RISE AUGUST

MAGAZINE

FREE

DISCOVER YOUR WHY

AWAKENING

Stories that inspire confidence and clarity.

MEET INSPIRATION

Alexandra Castillo

VOLUME

#17 LEAD WITH HEART Real voices. Real wisdom. Real impact.

CREATE YOUR LEGACY Build a life that reflects your purpose.

Table of

CONTENTS

03

Letter From The Editors

04

Top Service Providers

06

Feature Article: Alexandra Castillo

10

Empowering the Next Generation: The Story of Healthy Kids Gym

13

The Midrash Crew: An Evening of Stories, Connection & Community

16

A Life Measured by Kindness

18

Be Revived Cleaning: A Story of Renewal, Purpose & the Heart Behind the Work

25

Take the Risk

30

Inner Strength or Outer Approval?

35

The Kitchen Is the First Medicine Cabinet

37

Redefining the Modern Man: How Agora Social Club Is Reimagining Men's Social Wellness

40

Lyrics From Leah: Trust Through transition

41

The Heat We Don’t Talk About

43

Toda historia tiene un propósito

46

August Is the Real New Year

49

Community Is a Biomarker: The Most Important Vital Sign We Are Not Measuring

15

2

Summer Tortellini Island

22 ThetoReturn You

Editor's Letter D

Jennifer Hass

Jennifer Hass - C0-Editor in chief

Dennis M. Postema

Dennis M. Postema - CO-Editor in chief

iscover Your Why. There are moments in life when you realize that success isn’t only about what you’re

Supporting one another. And trying to leave something meaningful behind.

building. It’s about understanding why you’re building it in the first place. As we have grown RISE, we have learned that our “why” has a way of changing with us. Sometimes it begins with survival. Sometimes it’s proving to ourselves that we can do something we once thought was impossible. And eventually, if we’re lucky, it becomes something bigger than us.

Not simply a magazine you pick up and read, but a place where you discover someone who inspires you, learn something that changes your perspective, find a business you want to support, or read a story that makes you feel a little less alone in whatever season of life you’re navigating.

It’s about awakening to who you are, trusting the direction your life is taking, and having the courage to create something that feels meaningful to you, not simply something that looks successful from the outside.

you encouraged when they were ready to quit. The business owner you introduced to the right connection.

The child who watched you keep going.

The community you helped strengthen.

The kindness someone remembers long after you’ve forgotten giving it.

Our cover story featuring Alexandra Castillo embodies so much of that message. Her story reminds us that an awakening doesn’t always arrive quietly or conveniently. Sometimes it comes through change, uncertainty, growth, or the realization that the life we’ve been living no longer completely fits the person we are becoming.

Those moments matter.

That is what I want RISE to continue to be.

Because creating a legacy isn’t necessarily about being known by This issue is about that deeper millions of people. purpose.

Sometimes your legacy is the person

So as you read this issue, I hope you allow yourself to think about your own why.

What are you building?

Who are you becoming?

Who are you bringing with you?

And most importantly, does the life you’re creating actually feel like yours?

And I think there is something You don’t need to have every answer incredibly powerful about giving today. Sometimes discovering your why is simply having enough courage to ourselves permission to evolve. keep asking the questions.

At RISE, we talk a lot about business, Here’s to awakening, evolving, leading entrepreneurship, wellness, family, with heart, and creating a life and a community, and success.

But legacy that means something. underneath all of those things is something much more important: With Love, people.

Real people building businesses.

Raising families. Starting over. Taking chances. Finding their voices.

Learning from their mistakes.

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The RISE Standard The Signature Five Heather McHardy Heather McHardy is the founder of The Happy Hours, Las Vegas’s 30+ pop-up nightclub where Millennials and Gen X reclaim the dance floor to 80s, 90s, and 2000s hits, doors open at 7pm, lights up by 11pm. A former pro dancer who toured Europe and performed on cruise ships, Heather has called Vegas home for 19 years, bringing rhythm, hospitality, and community to every event. Launched in May 2025, The Happy Hours now draws 250–400 guests, offers available seating, and features resident DJ Velvet Rebel and other local DJs. Events rotate between downtown and Henderson giving nightlifers their groove (and sleep) back.

Website: www.thehappyhourslv.com Phone Number: 305-965-3394 Email: heather@thehappyhourslv.com Socials/Tiktok: @thehappyhourslv / @thehappyhourslv

Goval Insurance Goval Insurance is a family-owned, independent insurance agency helping individuals, families, and businesses find healthcare and insurance solutions that fit their needs and budget. From Medicare and individual health plans to employee benefits and life insurance, we provide concierge-style guidance, unbiased advice, and year-round support. As independent brokers, we work for our clients not the insurance companies ensuring every recommendation is based on what's best for you. Having proudly served more than 1,000 clients, we're committed to delivering trusted expertise, personalized service, and lasting relationships built on honesty, integrity, and exceptional care.

Website: www.govalinsurance.com

Phone Number: (855)-477-3130

Heather Hernandez Heather Hernandez is a Las Vegas-based Boxing & Strength Coach dedicated to helping women build confidence through fitness. A former USA Boxing competitor, she combines strength training, boxing, and sustainable lifestyle habits to improve health, physique, and overall well-being. Believing fitness is about more than physical transformation, Heather helps women develop confidence, resilience, and self-trust through personalized coaching and supportive guidance. Her mission is to empower women to create lasting change and become stronger both physically and mentally.

Email: Heatherrae022@gmail.com Instagram: @heatherhernandez.coaching

Phone Number: (702)-379-9445

Chloe Atnip Originally from California and now a Las Vegas resident for the past seven years, Chloe Atnip is the owner and lead photographer of Photos By Chloe. She specializes in maternity, newborn, family, headshot, personal branding photography, and video content. Her background in modeling and set wardrobe design at Prospect Studios in Hollywood helped shape her eye for styling, composition, and detail. Chloe is passionate about creating authentic, timeless imagery that celebrates women, families, businesses, and every stage of life.

Stephanie Solomon With over a decade of experience in the financial industry, beginning at New York Life in 2013, and a Master’s degree in International Real Estate, I am dedicated to helping individuals and entrepreneurs build, protect, and preserve their wealth. I provide guidance in financial planning, insurance solutions, long-term care planning, wealth protection, and legacy strategies, with a special focus on helping entrepreneurial women reduce unnecessary taxes, understand their financial options, and navigate an increasingly complex financial landscape. By creating personalized strategies to grow wealth, protect assets, and generate sustainable income, I empower my clients to make informed decisions with clarity and confidence, helping them achieve lasting financial security.

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The RISE Standard Five Defining Businesses Las Vegas Holistic Center Las Vegas Holistic Center is led by two heart-centered visionaries: Dr. David Stella, a chiropractor, Intuitive Wellness Practitioner, and functional and energy medicine guide with over 30 years of experience, and Gina Pero, an ICF Master Certified Coach, Wellness Choreographer, bestselling author, speaker, and former Radio City Rockette. Together, they offer more than 10 advanced therapies, including frequency therapy, red light, lymphatic care, body restoration, and bio-energetic assessments, designed to support the body’s natural healing. With both in-person and remote services, their mission is to empower individuals to discover the path to optimal health that is uniquely right for them.

Email: lasvegasholisticcenter.com Phone Number: (702)-352-3021 Instagram: @drstellalvhc

Jessie Rae’s BBQ Jessie Rae’s BBQ has become a Southern Nevada staple by creating a barbecue experience unlike any other.

Proudly serving its signature Las Vegas Style BBQ, the award-winning restaurant is known for its slow smoked brisket, ribs, pulled pork, chicken, hot links, and legendary house-made BBQ sauce. With multiple Best of Las Vegas honors, Jessie Rae’s has earned a reputation for exceptional flavor, quality, and hospitality. Whether serving guests in the restaurant, catering community events, or providing takeout and delivery, Jessie Rae’s BBQ is committed to bringing people together over unforgettable food, creating memorable experiences one plate at a time.

Phone Number: (702) 602-5353 Website: www.jessieraesbbq.com Location: 308 N. Boulder Highway, Henderson, NV 89015

Tacotarian Tacotarian is a vibrant, plant-based Mexican eatery redefining what vegan food can be. Known for its bold flavors, creative dishes, and modern twist on traditional Mexican food, Tacotarian brings a fresh energy to the dining experience. The brand celebrates culture, community, and sustainability, offering a menu that appeals to vegans and non-vegans alike. With an emphasis on high-quality ingredients and innovative recipes, Tacotarian proves that plant-based cuisine can be exciting, comforting, and crave-worthy. Their mission goes beyond food—they aim to inspire mindful eating while delivering unforgettable flavor in every bite. Tacotarian is plant-basedfood, elevated.

Sacred Space Sacred Space is a luxury wellness studio in Las Vegas dedicated to helping people reduce stress, restore balance, and reconnect with themselves through sound, movement, and mindfulness. We offer immersive sound baths, gong baths, restorative and vinyasa yoga, breathwork, meditation, women's circles, and private events in a beautifully designed space with thoughtfully curated details. Every experience is created to calm the nervous system, promote deep relaxation, and foster meaningful connection. Whether you're seeking healing, personal growth, or a peaceful escape, Sacred Space provides a welcoming sanctuary where transformation begins.

Website: SacredSpaceLV.com Location: 2411 Tech Center Ct. STE 103, Las Vegas, NV 89128

Email: info@sacredspacelv.com Phone number: (702)-825-3733 / (310)-895-5433

The Stirling Club Just off Paradise Road, minutes from every high-rise in the city, The Stirling Club is Las Vegas's private lifestyle and business club, the kind of curated address that usually asks a six-figure initiation to enter. Five event rooms, club dining and lounges, a fitness center, spa, resort pool, tennis, and pickleball anchor the amenities.

Weeknights stay live with entertainment at the Main Bar, monthly member/community events, wine dinners, business networking, and sports watch parties. Memberships from $3,000 a year, no initiation fee, with dedicated tiers for Turnberry residents. Visit thestirlingclub.com for a personal tour.

Website: www.thestirlingclub.com Location: 2827 Paradise Road, Las Vegas, NV 89109 Phone Number: (702) 732-9700 Membership: membership@thestirlingclublv.com Events: events@thestirlingclublv.com

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Meet Our Feature: Alexandra Castillo

BUILDING A NEW LIFE, ONE BRAVE DECISION AT A TIMEANDRA CASTILLO If you meet Alexandra Castillo today, you'll see a confident entrepreneur, Founder & President of Goval Insurance, an author, and a woman whose mission is built on one belief: when a woman awakens to her true strength, she inspires others to do the same.

