24 Seven December 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, CVPO
Rick Hanson, PhD
Joan Herrmann
Emma Isaacs
Linda Mitchell, CPC

FROM THE EDITOR
—
The year 2020 has been one that most
will never forget. We have had to navigate
health issues, financial concerns, isolation,
employment obstacles, political unrest, and
a host of other matters, that quite frankly, we
all will be happy to see end.
When I was contemplating what I wanted
my final 2020 message to be, the only word
that kept coming to mind was gratitude. I
guess that is because the message of focusing
on blessings and gifts was made so clear to
me this past weekend.
During a recent routine shopping trip, I
purchased food items for a local pantry. There
have been so many news reports of people
waiting in lines across the country to receive
supplies that I decided I wanted to help. I
boxed up nonperishable items and went to a
local church, which had begun distributing
food at the onset of Covid. When I arrived,
I could not believe the line of cars wrapped
throughout area roads – up and down as
far as I could see, people waiting to receive
basic items that most of us take for granted.
Witnessing that truly humbled me.
When I got home, all of the things about
which I constantly worry, didn’t seem so
important. I thought: there but for the
grace of God go I. At any moment, I could
be in that situation, in one of those cars. I
was thankful that I wasn’t. Then, I thought
about all of the people and things that I
seldom take the time to appreciate. I was
overcome with emotion.
Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “Cultivate
the habit of being grateful for every good
thing that comes to you, and give thanks
continuously.” Emerson’s words offer an
introduction into what practicing gratitude
can look like.
With gratitude, people acknowledge the
goodness in their lives. As a result, gratitude
helps us connect to something larger than
ourselves. Research shows that having a
connection to something bigger, even in
times of challenge and change, makes us
happier and healthier.
Even though it usually is during the
most difficult times that being grateful
seems impossible, that is when it is more
important than ever. Gratitude can help us
cope with traumatic events, regulate our
negative emotions, change our outlook,
and lift our spirits. It helps us notice and
appreciate all the good things, thereby
enabling us to think more positively as a
result.
So, how do you actually start a gratitude
practice?
Practice mindful moments of gratitude,
similar to what I experienced. Take a few
minutes every day and focus on the present.
Start noticing what’s around you and
mentally say everything for which you are
grateful.
Then stop replaying every detail of the
traumatic experiences in your life. Reframe
the situation to focus on a positive aspect.
Even though it may not seem possible, there
is always something good that can come out
of a negative situation.
Finally, share your blessings. Bring
more feelings of gratitude into your life by
spreading gratefulness. Just like a smile
can be contagious, so is a positive, grateful
outlook.
What better time to begin this practice
than the holiday season?! Thanksgiving
through the New Year celebration is the
perfect time for reflection; it’s a time of
birth and renewal. So, here’s to the start of
something new!
— Joan Herrmann

ROBERT KERBECK
ISSUE NO.122

INSIDE THIS
ISSUE
GIVE THEM WHAT THEY WANT
BY RICK HANSON, PHD
PAGE 12
CHALLENGE YOUR FEARS
BY JOAN HERRMANN
PAGE 18
ON THIS MONTH’S
COVER
HORRIFIC WILDFIRES BURNED IN CALIFORNIA AND
WE HEAR ABOUT THEM ON THE NEWS. BUT, WHAT
IS IT LIKE TO WATCH THE BLAZING MONSTER COME
AT YOU AS YOU’RE FIGHTING TO SAVE YOUR HOME?
ROBERT KERBECK, AUTHOR OF MALIBU BURNING:
THE REAL STORY BEHIND LA’S MOST DEVASTATING
WILD FIRE, SHARED HIS STORY AND THE LESSONS
HE LEARNED FROM THE EXPERIENCE. ROBERT IS AN
AWARD WINNING ACTOR AND WRITER WHOSE ESSAYS
AND SHORT STORIES HAVE BEEN ADAPTED TO FILM,
THEATER, AND NOW HIS FIRST BOOK.
