Sustainable Self-Improvement in the New Year

Posted on January 12, 2019January 12, 2021 by Seth Arruda

Gear Up for the New Y–No, for Today

Recently, I saw a piece of decor that said “I hope your troubles and worries last as long as your new years resolutions.” I laughed.

The trite and unsustainable nature of New Years resolutions make them difficult to take seriously and for me to write about. I know the likelihood of any of us keeping up with our emotions-driven and wind-swept vision of our healthiest, happiest self is slim at best and a blog post like this one has the opportunity to be as yawn-worthy as the rest.

All sorts of concerns may come to your mind when it comes to new years resolutions–(most of my concerns are covered here, in a blog post from Medium).

Concerns might include: the problem of shame associated with missing the mark, unwisely viewing the start the year as the only opportunity to start a goal, setting goals you feel like you should accomplish rather than what you want to accomplish.

Assuming you’re looking for sustainable and healthy growth and possess a personal motivation and hopeful attitude about failure, please enjoy the following.

We’ve compiled a group of quick starts on your biggest goals, because you’re awesome and have lots of both realized and unrealized potential, as well as areas of improvement and discovery awaiting you right now.

Hopefully, I do not seem overly enthusiastic but I truly hope you see the gold in you because it’s there.

We hope these ideas can encourage you to live an overall better life. May your resolve be to improve the quality of your life so you can share your days with others and help them.

So, without further ado, our compilation of resources to help you with some of the goals people often pursue:

This New Year I’d like to…

… exercise more. (Run or walk a 5k in San Diego or another city. Sign up today to hold yourself to it! Also, if you’re over 50 and wanting to get fit, here’s an article that will help you get fit!)

… try something new (COME SWING DANCING or go on Meetup and search for something you’ve always wanted to do, like Taiko drumming, motocross, knitting, or a Spanish meetup.)

… spend time with friends and family (Take the kids out for ice cream and other adventures on the cheap, start a dinner club, put the kids’ games, dance shows, etc on the calendar and get there).

… save more money

… quit smoking (Gamify quitting with this app).

… learn how to rest and care for myself.

… read more (Book club it up. Access free audio books and ebooks on your phone, computer, or tablet through your library. Sub our newsletter, we are always putting interesting articles together!)

Think, the starting line is always today, not January 1st (unless today is January 1st then this is a moot point).

Whatever your goal is, go get ’em, tiger.

Helping you reach new heights,

Alta Vista Insurance

What you need to know about protecting your lifestyle

The insurance market is in a “shift”. Rate activity has been increasing, claims frequency and severity has risen, and more than half of homeowners are underinsured by an average of 20 percent according to Christopher P. Hackett, senior director of Personal Lines for Property Casualty Insurers Association of America (PCIAA).

How should homeowners approach their insurance so they make sure they have the right protection for their assets?

We’ve put together a great checklist for homeowners to help you make a plan and take the right path with your insurance.

This is a great resource to use on our Personal TRAIL!

Checkpoint 1: Updates to your home

Whether you recently purchased your home or owned it for many years, it’s important that you review any home improvements with your insurance agent. Things like adding square footage, new flooring, remodeled kitchens and bathrooms, auxiliary dwelling units (AUD), solar panels, etc.

Agent Tip: Ask your agent to recalculate your homes replacement value or insurance to value with the up-to-date information. Be sure to discuss any exposures associated with remodeling or additions with your agent so you have the right protection.

Checkpoint 2: Consider value and cost

A low premium is good, but your home insurance may be less because it doesn’t provide the right protection for your lifestyle. Peace of mind knowing all your assets are fully protected is more valuable than you think. Review your policy and understand the value your insurance company provides; financial stability, exceptional claims handling, and ease of doing business are some of the benefits to consider.

Checkpoint 3: My valuable items?

Look around your house. What are the items that are most valuable to you? Your homeowners insurance generally covers the contents of your home. However, there are limits on certain target items such as jewelry, artwork, collections, antiques and silverware. In order to protect these items up to their full value, you may want to add scheduled personal property coverage. If the items are damaged or stolen, you can have peace of mind knowing you are fully covered.

Checkpoint 4: Add extended dwelling replacement cost coverage

Review your dwelling coverage. Some home policies have limitations on the coverage for the structure. Make sure your coverage matches the reconstruction cost of your home and add extended dwelling replacement cost coverage. This will provide you with the additional coverage you need in case the replacement cost of your home rises over time due to increased construction costs, labor costs, or supply and demand.