What you won't immediately see is the woman who once spent her mornings cleaning houses, changed into business clothes in her car, and walked into medical clinics hoping someone would trust her enough to become her first insurance client.

You won't see the immigrant who arrived in the United States with two suitcases, an eleven-year-old daughter, and just one hundred dollars in her wallet.

Or the mother who quietly collected recyclable bottles on weekends so she and her daughter could afford lunch.

"I didn't have the luxury of asking whether I was ready," Alexandra says. "I simply had to keep moving forward."

Seventeen years ago, she left everything familiar behind and arrived in a country where she didn't speak the language, didn't have a job waiting for her, and had no roadmap for what came next.

What she did have was an unwavering belief that her daughter deserved opportunities she couldn't find back home.

6

"The moment I landed in the United States, I knew there was no turning back," she recalls. "I was terrified, but every time fear spoke louder, I looked at my daughter and remembered why I was there."

After spending her first night at a family friend's home in Miami, she boarded another flight to Los Angeles with little more than hope and determination.

Although Alexandra held a university specialization in International Business Management, she quickly learned that degrees didn't pay rent and pride didn't buy groceries.

She accepted every honest job she could find, from retail and babysitting to cleaning houses.

"There were times when I worked five different jobs just to make it through," she says. "For five years, we rented rooms because I couldn't afford a place of our own. Every month felt like starting over."

That belief became her anchor.

Even the company's name carries personal meaning: "GO" comes from her maiden name, while "Val" honors her daughter, the little girl who unknowingly became the reason behind every difficult decision Alexandra ever made.

Everything changed when she discovered the insurance industry.

It wasn't passion that brought her there, it was necessity. The position offered no salary, only commission.

Success didn't arrive overnight. Six years later, she founded Goval Insurance, which continues to grow today alongside her husband, who is also her business partner.

"I didn't have another option," she says. "Sometimes life doesn't ask if you're comfortable. It simply asks if you're willing to try."

Yet Alexandra believes her greatest achievement wasn't building a successful company, it was rebuilding herself.

During the mornings she continued cleaning homes and caring for children. In the afternoons she changed into business clothes, picked up her Those years were especially difficult for her daughter. One day business cards, and visited clinics and community centers, she asked a question Alexandra introducing herself to anyone has never forgotten: willing to listen.

Those years were especially difficult for her daughter. One day Her clients never knew what her mornings looked like. They simply she asked a question Alexandra saw someone who genuinely has never forgotten: wanted to help them understand their health insurance options.

"There came a point when I couldn't keep living the way I was," she says. "I wasn't sleeping. I had nightmares. I cried constantly. I was emotionally drained and didn't recognize the person I had become."

On her days off, she collected recyclable bottles. Friends from church saved them for her, helping cover basic expenses. She still remembers a small neighborhood restaurant where the manager, knowing her story, would often bring an extra bowl of soup so she and her daughter would have enough to share.

"There was no answer that could take away her pain," Alexandra remembers. "I could only keep believing that one day she would understand."

"Those moments taught me humility," she says. "Sometimes, to have everything, you first have to learn how to live with nothing."

"WHY DID YOU BRING ME TO THIS COUNTRY?"

"I never wanted to sell people a product," she says. "I wanted them to understand their choices so they could make the best decision for themselves."

That philosophy would later become the foundation of Goval Insurance.

7

She sought help through counseling, healing workshops, books, and prayer. Slowly, survival gave way to healing.

"The greatest shift happened when I stopped seeing myself as a victim and became the protagonist of my own story."

Learning to love herself didn't happen overnight. For years she believed her worth depended on working harder, accomplishing more, and constantly proving herself. Eventually, she realized that real transformation begins with acceptance.

"I learned to recognize myself, forgive myself, and love the woman I already was," she says. "Once I changed inside, everything around me began to change too."

Not long afterward, she met the man who would become her husband. She describes their relationship as "the meeting of two souls," a connection that entered her life only after she had done the difficult work of healing herself.

Today, Alexandra leads a thriving business, but success is no longer measured only by revenue or growth. For her, success means living in alignment with who she truly is.

In its pages, Alexandra encourages readers to become fully present, stop living on autopilot, and embrace what she calls the journey of Being, Doing, and Having.

Today, Alexandra Castillo's story reaches far beyond entrepreneurship. It is the story of a mother who refused to give up, an immigrant who refused to let her circumstances define her, a "We spend so much time chasing leader who believes education is success that we forget to become the the highest form of service, and an person capable of sustaining it," she author who hopes every reader says. "First we must be our most discovers what she fought so hard authentic selves. Then we do, taking to find herself: intentional action. Only then can we truly have the life we dream of."

Her message resonates especially with immigrant women, entrepreneurs, and single mothers.

Women who often carry enormous responsibilities while quietly doubting their own worth.

"If my story can help even one woman believe that her circumstances don't define her future, then every difficult chapter was worth it."

Looking back, Alexandra wishes she could speak to the woman who stepped off that airplane seventeen years ago with one hundred dollars and a heart full of fear.

"I would tell her that the fear she's feeling isn't the truth, it's simply uncertainty about a future she can't That transformation inspired her yet see," she says. "I would tell her first book, A Genuine Awakening. how proud I am of her courage. I would tell her to keep walking, "I didn't write it because I thought I because one day she'll realize that had all the answers," she says. "I the airport wasn't the end of one wrote it because writing became life.It was the beginning of another." part of my own liberation."

8

The greatest barriers we face are often the ones we build within our own minds.

Because when one woman experiences a genuine awakening, she doesn't simply change her own life, she gives others permission to believe they can change theirs as well.

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EMPOWERING THE NEXT GENERATION: THE STORY OF HEALTHY KIDS GYM

By Adriana Saenz

Early Life and a Lifelong Mission I was born and raised in Chihuahua, Mexico, in February 1980. From a young age, I suffered from a heart condition, but my cardiologist insisted that I needed to exercise moderately.

I will never forget the day I turned 14 and was finally able to jog an entire mile without my heart holding me back. I was overjoyed.

During my childhood, I was guided by my uncle: Professor Roberto Saenz, a physical education teacher who instilled in me a deep respect for sports and personal health. He got me involved in volleyball, basketball, track and field, and swimming.

The truth is, I didn't actually like exercising back then!

But he would firmly remind me that it wasn’t about whether I liked it, it was a doctor’s order.

He constantly pushed me to cultivate a "sound mind in a sound body." Sleeping in on vacations simply wasn't an option; I was in the pool by 7:00 AM. Everything I have built with Healthy Kids Gym is dedicated to him.

By 1996, after a tough loss at a national volleyball tournament, I started training at a weightlifting gym. My trainer noticed my dedication and asked if I wanted to compete in fitness. It was an expensive sport, and realizing I couldn't afford it broke my heart.

However, a sponsor from a natural products company stepped in to support me, and by 1998, I competed in Fitness and proudly took second place.

I continued training and earned a scholarship to study as a personal trainer in Mexico City. But surviving in Mexico was incredibly difficult, you either worked or studied and often, I didn't even have the money for the bus fare to the capital.

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A New Beginning in Las Vegas In 1999, I made the bold decision to emigrate to the United States. I left everything behind, trusting God to lead the way. Starting over in a new country, navigating a different culture, and learning a completely foreign language was one of the hardest things I have ever done, but I quickly fell in love with this country.

I found a job in the childcare area at Las Vegas Athletic Clubs (LVAC), where I worked for four years. I still dreamed of becoming a personal trainer, but the language barrier felt insurmountable. I began taking college courses, fell in love with the English language, and slowly found my voice. Through hard work and perseverance, I earned my personal training license and was eventually promoted to Head Trainer, proudly working for LVAC for 14 years. I am currently a Fitness Director, Certified Personal Trainer, Certified Nutrition Tech, and Certified Sports Performance Nutritionist from Propta Academy.

A Heartbreaking Catalyst: The Birth of Healthy Kids Gym The true vision for Healthy Kids Gym was born in 2012 out of a moment of profound sadness. A worried mother who had been a client of mine at LVAC came to me desperate for help. Her 9year-old daughter was being relentlessly bullied at school because of her weight, severe acne, and the dark patches on her neck caused by insulin resistance. The bullying had gotten so bad that this precious little girl had asked for a gun to end her own life.

In that dark moment, a sudden ray of clarity hit me. I thought, "God, what do I do now?"

I looked at the mother and said, "Bring her to my garage. I have a treadmill, a bench, and a few small tables." Over the next six months, that little girl lost 45 pounds. More importantly, her entire life and her spirit completely transformed.

Soon after, I took on my first blind client, my first child with autism, and my first child with Down syndrome. My routine was set: I trained adults at LVAC in the mornings and transformed children’s lives in my garage in the afternoons.

The dream of "Healthy Kids Gym" lived in my mind for seven years while I worked out of that garage, simply because commercial gym space was too expensive.

Healthy Kids Gym is a safe haven where you strengthen your muscles, heal your spirit, and add years to the life of your heart.

By 2022, after years of being recognized throughout the community as the "kids' trainer," I secured a loan and officially opened the doors to Healthy Kids Gym. Shortly after, a mother and her social worker visited the facility, fell in love with my mission, and helped me become an approved provider for the Desert Regional Center (DRC).

Sadly, childhood bullying both at school and at home is an epidemic, and I welcome about three new children with heartbreaking stories every single day. My approach is structured, disciplined, and deeply compassionate.

Transforming Lives, Child at a Time

One

Today, Healthy Kids Gym is dedicated to helping children overcome serious physical and mental health challenges, including: Prediabetes and Type 2 Diabetes Fatty Liver Disease Depression and Anxiety Autism and Down Syndrome A shining example of our mission is the story of Ismael. At 8 years old, he was going through his parents' painful separation and facing severe bullying at school. We worked together, and he lost 45 pounds.

Today, at 16, I have mentored him into becoming a personal trainer himself, and he shares my fierce passion for helping kids.

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The Healthy Kids Program: 1.Comprehensive Consultation: I start by checking the child's weight and thoroughly reviewing any pediatrician notes or blood test results with the parents.

2.Custom Exercise Routine: The kids complete a scaled 60minute workout: 30 minutes of cardio (bike and treadmill), 15 minutes of weightlifting, and 15 minutes of core strengthening.

1.Digital Detox & Nutrition: Cell phones and tablets are strictly prohibited on the gym floor. I create personalized weekly schedules, build custom meal plans, and teach families the crucial importance of portion control.