THREE TRAITS THAT BREED HOPELESSNESS
AND FIVE WAYS TO CREATE HOPE
BY SEAN GROVER
PAGE 22
LISTEN TO ROBERT ON CYACYL:
https://bit.ly/33XcoJ5
DOES CLUTTER AFFECT YOUR QUALITY OF LIFE?
BY GAYLE GRUENBERG
PAGE 24
LISTENING TO YOUR BODY’S WISDOM FOR BETTER
DECISION MAKING
BY LINDA MITCHELL
PAGE 28
DOES YOUR HEALTH INSURANCE PROTECT YOU?
BY LORIE GARDNER
PAGE 32
JUST KEEP SWIMMING
BY EMMA ISAACS
PAGE 36
DECEMBER 2020
24 SEVEN MAGAZINE

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ISSUE
NO.122
DECEMBER
2020
GIVE
THEM
WHAT
THEY
WANT
Research shows that relationships are built from
interactions, and interactions are built from moments. A critical
moment in an interaction is when one person wants something
from the other one. (“Wants” include wishes, needs, desires,
hopes, and longings.) The want could be simple and concrete,
like please pass the salt. Or it could be complex and intangible,
such as please love me as a romantic partner.
Written by Rick Hanson, PhD

W
Wants can be communicated in
many ways. Gaze, touch, tone, facial expression, posture, and
action speak volumes. Whether verbally or nonverbally, some
people express their wants clearly, but many do not. The more
important a want is, the more likely it will leak out slowly, or
be expressed with a lot of distracting add-ons and emotional
topspin.
Now what?!
Think of a significant relationship. How clearly have you
expressed your own wants in it? How do you feel when the
other person makes a sincere effort to give you what you
want? When I reflect on these questions myself, it makes
me realize that it’s not so easy to communicate clearly and that
I should cut others more slack.
Second, it makes me realize that I should generally try to
give others what they want if it’s reasonable and possible.
Out of self-interest, doing this is the best odds way to get off
their radar, build goodwill, and take the moral high ground.
Out of benevolence, doing this is kind and caring. Everyone
is scared and hurting, not just me.
Of course, I do not mean giving people things that
would harm them, you, or others. Nor do I mean giving up
asking for what you want. And if they’re rude, demanding,
threatening, snippy, high-handed, or harsh, then their want
could be a nonstarter until they change their tone.
In essence this practice is about an inner freedom. You are
free to decide what is reasonable in what the other person
wants and what you are going to do about that. You are free
to disentangle yourself from your emotional reactions to
their wants. And free to live by your own code, honoring
your own values and perceptions of reality, no matter what
others do.
How?
Find out what they really want. Sort through the surface
clutter to the real priority for the other person. What
could be the softer, deeper, younger longing? Perhaps ask
questions like: What is important to you here? What would
it look like if you got what you wanted?
Most people want pretty straightforward things: Put the
cap back on the toothpaste. Don’t interrupt so much. Ask
me questions each day about myself, and pay attention to the
answers. Be nice to me. Keep being my lover even while we
raise children. Pull your weight with housework. Stick up for
me with others. Be interested in how I feel. Most of the time,
it’s really not that hard to give someone what they want. It’s
more a matter of whether you want to.
Once you have a pretty clear idea about what the person
wants, decide for yourself what if anything you are going to
do. Remember that your wants matter, too, and that you can’t
give without also filling yourself up. And remember that giving
others what they want is usually a good way to take of yourself.
Personally, it was a great breakthrough to realize that giving
others what they wanted was not knuckling under to them.
Rather, it was a kind of triple-bonus aikido move that tapped
into my caring for people while pulling me out of conflicts and
putting me in the best position to ask for what I wanted myself.
I redefined situations in which people criticized me into a kind
of game in which I unilaterally eliminated the reasonable basis
for their complaints, and began to enjoy what’s traditionally
called “the bliss of blamelessness.”
