24 Seven August 2020

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EDITOR IN CHIEF
Joan Herrmann
—
ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Lindsay Pearson
—
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Matt Herrmann
—
GRAPHIC DESIGNERS
Chris Giordano
Andrea Valentie
Oliver Pane
—
CONTRIBUTORS
Lorie Gardner, RN, NBC-HWC
Sean Grover, LCSW
Gayle Gruenberg, CPO-CD, CVO
Rick Hanson, PhD
Joan Herrmann
Mark Hyman, MD
Linda Mitchell, CPC

FROM THE EDITOR
—
Courage involves facing our fears, but
it is also about resilience, grit, and having
a built-in BS detector and knowing when
and how to use it.
I recently had a conversation with Evy
Poumpouras, author of the book Becoming
Bulletproof: Protect Yourself, Read People,
Influence Situations, and Live Fearlessly,
in which we discussed how we can
heighten our natural instincts to move
from fear to fearlessness.
Evy was raised in a low-income
neighborhood where struggle and crime
was the way of life. She believes that two
things come from that type of upbringing:
either a person becomes more afraid, or
that person rebels against fear. She chose
the latter.
According to Evy, research shows that
kids who grow up in inner cities, in rougher
environments, tend to be more resilient
later in life than those who grow up in a
more protective environment. Reflecting
on her life, she agrees.
“When you grow up in a difficult
environment you’re used to dealing with
problems and adversity and so from a
young age, you begin to problem solve,
you begin to start figuring out how to
solve an issue or problem,” said Evy. “But
when you’re too cocooned, when you’re
not dealing with a lot of obstacles, when
you’re growing up and extremely shielded,
it does you a disservice because later in
life when things do happen - you don’t get
that job, you get fired, you break up in a
relationship, you’re not getting the things
you thought you should get - you struggle.
Evy shared with me lessons and
insights that she learned from protecting
presidents and working in the most elite
security force in the world.
Evy is a former secret service special
agent who is the recipient of the United
States Secret Service Medal of Valor Award
for her heroism on 9/11. She has been
part of the protective details for former
presidents Obama, both Bushes, Clinton,
and Ford, and is the costar of Bravo’s Spy
Games.
Listen to my conversation with Evy:
https://spoti.fi/38RrMry
— Joan Herrmann

EVY POUMPOURAS
ISSUE NO.118

INSIDE THIS
ISSUE
MEET THE MOST POWERFUL RELAXATION
MINERAL AVAILABLE
BYMARK HYMAN, MD
PAGE 12
EMPTY THE CUP
BY RICK HANSON, PHD
PAGE 18
STAYING SAFE ONLINE
BY JOAN HERRMANN
PAGE 22
ON THIS MONTH’S
COVER
EVY POUMPOURAS SHARES LESSONS AND INSIGHTS
LEARNED FROM PROTECTING PRESIDENTS AND
WORKING IN THE MOST ELITE SECURITY FORCE
IN THE WORLD. SHE IS A FORMER SECRET SERVICE
SPECIAL AGENT WHO IS THE RECIPIENT OF THE
UNITED STATES SECRET SERVICE MEDAL OF VALOR
AWARD FOR HER HEROISM ON 9/11. EVY HAS BEEN
PART OF THE PROTECTIVE DETAILS FOR FORMER
PRESIDENTS OBAMA, BOTH BUSHES, CLINTON,
AND FORD. SHE IS THE COSTAR OF BRAVO’S SPY
GAMES AND AUTHOR OF THE BOOK, BECOMING
BULLETPROOF: PROTECT YOURSELF, READ PEOPLE,
INFLUENCE SITUATIONS, AND LIVE FEARLESSLY.
LISTEN TO EVY ON CYACYL:
https://spoti.fi/38RrMry
HOW TO HEAL YOUR INNER SELF IN QUARANTINE
BY SEAN GROVER
PAGE 26
BE PROACTIVE AND BE READY FOR AN
EMERGENCY HOSPITALIZATION
BY LORIE GARDNER
PAGE 30
ORGANIZE FOR COLLEGE SUCCESS
BY GAYLE GRUENBERG
PAGE 34
PHOTOGRAPHY PROVIDED BY EVY POUMPOURAS
FINDING COMFORT IN UNCERTAIN TIMES
BY LINDA MITCHELL
PAGE 38
JULY 2020
24 SEVEN MAGAZINE

