-biting and adventurous experiences I’ve ever had. When my children were elementary-school-age, I thought that was one of the busiest and most fun experiences I’ve ever had. Then…something happened. Nobody talks about it, nobody warns you about it, no one posts about it. You learn about it on your own because it hits you like a ton of bricks. Children suddenly become mini-adults trapped in ever-changing hormonal bodies. They attempt to navigate the world and be cool, yet they still enjoy the comforts of a home-cooked meal and folded laundry. Teenagers!! I have lived/am living through four of them, and it’s one of the hardest and most exhausting experiences I’ve ever had.
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New babies and toddlers are a piece of cake in comparison. During this time of the Wordle Craze, let’s use an acrostic to examine what it’s like to be a parent of a teenager.
T eachable. There are many people in your children’s
lives who are going to be teaching them things — good and bad. Teachers, parents, coaches, friends, social media, the internet — their sphere of influence has quadrupled now. Yet, somewhere in all of the noise of information, it’s more important than ever to have teachable moments with your teens.
E
ager. Teens are eager to be accepted by their
peers, eager to fit in. Fitting in often means getting their first phone, their first Instagram account, their first middle school dance, their first kiss, their first boyfriend or girlfriend, their first time confiding in their friends instead of you. Just be present for when those moments happen.
E
dgy.
Did I mention hormones? Did I mention pressure? Between the hormones racing through their bodies, the intense academic pressure, the desire to fit in, and keeping up with their Snapchats, teenagers have a lot on their plate — much more than we did at their age. Plus, let’s be honest, we’re not their favorite people right now. Take all of that and mix it in a bowl and voilà, you have an edgy teen.
N octurnal. Do you wake up to dishes and food
all over your kitchen that was not there when you went to sleep? Do you hear bumps in the night? These are all definite signs you have a teenager living in your house. They stay up all hours of the night doing homework, eating food, cooking, or talking to their other nocturnal friends.
A wkward. Just about everything during the teen
years is awkward. It always has been, and decade after decade that will continue. Now they have to deal with acne, body odor, hair growing all over the place, and voices changing. The big difference is now it’s captured in hundreds of pictures a day.
G rown-up.
Sometimes, they are grown up and independent. Other times, they still need to cuddle (and so do we!). It’s this strange in-between time of push and pull — pushing towards adulthood, yet pulling back into childhood.
E
xhausted. For good reason, teens are exhausted.
School is intense. Between that and extracurricular and social activities, there’s a barely a moment to breathe, let alone sleep.
R eclusive.
Do you remember the days when you escaped to the bathroom just to have a moment of solitude from your children? You don’t have to worry about that anymore. Instead, you may get a fleeting moment of your teen at dinner or passing in the hallway. Teens need and want to have time alone — in their room, in the basement, in their car — basically anywhere their parents are not. Some days I think my teens hate me, and then the next day they help me decorate for my mom’s birthday party. As hard as it is, I follow their lead and listen and try to not lose my mind through the whiplash of changing moods. In the end, every moment is a gift. This beautiful dance of push and pull is being the parent of a teenager. Monica Brancheau is a mom of four who has had multiple careers. She’s a Michigan native and graduate of the University of Michigan who then never left Ann Arbor. She has decades of experience working with children’s issues, from education to non-profit work in teaching in urban settings and nonprofit management, marketing, and fundraising. All of this work has led her to becoming the Director of Strategic Partnerships of the ChadTough Foundation. When not working, you can find her gardening, reading, writing, listening to music, and spending time with her treasured family. May 2022 | 27
Your Midlife Mojo! by Maria Sylvester, MSW, CPC
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idlife has me living as though there will never be enough time! I have a new wildness to my spirit, and a fire in my belly. I’m in eager anticipation for all the chapters I’ve yet to live. My midlife mojo is definitely fierce and feisty. I’m embracing each and every dance step already mastered, letting these guide me gracefully forward. If you are here reading this, I’m guessing you get it. You know this period in life can be experienced from a state of flow — of courageously staying tapped in to what you have come to know and understand. There’s no need to push. Simply being you feels inspirational. You continue to grow. You appreciate that personal evolution occurs one aligned step at a time. And you are deeply grateful of the gift of your power to choose each and every one. Perhaps you’re 28 | The Brick Magazine
intent on manifesting magnificence, and your very own unique midlife mojo pulls you gently in this direction. If you are here reading this, I bet you’re a multi-dimensional woman dedicated to setting standards of excellence in, and for, your life. You know your inherent capacity to be magnetic. You long for, and are committed to, crafting fullblown poetic resonance between your desires and the active steps you’ll take to bring them to fruition.
Is This You? Have fun with me here, reader! Let your imagination have full reign. A visionary midlife woman is ready to take her life to new, unprecedented heights! She is deeply committed to releasing all that no longer serves her in order to bring even more of her essence, talents, and genius forward. This
woman’s personal renaissance and life-force are fueled by dynamically embracing her radiant, sensual, sexy, divine feminine energy and spirit. Could this be you?