Pick something reasonable and just give it to the other
person for an hour or a week without saying a word about
it, and see what happens. Pick something else and see what
happens. When it feels right, talk about what you’re doing.
When you like, also talk about your own wants.
This practice may seem like a high bar. But actually, when
you make the shift, it’s like walking downhill with the wind at
your back. You are still taking care of your own needs and not
letting people push you around. Instead of getting caught in
sticky quarrels, you’re delivering the goods as best you can and
moving on.
Know what it’s like to be with someone who takes care of
herself while also giving you what you want as best she can?
That’s what it’s like to be with you when you do the same
yourself. Very sweet!
About The Author
RICK HANSON
Rick Hanson, PhD, is a psychologist, Senior Fellow of the
Greater Good Science Center at UYC Berkeley, and a New
York Times best-selling author. His books have been published
in 29 languages and include Neurodharma, Resilient, and
Hardwiring Happines.
To Learn More Visit:
www.RickHanson.net

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December 2020 Issue
Challenge Your Fears
Written by Joan Herrmann
F
Fear is one of the most powerful
forces in life. It affects the decisions you make and the actions
you take. And while the primary role of fear is to keep you safe,
it often becomes the obstacle that stands between you and your
dreams and goals.
There are rational fears, the ones that are based in reality such
as encountering a bear while on a hike in the woods, and there
are the irrational fears that keep you stuck. These are the stories
you tell yourself about outcomes you believe will happen, with
no factual basis. They usually begin in childhood and remain
with you until something is changed. These can be labeled
destructive fears.
It’s not always easy to recognize your fears and how they
keep you stuck. Here are a few clues that experts say may help
you determine if your life is guided by fear rather than joyful
freedom:
• You see only the downside. Someone governed by fear tends
to identify with the worse case scenario, focusing on the failure
and pain.
• You avoid anything new or unknown. Fear keeps you stuck,
afraid to take a chance or step out of your comfort zone – even if
your current situation is painful.
• You stay small. Fear encourages you to avoid any potential
failure or rejection. You don’t push boundaries or experience
growth and development.
• You are indecisive. The fear of making the wrong decision
keeps you from making any decision at all. Second guessing is
second nature and avoidance becomes your way of life.
If you see yourself in any of these scenarios, how can you
move past the fear?
First, become aware of what scares you and how you respond.
Keep a journal and when you recognize a fear, jot it down.
Then write down how you react when fears arise. Keep track of
anything that seems significant. Learning about your fears can
help you transform them.
Once you are aware of your thoughts and responses, you can
employ a few strategies for change.
Use your imagination for good. Instead of letting your
thoughts take you down a dark hole, imagine yourself in the
situation with a positive outcome.
Take a time out. Don’t react immediately and give yourself
some time and space for analysis. Clear your mind by focusing
on your breath, taking a walk, or participating in any activity
that calms you down. Then, when your mind is clearer, analyze
the situation with a new perspective.
Talk to a friend or advisor. Gaining insight from someone
on the outside can help you see a situation in a different light.
Remember, FEAR is nothing more than False Evidence
Appearing Real. You can allow fear to stop you from taking
action, or you can face, challenge, and overcome it. The choice
is yours!
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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Three Traits
That Breed
Hopelessness
and Five
Ways to
Create Hope
Written by Sean Grover, LCSW
You have trouble getting out of bed. You think
to yourself, “Why should I?” There’s nothing to look
forward to. Today will be the same as yesterday.
Yesterday was the same as the day before, and
the day before that, and the day before that, etc.
“Is it possible to die of sameness?” you wonder.
You check your phone — more bad news. The
virus, the economy, the environment, politics, the
world is coming apart. Why are you the only one
who seems to notice? You scroll through social
media and discover that your friends are living on
another planet. They’re riding bikes, picnicking,
traveling — and you haven’t been out of your
pajamas for a week. How do you go on living when
you feel so hopeless?
