 Credit: Style My Soul, www.stylemysoul.com | Family Planning Tips Choose Mutual Abstinence for 100% Prevention
At LivingWell, we’ve helped over 170,000 women navigate unplanned pregnancies since 1985. The single most effective family planning tip I can share from our experience is practicing mutual, agreed-upon abstinence. As a medical fact, total abstinence is the only 100% effective way to prevent unplanned pregnancies and eliminate the risk of sexually transmitted diseases. In my work, I have seen how choosing this path allows individuals to avoid the sudden crisis of an unplanned pregnancy and focus entirely on their long-term personal, educational, and career goals. For couples, we find that discussing and establishing these physical boundaries beforehand adds immense value to their quality of life. It shifts the focus of the relationship toward building deep emotional, intellectual, and spiritual intimacy, ensuring a firm foundation of trust and respect before making a lifelong sexual commitment. — Leo Kim, Executive Director, LivingWell Have the Conversation, Plan Ahead One lesson on family planning that I learned is that taking responsibility means having an open conversation prior to life making the decision for you. In 2000, at the age of 27, I founded my company CuraDebt. Since then, I have been involved in building the company for over 24 years. In my experience of starting a company, I learned that it becomes easy to make any big decisions when you plan in advance about the life that you desire instead of reacting to situations. This is true even in family planning. My perspective also comes from having seen thousands of consumers at CuraDebt handle their problems in consumer debt, tax debt, business debt, and student loans. The stress of finances does not just affect bank accounts; it may even affect personal relationships and constrain one’s ability to make certain decisions. While planning cannot ensure that everything will be okay, it certainly provides more options. While my engineering experience predisposes me to think in terms of calculations and probabilities, I know that people are not spread sheets, and things do not always work out as planned. What is important is the level of awareness and adaptability. Over twenty years of managing CuraDebt, I sold my company and embarked on a new chapter with EverLife Capital, which deals with longevity biotech science research. This gave me an understanding that life has many chapters and having a proper plan will enable you to change course rather than being stuck. In short, my recommendation is have conversations, know your financial situation and make the tough decisions when you have options to choose from. Nobody has everything sorted out, but not having the conversation makes the decision-making process more difficult. — Eric Pemper, Managing Member, CuraDebt Set Roles Early to Avoid Chaos Decide who does what before a crisis forces the answer. My mom became disabled when I was 11, and our family had no plan — just improvisation, and I absorbed a lot of it as the only kid at home. Running a company now, I flipped that: written agreements with siblings and spouse on decision rights, financial responsibilities, and who covers what when I’m traveling or on a deadline. Sounds cold. It’s the opposite. It’s what lets me be present instead of reactive when something actually goes wrong. — David LoPresti, Founder, ADA Compliance Professionals Set Milestones and Budget Together Make budgeting and backward planning a shared family practice. When my wife and I had an honest conversation about money, we began budgeting together and set long-term milestones, such as where we wanted to be by 40 and 50, then worked backward in five-year steps. That habit reduced uncertainty and kept us living within our means. It improved my confidence and made major life decisions more deliberate and aligned with our goals. — Taylor Kovar, CEO, GrowVia Group Separate Work and Home to Protect Family One thing I suggest for your family planning is to clearly divide your time at home with your family from your time working outside the house. For me, this included creating check-in times, hiring employees to help me carry the burden of the day-to-day operations, and creating a simple way for us all to communicate through Google Workspace. Since we were able to separate our personal lives from our professional lives, it eliminated constant interruptions to spend time with our family and decreased the amount of stress associated with burnout. As a direct result of these changes, I was able to have some space to think again, as well as protect our routine at home. My family’s quality of life increased, and we were still able to increase business. — Silvia Lupone, Owner, Stingray Villa
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Podcast Spotlight: Jasmine Dash — Board Certified Behavior Analyst and Founder of Resonance Health7/28/2026  Credit: Jasmine Dash, Founder of Resonance Health Meet Our Guest! Jasmine Dash is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst and the founder of Resonance Health, a behavioral performance consultancy. Across twenty-five years in behavioral science she has advised over three hundred individuals and helped organizations grow without losing the people who built them. As a director she scaled two in-home practices and a clinic, and raised retention from thirty percent to ninety-eight percent. Her work spans practice operations, performance consulting for founders and senior leaders, and a Tai Chi based wellness program for senior living communities. She is a doctoral researcher at Capella University. Credit: Jasmine Dash; Resonance Health.
🎤 Jasmine shares her professional and life insights here.  Credit: Style My Soul, www.stylemysoul.com | Comfort Foods for Summer and Winter Comfort foods have a unique way of bringing warmth, nostalgia, and a sense of home to every meal. From hearty family recipes to simple dishes enjoyed after a long day, these favorites offer more than just great flavor. They provide comfort and connection. What pleasure do comfort foods bring into your life? Here are some comfort foods that bring joy in the lives of our contributors.
