In January, the Department of Labor (DOL) increased the civil penalty amounts that may be imposed on employers under the following federal laws:

• The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)

• The Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA)

• The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)

• The Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSH Act)

• These increased amounts apply to civil penalties that are assessed after Jan. 23, 2019.

  Employers should become familiar with the new penalty amounts and review their pay practices, benefit plan administration and safety protocols to ensure compliance with federal requirements.

  Speak with Deutsch & Associates, LLC for a complete list of penalty amount increases for 2019. Read More

Befriend Your Body

How are you doing with your New Year’s Goals? Did you make any? Are you sticking with them?

If you are rockin’ your goals/resolutions that’s awesome! Keep on going!

If you are having trouble sticking with your goals OR if you decided not to bother making any because you never stick with them anyway, then this email is especially for you.

One of the biggest obstacles we must work through when we want to be healthier is our mindset. Over the years trying and failing on our health goals we develop a lot of “stinkin’ thinkin” that gets in the way of us moving forward and creating healthy habits that last.

When you change your thoughts, you change your results. Let’s take a deeper look into this concept using a model created by life coach Brooke Castillo.

Here is a brief overview:
Your thoughts create your feelings.
Your feelings lead you to your actions.
Your actions lead to your results.

How does this apply to your health goals? Let’s play with the model and find out.

Example 1:
Thought- I know I should try to eat better, but I never last more than a week and then I feel like a failure so why bother.
Feelings- Hopeless and stuck.
Action- Continue to eat whatever you feel like eating because it tastes good even though it makes you feel like crap.
Results- Feel bad about yourself.

Example 2:
Thought- I want to feel stronger and healthier. What can I do today to move me in a better direction?
Feelings- Hopeful and excited
Action- Pack a healthy lunch and take some time to go for a walk during my break.
Results- Feel proud of myself and motivated to keep taking good care of myself the next day.

This is one small example of how you can use this model to get you moving in a positive direction. So often we are unaware of our thoughts and therefore fall into old habits and patterns by default.

Once you become aware of your thoughts, you can choose a better thought that will lead you to take better actions and get better results.

Try it out. What thoughts are getting in the way of your health goals? How can you change your thoughts and in order to lead you to better actions and results?

I know this can seem strange at first but once you try it out the results are powerful.

If you have questions about it, I’m happy to help you figure it out. Feel free to reply to this email, and I will get back to you.

With support and best wishes-
Michelle

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CNE HonorsSeal
I’ve been keeping a little secret from you! I just completed my Culinary Nutrition Expert program.

The program helped me learn more about using food to overcome health challenges and how to meal prep like a pro.

What does that mean for you? I will be adding more services, programs, and classes to help you feel more comfortable and organized in the kitchen.

I will be sharing more details soon but I’m so excited I wanted to let you know what I’ve been up to Michelle Bailen <michelle@michellebailen.com>

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It’s no secret that bad bosses can send employees running, but what’s considered “bad” these days? To many businesses, it means being unempathetic.

Empathy is recognizing emotions in yourself and others, and using that understanding to influence your actions.

Lately, companies are seeking leaders who exhibit high emotional intelligence because they maintain better rapport with employees and can keep them on board.

In fact, when it comes to retention, an empathetic leader is sometimes more important than pay, according to a recent study from Businessolver. Read More

According to the American Heart Association (AHA), more than 1 in 3 women has a form of cardiovascular disease. And, heart disease is the leading cause of hospital stays for men in the United States. Due to the prevalence of the disease, the AHA recognizes each February as American Heart Month in hopes of raising awareness about the disease and how to prevent it.

Stress and Heart Health

While there are risk factors that contribute to heart disease that you can’t control, there are many things you can do to maintain your heart health. One of those things is to reduce your stress.

When stress is excessive, it can contribute to a host of health problems, including high blood pressure. If high blood pressure goes untreated, it can result in heart disease.

Reducing Your Stress

Taking steps to reduce your stress will improve your overall health. Try these tips:

• • Plan and prioritize your most important responsibilities.
• • Listen to relaxing music to help you calm down.
• • Take time off from work to clear your mind.
• • Exercise regularly to get your blood and endorphins flowing. Read More