When you lose hope in one area of your life, it
slowly bleeds into others and colors everything
you see. Viewing the world through the lens of
hopelessness results in blocking out hopeful
events and only seeing the hopeless ones, a process
psychologists call “confirmation bias”. In other
words, you seek out situations that reinforce your
outlook while ignoring those that challenge it.
Three Traits That Destroy Hope
Before we consider how to generate hope,
let’s look at the most common traits that foster
hopelessness:
Extreme thinking. Always/never, good/bad,
right/wrong, hero/villain. You divide the world into
extreme fractions and ruminate on the negatives.
You are quick to label others who are different from
you or disagree with you, a choice that drains you

of humanity. Sadly, in the world
of relationships, labels block
out hope by suggesting that
people are one-dimensional
and incapable of change —
including you. Such extreme
thinking ultimately leads to
narcissism: You’re a cult of one.
Resignation. Convinced
that nothing will ever change,
you sink deeper into cynicism.
Rather than take action, you
blame and complain and resign
to your hopeless outlook; you
even take pride in it on some
level. Such cynicism robs you
of energy and prevents you
from listening and learning
from others or exploring new
experiences.
Isolation. The more you
isolate, the more deluded
your thoughts may become. When you shut out
the world and live in seclusion, anxiety increases
whenever you leave your home. Distrust spikes.
Depression takes root. And the more entrenched
you become, the more hopeless you feel.
Creating Hope
Psychologists have long held that hopelessness
is a learned state from early childhood that we
carry into adulthood. It’s like a baby elephant tied
to a post: He learns to stops struggling; he can’t
break free. By the time he is full-grown, though
he could easily break the rope, he doesn’t even try.
Experience has taught not to.
In the same way, adults frequently remain
emotionally tethered to childhood traumas when
they were trapped or powerless. Naturally, new
choices, new behaviors, and healthier habits could
help them break free. By carrying the hopelessness
that we felt as children into our adult lives, we
make an error in time that keeps us stuck and
mired in our emotional past.
One of the key ways of creating hope is to
disrupt patterns that promote hopelessness and
challenging the behaviors that feed it. Here are
five ways you can start to break free:
1. Engagement. The opposite of isolation is
engagement. Casting off passivity and negative
thinking requires that you engage more in the
world around you. Even if you don’t want to, it’s
essential to push yourself to try. If hopeless is a
virus, engagement is the antibiotic you need.
2. Acts of Service. Altruism is one of the least
From The Story
“You have to
decide the
person that
you want to be
and redirect
your thoughts
and actions in
that direction.”
recognized and more powerful weapons against
hopelessness. As the Buddhist saying goes, “When
you light a lantern for another, it will also brighten
your own way.” Stop fixating on your problems and
making them worse. Devote some time to helping
others less fortunate than you and learn to value
yourself more. When you give others hope, you
receive it as well.
3. Humor. Laughter is good medicine for the
spirit. A hearty laugh also releases endorphins and
adrenaline, raises metabolism, and reduces stress
hormones. There are even studies that suggest that
laughter strengthens the immune system.
4. A mindfulness practice. A lack of mindfulness
is frequently at the core of a hopeless outlook.
Mindfulness practices such as meditation, yoga, or
prayer pause our tortured thoughts and inspire us
to live more fully in the moment. Self-reflect also
disrupts emotional reactivity that so often breeds
negative thinking.
5. Determination. The most important and
challenging tool for undoing your hopeless outlook
is determination. No matter how much therapy,
medication, counseling, or life coaching you engage
in, at a certain point, you have to decide the person
that you want to be and redirect your thoughts
and actions in that direction. Short-circuit your
complain-and-blame process by giving yourself an
order and following it. For example, “I’m going out
today. I’m calling an old friend. I’m going to look
into volunteering in my neighborhood.”
In his inspiring collection of essays, Hope is
Decision the Buddhist peace activist Daisaku Ikeda
writes:
“When we change our inner determination,
everything begins to move in a new direction. The
moment we make a powerful resolve, every nerve
and fiber in our being will immediately orient itself
toward the fulfillment of this goal or desire. On the
other hand, if we think, ‘This is never going to work
out,’ then every cell in our body will be deflated and
give up the fight. Hope, in this sense, is a decision.”