Recent Success Stories: A 12-Year-Old Boy: Previously isolated in his bedroom, surviving entirely on pasta and soda. After just two weeks of training and nutritional guidance, he lost 4 pounds. He is smiling again, and his mother recently asked me in tears, "What did you do? My son is a completely new person.”

An 8-Year-Old Girl: She used to drink an entire box of soda at night and was suffering from prediabetes, a fatty liver, and darkened skin on her neck.

In two weeks, she has lost 5 pounds, the darkness on her neck has faded by 40%, and she proudly tells me how happy she feels.

A 16-Year-Old Girl with Down Syndrome: Referred to me due to a fatty liver diagnosis, she now walks for 30 minutes and lifts weights with ease.

Her agility has improved and she loves to dance. Her pediatrician recently confirmed her fatty liver is completely gone and took her off Metformin, a medication originally intended for adults, but increasingly prescribed to children due to poor dietary habits.

A Vision for the Future I envision a future where Healthy Kids Gym serves as a premier wellness center, a place where parents can bring their children to heal, grow, and experience the healthy, joyful childhood they deserve.

My message to parents is this: We are the ones who stock the pantry and the refrigerator. We must pay closer attention to portion sizes and the quality of the foods we buy. When eating out, we have to be conscious of what is actually healthy and guide our children accordingly. It is profoundly heartbreaking when a young child is diagnosed with prediabetes, diabetes, or a fatty liver.

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It simply isn't fair for them to suffer from preventable diseases at such a young age.

I am endlessly grateful for the tremendous support I have received from the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD), the Clark County School District (CCSD), and the Southern Nevada Health District (SNHD). They have been a blessing by inviting me to their health events. I visit local doctors daily to share my mission, and the medical community’s response to this project has been beautiful.

Finally, I want to thank RISE magazine from the bottom of my heart for allowing me to share this story. I dedicate this piece to all the parents fighting for their children's health, especially those navigating the beautiful, complex journey of raising children with neurological challenges. Keep fighting, you are not alone.

The Midrash Crew: An Evening of Stories, Connection & Community Friends who were Muslim, Christian, atheist, and from other backgrounds began joining us. Along with Midrash, we discussed relationships, mental health, and life's everyday struggles. Those conversations gave everyone the freedom to ask questions, challenge ideas, and learn from one another. I always say that if there are no questions or One day, I asked my Rabbi if I could debates, no one has the

By David Montalvo opportunity to strengthen their teach a Midrash class for my Finding a community can be faith. friends at my house. He gave me challenging, especially after Friends who were Muslim, his blessing because he saw my moving to a new city like Las passion for sharing these stories.

Christian, atheist, and from Vegas. I quickly realized there The Zohar says, "The Midrash is the other backgrounds began were many organizations to secrets of the Torah." It is filled with joining us. Along with Midrash, choose from, but because I used to parables, stories, and lessons that we discussed relationships, teach students with autism in continue to speak to us today. mental health, and life's Chicago, I knew my heart was still everyday struggles. Those It all started with a small group of in teaching and making a friends Gill, Andrew, Elliot, Eli, and conversations gave everyone difference in my community. the freedom to ask questions, Josh. We ordered pizza, gathered Many people struggle to find challenge ideas, and learn from around the table, and I shared a where they belong. At one point in short lesson about life and faith. As one another. I always say that if my life, I felt like the black sheep there are no questions or the group grew, I started cooking in my own community. I worried homemade meals because sharing debates, no one has the that people judged me if I didn't fit opportunity to strengthen their food became just as important as their expectations. It reminded me faith. sharing the lesson. of Anakin Skywalker from Star Wars, who felt hurt and betrayed when the Jedi Council refused to grant him the rank of Jedi Master.

That feeling of not belonging stayed with me.

Although it began as a Jewish study group, something inside me told me to invite people from outside my faith. After all, we are all connected because we all have a soul.

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As the group grew, I began recording some of our discussions and sharing them on social media so others could learn, even if they couldn't attend.

One evening, I invited everyone to bring their partners for dinner. They admitted they were a little jealous of the men's group, so we started a coed gathering every other week.

What started in my living room has become something much bigger than I imagined. People from all walks of life have joined us, including famous athletes, chefs, and Rabbis.

Some reached out after watching the videos online, even saying they wanted to attend despite not being Jewish.

Our largest gathering has grown to eighteen people, all united by a desire to connect, learn, and belong.

My goal has never been to tell people what to believe. It has always been to create a place where people can ask questions, build meaningful friendships, and become part of a family. I always say, "If we break bread together, then we are family." davidmontalvo396@gmail.com @theoutlettoreality @theoutlettoreality Shabbat in Chicago COMING SOON Shabbat in Vegas A new destination.

A new experience.

A new chapter.

Stay tuned.

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First Things First!

Summer

Tortellini Salad

By Jennifer Afronti

August in Las Vegas calls for meals that keep the kitchen cool and the family happy. When the temperatures climb, this vibrant tortellini salad comes to the rescue, it’s quick to make, bursting with fresh flavors, and hearty enough to be the star of the table.

Let’s be happy! Before I get to dancing in the kitchen and making some home cooked happiness, I turn on music, say a blessing and envision the happy faces I am making food for…even if it’s just myself. This is when we create magic!

What You’ll Need For the Salad:

16 oz refrigerated cheese tortellini, cooked and cooled 8 oz Italian salami stick, sliced and diced 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved 1 cucumber, peeled and chopped ½ red onion, thinly sliced 1 cup pitted kalamata olives, chopped 1 cup fresh mozzarella balls ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese 2 cups fresh arugula ½ cup fresh basil, chopped

This isn’t just a side dish, it’s the main event Packed with colorful veggies, savory bites, and tender pasta, it’s the kind of meal everyone gathers around.

Don’t be surprised if there aren’t any leftovers.

For the Dressing:

½ cup extra virgin olive oil ¼ cup red wine vinegar 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

Directions COOK Cook the tortellini according to the package instructions. (A gluten-free herb and cheese version works beautifully here, too!)

COOL THINGS DOWN

CHOP AND PREP

WHISK THE DRESSING

BRING IT ALL TOGETHER SERVE AND ENJOY

Drain and place the tortellini in the refrigerator for a few minutes while you prep the rest of your ingredients

Slice, dice, and gather all your fresh ingredients into a large mixing bowl.

In a small bowl, combine olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, and Italian seasoning until smooth and well blended.

Add the cooled tortellini to your salad bowl, pour over the dressing, and toss gently until everything is evenly coated.

Scoop into bowls, serve chilled or slightly cool, and enjoy every fresh, flavorful bite.

CHEF’S TIP Don’t be afraid to leave the sausage out for my vegan friends and use cashew mozzarella balls or substitute chicken for my meat eaters. I promise you cannot go wrong with this salad.

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A Life Measured by Kindness Have I lived with intention?

Have I loved well?

Have I created opportunities for others to rise?

Have I used my platform to make a genuine difference?

At the end of the day, have I made someone’s life a little better because I was here?

By Jennifer Hass

Others require a little more intention. But every single one is a reminder that our greatest legacy isn’t measured by what we accumulate. It’s measured by the lives we touch.

Imagine what would happen if we all embraced that mindset.

Because at the end of the day, that’s What if every birthday became the kind of success that truly an opportunity to give instead matters. Looking back, I’m grateful of receive? What if each of us for every chapter of my life, even intentionally made our the difficult ones. communities just a little brighter?

August has always held a special The moments that stretched me. place in my heart. Not just because The people who believed in me. it’s my birthday month, but The seasons that challenged me.

The unexpected turns that led me because it gives me a chance to pause. To reflect. To celebrate the exactly where I was meant to be.

Small acts of kindness have a ripple effect. One conversation can restore hope. One encouraging word can change people, experiences, and lessons Every experience has helped shape someone’s day. One thoughtful that have shaped me into who I am the woman, leader, mother, friend, gesture can remind someone today. and entrepreneur I’m continuing to they matter.

As I’ve gotten older, birthdays have become less about candles and gifts and more about gratitude.

They remind me that time is our greatest gift. Every year brings new opportunities to grow, to love more deeply, to forgive more freely, and to become a little more aligned with the person we’re meant to be. This year, I’m not asking myself how much I’ve accomplished. I’m asking myself different questions.

become.

That’s the heart of RISE.

One of my favorite birthday traditions is something I call the Good Deed Challenge.

We don’t rise alone.

We rise by lifting others with us.

Every year on my birthday, I So this August, I’d love to invite challenge myself to complete one you to join me. act of kindness for every year I’ve No matter your age, challenge been blessed to live. Some are simple. A handwritten note, buying yourself to complete one act of kindness each day or even one someone’s coffee, leaving an encouraging message, volunteering meaningful act this month. my time, or checking in on Hold the door open for someone who may need a friend. someone. Support a local

business.

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Write a thank you note. Donate a meal. Compliment a stranger. Call someone you’ve been thinking about.

BE PRESENT. BE GENEROUS. BE KIND. You’ll be surprised how much your life changes when you start looking for opportunities to brighten someone else’s.

As I celebrate another trip around the sun, my greatest wish isn’t for more success or bigger opportunities. It’s to continue building a life that reflects compassion, purpose, and service.

Thank you for being part of the RISE community and for believing in a world where collaboration is greater than competition, kindness is never wasted, and every one of us has the ability to make a difference. Here’s to another year of becoming. And here’s to another year of helping others rise.

“This month, I invite you to join me in the Good Deed Challenge.

Together, let’s prove that even the smallest acts of kindness can create the biggest ripple.”

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BE REVIVED CLEANING: A STORY OF RENEWAL, PURPOSE & THE HEART BEHIND THE WORK

By Bianca Dominguez During one of the hardest times in my life, when I didn’t know what direction to take or how I was going In the heart of Las Vegas where life to provide for my children, I turned moves fast, families juggle endless to the only place I knew I could find responsibilities, and the weight of clarity. I prayed. I asked God to lead daily demands often settles quietly me toward the path He wanted for me, not the one I was trying to inside the home. I have built a force on my own. I prayed for business rooted in compassion, guidance, for purpose, and for a intention, and the belief that a way to build something stable for clean space can revive more than my family. just a room. It can revive a And in that quiet, vulnerable person’s spirit. season, he began to show me the way. I started Be Revived Cleaning My name is Bianca Dominguez, because I wanted to lift the burden and I am the founder of Be that so many people silently carry. I Revived Cleaning, a detail-driven wanted to be the helping hand that cleaning service created not out of steps in when life becomes too convenience or opportunity, but much. I wanted to serve with the out of calling. My work is deeply same compassion God showed me personal. It is spiritual. It is when I was struggling. emotional. It is the way I serve my My business was born from prayer, community, my clients, and the from faith, and from the belief that people who trust me with the most revival can happen in the smallest intimate place in their lives, their places, even inside a home. My home. business was born from empathy.