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ISSUE
NO.118
AUGUST
2020
MEET THE
M O S T
POWERFUL
RELAXATION
MINERAL
AVAILABLE
A deficiency in this critical nutrient makes you twice
as likely to die as other people, according to a study
published in The Journal of Intensive Care Medicine. It
also accounts for a long list of symptoms and diseases,
which are easily helped and often cured by adding this
nutrient. In fact, in my practice, this nutrient is one of my
secret weapons against illness. Yet up to half of Americans
are deficient in this nutrient and don’t know it.
Written by Mark Hyman, MD

I’m talking about magnesium.
It is an antidote to stress, the most powerful relaxation
mineral available, and it can help improve your sleep.
I find it very funny that more doctors aren’t clued in to
the benefits of magnesium, because we use it all the time
in conventional medicine. But we never stop to think about
why or how important it is to our general health or why it
helps our bodies function better.
I remember using magnesium when I worked in the
emergency room. It was a critical “medication” on the crash
cart. If someone was dying of a life-threatening arrhythmia
(or irregular heart beat), we used intravenous magnesium.
If someone was constipated or needed to prepare for
colonoscopy, we gave them milk of magnesia or a green
bottle of liquid magnesium citrate, which emptied their
bowels. If pregnant women came in with pre-term labor,
or high blood pressure of pregnancy (pre-eclampsia) or
seizures, we gave them continuous high doses of intravenous
magnesium.
But you don’t have to be in the hospital to benefit from
getting more magnesium. You can start taking regular
magnesium supplementation today and see results.
The Relaxation Mineral
Think of magnesium as the relaxation mineral. Anything
that is tight, irritable, crampy, and stiff — whether it is a
body part or an even a mood — is a sign of magnesium
deficiency.
This critical mineral is actually responsible for over 300
enzyme reactions and is found in all of your tissues — but
mainly in your bones, muscles, and brain. You must have it
for your cells to make energy, for many different chemical
pumps to work, to stabilize membranes, and to help muscles
relax.
When was the last time you had a good dose of seaweed,
nuts, greens, and beans? If you are like most Americans,
your nut consumption mostly comes from peanut butter.
That is why the list of conditions that are found related
to magnesium deficiency is so long. In fact, there are over
3,500 medical references on magnesium deficiency!
Even so, this mineral is mostly ignored because it is not
a drug, even though it is MORE powerful than drugs in
many cases. That’s why we use it in the hospital for lifethreatening
and emergency situations like seizures and
heart failure.
You might be magnesium deficient if you have any of the
following symptoms:
• Muscle cramps or twitches
• Insomnia
• Irritability
• Sensitivity to loud noises
• Anxiety
• Autism
• ADD
• Palpitations
• Angina
• Constipation
• Anal spasms
• Headaches
• Migraines
• Fibromyalgia
• Chronic fatigue
• Asthma
• Kidney stones
• Diabetes
• Obesity
• Osteoporosis
• High blood pressure
• PMS
• Menstrual cramps
• Irritable bladder
• Irritable bowel syndrome
• Reflux
• Trouble swallowing
Magnesium deficiency has even has been linked to
inflammation in the body and higher CRP levels.
In our society, magnesium deficiency is a huge problem.
By conservative standards of measurement (blood, or
serum, magnesium levels), 65 percent of people admitted
to the intensive care unit — and about 15 percent of the
general population — have magnesium deficiency.
But this seriously underestimates the problem, because a
serum magnesium level is the least sensitive way to detect
a drop in your total body magnesium level. So rates of
magnesium deficiency could be even higher!
The reason we are so deficient is simple: Many of us eat
a diet that contains practically no magnesium — a highlyprocessed,
refined diet that is based mostly on white flour,
meat, and dairy (all of which have no magnesium). When
was the last time you had a good dose of sea vegetables
(seaweed), nuts, greens, and beans? If you are like most
Americans, your nut consumption mostly comes from
peanut butter, and mostly in chocolate peanut butter cups.
Much of modern life conspires to help us lose what little
magnesium we do get in our diet. Magnesium levels are
decreased by excess alcohol, salt, coffee, phosphoric acid in
colas, profuse sweating, prolonged or intense stress, chronic
diarrhea, excessive menstruation, diuretics (water pills),
antibiotics and other drugs, and some intestinal parasites.