About The Author
SEAN GROVER, LCSW
Sean Grover, LCSW 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

DOES
CLUTTER
AFFECT
YOUR
QUALITY
OF
LIFE?
Written by Gayle M. Gruenberg, CPO-CD, CVPO

I
I have the privilege of working
with clients who are affected by chronic disorganization.
My clients have ADHD, a traumatic brain injury, OCD, or
another brain-based challenge that affects their cognition
or executive function.
Supremely talented in other areas, these challenges
affect their ability to be organized and manage their
“stuff”. When they reach out to a professional organizer,
they may know they need help organizing, but they don’t
always realize the full impact of their challenges. They
may have low insight into the effects of clutter on their
daily lives.
The Institute for Challenging Disorganization (ICD)
has created the Clutter Quality of Life Scale (CQLS) as a
subjective assessment of the consequences of clutter on
a person’s daily quality of life, including interpersonal
relationships, psychological distress, financial difficulties,
physical challenges, and unsafe living conditions.
Using a scale of 1 (Strongly Disagree) to 7 (Strongly
Agree), the CQLS asks respondents to rank their responses
to 18 statements that gauge the extent to which they are
experiencing the effects of clutter, such as:
• I feel overwhelmed by the clutter in my home;
• I avoid having people come to my home because of
the clutter;
• I have incurred debt I can’t really afford as a result of
having too many possessions;
• I have neglected taking care of things that need to be
done in my home because of the clutter.
A total “score” of 18 to 54 would indicate the perception
of a low impact of clutter on someone’s quality of life,
while a score of 90 to 126 may indicate that someone’s life
is significantly impaired by clutter.
The CQLS is a valuable tool in a professional organizer’s
kit, and the results can be eye-opening for the client.
Knowing how a client perceives the impact of clutter on
his or her quality life can guide the organizer in how open
the client is to accepting help and affecting change. The
client may never before have stopped to consider how
clutter impacts their life, and completing the CQLS may
be the wind that blows away the mental fog the client
had been experiencing as a result of being surrounded
by clutter.
Once someone is aware of the impact of clutter on
one’s life, appropriate steps can be taken to mitigate
its effects, like seeking counseling and professional
organizing help.
The speed at which change can take place is up to the
client. Some clients are immediately ready to improve
their quality of life, some need a more gradual approach,
and some say they are ready for change, but they are
comfortable in their current situations.
The awareness that the CQLS brings lays a foundation
on which the organizer and client can build the trusting
relationship needed for creating effective organizing systems.
About The Author
GAYLE M. GRUENBERG
Gayle M. Gruenberg, CPO-CD, CVPO 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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Simplified.
201-364-6833 www.LGOrganized.com

December 2020 Issue
Listening to Your Body’s Wisdom
for Better Decision Making
Written by Linda Mitchell, CPC, LMT
Have you ever
struggled
to make an
important
decision? You
did the research,
listed pros and
cons, and yet still
felt confused or
unsure? You are
not alone.
Critical thinking is a good start but often the process
leaves us feeling undecided or second guessing ourselves.
Here is the good news: there’s a valuable resource
that’s free, accurate, untapped and just waiting for
you to access. What’s more, it’s been proven through
decades of research to possess accurate decision-making
information. Welcome to your body!
The body holds so much wisdom and intelligence, yet
this valuable resource is often overlooked or dismissed.
As a bodyworker and coach, I have spent the last two
decades listening to the wisdom and intelligence of others’
bodies and teaching them how to discern the valuable
knowledge within. It’s an unfamiliar and intriguing
concept to some, but for those open to an effective way of
gathering accurate and trusted information to make good
decisions, it is a game changer!
There are several major wisdom areas in the body that
can guide you in challenging times and help you stay
aligned with your best choices when facing important

decisions. Here is a brief synopsis of the gifts of
the top six.