From experience. From faith. And Being Revived Cleaning is not just from a desire to serve people in a a business. It is a mission. It is a way that truly makes a difference. ministry of care. It is a commitment to helping people In a world where many cleaning companies focus on speed, feel lighter, calmer, and more at shortcuts, and surface-level results, peace in their everyday lives.

Be Revived Cleaning stands apart.

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I clean with intention. I clean with care. I clean with the belief that every detail matters.

Whether a client books weekly, monthly, or every eight weeks, they receive the same level of thoroughness. I do not offer “quick cleans”. I do not rush through homes. I do not treat cleaning as a checklist. Every visit is a deep, intentional service designed to restore order, clarity, and comfort.

My approach is simple, if I am in your home, I am there to serve you fully. I take time to understand each client’s needs, routines, and challenges. I listen.

I observe. I create a plan that fits their lifestyle and honors their space.

No two homes are the same, and no two families carry the same weight. My job is to lighten that weight, not add to it.

A home is more than walls and floors. It is a sanctuary. It is where families gather, where children grow, where memories are made, and where people return after long days seeking comfort. When a home is cluttered or dirty, it affects more than the physical environment; it affects the mind, the emotions, and the spirit.

I want clients to feel respected, understood, and valued from the very first interaction.

I help families stay organized, reset their spaces, and restore order to areas that feel overwhelming.

Cleaning is not just about removing dirt, it is about creating harmony.

One of my deepest passions is giving back to the elderly community. Many seniors struggle

Be Revived Cleaning provides detailed, intentional services mobility challenges make it difficult including, deep cleaning every I have seen clients walk into their to maintain a sanitized home. Age visit, full bathroom sanitation, freshly cleaned home and exhale should never be the reason thorough kitchen cleaning, in a way that tells me everything. dusting throughout the home, That breath, the one that releases someone lives in an unclean rotational detailing (baseboards, tension, stress, and the feeling of environment. blinds, windowsills), floor care, being overwhelmed is the reason I That’s why my goal is to eventually organization support, sanitized do what I do. It is the moment of use extra time and resources to tools dedicated to each client, revival. It is the moment where provide additional supplies to serve peace returns. My vision is to free in-home estimates, the elderly community. create that moment for every community support. client, every time.

One of the most important values in my business is hygiene. Every client receives their own dedicated cleaning materials; vacuum filters, sponges, and mop heads. This ensures little to no crosscontamination between homes and gives families confidence that their space is cared for with the highest level of cleanliness.

I also offer free in-home estimates, and small office cleaning, because accuracy and fairness begin with seeing the home in person.

to clean the way they used to, and

My vision for Be Revived Cleaning is to continue growing with integrity, compassion, and purpose.

Every service is rooted in care, compassion, and excellence.

As I look at how far Be Revived Cleaning has come, I am more families, support seniors, and reminded that this journey was bring more peace into homes never built by my strength across the valley. I want my alone. It was built through faith, business to remain a place where obedience, and the courage to people feel cared for, not just trust God when I had nothing serviced. but a prayer and a vision. Every home I step into, every client I I want clients to feel revived not just serve, and every life I touch is a in their home, but in their life. I reflection of his guidance and want them to feel renewed not just grace.

I want to expand my ability to serve

in their space, but in their spirit.

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My hope is that each person who welcomes me into their home feels not just cleanliness, but comfort, renewal, and a sense of being cared for. Be Revived Cleaning is more than a service; it is a testimony of restoration, purpose, and the beauty of starting again.

Be Revived Cleaning is not a franchise. It is not a team of rushed cleaners. It is showing up with purpose, passion, and a heart for serving others.

When I clean a home, I am not just performing a task. I am giving someone back their time. I am helping them breathe easier. I am creating space for them to rest, heal, and reconnect with what matters most. And in those quiet moments when a client messages me saying they finally feel peace again, I am reminded that this work is sacred. It is meaningful. It is my calling.

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The Return to You

Why the Most Important Reset This Season Isn't Your Calendar.

It's Your Identity.

August has a way of making us believe it's time to get organized.

We buy new planners, color-code calendars, prepare lunches, reorganize closets, and fill our schedules with everything the new season demands. Whether you have children heading back to school or you're simply returning to a more structured routine after summer, this time of year naturally invites us to reset.

It rarely happens overnight.

Instead, it happens through a thousand small decisions. We become the dependable one, the caretaker, the achiever, the peacekeeper, the woman who can always handle just one more thing.

These qualities are admired, celebrated, and often rewarded, so we continue saying yes, pushing through, and putting ourselves last without realizing what we're giving up in the process.

When every decision begins with, "What does everyone else need?"

We slowly stop asking, "What do I need?"

I often ask women what brings them joy outside of their responsibilities. It's a surprisingly difficult question for many to answer. Not because they don't have passions or dreams, but because they've spent years practicing not noticing them. They know everyone else's favorite meal, everyone's schedule, and everyone else's priorities. Somewhere along the way, their own quietly slipped to the bottom of the list.

Eventually, many women wake up feeling exhausted, disconnected, and unsure of how they arrived there. They begin questioning themselves, wondering why they no The patterns that disconnect us longer feel like the person they from ourselves rarely feel used to be. The truth is, they haven't dramatic. They feel responsible. lost themselves overnight. They've Productive. Loving. That's what simply spent years becoming so makes them so difficult to fluent in everyone else's needs that recognize. they've forgotten how to hear their Your Body Knows Before Your own.

But before you ask yourself how you're going to fit everything into your calendar, I'd like to invite you When Roles Become Identity to ask a different question.

There is nothing wrong with the Back to whose routine are you roles we hold. Being a mother, returning? partner, leader, entrepreneur, Somewhere along the way, many daughter, or caregiver can be some women stop building a life around of life's greatest privileges. The who they are and begin building challenge comes when those roles one around who everyone else become the only lens through needs them to be. which we see ourselves.

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Mind Does One of the things I've learned through both my personal journey and my work with women is that the body often recognizes disconnection long before the mind does.

Our bodies are constantly communicating with us.

Our bodies aren't working against It begins with small moments of us… They're trying to guide us back. self-trust. Pausing before automatically saying yes. Taking a A Different Kind of Reset walk because your body needs This season, instead of creating fresh air. Resting before you're another to-do list, consider creating completely exhausted. Asking for a "to-be" list. help instead of carrying everything yourself. These choices may seem Ask yourself, small, but they quietly rebuild the Who do I want to be today?

What do I need to accomplish? relationship you've been longing to have with yourself.

Not, What does everyone else expect from me?

Simply, Who do I want to be?

Fatigue asks us to slow down.

Hunger reminds us it's time to nourish ourselves. Anxiety often points toward something that needs our attention. Overwhelm asks us to create space. But many of us have become exceptionally good at overriding those signals in the name of being productive, dependable, or strong.

Every time we ignore what our body is asking for, we reinforce the belief that everyone else's needs come first. Over time, the nervous system adapts. Instead of feeling supported, the body shifts into protection mode, prioritizing survival over restoration.

Many women assume they're simply getting older or that something is wrong with them when they begin experiencing fatigue, brain fog, disrupted sleep, irritability, or a sense that they no longer recognize themselves.

Perhaps the answer is present.

Grounded. Joyful. Patient. Curious.

Creative. Calm.

Coming Home Every August, we prepare our homes for a new season. We organize spaces, create routines, and make room for what's ahead.

But perhaps the most meaningful reset isn't found in your planner, your pantry, or your perfectly organized calendar.

When we begin with who we want to become, our decisions naturally begin to change. We stop saying yes out of obligation and start making choices that reflect our values. Our schedule becomes an Perhaps it's found in remembering expression of who we are instead of who you were before the world told a reaction to everyone else's you who you needed to be. expectations.

The woman beneath the roles. The This doesn't require a dramatic life woman beneath the expectations. overhaul. It begins with small The woman is under the pressure moments of self-trust. Pausing to always do more. She is still before automatically saying yes. there. She has never left. She's Taking a walk because your body simply been waiting for you to needs fresh air. Resting before come home.This season, don't just you're completely exhausted.

Asking for help instead of carrying reset your routine. Return to everything yourself. These choices yourself. may seem small, but they quietly Because the most important rebuild the relationship you've been relationship you'll ever rebuild is longing to have with yourself. the one you have with the woman This doesn't require a dramatic life you've been all along. overhaul.

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About the Author For most of her life, Jessica Waugh believed her value came from what she could do for others.

As the caretaker, the achiever, and the woman who always had it together, she spent years pushing through her own health challenges while searching for answers that never seemed to come. She knows what it's like to be told everything looks "normal" when you know something isn't right.

Today, as Founder & CEO of The Pause Effect and Co-Founder of Hot Flash Heroes, Jessica helps high-achieving women connect the dots between their symptoms, habits, life experiences, and the hidden patterns that have shaped who they are. Together, they uncover the bigger picture so women can stop questioning themselves, start understanding themselves, and come home to the woman they

Learn more at: www.ThePauseAffect.com

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Take the Risk

By Justin Cosolo

Author Nassim Taleb was right when he told us: Risk taking is the ultimate truth teller.

You can talk about a big game. You can post inspirational quotes. You can tell people how badly you want “it”. But at some point, the universe asks: What are you willing to risk for it?

Risk requires action and demands you put something on the line. Your comfort, your reputation, or your security in exchange for a possibility that doesn’t yet exist. You could crash and burn, you could lose.

That’s why risk reveals character.

It separates people who are interested from people who are obsessed.

As I write this, I find myself operating in “Risk”.

I’ve walked away from a six-figure corporate career, to pursue something more aligned with my heart and soul.

On paper, it made sense to stay. Yet deep down, I knew something wasn’t aligned anymore.

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Companies come and go. Bosses have egos that make for emotionally difficult environments.

Co-workers fight for scraps and “hope to be seen”.

We’ve all experienced times in corporations that feel soul crushing.

The illusion isn’t that entrepreneurship is risky.

The illusion is believing that any path is completely safe.

My heart was being pulled toward a different path, one centered around speaking, writing, coaching, and creating work that leaves a lasting impact on people’s lives.

I don’t know exactly what the next twelve months will look like.

There are no guarantees. I could crash and burn, I could lose.

Every single person has faced uncertainty.

The only question is whether you’re choosing uncertainty in service of your purpose or accepting uncertainty while living someone else’s version of success (being a cog in the wheel).