Tamago Gohan Comforts in Every Season Tamago gohan is the dish I return to when I can’t decide on anything else to eat. When it was summer, I put on some sliced cucumber and tomatoes and brought it to the picnic, where all my friends were raving about it. Now that it’s getting cold, I’m eating it hot with miso soup and some other things, or maybe some grilled fish, for when I want to splurge a little. It is such simple, simple food of rice and egg but I think that it suits all seasons and occasions. — Lisa Clark, Director, Bell Fire and Security Chicken Noodle Soup Adapts Year-Round Chicken noodle soup is my constant. In the summer, I’ll throw in a handful of spinach and squeeze in a whole lemon. Then when it’s cold out, I switch to thick, doughy noodles and add a splash of cream to make it heavy. It’s just the one meal that works no matter what season it is. — Matt von Boecklin, Founder, Quit Kit Carne Guisada Shines in Any Season Carne guisada is my go-to, any time of year. In winter, we let it simmer with potatoes until it’s all soft and warm on a cold night. Then in summer, my family will turn it into tacos with a squeeze of lime and fresh salsa. It’s lighter that way, but just as comforting. — Ramiro Lluis, Managing Attorney, Lluis Law Peach Cobbler Works Hot or Cold Peach cobbler is one of those go-to desserts where I’m from. In the summer, I bake it in a cast-iron skillet with just a little sugar and eat it cold with yogurt. But when winter hits, I switch it up completely. I use a deep dish, load it with cinnamon, and serve it hot with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream. This way, I get to eat it all year long. — Eric Sampson, Founder, Special Needs Care Network Australian Meat Pie Belongs at Every Event In Australia, a meat pie is probably one of the most flexible comfort foods because it works in both summer and winter. In winter, it is obvious: hot pastry, rich filling and something warm you can eat at the footy, at home or on the road. In summer, it still works because it is casual and easy. You can grab one at a bakery, servo, event or sports day without making it feel like a heavy sit-down meal. It is not fancy, but that is part of why it feels so Australian. For me, the best comfort foods are the ones tied to real settings, not just flavour. A meat pie fits because it belongs at community events, long drives, late nights and simple catch-ups. It is everyday food, but it carries a lot of nostalgia. — DJ Callum Gracie, Professional Event DJ, DJ Callum Gracie Rice and Beans Deliver Year-Round Comfort For me it’s always rice and beans. In the summer I’ll eat it cold as a salad with tomatoes and cilantro, and when it’s cold out I have it hot with some stewed beef or fried plantains. The meal is just flexible, and it always fills me up no matter what I have on hand. — Miguel Salcido, CEO, Organic Media Group Khao Tom Calms and Nourishes All Year Growing up with Thai food, I’d probably pick khao tom, a simple rice soup. Most people think of it as something you eat when you’re sick or when the weather turns cool, but I’ve always found it just as satisfying during hot months. Because it’s light and full of broth, it doesn’t leave you feeling weighed down, even on humid days. It’s also the kind of meal that slows people down. When work gets busy, comfort food isn’t necessarily the richest dish on the table. It’s the one that feels familiar and doesn’t demand much from you. A bowl of khao tom with ginger, garlic, and your choice of protein has a way of resetting the day, whether you’ve come in from the cold or the heat. That versatility is probably why it has stayed a favorite for so long. Some foods are tied to a season. Others become comfort foods because they fit almost any moment, and for me, khao tom has always been one of them. — Derek Wild, CEO & Founder, Listening.com Danish Aeblekage Charms in Any Weather I love making Danish aeblekage because it works any time of year. When it’s hot, I serve it cold with berries and whipped cream. In winter, I warm it up and load it with extra cinnamon and buttery breadcrumbs. Same cake, completely different feel depending on the weather. The best part? It takes almost no effort to switch between versions. — Karsten Kiilerich, CEO, Car Mats Customs Corn on the Cob Always Delivers Grilled corn is the one I love. Summer is when I have it on the grill for all the block parties, always topped with fresh lime and just a little chili powder. When the weather turns I cook it inside, covering each ear in loads of butter. Setting it next to a bowl of gravy makes for a warming dinner. How can you go wrong? — Andrew Gazdecki, CEO, Acquire.com Cabbage and Noodles Satisfy Year-Round My favorite comfort food for year round enjoyment is cabbage & noodles. It’s an easy to make dish — just pair 1 bag of egg noodles to 1 head of cabbage. Make the noodles per the package directions. Chop the cabbage saute in butter until soft. When both are done — mix together. This dish is a great comfort food in winter when served hot. I enjoy eating this as a cold dish in summer! — Angie Kristoff, Recipe & Garden Blogger, Angie’s Recipe Garden  Credit: Style My Soul, www.stylemysoul.com | Conflict Management in Relationships; Lifestyle Conflict management in relationships is an essential skill that helps individuals navigate disagreements in a healthy and constructive way. Since conflicts are a natural part of human interaction, the ability to communicate effectively, listen actively, and resolve differences respectfully strengthens trust and understanding. Presented below are insights and recommendations from seasoned professionals for how to manage conflict.