The wisdom of the heart will always lead you
down the right path if you listen and follow its
urgings. Allow yourself to get quiet and ask your
heart what inspiration and whispers of wisdom it
has for you in the given situation. Notice without
judgement. Don’t dismiss or edit. Your first
inspiration is best as it comes without influence
from the linear brain. The signals can be quiet
initially; give yourself some time to allow your
heart to share the gift, message, word or memory
that provides guidance. The heart guides you
on what is truly in alignment with your soul’s
longings and desires.
The gut is another critical point
of reference; it’s like a second
brain. We all have heard of the gut
instinct because our gut provides
essential instinctual information.
Be sure you are not connecting to
old feelings, beliefs or memories.
Instead, tune into present moment
data that is not emotionally
charged. If you relied only on
the past for answers, you would
quickly see your limiting beliefs,
patterns and fears come into
play, which could easily sway you
from making your best decisions.
Present moment gut instincts
are the most accurate. Once you
have a clear hit from your gut you
can assess the facts and decide
on the wisest actions. One of the
best ways to change the habit of
second guessing yourself is to pay
attention to your gut instincts.
Another key wisdom area is the
skin. It is your largest organ and
constantly provides clues to help guide you. Have
you ever gotten chills when a good idea is affirmed
or feel an uncomfortable charge like electricity
shooting through your body when something is
wrong? Temperature, vibration and texture are
just some of the ways our skin communicates
through sensation.
When you need to digest a lot of divergent
information in order to make a good decision, it
is wise to get your legs involved. Have you ever
gotten stuck, decided to take a break and go for
a walk? That’s brilliant because walking gets
the opposing upper and lower limbs moving
in unison, thereby integrating the left and right
hemispheres of the brain, which allows you to
“The body
holds so
much
wisdom and
intelligence,
yet this
valuable
resource
is often
overlooked
or dismissed.”
better catalyze information. It’s no coincidence
that an infant’s nervous system, motor skills and
ability to interpret information matures after they
learn to crawl because that action creates balanced
brain thinking. Swing your arms while walking to
enhance that crossover action in the limbs.
Then there is the wisdom you glean from
your bones. They provide stability, clarity and
steadiness; they’re like the scaffolding of the body.
Dropping deep into the awareness of the bones
allows you to explore what is pulling you off center.
The bones represent the core of who you are and
what you need. By learning to drop into the depths
of who you are, you will find the fog of distraction
clears while the fear and chaos of the outside world
dissipates. Honoring your bones this way provides
clarity of thought and creates a feeling of being
grounded and secure. Use the sturdiness of your
bones to find clarity in your decision.
In our culture, the brain is queen. By applying
linear thinking, you allow it to usurp the rest of
your body’s wisdom. It’s not improper, it’s just
woefully incomplete. I urge you to instead revere
all information your body has to offer. Once you
have listened to each wisdom area, you can then
employ the brain to integrate all the information.
This valuable knowledge is fed to the brain to
help you make healthy action plans, choices and
decisions.
In today’s challenges, uncertainty and fear
mongering, it’s essential to integrate guidance
from each wisdom area for optimal decision
making and to create clear and creative solutions.
Doing so keeps you in alignment with your soul’s
true purpose and passion. By staying present in
your body and tuning in to the incredible resources
and wisdom within, you’ll soon move you from
struggling with options to confidently arriving at
the decision that best suits you! Cheers to your
body of knowledge!
About The Author
LINDA MITCHELL
Linda Mitchell is a board-certified coach,
speaker, reinvention expert and LMT. She
empowers people who are stuck, overwhelmed,
or ready for change to release their struggles, gain
clarity, and balance and radiant health as they
move through life’s challenges and transitions
and step into their highest purpose.
To Learn More Visit:
www.LivingInspiredCoaching.com

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December 2020 Issue
Does Your Health
Insurance Protect You?
