Mountain Views News, Pasadena Edition [Sierra Madre] Saturday, February 10, 2018

B2 
Mountain Views-News Saturday, February 10, 2018 
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT BUSINESS NEWS & TRENDS B2 
Mountain Views-News Saturday, February 10, 2018 
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT BUSINESS NEWS & TRENDS 
Jeff’s Book PicsBy Jeff Brown FAMILY MATTERS By Marc Garlett 

Live Fearless: A Call 

Left by John Greven and 
to Power, Passion, 

“Sailor” Bob Adamson 
and Purpose by Sadie 

What have you been missing?

Robertson 

In Oneness, author John Greven 
Sadie Robertson, bestselling 

invites readers to see the world 
author has an important

as it really is, right now, withoutmessage for her generation: you

the mind’s own reflections 
don’t have to be held back by fear,

obscuring its multifaceted 
anxiety, or loneliness anymore.

mystery.Oneness takes the 
In Live Fearless, Sadie takes you

reader, step by step, to theon a thrilling personal journey

inescapable reality that is the self.
toward power, passion, and 

The intent of this book is to look 
purpose as you live at the center

afresh at one’s daily experience,
of who God created you to be!I

to point to something that thedon’t know about you, but I’m

mind may have overlooked. It ispretty tired of the struggle. You

not pointing to anything new,
know which one I mean—fear, 

anything that you can achieve,
loneliness, not knowing who I

or anything you can add toam or what I’m meant to do. . . . 

yourself. It is not pointing toSound familiar? I struggled with

the good deeds you have doneinsecurity, comparison, and 

in your life to emphasize what aisolation for too many years,

wonderful person you must be.
from thigh gaps to eyebrows to

It is pointing to something sothe lifestyles I felt I had to live

simple, something so obvious,
up to. I was so afraid of being

that when it is pointed out and“found out,” that everyone in 

seen, you wonder how it wasmy life would somehow figure

ever missed.How could the mind 
out that I was fearful and small 

have taken something so obviousand that I struggled to make my

for granted? How did the mindfaith a reality and to be secure

so easily toss out the valuablein who I am. It took a major

jewel in favor of its reflections?
perspective shift from staring at

You may have been searching forcomments on a screen to really

self realization, enlightenment,
digging into the pages of my

the Buddha Mind, God, or 
Bible to see what God actually 

some other goal implying thesays about overcoming fear.

same thing. You may have beenSetting aside the fear, anxiety,

searching for many years, or youand comparison to become the

may just be getting started onjoy-filled person God created

a search; Whether you’ve beenyou to be is exactly what God

traveling a path for a while oris inviting you into. To really

you’re just taking the first stepbe seen and known. To be an 

makes no difference. This book 
agent of change by choosing

invites you to take a look at thecompassion, connection, and 

space that has been overlooked,
acceptance for everyone you

to see what is obvious, and to 
come in contact with. Inside 

bring that search to an end— 
this book are ways to find your

right now. 
power, passion, and purpose—
and reach for your dreams. Plus,

Our Game: A Novel by 

there are places to jot down

John Le Carre 

notes, fun lists, practical ways to

With the Cold War fought 
make changes, and thoughts on

and won, British spymaster 
how living fearless can change

Tim Cranmer accepts earlyeverything.Are you tired of the

retirement to rural Englandawful comparison game? Are

and a new life with his alluring 
you exhausted from trying to

young mistress, Emma. 
keep up, from feeling small and

But when both Emma and 
afraid that people will find the

Cranmer’s star double agentreal you and be disappointed?

and lifelong rival, Larry Pettifer,
There is so much more for you.

disappear, Cranmer is suddenlyNo matter who you are, where

on the run, searching for hisyou come from, or what your

brilliant protégé, desperatelyfears are, freedom is available to 

eluding his former colleagues,
you. It’s just a matter of saying

in a frantic journey acrossyes. You in?Hope you’ll join me

Europe and into the lawless,


on this wild adventure as we 
learn to Live Fearles,Love,Sadie. 

Oneness: The Destination You Never 

All Things By Jeff Brown 

SOME QUOTES 

Twenty years from now you will be more

disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than

by the ones you did do, so throw off the bowlines,

sail away from safe harbor, catch the trade winds

in your sails. Explore, Dream, Discover. —Mark

Twain 

I’ve missed more than 9000 shots in my career.

I’ve lost almost 300 games. 26 times I’ve been

trusted to take the game winning shot and missed.

I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life.

And that is why I succeed. —Michael Jordan

Strive not to be a success, but rather to be of 

battered landscapes of Moscowand southern Russia, to save whatever of his life 
he has left. . The preceding 3 book reviews arefrom Amazon.com. 

value. —Albert Einstein 

You cannot save people, you can just love

them.” — Anaïs Nin 

“Instead of wondering when your next vacation

is, maybe you should set up a life you don’t need to

escape from.” — Seth Godin

You are never alone. You are eternally connected

with everyone.” - Amit Ray, Meditation: Insights

and Inspirations

The Buddha and all sentient beings are nothing

but expressions of the one mind. There is nothing

else.-Huang Po 


NOW THAT TAX 
REFORM IS HERE, IS 
ESTATE PLANNING STILL 
NECESSARY? 

The new tax legislation raises the federal estate taxexemption to $11.2 million for individuals and $22.4million for couples. The increase means that very fewestates (only about 1,800, nationally) will have to worryabout federal estate taxes in 2018, according to estimatesfrom the nonpartisan congressional Joint Committee onTaxation. 

So, you may be wondering, is estate planning even stillnecessary?

To put it simply: Yes!