In fact, in one study in Kosovo, people under chronic war
stress lost large amounts of magnesium in their urine.
This is all further complicated by the fact that magnesium
is often poorly absorbed and easily lost from our bodies. To
properly absorb magnesium, we need a lot of it in our diet,
plus enough vitamin B6, vitamin D, and selenium to get the
job done.
A recent scientific review of magnesium concluded,
“It is highly regrettable that the deficiency of such an
inexpensive, low-toxicity nutrient results in diseases that
cause incalculable suffering and expense throughout the
world.” I couldn’t’ have said it better myself.
It is difficult to measure and hard to study, but magnesium
deficiency accounts for untold suffering — and is simple
to correct. So if you suffer from any of the symptoms I
mentioned or have any of the diseases I noted, don’t worry
— it is an easy fix. Here’s how.
• Stop draining your body of magnesium. Limit coffee,
colas, salt, sugar, and alcohol.
• Learn how to practice active relaxation.
• Check with your doctor if your medication is causing
magnesium loss (many high blood pressure drugs or
diuretics cause loss of magnesium).
• Eat foods high in magnesium. Include the following in
your diet as often as you can: Kelp, wheat bran, wheat germ,
almonds, cashews, buckwheat, brazil nuts, dulse, filberts,
millet, pecans, walnuts, rye, tofu, soy beans, brown rice,
figs, dates, collard greens, shrimp, avocado, parsley, beans,
barley, dandelion greens, and garlic
• Take magnesium supplements
• Take a hot bath with Epsom salts (magnesium sulfate).
This is a good way to absorb and get much needed
magnesium.
So if you’re coping with the symptoms here, relax.
Magnesium is truly a miracle mineral. It is essential for
lifelong vibrant health.
About The Author
MARK HYMAN, MD
Mark Hyman, MD, is a practicing family physician, a #1
New York Times bestselling author and an internationally
recognized leader, speaker, educator, and advocate in his
field. He is the director of the Cleveland Clinic Center for
Functional Medicine, chairman of the board of the Institute for
Functional Medicine, and the founder and medical director of
The UltraWellness Center.
To Learn More Visit:
www.DrHyman.com

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EMPTY
THE CUP
Written by Rick Hanson, PhD

O
Once upon a time, a scholar came to visit a saint. After the
scholar had been orating and propounding for a while, the saint
proposed some tea. She slowly filled the scholar’s cup: gradually
the tea rose to the very brim and began spilling over onto the
table, yet she kept pouring and pouring. The scholar burst out:
“Stop! You can’t add anything to something that’s already full!”
The saint set down the teapot and replied, “Exactly.”
Whether it’s the blankness of a canvas to an artist, the silence
between the notes in music, bare dirt for a new garden, the
not-knowing openness of a scientist exploring new hypotheses,
an unused shelf in a closet or cupboard, or some open time
in your schedule, you need space to act effectively, dance with
your partners, and have room around your emotional reactions.
Yet most of us, me included, tend to stuff as much as possible
into whatever room is available – room in closets, schedules,
budgets, relationships, and even the mind itself.
Personally, my own mind is often filled with themes of
work: details of tasks to do, problems to avert, opportunities to
capture keep swelling up again into awareness to capture my
attention. For a friend of mine, the wallpaper of her own mind,
as she puts it, is rumination about her health problems.
Remember the cup: its value is in the space, the emptiness,
it holds.
How?
Be more mindful of the element of space, openness, possibility,
reserve capacity, and emptiness in your life. This includes room
in a drawer, the volume of air in a kitchen, the vacuum in a
lightbulb, openmindedness in a friend, or minimal traffic on a
highway. Consciously appreciate the beneficial somethings that
are the gifts of various nothings.
What’s the “wallpaper” in your own mind – the everyday
preoccupations that fill it up like bermuda grass taking over
a yard? The usual suspects include recurring worries, issues
with work, resentments, and regrets. Try to be more mindful of
these, and disengage faster when they start taking over. Shift
your attention to something that’s positive and interesting,
and then try to invest yourself more in this topic.
Sometimes you’re just stuck with a big bucket of tasks yet to
do (I’ve been there . . . oops, I still am here!). But at least empty
the bucket faster than you fill it with new tasks.
Put some space between finishing one thing and starting
another. For example, after sending one email, take a breath
before replying to another one; when the dishes are done,
pause for a break; in a conversation, let the ending of one topic
reverberate for a moment before launching another one; take
real time for lunch.
Drop the stuff you can no longer afford to lug around. At sea
level, you can run with a brick in your backpack, but if you’re
hiking on a mountain, that brick’s got to go. Similarly, most of
us have some habits, indulgences, ideas, grudges, or fixations
that were kind of OK at one time but now – with changing
circumstances (such as juggling more balls, raising a family,
aging) – are wearing you down and really need to go. What’s
your own brick? What would you gain by emptying it out of
your own backpack?
Explore the practice not-adding as a form of subtracting,
emptying: not firing back with a tart rejoinder in a quarrel . . .
not presuming you know the right answer to something . . . not
taking on a new commitment . . . not plopping more stuff on
the counter . . . not piling on another self-criticism . . .
Enjoy emptiness in the forms that speak to you: perhaps the
quiet at night when everyone’s asleep but you, a blank page
in your journal, a friend’s receptive listening, an open counter
as you begin to cook (love this one myself), a hole in your
schedule, the space between thoughts as your mind calms and
becomes still, or a Saturday with no plans at all.
Or a cup waiting patiently for tea.
About The Author
RICK HANSON, PHD
Rick Hanson, PhD, is a psychologist, Senior Fellow of the Greater
Good Science Center at UYC Berkeley, and a New York Times bestselling
author. His books have been published in 29 languages and
include Neurodharma, Resilient, and Hardwiring Happiness.
To Learn More Visit:
www.RickHanson.net