History has a funny way of rewarding courageous people.

No contract promising success. No There’s a reason we’ve repeated the phrase “fortune favors the bold”. salary arriving every two weeks.

Only conviction.

Boldness creates movement.

Movement creates opportunity.

Some people would call that Opportunity creates experiences. irresponsible.

I call it having guts.

Because staying somewhere that no longer aligns with who you’re becoming can be far riskier than leaving.

We often convince ourselves that safety exists within a corporation.

But does it really?

Every major breakthrough I’ve experienced began with a decision that didn’t make complete logical sense.

Leaving familiar environments.

Moving to new cities. Starting over.

Speaking before I felt ready.

Publishing content before I thought it was perfect.

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Each decision felt uncomfortable in the moment. Each one expanded my life in ways I couldn’t have predicted.

One pattern has become impossible for me to ignore.

Every single time I have been willing to leave behind something that no longer served my growth, something better eventually appeared.

Not immediately. Not effortlessly.

But consistently. Almost as though life waits for us to create space before it introduces what’s next.

You can’t receive what you’re unwilling to make room for.

That doesn’t mean every risk works out exactly as planned.

But you develop qualities that comfort never could: resilience, adaptability, confidence, wisdom, and faith.

Those become permanent assets.

One of the greatest tragedies in life isn’t failure.

IT'S A REGRET. Imagine reaching the final chapters of your life carrying the question:

“I wonder what would’ve happened if I had actually gone for it.”

That thought weighs more than failure ever could.

I’ve met people who carry that feeling. You can sense it in their conversations. There's hesitation.

A longing.

A version of themselves that never got introduced to the world.

Not because they lacked talent. Not because they lacked intelligence.

Because fear slowly convinced them to postpone the life they wanted until “someday”.

The truth is that “someday” has a habit of never showing up.

Dreams don’t expire because they weren’t possible.

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They expire because we convinced Becoming the person who was willing to chase it. ourselves we needed certainty before beginning.

Today, I don’t know exactly where I don’t believe God places a vision this path will lead. inside someone’s heart without also placing within them the capacity to bring it into reality.

Maybe that’s the point.

Between the dream and its realization lies discipline. Along with growth, sacrifice, learning, rejection, and persistence.

If there’s a calling you’ve been postponing…

Obstacles that mold the person capable of holding that dream once it finally arrives.

Take the risk.

Faith has never required certainty.

Only the willingness to take the The vision isn’t the promise that it next step. will be easy. It’s the notification If there’s a dream whispering to that it’s possible. you…

The vision calls you forward. Your effort meets it halfway. The Universe responds in kind. What you seek is seeking you.

If there’s a version of yourself you’ve been waiting to become…

Not because success is guaranteed.

But because becoming fully alive is worth the uncertainty.

Years from now, I doubt many of us will regret the chances we took in pursuit of a meaningful life.

The beautiful thing about risk is We’ll regret the ones fear talked us that even before it changes your out of. external circumstances, it changes you.

So take the meeting. Start the business. Write the book. Move to The moment you bet on yourself, the city. Speak the truth. something shifts internally. You begin carrying yourself differently. Whatever your next courageous step looks like, take it.

You trust yourself more. You discover strengths you didn’t know Because in the end, the greatest you had. risk isn’t failing.

You become someone capable of It’s never discovering what your life handling opportunities that your previous identity wasn’t prepared might have become had you been brave enough to give it a go. for.

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Don’t Just Live Longer.

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Inner Strength or Outer Approval?

By Rae Indigo August arrives with longer days, ripening energy, and an invitation to stop shrinking. This month we are focused on what it means to be Boldly Unstoppable.

This means turning every setback into fuel, into feedback, realizing difficulty or setback is just data meant to improve us.

No one starts any endeavor with a perfect skillset, the perfect skillset is built as we walk the path.

Being boldly unstoppable is not just loud bravado nor is it grinding yourself into the ground So why do we often feel the need to so that when you get there, you are apologize our way there? an exhausted shell of your once Taking Up Space Unapologetically inspired self.

Holistically, this is not just a mindset issue. It lives in the body.

Constricted posture, shallow breathing, and chronic tension are physical signatures of a life lived in the margins. Taking up space begins with the body.

Stand or sit with both feet planted.

Lengthen the spine.

Let the shoulders drop and the chest open.

Breathe fully into the belly for This is a decision to take up space For many of us, the habit of making several minutes each morning to unapologetically, while allowing ourselves smaller began early. build the practice for the day. yourself to be imperfect on the We learned to soften our voices, This simple somatic practice journey. apologize for our needs, or fold our signals safety to the nervous As we grow, we want to cultivate ambitions so others would feel system and rewires the old belief the mindset to achieve. comfortable. that presence equals danger.

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From this grounded place, practice small daily acts of expansion: speak your idea first in a meeting, claim the middle of the sidewalk, wear the color that makes you feel vivid, or state your rate without the reflexive discount.

Each act is a vote for your inherent right to occupy space.

Over time these votes accumulate into a new identity: someone who belongs fully in their own life.

Men leading with confidence might look like admitting uncertainty, asking for help, or expressing care without fearing it diminishes their strength.

In both cases the foundation is the same: self-trust built through consistent alignment between values and actions. When your outer leadership matches your inner truth, presence becomes magnetic rather than performative.

Women and Men Leading with Confidence

August is an ideal time to audit your leadership style. Notice where True confidence is not the absence you still seek external validation before acting. Replace that reflex of doubt. It is the willingness to with a three-breath pause and an move forward while the doubt is internal question: still present.

True confidence is not the absence “What would the version of me who of doubt. It is the willingness to already trusts herself or himself do move forward while the doubt is next?” still present.

Begin by naming the setback without drama.

For women, confidence often requires dismantling the cultural script that equates likeability with self-erasure.

How can this experience serve the larger vision?

For men, it frequently means releasing the rigid armor of invulnerability that isolates them from authentic connection.

Holistic leadership honors both the fierce and the tender.

Women leading with confidence might look like negotiating without over-explaining, mentoring other women without competition, or resting without guilt.

Then do that thing. Confidence compounds through evidence, not affirmations alone.

Then ask three questions: What did this reveal about my strategy, capacity, or boundaries?

What strength did I use that I can now trust more deeply?

Turning Setbacks into Fuel

Journal the answers, then take one concrete forward action within 48 Every high achiever has a private hours, no matter how small. This museum of failures. The difference interrupts the spiral of rumination is that they refuse to let those and restores agency. failures become permanent exhibits of shame. Instead they The body also needs care during treat them as raw material. recovery. Movement that feels A setback is information delivered through the body, emotions, and circumstances. Ignoring it creates stagnation. Metabolizing it creates power.

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empowering (walking, strength training, dance), nourishing food, and restorative sleep are not luxuries.

They are the fuel tanks.

When the nervous system feels safe, the mind can extract wisdom instead of spinning stories of inadequacy. Many people discover that their most significant breakthroughs arrived disguised as the moments they most wanted to avoid.

They treat discipline as devotion rather than punishment.

Consistency is an act of selfrespect. They cultivate selective intensity, knowing when to push and when to recover so that burnout never becomes the badge of honor.

One local business owner I spoke with closed her first venture after eighteen painful months, then used every lesson (cash-flow discipline, clearer boundaries with partners, better market research) to build a thriving second company.

They build environments that make Another community leader lost a the desired behavior the path of major election, spent a year in High achievers are not least resistance. They stay curious honest reflection, and returned superhuman. They simply practice longer than they stay discouraged. with a platform that finally a different relationship with effort, matched his values.

Practically, this looks like identity, and time. reviewing the week every Sunday The common thread is the refusal Their mindset rests on several with honesty and kindness, to let a single chapter define the interconnected pillars: protecting deep-work blocks as whole story. non-negotiable, surrounding They separate identity from themselves with people who expand Confidence secrets from those outcome. rather than shrink their vision, and who lead effectively often sound deceptively simple: prepare regularly celebrating incremental Success or failure becomes data thoroughly, then release the progress. rather than a verdict on their outcome; speak in complete worth.

Celebrate every small win. sentences; maintain eye contact that is warm rather than High achievement sustained over aggressive; and practice saying “I decades requires nervous-system don’t know, but I’ll find out.” regulation, meaningful relationships, and a sense of These micro-skills, repeated daily, purpose larger than personal accumulate into a presence that ambition. others experience as unshakable.

The Mindset of High Achievers

Without these, success becomes hollow and eventually unsustainable.

Success After Failure and Confidence Secrets Consider the pattern shared by many fearless entrepreneurs and local leaders. They did not avoid failure. They failed forward.

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Living Boldly Unstoppable This August Start with one embodied practice each day.

Choose a morning posture check, a boundary conversation you’ve been postponing, or a 20-minute block dedicated solely to the project that scares and excites you.

Track how your energy shifts.

Notice the moments when the old shrinkage impulse appears and meet it with a deliberate expansion instead.

Remember that unstoppable does not mean never pausing. Rest is not the opposite of boldness. It is one of its necessary expressions. A regulated nervous system can hold more ambition, more visibility, and more risk than a depleted one.

It needs the full-volume, fully present, imperfectly powerful version that has been waiting for permission.

Give yourself that permission now.

Boldly. Unapologetically.

Unstoppably.

Holistic achievement integrates the drive to expand with the wisdom to restore.

This August, refuse the invitation to wait until you feel ready.

Readiness is often the reward of action, not its prerequisite. Take up the space that is already yours.

Lead from the truth of who you are becoming. Convert every setback into refined fuel. Adopt the patient, rigorous, selfcompassionate mindset of those who keep going when the path is imperfect.

To lead with confidence, allow yourself to become comfortable with discomfort, and treat every challenge not as a personal rejection, but as useful information from the universe that refines and strengthens you.

The world does not need a more polished version of you.

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The Kitchen Is the First Medicine Cabinet

By Sara Pedraza

Holistic healing is sometimes misunderstood as choosing natural care instead of veterinary medicine. To me, it means looking at the whole animal: symptoms, nutrition, environment, behavior, stress, and the medical care already received. Molly Grace, a two-year-old Maltese, showed me how powerful that complete approach can be.

Her illness began suddenly after an ordinary evening meal and time in the backyard. Within minutes, she became restless and started vomiting.

Over the next several days, the vomiting continued, she became weak, and she could not keep food or even water down. Her family took her to an emergency veterinarian, where she received X-rays, diagnostic testing, fluids, electrolytes, and supportive care. Although the treatment helped stabilize her, she still had no appetite, and her family remained frightened.

