It's still early in the year and a great time to get your life in order. The last thing on your “to do” list is to figure out what happens if you don’t make it through the year. End of life decisions are difficult, but if you follow a few simple guidelines, things can be a little less stressful and costly.

All of us must die. No one wants to think about it. No one wants to call a funeral home or a cemetery, but someone will need to make those calls eventually. A little bit of sage advice can relieve some (not all) of the stress that goes with the loss of a loved one.

There are not many things in life that are certain, but changes are inevitable.  There are changes in jobs, relationships, size of your family, family situations such as marriage, children, even divorce or death of a spouse.  There are changes in requirements for a home such as small to begin with, larger when the family grows and smaller again when downsizing occurs.  The best advice is to plan the best you can before you make any changes with your housing.  Buying and selling a home is one of the biggest financial transactions most people will make throughout their lifetime.  When it comes to real estate, whether buying your first or last home or selling a property, it is best to ask the advice of a trusted realtor.  A realtor who knows the market, has your best interest in mind, and has the ability to provide you with the utmost service.

With the possibility of hope and promise for the future, thoughts often turn to resolving overdue personal issues, which often can include domestic relations. Domestic relations, a legal term, describes an area of law that includes separation and divorce from marriage, child custody and support, alimony and name changes.

While you’re at home settling in for another night of binge-watching “Love it or List it,” or playing on your computer into the wee hours of the night, there’s a whole lot happening on Hilton Head Island. And it’s a lot more exciting than laying down an 80-point word on Words With Friends.

It’s the music scene. Oh, we’re not only talking about the highly entertaining cover bands, or well-known performers like Gregg Russell or Shannon Tanner—although we absolutely love those guys and appreciate all they bring to Harbour Town and Shelter Cove during the height of the tourist season. We’re referring to bands and solo artists who know how to energize a room with their renditions of other musicians' songs, but also can get a crowd to come alive by performing their original music. Members of the music community are playing at clubs and restaurants just about every night of the week all year round, and making it easier to find live music on Hilton Head and in Beaufort County.

I was once coaching a corporate leader. He was a brilliant business strategist and on so many fronts he was a great success—revenues were up dramatically, new markets were on the horizon, the company’s reputation was at an all time high.  However, if you asked employees, they would not describe him as a great leader. In fact, they did not really like him. Why? Employees did not feel a connection with him.

January is the time for setting resolutions for the New Year. It is a time of hope and great ambitions about wiping the slate clean, letting go of all the bad habits of the past and embracing a new set of behaviors. Reflection is a big part of this process. Think back on your hopes and dreams of last year at this time, and how they have evolved—or haven’t. Surveys show that about 45 percent of people set New Year’s resolutions and less than 10 percent actually accomplish them. Not surprising, this same trend is true about life goals in general. So if you have difficulty following through on your New Year’s resolutions and want to understand why, take a look at your life patterns.

Are cola drinks making them fat? (Yes.)
Are smartphones taking a toll on their developing brains? (Yes, again.)
And why did schools cancel gym and end recess when every shred of research shows that’s exactly what kids need in order to learn better, stay alert and handle stress? (Oops. A huge mistake.)
The more we learn about the challenges kids are facing, the more I’m motivated to re-issue the Theoretical University of Wellness’s first five Golden Rules of parenting, a juicy back-to-school guide to the trying task of guiding your child’s hood.

Pantone’s colors for spring 2016 include “happy” hues of Rose Quartz and Serenity Blue in everything from fashion to beauty products.

As a new year, new colors dawn, and for 2016, the color authority Pantone has announced that “Rose Quartz” and “Serenity Blue” will be transporting us all into a better world, whether it’s in our closets or in our homes ... or even in our hair.

After December’s singing and celebrations, partying and presents and let’s face it—over-indulgence—for too many Americans, the New Year opens on a darker reality: addiction. The abuse of and addiction to drugs—including alcohol, tobacco and prescription drugs—costs the US a staggering $700 billion a year in increased health care costs and lost productivity. No price tag can quantify the human misery, sense of failure and loss of hope for individuals and their families dealing with addiction. Tremendous pain surrounds addiction; but there is also promise. As a result of scientific research, it is now known that addiction is a brain disease that affects behavior. Groundbreaking discoveries are enabling scientists to develop effective medical prevention and treatment approaches with remarkable, sustainable outcomes for recovery.

It was such fun and a wonderful diversion from real life. Remember the coloring books we were given when out to dinner with our parents or at Christmas? Coloring books gave us creative time, staved off childhood restlessness and usually resulted in a satisfying kaleidoscope of color. Coloring has long been associated with children, but guess what? It's also an adult therapeutic event to handle, of all things, stress. So off I went to a color guru and artist for insight into this revitalized activity.