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201-365-7946

August 2020 Issue
Staying Safe Online
Written by Joan Herrmann
E
Every day we are bombarded with
information about the coronavirus outbreak. Doctors
and other healthcare providers share tips to help us stay
healthy, and we are even taught the proper way to wash
our hands. While personal health and hygiene are of the
utmost importance, perhaps equally important is learning
how to maintain cyber health and hygiene during this
time.
Social distancing and stay at home directives have
confined people to their homes and we are using internet
and online services for social interaction, shopping,
paying bills, and completing work projects. And, while
we are blessed to have this technology, this lifeline comes
with heightened security risks. Unfortunately, threats
exist beyond the disease itself and criminals will use the
situation to take advantage of you! Here are a few ways to
help you stay safe online.
Watch out for scams. There are people who take
legitimate sites like the CDC or hospitals, and send out
official looking email messages about COVID-19. They
insert links in the message in an attempt to get you to
click for more information. They embed malware in the
links so that when you click, they can infect your computer
giving them access to login information, personal data, etc.
Do not open anything unless you visit the actual site, and
never click on a link or open an attachment, no matter how
legitimate it looks!
Think before you share. There is an abundance of
disinformation being disseminated in an attempt to
mislead you. Obtain your information from legitimate
sources only – actual news outlet sites, CDC, etc. Do not
trust third parties that you have never heard of before.
Always check the validity of information before sharing.
Practice good hygiene. In additional to washing
your hands after every physical contact, practice cyber
hygiene to keep your computer system and personal
information safe. Clean your computer of any viruses,
secure passwords, download patches and updates, and do
not download anything from unknown sources. Be extra
vigilant on verification.
Keep your personal information private. Being
confined to your home may create the need for connection,
which may cause you to lower your social media guard and
overshare. More time online may lead to riskier behavior.
Be careful not to provide more personal information
than normal and always monitor what appears in the
background of a photo or livestream. Be sure to maintain
proper privacy settings.
Be mindful of online contacts and connections.
Increased social media use can open the door for
communicating with strangers. Carefully vet a person
before accepting a connection request.
Avoid product scams. Searching the web can expose
you to scams. If you find a hard to acquire product on the
site of an unknown source, ask yourself why this site has
the product when other reputable sites do not. Follow the
rule of thumb: if it seems too good to be true, it is. Stick
with legitimate sites when ordering online.
Implementing safe online practices are important on any
“normal” day, but now when so many are vulnerable, it’s of
the utmost importance. As the old saying goes, “An ounce
of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”
About The Author
JOAN HERRMANN
Joan Herrmann is the creator of the Change Your Attitude…
Change Your life brand and host of the radio show and podcast,
Conversations with Joan. She is a motivational speaker and the
publisher of 24 Seven magazine.
To Learn More Visit:
www.JoanHerrmann.com

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WRITTEN BY SEAN GROVER
HOW TO HEAL YOUR
INNER SELF IN
QUARANTINE
Q
IN QUARANTINE, SOONER OR LATER, YOUR INNER WORLD
COMES KNOCKING, AND UNFORTUNATELY FOR MANY OF US,
IT WON’T BE A FRIENDLY VISIT.

