Click here to watch: Chef Robert Mills as he introduces some food worth eating and having in our homes. Check out his book-inspired ideas and discover new ways to take ingredients you already have to combine them into healthy eating habits.
This month, we introduce Marci Perreault to our Wellings blog.
We recently talked to Marci about the role she plays in helping her clients and seniors navigate the financial maze.
For over 25 years Marci has guided her clients to make informed decisions when it comes to protecting themselves.
“Knowledge is a powerful thing, and with so much false information out there, it’s important you are working with someone you can trust. Someone that understands your goals and the assets available that will get you closer to them.
Clarity is important when making some very important choices about your wealth, your life and even your legacy.
People don’t wait days or weeks to hear from me. I am constantly upgrading my skills and knowledge to stay on top of changes to investment and insurance tax laws, government rulings, and new financial products, I will review your financial picture to take full advantage of changes while complying with changes within the financial services industry.
My experience in the financial services field has only deepened my belief that each individual needs a unique plan, one that is tailored to their personal situation. Everybody is different. Each client wants different things for retirement. There is no cookie cutter plan that fits every person.”
It would be my pleasure to take your call, answer your email, and review your goals against your current portfolio.
Specialties: Wealth Management Services, Living benefits, Income Replacement Strategies, Estate Planning, Risk Management, Group Benefits.
This months blog:
Think trusts are only for the rich and famous? You’ll see a variety of uses that show why trusts can meet the estate planning needs of just about anyone. It’s worth a second thought, and a conversation with your financial planner.
https://advisor.assante.com/JohnDoeIIROC/blog/112730-
Marci Perreault, FLMI, CHS, CFP
Certified Financial Planner
KenMar Financial Services
Assante Financial Management Ltd.
Suite 300, 68 Chamberlain Ave
Ottawa ON K1S 1V9
Phone 613-231-7700 EXT 223
Tai chi is quickly becoming one of our most loved forms of activity and it can be done easily at home. You just need space to stretch out.
We hope you will enjoy these and make them a regular part of your day.
Thank you Daily Caring for bringing our attention to the benefits of Tai chi, in this article.
Tai chi for seniors improves safety and health
It is a gentle exercise that helps seniors improve balance and prevent falls. It’s a series of slow, graceful movements while breathing deeply.
It is easily adapted to various levels of mobility and the benefits will happen over time.
Some have reported improved flexibility, better sleep and heightened ability to concentrate after doing the exercises for some time.
Click here to watch the video.
This video is easy to follow, and one of the highest recommended as it shows the different options for different levels of mobility.
While the holidays are about celebrating, connecting, sharing and exchanging gifts, it’s how we choose to begin the New Year that will continue to make life merry and bright. The tradition for many people is to set New Year’s resolutions, despite the fact that most of us fail miserably when it comes to setting such high expectations for ourselves. We’re human after all and resolutions are intimidating. Okay maybe I’m speaking for myself here LOL. If resolutions work for you, congratulations you’re among the 20% who succeed; the rest of us need a better way and I might have found it.
Work on your strengths, not your weaknesses. How many of your New Year’s resolutions have been about fixing a flaw? – Jonathan Haidt
I think the tricky part about New Year’s resolutions is that when we’re setting them, we’re focusing on our vulnerabilities, thinking that if we shed forty pounds, give up smoking by March or start waking up at 4:30 am to get to the gym we’ll be happier. But that’s just not how happiness works. Happiness is nurtured by taking the pressure off and setting ourselves up for success with kindness.
Want to focus on fitness in 2022? Then write down your intention, which could be something like: I want to feel fit and fantastic. Then look for and create opportunities to make that happen. Invite someone to walk with you, join a walking club or look for fitness classes on line. Take responsibility for your intention and repeat it often. A system that has proven to work is to write your intention on sticky notes, placing them on your bathroom mirror, your fridge and on your front door, to remind you to take on the day with your intention in mind. We need bite sized pieces instead of the whole enchilada to help us feel that we’re being successful.
Resolutions are goals with no clear path to get to them whereas intentions are more like a guide for our behaviour. I propose that we take our power back and set intentions instead of resolutions.
“One resolution I have made, and try always to keep is this: to rise above the little things.” – John Burroughs
Patience has been a challenge for many of us during this Pandemic pause. There are so many reasons we can feel frustrated because we feel restricted or maybe ignored. Choose an intention that helps you feel better, such as: I will be more patient. This means being more patient with yourself first and then with everyone you encounter in the day.
The handy little reminders on your mirror and door or beside your computer will prompt you to remember what’s important to you, especially when impatience wants to pop up. Saying to yourself “I will be more patient” calms frustration and creates space for a different result. After all, the only person we hurt when we act on our frustration is ourselves. Even when you aren’t patient, be kind to yourself and remember you can do better next time.
“Do the best you can until you know better; then when you know better, do better.” -Maya Angelou
Intentions recognise our willingness to do better so we can feel better. It’s all about improving our behaviour in small increments and being present to our circumstances, so we feel that we’re in charge of our response to any situation. The little wins add up to big ones over time, trust me. The pressure of resolutions creates an underlying stress and because resolutions are focused on the future, we’re actually delaying our happiness until we reach the goal, which in many cases we never do. Setting an intention allows us to choose and develop healthy habits that are both achievable and meaningful.
Happy New Year and cheers to having the best intentions for 2022.
This Wellings blog by Kathie Donovan was exclusively written for Wellings Communities and appeared first on MyWellings.com.