When I visited Molly Grace, my role was not to replace her veterinary care. It was to support her recovery at home by observing her closely, reducing stress, and offering gentle nourishment. I prepared a simple, freshly cooked meal with protein and vegetables, along with digestive support appropriate for her situation. After refusing food for days, Molly Grace showed interest and ate. Her mother later told me that seeing her appetite return gave her a first real sense of hope.

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These signs need prompt veterinary evaluation because a blockage or dehydration can quickly become life-threatening.

Nutrition can then become part of supportive recovery. Simple, easily tolerated meals may encourage eating and give the digestive system less work while the body regains balance.

However, every dog is different, and homemade food should be chosen according to the dog’s size, health history, sensitivities, medications, Before my visit, a week had passed without a bowel movement. When Molly Grace finally passed stool, her family found what looked like a piece of woven, string-like material. Their backyard had recently been cleaned by landscapers, so she may have swallowed debris, although no one could confirm the exact cause.

and veterinary recommendations.

Passing the material appeared to be a turning point. Over the following days, she continued eating gentle homemade meals, regained strength, and slowly returned to her playful self.

with the veterinarian. Small

Molly Grace’s experience taught us several important lessons.

Repeated vomiting is never something to dismiss, especially when a dog cannot hold down water, becomes weak, seems painful, or may have swallowed an object.

A short-term recovery meal is also different from a complete, balanced long-term diet.

For pet parents, the most useful tools are often simple: notice changes early, keep notes about eating, drinking, vomiting, stool, and energy, and share those details observations can guide safer decisions.

Holistic care is not one product, remedy, or recipe. It is careful observation, appropriate medical attention, nourishing food, emotional safety, and communication with the family.

Molly Grace recovered because several forms of support worked together.

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Her story reminds me that the kitchen can be a meaningful part of healing, but its greatest value comes when food is used thoughtfully, responsibly, and as one part of caring for the whole animal.

By Vinny Brusco

REDEFINING THE MODERN MAN: HOW AGORA SOCIAL CLUB IS REIMAGINING MEN'S SOCIAL WELLNESS The conversation around men's mental health has changed dramatically over the past decade.

Topics once pushed aside, including loneliness, emotional well-being, and the need for genuine male friendships, are now recognized as essential to overall health. In 2023, the U.S. Surgeon General declared loneliness and social isolation a public health epidemic, highlighting the profound impact social connection has on both physical and mental well-being.

While awareness has grown, meaningful solutions remain limited.

In Westchester County, New York, Agora Social Club believes one of those solutions begins with something many men have lost: community.

The idea didn't begin with a business plan or a beautifully designed clubhouse.

It started nearly a decade ago with a handful of men gathering in Founded by husband, father, coffee shops, on Zoom, and entrepreneur, certified life coach, wherever they could. and podcast host Vincent Brusco, Conversations about careers, Agora Social Club was created to fatherhood, relationships, faith, redefine the day in the life of the purpose, and life's challenges modern man. revealed the same pattern over Its mission is to provide intentional and over again. spaces where men invest in themselves, build authentic Regardless of age or profession, relationships, and become more many men lacked a place where present as husbands, fathers, they could speak honestly, be leaders, friends, and members of challenged, and find genuine their communities. support.

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Three years ago, those conversations became Agora Social Club—the first of its kind Men's Social Wellness Club.

Agora is redefining what a men's social club can be. Rather than centering itself on exclusivity or status, it is built around wellness, accountability, education, service, and authentic connection.

Agora believes men also need a dedicated place where they intentionally invest in themselves.

For many members, it becomes the environment where they reset, reconnect, and develop the habits and relationships that allow them to return home, to work, and to their communities with greater purpose.

Helping guide that mission is a leadership team united by service and growth. Chief Operating Officer Richard Sharratt, a British military veteran and entrepreneur, oversees the organization's strategic development.

Members gather for men's groups, coworking, networking, fitness, recovery, podcasting, workshops, guest speakers, and conversations designed to strengthen every area of life. The objective isn't simply to create another place to spend time. It's to create a place that Chief Marketing Officer Jason helps men live better.

"Jumpman Jay" Lacayo, a veteran That philosophy is rooted in the law enforcement professional and idea of the Fourth Place. Home has mental health advocate, brings traditionally been the first place, decades of experience serving first work the second, and community responders and building resilient gathering spaces the third. communities.

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Former NFL offensive lineman Eben Britton contributes his passion for mindfulness, movement, breath work, and personal transformation, reinforcing the belief that true strength extends well beyond physical performance.

Agora is now preparing for its next chapter with Agora 2.0, its flagship men's social wellness club.

Designed as a daily destination, the space will combine wellness, fitness, recovery, coworking, education, media, and community under one roof.

More than a clubhouse, it is intended to become a place where men can consistently invest in their physical, mental, emotional, social, and spiritual well-being.

Together, these partnerships strengthen Agora's ability to create an ecosystem that supports every dimension of modern men's wellness.

As the conversation around men's mental health continues to evolve, Agora Social Club believes the places where those conversations happen should evolve as well.

From August 14th–16th, Agora Social Club will be partnering with My Health Matrix for the Define Whether they're working, training, Your Circle: Men's Wellness Weekend in Las Vegas. recovering, creating, learning, or simply connecting with other men, The three-day experience will bring every space has been intentionally together leaders in health designed to support a healthier, optimization, movement, recovery, more balanced life. leadership, and personal

By creating intentional spaces where men can belong, grow, and lead with purpose, Agora isn't simply redefining the modern men's social club.

With a full coffee bar, lounge, private offices, media studio, gym, locker room, cold plunge, sauna, sensory deprivation tank, mats for martial arts and yoga, and a barbershop, Agora is designed to help men compartmentalize their day like never before.

The long-term vision reaches far beyond a single community. Agora 2.0 serves as the blueprint for a national network of men's social wellness clubs, bringing the same model of connection, accountability, and personal growth to communities across the country.

development through workshops, fitness, recovery sessions, and meaningful conversations. The weekend offers a glimpse into the type of immersive programming Agora plans to continue developing as its community expands.

Ultimately, Agora Social Club isn't trying to build another membership club. It is building a Supporting that vision is a growing culture. network of mission-aligned A culture where asking for help is partners. Westchester Soccer Club viewed as strength. Where provides another avenue for friendships are formed connection through sport and intentionally instead of community. Kreatures of Habit accidentally. Where fathers become reinforces Agora's commitment to more present, leaders become building healthier daily routines more grounded, and men realize through nutrition and intentional they don't have to navigate life habits. alone.

Sound Shed AV Solutions (the audiovisual team behindThe Joe Rogan Experience podcast studio) is helping shape Agora's vision for media production, podcasting, and storytelling.

As Brusco reflects, "What I realized was that men not only wanted to have these conversations, they needed them. There just wasn't a place where they could."

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It's helping redefine what it means to be a modern man.

Lyrics Leah

from

Trust Through

Transition

To trust through transition Can be a challenging position For it takes His strength And of course our decision To move forward in faith With no looking back Our destiny fulfilled His vision intact

With the Lord Jesus by our side, no matter how challenging or smooth life may be, when we put our trust in Him, He will shine His light upon us as we continue to draw nearer to Him every step of the way.

My Heartfelt Prayer For You: Oh the joys of going through lifes’ transitions as we continue to grow and press in towards His ultimate purpose in our lives. The beauty is that the Lord is so kind and gracious that He only reveals this to us a glimpse at a time as to not give us more than we can handle. It is like when you are going down the road at night… The lights on your car will only show what is immediately ahead of you and not all the way to your destination.

A major key in times of change is to keep your eyes on Him by trusting that He is there with you every step of the way. Though things around you may be shifting about, Jesus is constant. He will never leave you or forsake you. Make the decision to allow Him into your heart. Let Him not only be your peace, comforter, protector, healer, provider; yet, also let Him be your strength. For in times of transition, we usually need, not only the courage to take the next step, yet the strength within to journey forward in life, as we grow into all He has called us to be.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.”

(Proverbs 3:5-6)

Contact: lyricsfromleah@gmail.com

THE HEAT WE DON’T TALK ABOUT

By Julie Heather But here’s the funny thing about life: emergencies don’t pause everything else.

The bills don’t stop.

Responsibilities don’t disappear.

If you’ve lived in Las Vegas long enough, you’ve probably said, “It’s a dry heat,” at least once.

Usually followed by someone reminding you that 115 degrees is still 115 degrees.

This month, Mother Nature decided to humble me.

During the hottest stretch of July, my air conditioning stopped working.

For several days, the temperature inside my house climbed past 100 degrees. At one point, it reached 105. My black Goldendoodle, Dubi, looked at me like, “You’ve really let this place go.”

Needless to say, the dogs and I packed up and moved into a friend’s house while waiting for repairs. I’m incredibly grateful for people who open their homes without hesitation. Those are the friendships you never forget.

I’ve joked on social media before that when people ask what I do for a living, the answer is simply, “My best.”

Lately, that feels surprisingly accurate.

Work still expects you to show up.

This month also reminded me that So every day I’d leave my temporary there are different kinds of heat. home, put on my makeup, curl my Some come from the Las Vegas hair, smile at guests, crack jokes, sun. balance a tray full of drinks, and Some comes from watching your make sure everyone else was parents get older. having a great vacation.

No one looking at me would have known I’d spent the morning talking to HVAC companies or wondering how much another unexpected repair was about to cost.

One of the brightest moments this month was taking my dad to see Odyssey in the theater. My dad hasn’t really been able to live a ‘normal’ life lately, and for a few hours, everything felt kinda ‘normal’.

It reminded me how many people are quietly carrying things you know nothing about.

What wasn’t familiar was navigating it with a wheelchair.

The woman helping you at the grocery store.

The waiter serves your dinner.

The cashier rings up your purchase.

The person smiling in every picture.

Sometimes we’re all just doing our best behind really good customer service.

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My dad has always been the person helping everyone else.

Seeing him need help is still something I’m learning to process.

Every outing requires a little more planning. A little more patience. A little more slowing down.

It’s a role reversal that sneaks up on you.

One day they’re teaching you how to ride a bike.

Next, you’re making sure the wheelchair fits through the doorway.

I’m okay hearing it a sixth.

Because someday I’ll wish I could.

Those afternoons have inspired me No one really prepares you for to start sharing more vintage Las that transition.

Vegas photos on my social media.