Comprehensive estate planning does a lot more thanguard against owing federal estate taxes. Other thantaxes, you and your family likely face a range of estateplanning challenges, such as: 

. Distribution of your assets. Create your legacy with thehelp of tools like a trust and/or a last will and testament.
. If you die without a will, state intestacy laws determinewhere your stuff goes. You lose control, and the peopleclosest to you may feel hurt or may suffer financially.
. If your estate plans do not include asset protectionstrategies, your lifetime of hard work and savings couldbe squandered needlessly.
. Cognitive impairment. Dementia, Alzheimer’s diseaseor other disorders could make handling your own affairsimpossible or at least ill-advised. Executing a durablepower of attorney (POA), for instance, allows you tochoose a person, referred to as an agent or attorney-infact, 
to step in and manage your financial affairs on yourbehalf. Without this arrow in your quiver, your fate will beleft to the public whims of the court, which could appointsomeone else—for instance, a public conservator.
. Medical emergencies. What if you become unable tocommunicate your preferences regarding your medicalcare? Naming someone as your health care attorney-infact 
under a Medical Power of Attorney allows him or herto act as your voice for medical decisions. In addition, aliving will or advance directive allows you to specify thetypes of life-sustaining treatment you do or do not wantto receive. 

. Specific family situations. Life is unpredictable. Youneed to consider (and proactively deal with) challengeslike the following:
. If you have minor children, you can name a guardianfor them and provide for their care through your estateplan. Without a named guardian, the decision of whoraises your children will be left to the whims of a judge.
Your children may even end up in foster care while thecourts sort your affairs out.
. If you care for a dependent with a debilitating condition,
provide for her and protect her government benefitsusing tools like the Special Needs Trust (SNT).
. If you’re married with children from a previousrelationship, you need clear, properly prepareddocuments to ensure that your current spouse andchildren inherit according to your wishes.
. Probate. Probate is the court-supervised process ofthe distribution of a deceased person’s assets. A veritableavalanche of paperwork awaits your loved ones inprobate. But it doesn’t have to happen to your family!
Through proper planning, you can keep all of yourassets—such as bank and retirement accounts, business 
interests, and the family residence—outside of probate. 
Estate Planning Involves Much More Than MinimizingEstate Taxes 

Even prior to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, relativelyfew Americans needed to worry about the estate tax.
However, virtually everyone faces one or more of theissues outlined above. Shockingly, a 2016 Gallup pollfound that 56% of Americans do not even have a simplewill. A 2017 poll conducted by Caring.com foundsimilarly alarming news—a majority of U.S. adults(especially Gen-Xers and Millennials) do not have theirestate plans in order.

We can help you add yourself to the list of preparedAmericans! Get in touch with our team to set up acomplimentary consultation today (just mention thisarticle) and get the peace of mind you need.

Dedicated to empowering your family, building yourwealth and defining your legacy, 


A local attorney and father, Marc Garlett is on a missionto help parents protect what they love most. His office is 
located at 55 Auburn Avenue, Sierra Madre, CA 91024. 
Schedule an appointment to sit down and talk aboutensuring a legacy of love and financial security for yourfamily by calling 626.587.3058 or visit www.GarlettLaw.
com for more information. 

BUSINESS TODAY 

The latest on Business News, Trends and 
Techniques 

By La Quetta M. Shamblee, MBA 
DISCIPLINE MAKES THE DIFFERENCE 


Discipline is the element that creates the distance 
between those who are extremely successful and 
those who are average. Being successful or average 
is determined by the standards that an individual 
sets for himself or herself. A person’s definition of 
success may be influenced by outside factors and 
cultural standards, but in the end, each of us must 
decide what we consider as success for our own 
live. Once we make that decision, it is important 
to be honest about where we are in relation to that 
definition of success. Discipline is the element 
needed to create and maintain momentum 
toward achieving success.

Achieving success is within the reach of 
every one of us with a simple three-step process. 
First and foremost, it is important to make a 
decision about what I want (set goals); Set a date 
(accountability) and commit to what I’m willing 
to do to have it (discipline). Leadership guru, 
American entrepreneur and motivational Jim 
Rohn said, We must all suffer one of two things: 
The pain of discipline or the pain of regret or 
disappointment.” The latter plays out in a person’s 
life as “If I Shoulda, Woulda, Coulda.” 

Millions of us seem content to drift through 
life wishing things were different – where we live, 
what we drive, how much we weigh, and the list 
goes on. I can’t comment on the opportunities 
in other parts of the world, but in American, the 
reality is each one of us has the capacity to create 

the life that we ponder in our dreams.

Everyone expends some level of effort to get 
some enjoyment out of life, but those who aspire 
to taste the fruits of success understand “You 
reap what you sow.” They are willing to take the 
steps and do the work that results in success. The 
appearance of what looks like “overnight success” 
to an observer is the result of someone’s discipline 
day after day, year after year. Merriam-Webster 
defines discipline as a “rule or system of rules 
governing conduct or activity.” Successful people 
don’t enjoy hard work any more than the “average 
Joe.” The difference? They adopt a system of rules 
and behavior and a willingness to stick to it until 
they hit their mark, accepting the reality that 
work is involved. 

If you’re ready to make real progress toward 
your success, here’s a simple step process: 1)
Decide what you want and write it down, along 
with a date by which you plan to achieve each 
goal, 2) Based on what you know now, record at 
least three things for each item on your list that 
you need to do to accomplish it, and 3) Select at 
least one item from the list as a point of focus to 
establish a pattern of discipline for the next 10 
days. 

“The discipline of writing something down is the 
first step toward making it happen.” 

- Lee Iacocca 
Mountain Views News 80 W Sierra Madre Blvd. No. 327 Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 Office: 626.355.2737 Fax: 626.609.3285 Email: editor@mtnviewsnews.com Website: www.mtnviewsnews.com