[CHANGES] long term care insurance

[Sandra Ahten]

Friends,

Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, 
and magic in it.
--Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

I was reading about the need for long term care insurance to pay nursing 
home expenses. The columnist suggested that instead of purchasing insurance, 
your first priority should be to do everything you can to keep yourself out 
of the nursing home. His list included losing weight, improving your diet, 
increasing exercise, or quitting smoking  -- along with building solid 
relationships with family and friends.

Is there anything you would add to the list? Some might include reducing 
alcohol consumption. Others might consider the need for more rest. Perhaps 
you need to decrease stress. Given the strong correlation in studies showing 
that both prayer and humor aide healing - you might need to find a way to 
improve your spiritual connection or to laugh more - it surely works in 
preventative ways too.

Perhaps more than any other insurance, even if you have long term care 
insurance, you never want to have to use it.  Instead let's make a  long 
term care plan to stay out of the nursing home.

This is an excellent long term goal -- for me. I know there are parts of it 
out of my control, but that is not a reason to avoid the parts that are in 
my control. I want you to be honest with yourself.  If this reason doesn't 
work for you then find one that does.  You need to have given serious 
thought to your long term goal.

This holiday season, at a family gathering, I watched my uncle struggle to 
get comfortable all day. He was too hot, although for the rest of us the 
temperature was just right. Because of his weight the chairs were not 
comfortable for him. He looked miserable -- just kind of huffing and puffing 
all day.

I talked to his wife the next day and told her I noticed that he didn’t seem 
to be enjoying himself. She said he came home that night saying that he was 
determined that he would be losing weight. I was so pleased to hear it. Of 
course, I've heard a lot of people say the same thing. Are they all 
successful? No, but I am not a skeptic. No one loses weight with out saying 
it. If you never start -- you'll never finish --this I know for sure. You 
have to allow yourself the chance to start, despite whatever your past 
record.

It is a wonderful time to start anew.  Consider which of the list above is 
going to be something attainable for you this year. Are you motivated to do 
it?

Pick your goals. Dream your dreams. What can this year bring to you? What 
would you like to let go of? What would you like to welcome into your life?

Later we can determine how to make the right strategic plan that includes 
long term vision and short term goal attainment. But first, just allow 
yourself the possibility of change.

It doesn't matter that you started without finishing before. Think of the 
"you" that you were ten years ago. Have you changed? Of course you have. It 
is easier to recognize this ten-year-change than seeing yourself as 
different than you were when you decided to improve your diet a year, or 
even a month ago.

But you are different. You are a different person every day. You are 
different person each time you've met someone new, read a new book, given of 
yourself, or had a prayer answered. The old you might have stumbled, but if 
the you of today is ready for a healthier life - then be open to the 
possibility. Offer as much support as you can to that you who has chosen to 
believe that anything is possible.

You don't have wonder how you will find the motivation in a week or a month 
or a year. You will again be a new person -- with new information, new 
strategies and new successes by then.

I look forward to helping you on your journey. I look forward to seeing your 
smiling face along the way.

Sandra

Sandra’s current schedule:
WW meetings: Wed 9:30am, Noon, 5:15pm, Fri 7:30am, 10am, Noon
(no Wednesday meetings on New Year's Day)

Art Classes –
Now reserving: Creative Drawing (Monday's starting Jan. 5 7-9pm)  and 
Drawing with your Whole Brain - (Monday's staring Feb. 17  7-9pm)

Available for private consultation and lessons.

© 2002 by Sandra Ahten
Although I am an employee of Weight Watchers, this message has no 
affiliation with Weight Watchers International. I am solely responsible for 
the content.


















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