Written by Lorie Gardner, RN, NBC-HWC
W
We spend a small fortune on
health insurance every year. Is it a good investment?
Yes. Without a doubt. Having good health insurance is a
game-changer when it comes to care, costs, and peace of
mind. Of course, if you can independently finance the cost
of care on your own, insurance would not matter, but not
many can do this. Some can’t afford any insurance and
they can easily confront a very difficult time if they have a
major health event.
Not only is it a good investment to have health
insurance for times of illness, but it is also often a good
investment in staying healthy. Many policies now offer all
kinds of health and wellness options that many insured
people do not pay attention to such as subsidizing gym
memberships and coverage for some alternative therapies.
That is why it is essential to read your plan because if you
don’t, you could be letting opportunities to stay in good
health pass you by.
How to Get the Most Out of Your Policy?
Read it! It is amazing that so many people have no idea
of what their policy covers. Read it annually when you renew
it, make sure you understand any changes. You don’t
want any surprises down the road. If you don’t read the
entire policy, at least read the Summary of Benefits and
Coverage, which you should have printed and on hand for
reference.
Establish a presence on the online portal and become
familiar with it. It offers a wealth of information that is
useful – and it is all about you and your health!

Note whether or not your providers are in-network
and check out which lab is in-network for
maximum reimbursement. Make sure that you
know which local hospitals are in-network as well.
Take note of the cost of the ER visit and if it is
waived only if you are admitted. Could you be on
the hook for $2,000 if you’re not admitted? Know
that in advance – maybe that local Urgent Care
Center would be a smarter choice. The bottom
line is before you secure any healthcare services,
be sure you know what is covered and what your
responsibility may be ahead of time.
Do You Know What You Should Be Paying?
Between deductibles, copays, and coinsurance,
how can you make sure that bills are being paid
properly? First, go back to your quick reference
Summary and Benefits and Coverage and know
your deductible, copay, and coinsurance. Here is a
brief definition of those terms:
• Deductible - the amount of money you have
to pay before the insurance benefits begin.
• Copayment - a specific dollar amount that
you are required to pay at the time of a doctor’s
visit. Co-payments are not subject to deductible,
so it does not count towards the out of pocket
maximum.
• Coinsurance (allowed amount) - after the
deductible is met, co-insurance is an expense
to be paid by you, which is a percentage of the
provider’s charge.
• Out-of-pocket maximum - Out of pocket maximum
- the amount that you have to meet for the
insurance company to start paying 100 percent of
the policy’s benefits.
• Explanation of Benefits (EOB) - statement
from your health insurance plan describing what
costs it will cover for medical care or products
you’ve received.
From The Story
“80 percent
of hospital
bills have
mistakes
and these
can be quite
costly. ”
different amount than what is on your EOB as the
subscriber’s responsibility.
Read the Fine Print
It is important to know that your insurance company
and provider’s billing office must provide you
an explanation of what the bill or the EOB means.
Always read the fine print and codes at the bottom
of the EOB as this may be a clue to a service that
they did not pay for and there is an action you need
to take. If something doesn’t look right, question
it. You can have the provider do a second check on
the coding on a bill because if the code is wrong
by one number, it could be a significantly higher
cost. Always document your phone conversations
and ask your insurance company for a reference
number for each call.
Be aware that you always have an option to appeal
an insurance decision. In these cases, it is good
to get some professional advice. I will leave you
with an interesting statistic: 80 percent of hospital
bills have mistakes and these can be quite costly.
Therefore, it pays to be informed and educated on
what to look for and how to pay your bills according
to your policy coverage. Know there are medical
billing and insurance advocate professionals that
can assist you with complicated issues.
The easiest way to track your EOBs is on your
insurance company’s portal. All of the information
to answer these questions is right there.
Additionally, they now almost all have a “contact
us” component. If you do not want to call and
ask (fear of elevator music and hold time), you
can send a quick note. It is an excellent tool. You
can obtain answers to your questions and then,
since it is in writing, you can hold them to the
response. You can save your chat message for a
reference.