M
Many of my patients have
experienced a resurgence of anxiety and depression since
the lockdown began. Critical inner voices muted for years
have returned with a vengeance. Those nasty, annoying
voices that are quick to promote our failings, criticize
our appearance, and poke holes in our confidence. Even
a simple glance in the mirror can trigger an avalanche of
disapproval.
Your inner critic’s goal? To turn you into a miserable,
complaining curmudgeon. Let’s examine why your inner
critic seems to thrive in quarantine.
Most of us didn’t choose to isolate. The pandemic did that
for us. Perhaps the most damaging aspect of the quarantine
is the lack of access to quality relationships that refresh
us. You can’t spend time with friends or family. If you’re
single, you can’t date. If you’re a student, you can’t see your
classmates. If you’re a sports fan, you can’t enjoy a game. If
you’re a grandparent, you can’t play with your grandkids.
And if you’re feeling lonely and just want a hug from a
friend, chances are you can’t have that either.
Unfortunately, the more you lose contact with the
activities and relationships that reinvigorate you, the more
despairing you feel. Is it any wonder that you’re feeling
beaten down?
When you’re in motion, moving from place to place,
your focus is outside of yourself. Frequently, you don’t have
time to spend with your thoughts and feelings; you’re just
too busy checking off your to-do list. But does a busy life
necessarily mean a happy one?
For many, the quarantine has forced us to slow down, hit
the pause button, and reflect on our choices. In this way,
quarantine naturally pushes us toward greater mindfulness.
Resilience comes from winning the battle with your
inner critic. It begins with quieting those negative voices
and making room for more positive ones. To do that, you’ll
need a strategy.
Start where you are. Rather than focusing on what you
can’t do, focus on what you can. Take up a new hobby,
challenge yourself to be more creative, tend to those tasks
that you’re avoiding. Stop worrying about things you can’t
control, and be proactive about what you can.
Foster gratitude. Gratitude is a force that can unleash
tremendous trapped energy. It can lighten your load and
refresh your outlook. Gratitude journals are an excellent
tool for inspiring more gratefulness in your life. If
journaling isn’t for you, try writing a letter to someone you
appreciate. Tell them how much they mean to you; not only
will you make your day, you’ll make theirs too.
Count your blessings. With so much bad news coming
at you, take time to recognize all the good things in your
life. Negativity is like gravity; it pushes you down. Counting
your blessings lifts you and reminds you that it’s still
possible to find simple ways to enjoy life.
Praise yourself. During stressful times, find a way to
praise yourself. Go ahead, admire, and celebrate yourself.
After all, you’re hanging in there; you’re still here, you’re
still striving. You’re like Rocky Balboa, still on your feet and
fighting.
Stop complaining. Complaining drains your energy,
dampens your spirits, and has a corrosive effect on your state
of mind. It also promotes helplessness and telegraphs your
victim status to the world. Breaking the complaining habit
won’t be easy; it will require a force of will to redirect those
impulses. But you’ll start to feel better once you muster the
courage to say, “The complaint department is closed!”
About The Author
SEAN GROVER, LCSW
Sean Grover, L.C.S.W., is a psychotherapist and the
author of When Kids Call the Shots: How to Seize Control from
Your Darling Bully and Enjoy Being a Parent Again.
To Learn More Visit:
www.SeanGrover.com

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Be Proactive
And Be
Ready For An
Emergency
Written by Lorie Gardner, RN, BSN, NBC-HWC
A
As we start to gain some
insights on the COVID-19 pandemic, it has become
clear that the need to be prepared for an emergency
hospitalization is very important.
Equally important, is to have a conversation with
your loved one, friend, or private patient advocate
who will be your main contact person during the
hospitalization. Think hard about who you want
that to be. It should be someone who is committed
to assisting you in understanding what is going on
in the hospital, is not afraid to ask the important
questions, and will challenge the situation and
completely understand what your wishes are.
Legal Matters
Being prepared legally is an important step. Liaise
with your attorney and have a Power of Attorney and