Call Timeouts To Cool Arguments I’ve learned to just call a timeout in arguments. The last time my friends and I were getting worked up, I suggested we take five minutes. It was awkwardly silent for a bit, but it worked. We all cooled off and had a much better talk. It keeps you from saying things you can’t take back, which is usually the whole point. — Dr. Nick Palmer, Founder, Orthodontics.net Keep Emotions Low And Forgive Never, ever, ever, ever get offended, or, when getting your message across, do your best not to get excited with lots of emotion and say things that are either hurtful or chase the good energy away. When a person is being attacked, or attacking, it closes off the education receptors in the mind, and it can’t absorb what the other individual is trying to express. So, it’s key that the temperature is low and that forgiveness is present. — David Fullmer, FOUNDER — CEO, FBC ROOFING Use I-Statements To Defuse Fights I used to say “You always” a lot in family fights and it would just fuel the fire. Now I say “I feel” instead and it’s crazy how much better it works, other people stop feeling defensive and just hear you. You don’t always fix the problem but at least you’re not yelling at each other anymore. - Emma Sansom, Managing Director, Flamingo Marketing Strategies Address Issues Directly, Skip Gossip I stopped letting issues get passed around the group after a problem with a friend. I talked to him directly instead of everyone else, and we solved it in minutes with no gossip. It just works better to keep the conversation between the people who are actually involved. — Sandro Kratz, Co-Founder & CEO, Tutorbase Fix One Issue, Not Everything Here’s something that works for me. I treat conflict like I’m debugging code. You don’t blame the whole program, you find the specific line causing the error. A friend and I were constantly bickering until we finally just pointed out the one habit driving us nuts. We talked about just that, and it fixed things. Don’t try to solve your entire friendship at once. Just find the one bug and fix it. — Vlad Ivanov, CEO, Search GAP Method Calm Down First, Then Resolve As a clinical psychologist at MVS Psychology Group, I work a lot with anger, relationships, adolescents and couples. My one tip: manage the arousal before you manage the issue. When voices rise, people often stop listening and start defending. A short, agreed “pause and return” is not avoidance; it’s nervous-system management. In family work, I’ve seen a curfew argument change completely when the parent and teenager agreed to stop once sarcasm or yelling appeared, take space, then come back to the practical question later. Same issue, very different outcome. The key is to actually return. “I’m too worked up to do this well; I’m going to take a break and come back to it after dinner” works far better than storming off or forcing a resolution while flooded. — Maxim Von Sabler, Director & Clinical Psychologist, MVS Psychology Group Take Conflicts Private, Talk One-on-One When I see a conflict starting with a friend, I don’t get into it publicly. I’ll just send them a text and ask to talk. A simple private chat usually clears up whatever the issue is, without anyone else getting involved. It’s not a fix-all, but keeping it one-on-one has saved me a lot of drama and kept my friendships solid. — Nick Christou, Director, Laptop-LCD-Screen.co.uk Start With Gratitude, Act Quickly One tip that consistently helps, in my experience as a matchmaker and dating coach, is addressing the issue immediately and thanking the person for their honest reflection and letting them know you appreciate that they feel secure enough in the relationship with you to bring up conflict rather than letting it fester. This immediately lowers their guard, and yours and puts you in a place of gratitude, rather than defensiveness. The first three minutes of a conflict are the most important, and determine the outcome of the entire conversation so focusing on making those first three minutes positive rather than negative will make a world of difference. — Jessica Strickland, Founder and CEO, Matchmaker AI Repeat Their Point Before Yours Family fights are weird because nobody’s really listening. During one intense argument, I suggested we each repeat what the other person said before saying our own thing. There was this silence for a second, which felt kind of weird. But then my sister nodded and said, “Oh, you’re saying that because X.” Suddenly we weren’t fighting anymore, we were just talking. It just worked. — Aja Chavez, Executive Director, Mission Prep Healthcare First Listen, Then Speak Well There is a wonderful quote from Rumi, a Persian Sufi, mystic and poet. “Since in order to speak, one must first listen, learn to speak by listening.” As a mediator and arbitrator, one of my super powers is to engage in active listening! - Pamela Bussey, Sole Proprietor, Bussey Arbitration and Mediation Services, LLC  Credit: Kylie Rumney, Founder of The Haven Women’s Counselling and Wellbeing Meet Our Guest! Kylie Rumney is a counsellor, speaker, and founder of The Haven Women’s Counselling & Wellbeing. She is passionate about helping women navigate life’s challenges with confidence, compassion, and hope. Kylie specialises in motherhood, relationship challenges, and modern family dynamics, including separation, co-parenting, repartnering, step-parenting, and blended families. Combining professional expertise with a warm, down-to-earth approach, she creates a safe, non-judgemental space where women feel heard, understood, and empowered to move forward. Through counselling and speaking, Kylie is dedicated to helping women reconnect with themselves and find their smile again. Credit: Kylie Rumney; The Haven Women’s Counselling & Wellbeing. 🎧 Tune in to learn Kylie’s professional and life mission here.
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