Make sure that you do not pay a provider’s bill
for a couple of cycles as the numbers can change
and trend downward as the insurance company
makes adjustments. Never pay a provider a
About The Author
LORIE GARDNER
Lorie Gardner RN, BSN, NBC-HWC, 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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ISSUE NO.122 DECEMBER 2020
JUST
KEEP
SWIMMING
Written by Emma Isaacs

E
Each year, I get the tough gig of
heading to Necker Island with a bunch of our members for a
leadership conference.
Sir Richard Branson bought Necker Island to impress his
girlfriend, now wife, Joan, many years ago. He transformed it
into a luxury resort and playground, as well as a conservation
haven for lemurs, flamingos, and dozens of other exotic
creatures.
A few years back, he also bought the island across from
Necker (as you do), called Moskito. Every now and then, Richard
generously opens up Moskito for groups visiting Necker, as he
kindly did for us. We were given the option to kayak, sail, standup
paddleboard, motorboat, or swim across to Moskito.
Being someone who never says no to a challenge, I chose
the swim. I’d swum from Necker to Moskito before, completely
winging it as I’m not a swimmer. When I made it across back
then, I made a vow to myself that I’d never do it again. Not that I
didn’t enjoy it, or feel a sense of accomplishment. I suppose I felt
it was just one of those things in life that only needs to be done
once. But here I was, attempting it again, and asking myself why.
This time, the swim was quite cathartic for me. As I set off
from Necker Island and started on the two-and-a-half-mile
journey, all I could think about was how similar it was to the
journey of an entrepreneur.
First, you start out alone and ask yourself, “Why am I doing
this again?” Then you find your rhythm, you gain momentum,
and you think, “This is good. I’m heading in the right direction.
I can do this.” Really soon after, though, you start to get a bit
tired and begin to doubt yourself. “I’ve got a long way to go. This
is hard. Why am I doing this?” Then you start to feel very, very
alone. You look behind you, and there’s no one else there, and
you look ahead, and there’s no one there either. You realize that
even though there are people who love and support you, the job
of an entrepreneur is a lonely one.
The next part of the swim is the hardest. You wonder if
you’re getting anywhere, achieving anything. It’s just stroke
after stroke, hoping you’re moving forward toward your goal.
Just as you feel like you can’t go any further, there’s a glimmer
of hope. A boat passes by, full of your people, and they yell out,
“You can do it! You’re doing so well! Woohoo!” and you feel
buoyed by their encouragement. You swim faster and stronger,
and you feel invincible. But soon that boat is out of sight and
you’re back being alone, and the water looks impossibly deep,
and you start to think about sharks and stingrays and the
unknown lurking beneath you.
If you’re strong, you now dig deep, keep your head down,
and keep going. You tell yourself you can do this. If you’re not
strong, you look for the support boat, wave to them, and they
come and rescue you, which is what happened to one of my
fellow swimmers. I felt bad for him and watched as he was
pulled from the water, but it made me even more resolved to
succeed.
Soon enough, the island you’re heading toward comes into
view. Suddenly, your goal seems possible. It’s within reach.
“You’re almost there,” you say to yourself. You lift your tired
arms out of the water, one after the other, perhaps breaking for
a second and looking for reassurance from the support boat.
They nod in encouragement, and you start to feel like you just
might have this.
And it turns out you do. The water becomes shallower and
shallower, and the white sand starts to emerge. You think, “I
can’t believe I just did that.” You stand up, a little shaky from
the swim, and your people are there for the high fives and the
celebration.
That swim was poignant for me, and the eternal question
of how to succeed was answered (thanks, Dory): just keep
swimming.
About The Author
EMMA ISAACS
Emma Isaacs is the Founder and Global CEO of Business Chicks.
She is the author of the book, Winging It: Stop Thinking and Start
Doing. Why Action Beats Planning Every Time. She is also mom to
six children aged under 11..
To Learn More Visit:
www.emmaisaacs.com