a Healthcare Proxy document
set up. This will protect you in
circumstances when you are
unable to make decisions for
yourself. Also, have an Advance
Health Care Directive compiled
so it is clear to your person who is
making decisions for you, when
you can’t, what your wishes are.
Be Prepared
It is wise to ensure which
hospitals in your area are in your
health insurance network ahead
of time. You can also check
the hospital(s) ratings. Some
hospitals are safer than others.
You can check the LeapFrog
Hospital Safety Grade website,
and if you are having surgery,
you can check your surgeon’s
ratings at Propublica’s Surgeon
Scorecard site.
Communication Plan
This pandemic has made very clear the need to have
a communication plan while in the hospital. You may
have many family members or friends that want to be
involved in your status and recovery. It is essential to
have one person who is dedicated to liaising with the
nursing staff, social workers, and medical team to stay
on top of the plan of care and test results.
It is wise to set up a patient portal for the hospital
so certain data can be monitored. This person needs
to introduce him/herself to the medical team as the
person to be directly involved in every detail of the
hospitalization. Ask each member of the medical
and hospital team for a business card/contact
information and the best times to get updates.
Monitoring Progress
Always be aware of what the daily treatment plan
is for the day. Frequently, the plan of care and/or
goals are written on a whiteboard in the patient’s
room. Understand what all of your medications are
indicated for and their possible side effects. If a new
medication is started while in the hospital, make
sure you know who prescribed it and why. Ask what
the potential benefits and side effects are.
If you have any imaging tests, ask the reason
for the test. Request the results as soon as they are
available and if the results require any additional
treatment. Understand the lab results they are
collecting and what they mean.
This may all be too much for you as the patient
From The Story
“This
pandemic has
made very
clear the need
to have a
communication
plan while in
the hospital.”
since you may want to concentrate on healing. Have
your loved one, friend, or private patient advocate
maintain a notebook and keep detailed notes on your
progress and actions taken while in the hospital.
Hospital Tool Kit
It can be helpful to have a bag containing
vital information should you have an emergent
hospitalization. This could include the following:
• Fact sheet – contains your name, address, phone
number, date of birth and any allergies
• Emergency contact person – name, phone
number, email and text information
• Medication list – list all the prescribed drugs, over
the counter drugs and supplements you take
• Medical conditions – list any chronic or acute
diseases
• Past surgeries and hospitalizations – a list of any
surgeries or hospitalizations you have had listed in
date order
• Insurance information – a copy of the front and
back of your insurance card
• HIPAA or Healthcare Proxy document
• Advance directive
• POLST or MOLST form, if available
• Power of Attorney
• Patient portal information
• Overnight bag with your cell phone and charger,
24 hours of medications, hearing aid, glasses,
notebook and pen, toiletries.
• Other – a note about anything special the hospital
staff or emergency responders should know about
you if you are not able to communicate yourself.
There were many people during this pandemic that
were admitted to the hospital in an emergency and
there was unavoidable stress due to no visitation for
family members. Being prepared with a plan, a contact
person, and the above information can increase the
ability to communicate and lessen the stress.
About The Author
LORIE GARDNER, RN, BSN, NBC-HWC
Lorie Gardner founded Healthlink Advocates,
Inc., to assist people with all aspects of their
healthcare. As private nurse patient advocates
and board certified health and wellness coaches,
they partner with clients seeking assistance
navigating the complex healthcare system
and those seeking self-directed, lasting health
improvements aligned with their values.
To Learn More Visit:
www.healthlinkadvocates.com

