September is Healthy Aging Month

September is Healthy Aging Month

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Adults aged 65 and older need:

  • At least 150 minutes of exercise a week (for example, 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week) of moderate-intensity activity such as brisk walking. Or they need 75 minutes a week of vigorous-intensity activity such as hiking, jogging, or running.
  • At least 2 days a week of activities that strengthen muscles.
  • Activities to improve balance, such as standing on one foot about 3 times a week.

If chronic conditions affect your ability to meet these recommendations, be as physically active as your abilities and conditions allow.

Examples of Aerobic Physical Activity
According to the CDC, aerobic physical activity or “cardio” gets you breathing harder and your heart beating faster. From pushing a lawn mower, taking a dance class, walking or biking to the store – these types of activities and more count. As long as you’re doing aerobic physical activities at a moderate- or vigorous intensity, they count towards meeting the aerobic guideline. Even something as simple as walking is a great way to get the aerobic activity you need, as long as it’s at a moderately intense pace.

Intensity is how hard your body is working during physical activity. Try a few of these aerobic activities:

  • Walking or hiking
  • Some forms of yoga
  • Some yard work, such as raking and pushing a lawn mower
  • Bicycle riding (stationary or outdoors)
  • Water aerobics

“Higher intensity exercise had greater improvements for depression and anxiety, while longer durations had smaller effects when compared to short and mid-duration bursts.

“We also found that all types of physical activity and exercise were beneficial, including aerobic exercise such as walking, resistance training, Pilates, and yoga

https://tinyurl.com/mt2j67jy

African American Experience during WWII

African American Experience During World War II

The book provides a historical perspective of the 1.2 million African American service members’ experiences on the unit and personal level serving in a segregated U.S. military and for an American society that denied them equal opportunity and basic civil rights. African Americans served in every military branch (Army, Army Air Corps, Navy and Marine Corps).

Besides serving in segregated units, they were assigned menial tasks, provided inferior training and resources, denied opportunities to serve in combat units, and faced racism despite fighting for liberty, justice and freedom abroad while being denied those platitudes at home. Basically, they battled for liberty and freedom on two fronts? home and abroad.

 

Intrinsic Value by Warren Buffett

Warren Buffett’s investment strategy is simple:

  • Buy businesses, not stocks. In other words, think like a business owner, not someone who owns a piece of paper (or these days, a digital trade confirmation).
  • Look for companies with competitive advantages that can be maintained, or economic moats. Firms that can successfully fend off competitors have a better chance of increasing intrinsic value over time.
  • Focus on long-term intrinsic value, not short-term earnings. What matters is how much cash a company can generate for its owners in the future. Therefore, value companies using a discounted cash flow analysis.
  • Demand a margin of safety. Future cash flows are, by their nature, uncertain. To compensate for that uncertainty, always buy companies for less than their intrinsic values.
  • Be patient. Investing isn’t about instant gratification; it’s about long-term success.

Warren Buffett is a proponent of value investing, which looks to find stocks that are undervalued compared to their intrinsic value.

Financial metrics like price/book (P/B), price/earnings (P/E), return on equity (ROE) and dividend yield carry the most weight on the Buffett scales. In addition, he seeks out companies that have what he calls “economic moats” – high barriers to entry for a competitor who may wish to invade the market and erode profit margins.

https://x.com/brianferoldi/status/1695438447417471471

Evaluating Companies

A way to evaluate a company’s profitability is to compare its return on invested capital (ROIC) to its weighted cost of capital (WACC).

Return on invested capital (ROIC) measures how well a company generates cash flow relative to the capital it has invested in its business.

The weighted average cost of capital (WACC) is the rate that a company is expected to pay on average to all its security holders to finance its assets. If the ROIC is higher than the WACC, it indicates that the company is creating value for shareholders.

Basics of Mindfulness Practice

Mindfulness helps us put some space between ourselves and our reactions, breaking down our conditioned responses. Here’s how to tune into mindfulness throughout the day:

The basics of a mindfulness practice
  1. Set aside some time. You don’t need a meditation cushion or bench, or any sort of special equipment to access your mindfulness skills—but you do need to set aside some time and space.
  2. Observe the present moment as it is. The aim of mindfulness is not quieting the mind, or attempting to achieve a state of eternal calm. The goal is simple: we’re aiming to pay attention to the present moment, without judgment. Easier said than done, we know.
  3. Let your judgments roll by. When we notice judgments arise during our practice, we can make a mental note of them, and let them pass.
  4. Return to observing the present moment as it is. Our minds often get carried away in thought. That’s why mindfulness is the practice of returning, again and again, to the present moment.
  5. Be kind to your wandering mind. Don’t judge yourself for whatever thoughts crop up, just practice recognizing when your mind has wandered off, and gently bring it back.

