planning Archives - Other CMS

Winter Planning Tips for Your Summer Vacation

CENTRESTAGEFILMS — Thu, 16 Jan 2025 08:30:00 +0000

There is a lot that goes into planning summer vacations, why not take this winter to start yours. There are plenty of benefits to planning your summer fun early.

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Preparing Yourself Mentally for Retirement

CENTRESTAGEFILMS — Thu, 06 Oct 2022 22:17:59 +0000

Ah, retirement. You’ve been hearing about it – perhaps dreaming about it – your entire working life, how those “golden years” at the end of your career will provide the freedom you need to travel, take it easy and just generally develop a deeper appreciation for life.

While there is some truth to the cliché, the reality is that the transition from the workforce to retirement represents a major life change with plenty of potential emotional challenges. Many people derive their self-esteem and identity from work, leaving them to wonder where those will come from in retirement. And there are practical matters to consider – how do you fill those 40 (or more) hours per week previously passed in the workplace?

There is no way to know what the transition to retirement will be like emotionally until you go through it, but there are steps you can take to minimize the anxiety as you say goodbye to your professional life.

Think Ahead: Preparing yourself emotionally for a life change as large as retirement cannot be done in a few weeks or months. Experts advise giving yourself at least a full year to get used to the idea of retirement and to identify any emotional issues that might arise.

Visualize Your Future: Once you have got your head around the prospect of retiring then turn your attention toward how best to utilize the years in front of you. Visualize all the things you have ever dreamed about doing, from climbing Europe’s highest mountains to supporting your local community. Then create a vision/mood board that will make these ambitions more visible and shareable.

Test the Waters: In some cases, you can tiptoe rather than plunge into retirement by slowly reducing your working hours or taking a sabbatical in the months or years before your actual retirement date. This strategy provides the opportunity to test your assumptions and revise your plans accordingly.

Peer Review: If you are nearing retirement age, it is a safe bet you have some friends in the same boat. Open a conversation with them regarding your shared emotional, physical and economic anticipations. It’s even more helpful to talk with friends who have already retired to get their thoughts on how best to make the transition.

Family Matters: For many, retirement is a family matter as much as anything else. If that is true in your case, it is important to sit down and discuss everyone’s ideas and expectations. For example, are you hoping to see the grandchildren every day? If your spouse is also retiring, what are the expectations regarding shared and separate activities? Getting everything out in the open can help prevent disappointment or even conflict later on.

Cut Yourself Some Slack: It is of the utmost importance to recognize that you might feel emotional discomfort as you transition from the workforce to retirement, even if it is mixed with happiness and excitement. This is utterly normal, so acknowledge that reality and try to be gentle with yourself as you navigate this significant change in your life.

At Harmony Communities, we feel strongly that each resident has a sense of home. That they come home from work and feel pride in their environment and in their place in the greater community. That families are comfortable raising children in our neighborhoods, and that couples and singles know that they belong to something bigger than their four walls. In other words, we seek to create harmony within each community, making our communities not just passable, but peaceful, safe, functional, and beautiful.

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Make the Most of National Night Out

CENTRESTAGEFILMS — Thu, 14 Jul 2022 18:05:52 +0000

National Night Out is an annual event designed to promote positive police-resident partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie with the goal of strengthening overall public safety. Held on the first Tuesday in August, these community celebrations have an important role to play in bringing people together in an era when a range of societal factors — including swiftly advancing technology and increased political polarization — make forging such personal connections that much more difficult.

With National Night Out 2022 set for August 2, now is the time to take the steps to ensure your neighborhood’s event draws a sizable crowd and maximizes its impact on public safety. Here’s how to make sure your neighbors turn out for National Night Out.

It’s All in the Planning: Suffice it to say, the earlier you can start planning the better. Canvass your neighbors to determine who would like to serve on an organizing committee and schedule regular meetings to move the process forward. The amount of lead time needed to ensure a successful event will depend on a variety of factors, not the least of which is how ambitious your plans become.

Contact the Authorities: With public safety as a prime theme, it’s tremendously helpful to have a peace officer speak at your event. Given the size of your city and number of gatherings, such appearances are probably at a premium. The solution is to contact your local police department or sheriff’s office sooner rather than later to see what steps need to be taken to arrange an officer’s presence. Also consider contacting your city council member or county supervisor to see if they are available to attend.

Get the Word Out: The importance of alerting your neighbors regarding what you have planned for August 2 cannot be overstated. Whether it be via social media, notices pinned to telephone poles or simply going door-to-door, it’s essential National Night Out organizers prioritize getting the word out about the event. This will go a long way toward maximizing turnout and, with it, the event’s ability to positively impact public safety.

Let’s Have Some Fun: Serious themes underlie National Night Out but it should also be a fun social occasion that neighbors will enjoy. To that end, consider getting the barbecue going, brining in some live music and providing special activities for the kids. Keep in mind the goal is to bring neighbors together at an event through which they can bond and begin to develop friendships for the betterment of the entire community.

Collective Action: National Night Out in addition presents an ideal opportunity to bring people together to support a good cause. You could, for instance, announce on your invites and posts that the event will be collecting canned goods for the local food bank. And because it’s in the neighborhood, if people forget, they can always run home and grab something. Set a goal and see how much your event can raise.

At Harmony Communities, we feel strongly that each resident has a sense of home. That they come home from work and feel pride in their environment and in their place in the greater community. That families are comfortable raising children in our neighborhoods, and that couples and singles know that they belong to something bigger than their four walls. In other words, we seek to create harmony within each community, making our communities not just passable, but peaceful, safe, functional, and beautiful

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