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August 2020 Issue
Organize for College Success
Written by Gayle M. Gruenberg, CPO-CD, CVO
A
Are you or do you
have a student starting college this fall?
Whether attending in person or online,
being organized can make a big difference
between a smooth transition and absolute
chaos.
Remember the old adage, “a place for
everything and everything in its place.”
Create zones (study zone, personal care
zone, quiet zone, food zone) and label
them (even if only in your mind). Equip
each zone with everything needed to do
the task performed there, like books and a
computer in the study zone.
For students on a campus, every item
has its assigned spot, like a specific hook
for a backpack, so it always gets hung up
when coming into the room and is right
there when the student is racing out
the door to class. A shower caddy keeps
personal care supplies corralled and easily
carried to the communal bathroom on
residence hall floor.
Have only the bare essentials. Dorm
rooms are small and bedrooms at home
may have to double as classrooms.
Being surrounded by too much can be
overwhelming and distracting, lead to
having nowhere to put anything, and
cause stress over having to keep track of
it all.
One essential if sharing space: have a
hamper or laundry bag in a convenient
place to avoid dirty clothes piling up
all over the floor. Do the laundry. Fold
and hang up clothes as soon as possible.
Keeping the floor clear (besides avoiding
trips and falls) can go a long way toward
roommate amity.
College is much less structured than
high school, and students suddenly
have freedom around their time. Use a
planner. It doesn’t matter if the planner
is paper or electronic. The one you use is
the right one for you. Record everything,
both small and large. Include test dates,
paper due dates, progress deadlines
(to stay on track, e.g. have an outline
for a paper due on 12/15 done by 11/1),
study sessions, activity meetings, sports
practices, and when to do laundry. Block
off prep time, the time it takes to do the
activity, and time for transitioning to
the next activity. My favorite suggestion:
color code as much as possible. Example:
use red for tests and paper due dates,
blue for social time, green for activities,
or whatever works for you.
One minute of planning saves 10
minutes of doing. Each night, prepare
everything you need for the next day in
your backpack or laid out on your desk.
Self-care is an important part of college
life, especially if living away from home.
A healthy body is essential for a healthy
mind. Strive for a balance of nutrition,
hydration, exercise, good sleep, fresh air,
social interaction, and “brain breaks” for
some down time and fun.
About The Author
GAYLE M. GRUENBERG
Gayle M. Gruenberg, CPO-CD, CVO, is the
chief executive organizer of Let’s Get Organized,
LLC, an organizer coach, and the creator
of the Make Space for Blessings system.
To Learn More Visit:
www.LGOrganized.com

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ISSUE
NO.118
CULMINATION
A U G
2020
FINDING
COMFORT IN
UNCERTAIN
TIMES
Written by Linda Mitchell, CPC

M
Most of us thrive when
feeling comfortable, in control with a plan we know we
can follow. We’re better at taking calculated risks when
things go as expected and life feels stable and predictable.
But what about when the opposite is true? How do we
stay grounded, steady and comfortable enough to keep
moving forward when our lives are turned upside down
and the unexpected becomes our new reality?
These steps prove helpful in times of uncertainty and
change:
Realize uncertainty is a normal part of life. We
face uncertainties each day - detours, setbacks, tough
decisions, to name a few. In small measure, it doesn’t feel
as uncomfortable or overwhelming. We don’t focus on or
embrace it, so when uncertainty becomes a major player,
it throws us for a loop. Uncertainty is challenging, but
with awareness and tenacity, the fear that accompanies
it can be conquered. It helps to remember how much
experience we’ve actually had.
Beat the brain’s bias. Our brains are wired to keep
us in the familiar and to avoid danger, risk, fear and
uncertainty. When we face trials, we’re inclined to focus
first on what can go wrong versus what can go right –
we’re just wired that way.
The control we do have is our power of choice; the
thoughts, feelings and beliefs residing in our subconscious
brains, are what truly control us. Because they’re based
in large part on the decisions we made long ago, we also
have the ability to make new decisions that serve us in
our current reality.
New circumstances call for new empowering beliefs. We
do this by examining old limiting beliefs that created our
knee-jerk reactions and discern if they’re in alignment
with the person we are today. If not, search for when and
where those beliefs were created (old programing) and
consciously choose new, more empowering decisions to
become your new truth.
Ease your grip on control. Needing control is a
natural response to anxiety. When we’re stressed or
fearful, we cling to anything that gives us the perception
of control. We may be just kidding ourselves, but the
illusion of control is powerful and provides solace
anyway. Easing the need for control opens us to new
possibilities and opportunities.
Accept present circumstances whether you like
them or not. Accepting what is allows us to release
the struggle and reduces the level of suffering we’ll
experience. Try acceptance without judging the situation
as good or bad – it just is. Look for one positive thing
daily, no matter how small. Gratitude is a powerful
means of creating more peace and calm even during
struggle.
Remember past success. You’ve been through
tough times before and you’ll manage again. Apply past
successes to the current reality. Draw on your strengths
to create new solutions and pathways.
Lean on loved ones. Lean on strong relationships
in weak moments. Friends, professionals and loved ones
nurture us and remind us we don’t have to go it alone.
Practice self-compassion and expect better days ahead.
About The Author
LINDA MITCHELL
Linda Mitchell is a board certified executive and personal
coach, speaker and reinvention expert. She empowers
people who feel stuck, overwhelmed or ready for change
to release struggle and evolve to their highest potential as
they transition to their next meaningful role with ease, joy,
confidence and purpose.
To Learn More Visit:
www.LivingInspiredCoaching.com