Your Aspirations Take it one step further now. A midlife magnificent woman lives fully-expressed and expansive in her life. She practices steadfast heart sovereignty. Her wingspan is vast, and she soars with grace, ease, and power. She has reclaimed and integrated lost, buried, or previously abandoned parts of herself, spinning these threads into a divinely golden masterpiece. Pleasure is her north star. She magnetically draws others toward her through her radiant state, her multifaceted, diamond-delicious lifestyle, and her compassionate and creative leadership. She feels complete and at peace, content while evercurious, and open to what’s to come!
A Question That Captures Her Heart The question that captures the heart of a renaissance-ready woman could very well be something like this: What if I could experience a rebirth where I felt even more vibrantly alive and awake to each exquisite moment? For me, my rebirth meant embracing my full potentiality; infinite possibilities were mine.
I asked myself, what if I existed in a state of continuous flow, never having to push myself to feel motivated, rather pulled along by sparkling currents of inspiration? What if all that has been previously tangled up inside me was released, such that I experienced a sense of limitless expansion and joy? What if…?
“She is clothed in strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future.” ~ Proverbs 31:25
Obstacles to Overcome Along the Way You come to embody a powerful midlife mojo by first navigating various life challenges. Perhaps your nest has emptied, and you feel the heartache of loss. Yet, at the same time, you are know you are ready to re-feather your nest with new opportunities or flares of creativity and personal expression. Maybe your career or work experiences have been so heavily weighted by masculine energies of thinking, strategizing, planning, and structuring that you feel weary, lost, and
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no need to obsess over flaws or what you’ve deemed personal short-comings. You feel far less worried or concerned about what others may think. You can listen to others’ opinions, yet feel no compulsion to abide if they don’t resonate with your beliefs. Sometimes, frankly, you just don’t give a damn. You know that mutual, absolute understandings are rare. Yet even without that, you recognize that we can all get along pretty well together. Embracing your midlife mojo fills you with clarity and confidence. It’s exhilarating to daringly let your authentic self romp freely. It’s a sweet kind of “letting go” energy. You now know, in the depths of your being, that you are worthy of rich love, connection, and belonging. You count your blessings, appreciating them all. Your heart feels, hopefully most of the time, happy and content. You love each moment before you! disconnected from yourself. You feel off-balanced. Your feminine energies — your deep-feeling capacities, sacred connection and communion, intuition, sensuality, and active surrender — may have gotten buried amidst the crazy quality of your days. You yearn for rest, a slower pace, and time for contemplation — a gentle re-weaving of all the precious parts of your essence. In addition, perhaps you also sense inner obstacles holding you back, twisted up inside you. Maybe you’re stuck in an old subconscious story, or negative, false beliefs? Or you feel weighted down by people, situations, or things that no longer make your heart sing? You long to be re-enthused and re-inspired from the inside out. A midlife renaissance allows you to do just that.
Your Philosophical Stance Your midlife mojo may include a drive to lean into a sacred calling — to let your life be an exquisite, grace-infused prayer. You may have a longing to give back, sharing your gifts with those in need. You realize there is ample opportunity to reinvent yourself — to fully embody and illuminate your emotional, spiritual, and intellectual world with new vitality and vigor. You have come to deeply appreciate, with the wisdom of years lived, that it really is possible to exist in fun, adventurous, and (on some days) in a blissful state — one of limitless rapture and joy.
Calling Yourself to Action The whispers of time, that ever-present awareness that you don’t have forever, summon your courage — the courage to drop all pretenses and over-protective coping mechanisms. You no longer feel compelled to scrutinize your every move. There’s
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Future Self You’ve landed, and landed well. And from this vantage point, you eagerly anticipate what’s ahead. There is so much more to do, explore, and feel into. You celebrate your accomplishments, wisdom, and naturally-inherited goodness. You’ve reclaimed all of the aspects of your sweet self you previously abandoned. Most importantly, the key place you might now especially consider organizing around, and moving from, is your heart. Let it be your midlife mojo superpower — the heart has been found have an electromagnetic field 5,000 times greater than the brain! So harmonize all aspects of your functioning from your beautiful heart-center, radiating outward. Meet the world with as open a heart as you can offer. From there, let yourself feel exquisitely whole, beautiful, and free. Embrace complete self-acceptance. Rest peacefully there. Until, of course, your midlife mojo summons your heart in a new direction! Maria Sylvester, MSW, CPC is a certified Life Coach in Ann Arbor, MI who loves empowering adolescents, adults, and couples to live from the HEART of what really matters to them so that they can bring their fully expressed, vibrant selves into the world. She has a special gift for helping women reclaim their feminine power, and embrace their radiant, sensual, sexy spirits. Their lives transform. They soar into their mid-life magnificence! www.lifeempowermentcoaching.com Instagram: @life_coach_maria Facebook: www.facebook.com/LifeEmpowermentCoaching
Live from the HEART of what really matters. RECLAIM a rich, meaningful life. LOVE who you are as you do it!
~ Maria Sylvester, MSW, CPC
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