Pictures from the 1970s, ’80s, and At the same time, it’s made me ’90s have sparked conversations appreciate something I might have with people who remember those taken for granted before: stories. days just as vividly as I do. The comments become their own little We’ve been going through boxes of old photographs together. Black- history lesson, with everyone adding memories that might and-white snapshots. Casino otherwise disappear. memories. Family vacations.

Newspaper clippings. Pictures of Las Vegas long before megaresorts changed the skyline.

It’s funny how one faded photograph can unlock dozens of stories.

Every photo has a story attached to Buildings may be gone. it.

Casinos may have been imploded.

If I ask the right question.

Neighborhoods may have changed.

Sometimes Dad remembers details I never knew. Sometimes the stories wander in ten different directions before arriving at the point. Sometimes I hear the same story for the fifth time.

And honestly?

But memories have a way of sticking around if someone is willing to tell them.

I’ve realized that’s becoming one of my favorite parts of creating content. Sure, I enjoy making people laugh. I love sharing behind-the-scenes stories from life as a Las Vegas cocktail server.

But preserving pieces of our city’s history—and my family’s history— might end up meaning even more.

This month wasn’t glamorous.

It was sweaty.

Expensive.

Emotionally exhausting.

It involved sleeping somewhere else, worrying about repair bills, adapting to changing family dynamics, and trying to keep life moving forward while pretending everything was perfectly fine.

But it also reminded me that resilience rarely looks dramatic.

Sometimes resilience is accepting help.

Sometimes it’s showing up for work anyway.

Sometimes it’s pushing your dad’s wheelchair into a movie theater.

Sometimes it’s sitting around old photographs, asking one more question before the memory fades.

Life has a funny way of making us appreciate ordinary moments after they’ve become extraordinary.

I’m still hoping the next surprise from July involves something a little more exciting than an HVAC breakdown.

But if nothing else, this month reminded me that while we can’t always control the heat life throws at us, we can choose how we show up in it.

And sometimes, showing up is enough.

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En lugar de graduarme de la universidad, comencé a trabajar desde muy joven. A los diecinueve años emigré a Estados Unidos con un sueño sencillo, pero profundamente personal: trabajar lo suficiente para comprarle una casa a mi mamá en México. Trabajé largas jornadas, muchas veces en dos empleos al mismo tiempo, y enviaba la mayor parte de mi salario a casa. Esa casa nunca llegó a construirse, y la vida me enseñó que incluso nuestras mejores intenciones no siempre se desarrollan como imaginamos.

TODA HISTORIA TIENE UN PROPÓSITO Por Malena Hansen

Hoy entiendo que aquellos años no fueron un fracaso. Fueron el comienzo de una educación mucho más grande que cualquier salón de clases podría haberme ofrecido.

Durante muchos años creí que mi vida no había seguido el camino que alguna vez imaginé. Cuando era joven en México soñaba con estudiar Negocios Internacionales, aprender japonés, viajar por el mundo y construir una carrera que me permitiera conocer diferentes culturas. Como muchos jóvenes, pensaba que el éxito seguía un camino recto.

Con el paso del tiempo, mi vida se convirtió en una colección de capítulos inesperados. Trabajé en restaurantes, donde descubrí el enorme valor de los sistemas, la disciplina y el trabajo en equipo. En McDonald 's comencé limpiando pisos y terminé convirtiéndome en la mano derecha de un propietario que administraba varios restaurantes.

La vida tenía otros planes.

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Ahí aprendí que las organizaciones exitosas no se construyen por casualidad, sino mediante procesos consistentes y personas comprometidas con la excelencia.

Más adelante trabajé en administración, preparación de impuestos, seguros y bienes raíces. Cada empleo me dejó una enseñanza distinta. Ninguno parecía ser mi destino final, pero todos me estaban preparando silenciosamente para el siguiente capítulo.

Posteriormente me integré al equipo corporativo de una empresa nacional de bienestar, apoyando la expansión hacia nuevos mercados y capacitando a nuevos terapeutas.

Por primera vez sentía que todo estaba tomando forma. Ahorraba para comprar mi casa y abrir mi propio centro de bienestar.

Entonces llegó la pandemia.

Cada manuscrito lleva consigo un pedazo de la vida de alguien.

En ImagiLab tenemos un lema muy sencillo: “Todos tenemos una historia que contar”.

Como millones de personas, vi desaparecer años de trabajo prácticamente de un día para otro. Cada autor nos deja una enseñanza. Durante el proceso de Mis ahorros se destinaron únicamente a sobrevivir. Los planes escritura somos testigos de risas, Uno de los momentos más de negocio se detuvieron y el futuro lágrimas, conversaciones difíciles, importantes de mi vida llegó perdón, sanación y profundas que había diseñado desapareció. transformaciones personales. Ver a cuando decidí estudiar terapia de masaje. Al principio era parte del Habría sido fácil pensar que estaba alguien sostener su primer libro después de haber llevado esa empezando desde cero. Pero en sueño de construir un negocio historia dentro de sí durante tantos familiar. Sin embargo, después de realidad estaba empezando de años es uno de los mayores mi divorcio, tuve que transformar nuevo… con experiencia. privilegios de mi vida. ese sueño en mi profesión Poco tiempo después conocí a mi esposo, Alexander Vivas, fundador Los libros transforman primero a Lo que comenzó como una quien los escribe, mucho antes de de ImagiLab Editorial. A través de decisión práctica terminó transformar a quien los lee. él descubrí un mundo convirtiéndose en una de las experiencias más transformadoras completamente distinto: el mundo Hoy esa misma convicción también de las historias. inspira nuestro trabajo en El Nuevo de mi vida.

Mundo, donde buscamos crear Decidí cerrar mi práctica de La terapia de masaje me enseñó conexiones significativas dentro de masajes para dedicarme de lleno al mucho más que anatomía o nuestra comunidad y apoyar a crecimiento de ImagiLab. Juntos técnicas. Me enseñó a escuchar. quienes desean generar un renovamos la identidad de la Detrás de cada cliente había una impacto positivo. editorial, fortalecimos su presencia historia: estrés, pérdidas, Cuando miro hacia atrás ya no veo y organizamos lanzamientos de esperanza, ambición, dolor y carreras desconectadas. Veo la sanación. Con el tiempo construí libros y eventos culturales. preparación. una práctica exitosa en Las Vegas, Fue ahí donde descubrí algo Cada desafío y cada nuevo atendiendo a ejecutivos, atletas profundamente hermoso: publicar comienzo me estaban enseñando profesionales, artistas y familias. un libro rara vez consiste algo que algún día iba a necesitar. únicamente en publicar un libro.

44

Durante mucho tiempo pensé que mi sueño era recorrer el mundo.

Hoy entiendo que, de una manera diferente, el mundo llegó a mí a través de las historias de las personas que he tenido el privilegio de conocer.

Si pudiera hablar con aquella joven de diecinueve años que cruzó la frontera cargando más esperanza que certezas, le diría que no tenga miedo cuando la vida cambie de dirección.

Los sueños no siempre desaparecen. A veces simplemente encuentran una forma distinta de hacerse realidad.

Y quizá esa sea la lección más importante que me ha dejado este camino:

TODA HISTORIA TIENE UN PROPÓSITO.

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August Is the Real New Year

By Carrie Carr

The color coding matters more than it sounds like it should. Both kids pull it up at night and check what's coming. They're ten and thirteen, and they handle that part themselves. They know whether tomorrow is a practice night, a dance night, or a game, so they know what has to go in the bag.

Forget January. In my house, the year turns in August.

The color coding matters more than it sounds like it should. Both That's when the school calendar kids pull it up at night and check drops, the practice schedules land, what's coming. They're ten and and I sit down to plug it all in. thirteen, and they handle that part Hunter's sports. Kylie's sports and themselves. They know whether dance. My own calls and deadlines. tomorrow is a practice night, a Somewhere in there I find the dance night, or a game, so they night both kids have to be in two know what has to go in the bag. different places at the same time, Do that in August, not the second on opposite ends of town. week of September after you've That's the part nobody warns you already missed something. about with back-to-school. It isn't on the supply list. It's the schedule. Then do the reset the night before.

Ten minutes, give or take. It won't stop a kid from losing a shoe, but it keeps the small stuff from turning into a full-blown fire drill at 8:00 at night.

The real payoff shows up the next morning. They get themselves up.

They get themselves ready.

Nobody's standing in the kitchen asking me where anything is, because they already know what the day is.

Try during the week. Don't save it all for Saturday.

This one took me a while. For years I banked everything on the weekend. The real dinner, the real conversation. Then Saturday would get eaten by a tournament, and I'd realize we hadn't sat down together in six days.

Now I go after the weeknights instead. Most mornings I throw something in the crockpot before I So we start early, and we start with A calendar only helps if something leave so it's ready when we get happens because of it. For us, that home from practice. Some nights the calendar. something is the evening. we're still eating in the car Get it all in one place before it between drop-offs, because that's starts.

The kitchen gets cleared. Backpacks real life. But when we can sit down packed and by the door. Clothes together on a Wednesday, we do.

We use a digital calendar, color laid out for whatever tomorrow coded by person. Work, school, Aim for eighty percent. actually is. Lights out at the same practices, dance, appointments. If time. it's not on there, it's probably getting missed.

46

A routine that holds up eighty percent of the time for years beats a perfect one that dies in two weeks.

Some nights the backpacks don't get checked. The knee pads are still in the gym bag from Saturday's game. I say what I always say: it's fine, we'll reset tomorrow. That's not lowering the bar. That's the system doing its job, carrying the weight so I'm not carrying all of it myself.

Carrie Carr is a Chief Operating Officer, mom of two, and author of Built for Balance: Creating Systems That Bring Clarity, Consistency, and Calm to Everyday Life.

47

COMMUNITY IS A BIOMARKER: THE MOST IMPORTANT VITAL SIGN WE ARE NOT MEASURING

By Tim Patel, MD You can have excellent labs and still be profoundly unwell.

You can hit your step count, track your macros, dial in your hormones, optimize your sleep and still wake up with a quiet sense of dread you cannot explain. You can buy the supplements, wear the devices, follow every protocol, and still feel as if your body is bracing for impact every single day.

Maybe it is not another protocol you are missing.

Maybe it is people.

For the last decade, wellness has been dominated by what can be tracked: blood sugar, body fat, resting heart rate, deep sleep, VO2 max, hormone panels, inflammation markers. These metrics matter. They reveal risk and guide intervention. But there is another variable quietly shaping human health that almost no one measures with the same urgency, even though the data behind it is remarkably strong: community.

Not followers. Not likes. Not "networking." Not the illusion of connection that comes from being surrounded by people but never truly known.