That’s the practice. It’s often been said that it’s very simple, but it’s not necessarily easy. The work is to just keep doing it. Results will accrue.


References:

  1. https://www.mindful.org/meditation/mindfulness-getting-started/

Diversify Your Income Sources

Relying on a single source of income can be risky, as unforeseen circumstances can lead to financial instability. By diversifying your income sources, you not only increase your earning potential but also create a safety net in case one stream dries up.

Whether it be starting a side hustle, investing in the stock market, or monetizing your skills, having multiple income streams gives you financial flexibility to better weather economic storms.

Take control of your financial future by diversifying your income streams and setting yourself up for success!

Below are seven income sources you can pursue:

  1. Earned Income – this is the money you receive in exchange for your time, skill and labor.
  2. Profit Income – this is the money you earned from sales or providing products and services.
  3. Rental Income – this is the money you earn when you rent out a property you own or collect rental income from an investment.
  4. Portfolio Income – this is the money you earned from investments from stocks, dividends, bonds and interest.
  5. Royalty Income – this is money you received from sources such as royalties or through a contractual agreement for work.
  6. Passive Income – this is money you earn through channels that don’t require your active participation.
  7. Capital Gains – this is money you receive when you sell a capital asset such as real estate or stock.

https://links.myneurogym.com/think&growrich-jafb

Applied Faith – Wishes Won’t Bring Riches

“If you truly want to change your life, you first must be willing to change your mind.”

 

How to make the crucial leap from faith to action in bringing your dreams to life.

Believe in yourself…Have faith and be confident in your abilities. But faith alone is often not enough. You require Applied Faith.

The greatest application of applied faith is learning the art of keeping your mind focused on what you want.

You need to know how to transform belief into action, and faith into real-life plans.

Application, Enthusiasm, Action are the three keys required to do more than just adapting a “believe in yourself” mindset–but to actually become the person you want to be.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/goalachieverswithjohnassaraf/permalink/839508644520679/

5 lessons from Napoleon Hill’s book “The Law of Success”

1. Definiteness of Purpose: Success starts with having a clear and definite purpose. You should have a specific goal in mind and should work towards it with persistence and determination. Without a clear goal, you are unlikely to achieve success.

2. Self-Confidence: Self-confidence is paramount in achieving success. He explains that a person should have faith in their abilities and trust themselves to succeed. Without self-confidence, a person is likely to give up or be easily discouraged when faced with obstacles.

3. Mastermind Alliance: The power of collaboration and the importance of surrounding yourself with like-minded people who share a common goal. A Mastermind Alliance is a group of individuals who work together towards a common purpose, and this kind of collaboration can lead to greater success.

4. Applied Faith: Faith in yourself, others, and a higher power are crucial for success. Applied faith involves taking action towards your goals while believing that success is possible. It’s importance to persist in the face of adversity.

5. Personal Initiative: Successful people are proactive and take action towards their goals, rather than waiting for opportunities to come to them. And, they take responsibility for their actions and decisions.

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” ~ Joshua 1:9 NIV

That Money You Borrowed? Remember Who Owns It

A new study shows that many people go into debt because they disregard that the money is not really theirs.

January 22, 2020 | by Drew Calvert

In 2019, U.S. consumer debt reached an all-time high, surpassing levels last seen during the 2008 financial crisis. Such debt takes many forms, including mortgages and student loans. But credit card debt alone exceeded $870 billion, and most of that is the result of discretionary spending. Why are so many Americans needlessly putting themselves in the hole?

The answer might lie in the psychological profile of the debtor, according to Stephanie M. Tully, an assistant professor of marketing at Stanford Graduate School of Business. In a recent paper, Tully and her coauthors found that not all consumers feel the same way about available financing.

On one side of the continuum are those who perceive borrowed money to be entirely their own, and thus are more willing to spend it freely. On the other side are those who perceive such funds as decidedly not their own. This latter group is more likely to see the money as belonging to the bank, and thus more conservative about how they spend the money.

Robert Kiyosaki, the author of Rich Dad; Poor Dad, likes to say that, “Assets feed me, liabilities [debt] eat me.”

If you have to borrow money, it means you can’t afford what you want to buy. Even though, by the way, that’s not true, right? It’s not true. I

You can and probably should definitely use debt to buy real estate when it makes sense. Or, you can use debt when it makes sense to buy a business. Be smart with money such that money doesn’t leave me. And debt is a way for money to leave you and enslave you.


References:

  1. Drew Calvert, That Money You Borrowed? Remember Who Owns It, Stanford Graduate School of Business, January 22, 2020. https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/insights/money-you-borrowed-remember-who-owns-it