You must not be afraid to sparkle bright! Watch Kat and Nat as they share so many great ideas and inspiration around the magic of the holidays. From bringing your best self to getting rest plus some fun laughter and secret family recipes. Don’t forget to have a magical holiday and reply to this email with any ideas you might have for future topics that interest you or your community. Click here to watch the video.
Merry Christmas!
Light Festive Fruit Cake
Ingredients:
1 ¼ cups fine white sugar
1 cup butter (room temperature)
5 eggs
1 cup cake and pastry flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp mace
1 pound light raisins
½ pound glazed cherries cut in half (half red; half green)
¾ cup diced glazed pineapple
½ pound diced mixed peel or citron if preferred
½ cup orange juice
¾ cup all-purpose flour
½ pound toasted slivered almonds
Unsweetened coconut to taste
Crystalized ginger sliced to taste
Method:
The night before baking cake, prepare fruit and add orange juice. Let stand overnight, stirring a few times.
On baking day line containers with parchment paper and make batter.
Cream butter and sugar well. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add cake and pastry flour, salt and mace. Beat until flour disappears.
Add slivered almonds and coconut to fruit and stir. Add the ¾ cup of all-purpose flour to the fruit and stir until fruit is covered. Add batter and mix well.
Scoop mixed batter into lined pans and bake at 325 degrees for an hour or until toothpick comes out clean. If top of cake gets too dark lay tin foil over the top.
Remove cakes from oven and let cool.
Poke holes all over cakes with a skewer or something similar and drizzle either white rum for the boozy version or white grape juice or apple juice for the non-boozy version. This helps moisten the cakes.
Wrap in cheesecloth then foil and store in a cool place.
This Wellings blog by Kathie Donovan was exclusively written for Wellings Communities and appeared first on MyWellings.com.
I start to get excited about the holidays in late November. That’s when the greenery and decorations start to appear around the house and this little festive elf gets busy in the kitchen. I’ve probably mentioned it here before, so forgive me but my two favourite festive indulgences to make are plum pudding and white fruit cake. The plum pudding has been a tradition in my family for as long as I can remember. My mother and my god mother used to get together in early November to make plum pudding that they shared with family and a few choice friends.
My mother-in-law made the most gorgeous white fruitcake that I’ve added my own special twist to, to make it my own. I now make several fruit cakes and smaller plum puddings, using our family recipes, to continue sharing this sweet gift; it’s one of the ways I share my sparkle during the holidays.
“Use each moment to make another’s eyes sparkle and to warm a heart.” – Doreen Virtue.
The magic of the season is apparent in the eyes of children and we can learn a lot from them about how to share our sparkle. The gifts that children give are among our most precious possessions: a Christmas decoration made by your child in grade one becomes a treasured ornament. It really is so simple and we forget that it’s not about the magnitude of our giving, it’s about the meaning. We can all share our sparkle during the holidays and it doesn’t have to cost anything, in fact we’ll be richer for it.
First of all, gift yourself by focusing on what you’re grateful for, when you first wake up in the morning. This sets you up to recognize the blessings in your life, so that you feel abundant. Then as you go about your day, you can share that abundance with others.
Give away smiles freely, hand out compliments like candy, be a generous listener, let someone go ahead of you in line. Each one of these suggestions is a meaningful gift from your heart; believe me, it will make a difference.
The other day I was waiting to merge into busy traffic when a driver in the lane I wanted to access, made it clear that she/he was going to let me in. I couldn’t believe it; the driver put on their turn signal as if they were going to pull off the road, just so their intention to let me in was very clear. I gave a wave as I pulled into traffic and did a little happy dance in my seat. I think I even said out loud “who does that?” Someone who felt abundant did that and I am so grateful.
It’s that simple. Perhaps it’s checking in on an old friend or connecting with a family member you haven’t spoken to in a while. How about making a greeting card and sending it in the mail? Maybe you add an extra portion of whatever you’re making for dinner and share it with someone. Perhaps you bake some extra goodies and gift them. If you’re picking up some festive ornaments, get some extras and share them.
“Maybe our sparkle comes from somewhere deeper inside, somewhere so pure and authentic and real, it doesn’t need gloss or polish or glitter to shine.” – Mandy Hale.
I don’t know about you but I’m not interested in Christmas shopping anymore; not only because it feels stressful but I realized a few years ago that shopping is not the point of the holidays. It’s not about presents as in gifts; rather it’s about presence as in awareness and mindfulness. It’s a beautiful time of year to get decked out with decorations, lights and special food. It’s also an opportunity to pause, reflect, spend time with those we care about and make a difference for others with our sparkle.
While it’s the season of giving, we shouldn’t forget to give to ourselves. Making time to both rest and be active during this time of year will benefit our mood and fill us with positive energy. Taking good care of ourselves is perhaps the greatest gift we can give to those we care about because when we feel good, we carry that sparkle with us not only during the holidays but throughout the year. So, wrap yourself in goodness and shine bright this holiday season.
This Wellings blog by Kathie Donovan was exclusively written for Wellings Communities and appeared first on MyWellings.com.
With the advancement of research into dementia, we see that there is strong evidence that people can reduce their risk of cognitive decline by making some lifestyle changes. These changes include participating in regular physical activity, staying socially engaged, and maintaining good heart health.
Click on the link below for a quick lesson on how you can reduce your risk of developing dementia.
Connect with Lori Hillary, Wellings leasing specialist, and learn more about all the things that make our interaction with new families special. From meet and greets with new friends to each detail that makes Wellings a place you can call home. Click here to watch the video.
This week join Tracy Reid from Fitness Powers as she takes us through a 20-minute cardio workout. This workout is geared towards strengthening your heart to keep it happy and healthy. Click here to watch the video.