Actual community. The kind that knows when you disappear, expects you in the room, and notices when your energy is off, your smile is forced, or you're carrying more than you can hold alone.

49

Poor social connection is separately medicine here in Las Vegas, this linked to a 29% higher risk of heart shows up constantly. People walk in who look healthy on paper. Decent disease and a 32% higher risk of Here is the number that should labs, reasonable body composition, a stroke. The WHO now estimates stop you cold. The U.S. Surgeon gym routine, and yet something loneliness contributes to roughly General's advisory on social deeper is clearly off. They are tired 871,000 deaths a year worldwide, connection states that lacking in a way that sleep alone doesn't fix. about 100 every hour. social connection can raise the Their lives are efficient but risk of premature death by as People are not only dying from emotionally undernourished. They much as smoking up to 15 what they eat, how little they move, have the data of a healthy life cigarettes a day a danger the or what they forgot to supplement. without the feeling of one.

One person may be running a advisory says exceeds even that of They are also suffering the sophisticated protocol. Another may obesity or physical inactivity.[1] Its biological consequences of being author, Dr. Vivek Murthy, now co- unseen, unsupported, unanchored, be living inside a life that actually supports healing. Those are not the chair of the World Health and alone. same thing and the data says the Organization's Commission on Yet this still isn't how most of us second one may matter just as Social Connection, has called think about health. We separate much as the first. disconnection "an "real health" from "social life," as if Modern medicine has become underappreciated public health relationships belong in one remarkably good at measuring the crisis" on par with tobacco and category and physiology in another. body while remaining surprisingly addiction. poor at measuring the environment The body does not make that that body lives inside. We can That claim rests on more than one distinction. It registers isolation quantify glucose variability to the study. A meta-analysis of 148 and chronic stress the same way it decimal point, but rarely ask: Who studies and over 300,000 registers a poor diet or a missed does this person laugh with? Who participants, led by BYU workout through inflammation, would notice if they withdrew? What psychologist Dr. Julianne Holtblood pressure, immune function, communities reinforce their values, Lunstad, found that people with and, ultimately, how long and how regulate their stress, and make their stronger relationships had a 50% well we live. life more resilient? greater likelihood of survival than Those are not sentimental What I see in the exam room those with weaker ones. An effect questions. They are clinically As a physician who works in longevity relevant ones. size that rivals quitting smoking.

That may sound soft in a culture obsessed with hard data. It is not.

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Why this hides in plain sight in Las Vegas

Community changes behavior. It raises the floor. It makes consistency easier and normalizes This city runs on energy, movement, rest, honest ambition, hospitality, and motion. conversation, and asking for help It is built on experience. It is also before burnout becomes collapse. It a place where many people work reduces friction and increases extreme schedules, live under meaning, which is precisely why chronic stress, spend their quality of life deserves to be taken careers creating other people's far more seriously in health experiences, and struggle to build conversations. It is not a luxury grounded community of their added after the "serious" work is own. You can be surrounded by done. In many cases, it is the people here every single day and serious work. still feel profoundly alone.

This has real implications for the That kind of loneliness is next era of wellness. A true health uniquely dangerous because it strategy cannot stop at diagnostics, hides in plain sight. In the exercise prescriptions, entrepreneur with endless supplements, or recovery meetings and no real support technology. Those tools matter, but system, in the woman doing they are incomplete on their own. everything "right" who still feels Health is created by environments, emotionally starved, in the man rituals, standards, and belonging. who mistakes isolation for By the people around us who strength and self-sufficiency for quietly determine what becomes resilience. It hides inside normal. Too many people are polished, high-functioning lives investing heavily in optimization that look impressive from the while living inside ecosystems that outside and feel brittle on the quietly deplete them: buying better inside. data without building better lives.

Community as a clinical question The result is a polished form of exhaustion.

If connection carries this much biological weight, it deserves to be asked about the way we ask about sleep or exercise not "Do you have friends?" in the abstract, but: Does this person have relationships they trust? Are they part of a group that would feel their absence? Do they belong somewhere that makes healthy behavior feel automatic rather than forced?

If community is truly a biomarker, it should change how we think about prevention, longevity, and what a genuinely healthy city looks like, and it should change the questions we ask, in medicine and in everyday life.

Not just: What are your labs?

But also: Who knows your story?

Who would call if you went quiet?

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What spaces in this city make you healthier simply because you walked through the door?

Those aren't soft questions. They may be some of the most important health questions we have because the body is always listening. It listens to what you eat, how you sleep, how you move. And it listens to whether you are doing life alone.

Community is not just in your calendar. It is in your cells.

Tim Patel, MD, is a physician and founder of My HealthMatrix, an integrated health, fitness, recovery and longevity optimization center in Las Vegas, and host of The Quality of Life Lab podcast.

Sources cited: 1. U.S. Surgeon General's Advisory, "Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation" (2023) — hhs.gov 2. WHO Commission on Social Connection report (June 2025) — who.int 3. Holt-Lunstad, J. et al., "Social Relationships and Mortality Risk: A Meta-analytic Review," PLoS Medicine (2010) — pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

17

MAGAZINE

Number

COLORING PAGE Follow the numbers to color and design the illustration

1.

2.

1.

1.

4.

1.

1.

3.

1.

2.

3.

1.

1.

2.

1. Cream | 2. Light Blue | 3. Blue | 4. Red

16

Grounding

TRUE OR FALSE Read each statement and decide if it is True or False.

Routines can help us stay organized.

True | False

A messy desk helps us focus.

True | False

Packing your bag early saves time.

True | False

Taking deep breaths can help us calm down.

True | False

Small steps can make big changes.

True | False

Taking breaks can help refresh our minds.

True | False

15

School

SUPPLY MATCH Connect the dot to each school materials’ half and get ready for the new school year.

14

Grounding

PHOTO DIARY

Find a quiet place outside. Draw and write what you see, hear, and feel.

13

The Reset

SCHOOL ROUTE

Help the students get to their school on time!

12

Time to Enjoy!

Slice, serve, and enjoy your red, white, and blue masterpiece!

It may take a little time, but every layer is packed with fresh flavor and fun.

Patience + teamwork = a delicious reward 11

Kitchen Tips Chill overnight for cleaner slices.

Garnish with Fresh Berries.

Store in Refrigerator.

Perfect for celebrations and picnic!

Let’s Get Cooking!

Step 1: Make the Coconut Crust 1. Ask a grown-up to help preheat the oven to 325°F. 2. Grease your baking dish with coconut oil or butter.

3. Add the shredded coconut and melted butter right into the dish.

4. Mix it well so all the coconut is coated.

5. Press it down firmly (a measuring cup works great!).

6. Bake for 10 minutes, then let it cool.

Step 2: Blueberry Cheesecake Layer 1. In a small saucepan, combine the heavy cream and gelatin. Let it sit for 5 minutes (this is called “blooming”).

2. In a bowl, mash the blueberries. Add maple syrup and cream cheese, then mix until smooth.

3. Ask a grown-up to help gently heat the cream mixture on medium heat, don’t let it boil! Stir until the gelatin dissolves.

4. Pour the warm cream into the blueberry mixture and stir well.

5. Pour over the cooled crust and refrigerate for 2 hours, until set.

Step 3: Strawberry Layer 1. Blend strawberries, water, honey, and lemon juice until smooth.

2. Pour 1/2 cup of the mixture into a bowl and sprinkle in the gelatin. Let it sit for 5 minutes.

3. Heat the rest of the strawberry mixture in a saucepan until warm (not boiling).

4. Carefully mix the warm strawberry mixture into the gelatin mixture until smooth.

5. Pour this layer on top of the blueberry layer.

6. Chill in the refrigerator for another 2 hours.

Step 4: Whipped Cream Finale 1. In a bowl, combine cream, maple syrup, vanilla, and almond extract.

2. Use a hand mixer on medium speed for 1 minute.

3. Turn it up to high and mix for about 4–5 minutes, until fluffy peaks form.

4. Spread the whipped cream over your dessert.

5. Chill for 1 more hour before serving

10

What You’ll Need Coconut Crust

Blueberrry Chessecake Layer

9x12-inch baking dish 16 oz shredded coconut 1/2 cup melted butter 1 tablespoon coconut oil or butter (for greasing)

1 pint blueberries 1/4 cup heavy cream 1 tablespoon unflavored gelatin 1 tablespoon maple syrup 8 oz cream cheese, softened

Strawberry Layer

Whipped Cream Topping

2 pints strawberries 5 tablespoons honey 1 cup water 1 tablespoon lemon juice 4 tablespoons gelatin

1 cup heavy cream 2 tablespoons maple syrup 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/2 teaspoon almond extract

09

A BERRY HEALTHY DESSERT

By Jennifer Affronti

T

his colorful, no-added-sugar dessert is as tasty as it is beautiful. It happens to be for the Fourth of July! With layers of coconut, blueberries, strawberries, and fluffy whipped cream, every bite is cool, creamy, and refreshing.

First Things First!

Let’s be happy! Turn on your favorite music and get ready to dance in the kitchen. Don’t forget to say a blessing while whipping up this magic!

08

It does take a little patience while the layers chill, so be sure to grab a grownup helper for a few steps. Trust me, it’s worth the wait!

“Every colorful layer is made with real fruit and lots of love”

School

ESSENTIALS

Circle and color your top 5 school supply essentials that will stay in your bag.

07

Routine

PLANNER

Plan your day for a happy and productive you!

Morning:

Noon:

Afternoon:

Evening:

06

Clean &

COLORING

Color the illustration to keep the things clean and tidy! Be creative and color it neatly.

05

Knowledge

PLANNER

Write down 3 steps that will make your incoming school transition easier.

1.

2.

3.

04

REACHING OUT

───── ♡ ───── Reaching out and beyond ....................

With eyes full of love ....................

With hope in my heart ....................

As free as a dove

BEYOND

What’s out there for me ....................

I can only imagine ....................

Through prayer I’ll discover ....................

His vision - My passion

by Lyrics from Leah

a Every day is g! new beginnin 03

Table of

CONTENTS

03

Reaching Out And Beyond

04

Knowledge Planner

05

Clean And Coloring

06

Routine Planner

07

School Essentials

08

A Berry healthy Dessert

13

Grounding Photo Diary

14

School Supply Match

15

Grounding True or False

02

12

The Reset School Route

16

Number Coloring Page

MAGAZINE GROW, CREATE & SHINE

FOR KIDS

Fun adventures, yummy recipes, creative crafts, and inspiring stories await inside!

GROW KINDNESS

With Tateonna

FREE

VOLUME

#17