Getting organized is like dieting. Everyone knows how to do it. The problem is getting around to it and then maintaining the results.

A few years ago, when we remodeled our kitchen, I emptied every cupboard and drawer. When it was time to put everything back, I decided to put things away as I used them. I quickly realized why it was such a problem to keep the kitchen neat and tidy. We had too much stuff we never used. Getting rid of the unused left so much space to organize the essentials.

Some weeks ago, I had dinner with friends and local Lowcountry author Martin McFie. That’s when I was first introduced to a gorgeous new book: Hilton Head Island: Emerald of the South. Though born and raised in London, Mr. Mcfie—now a Hilton Head resident—has captured the uniqueness of the island in his elegant book, which is available in local stores for the holidays.

This time of year creates a sense of excitement and gratitude as the holidays approach.  However, for some it also creates a sense of dread because end-of-year means performance feedback time.  There is dread by both the givers and the receivers of feedback when there is anything but great news to discuss.

Feedback has gotten a bad wrap because too often it is given in the context of judgment so it feels like a criticism.  In contrast, feedback given for the purpose of development and learning is an investment. When delivered properly, it is the gift that keeps on giving.  
The greatest legacy of good leaders is the lives that they have influenced and the generation of future leaders they have developed, which was accomplished through feedback. Legacy building leaders also understand both sides of the equation. They love getting feedback that challenges them to set a higher bar for their behaviors, thinking, decisions, actions and performance. So let’s take a deeper look at the true power of feedback.

One person gives freely; yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but ends up impoverished. Proverbs 11:24

Here in the Lowcountry, we are all fortunate to live in communities where private and public philanthropy, community service and volunteerism rank in the highest percentiles in America.
This month Pink wanted to get an “up close and personal” insight into what motivates people—who are just as busy, with just as many demands and obligations as everybody else—to be generous.
And we wanted to explore the paradox of generosity: the more you give the more you get.

The other day, I suddenly felt something new in the back of my thigh. Pain.
“Whoa!” I screamed. "What’s going on here? Yesterday everything was working perfectly and today ... this." I decided to investigate.

The big chill is on its way, and that means doing a coat check. Many of us have invested in more than one coat ... after all, we wear coats day in and night out for a couple of months—so why be boring? Make a fashion statement! Here are some great ways to chase away the chills and cover up in style this season:

“The Spirit of Christmas is the spirit of love, generosity and goodness.
It illuminates the window of our soul.”  - Thomas S Monson

In Sea Pines’ Harbour Town there is a spot where the magic and spirit of Christmas are apparent daily, except for Christmas Day. On December 25th the magic moves from the very popular and beautiful Harbour Town Christmas store to the lovely home of its owners, Michael and Linda Oliver. There the warmth of Christmas explodes in a day long sharing of family traditions with their children and grand children.

Celebrating their 40th year of bringing the joy of song to our community at Christmas, the Hilton Head Choral Society’s annual "The Sounds of Christmas Concert, A Merrie Olde Christmas” is at 8:00 pm. on Friday, Dec. 11 at First Presbyterian Church, 540 William Hilton Pwky, Hilton Head.

Not a day goes by that a patient doesn’t come into my office desperate for antibiotics to relieve the debilitating symptoms of the flu, a cold or a bad case of bronchitis.  

As much as I would like to alleviate their misery, prescribing antibiotics isn’t going to help. Antibiotics kill bacteria, not the viruses that cause those common-but-oh-so-aggravating ailments. All the antibiotics in the world won’t make them go away.

When we hear so much about how progress for women is too slow, it is easy to lose sight of the bright spots. And there are bright spots in how leadership and accountability are being reframed.

With 27- plus ways to say delicious, Lowcountry foodies know they are in for the ultimate “Taste of the Season experience,” as they enjoy an elegant sampling of the region’s best cuisine.  Come celebrate award-winning cuisine from 27 of the area’s top chefs at Taste of the Season, presented by the Hilton Head Island-Bluffton Chamber of Commerce. 

If the 2015 Public Art Exhibition isn’t on your radar, Pink wants to enhance your detector system. This is a Lowcountry event that needs to be on every resident’s—and guest’s—to do list. Located on the grounds of Coastal Discovery Museum at Honey Horn, the exhibit features 19 dramatic large-scale sculptures by artists from around the country, including our own local artist, Kevin Eichner.

Ever since Hansel and Gretel walked into the dark recesses of little boys’ and girls’ psyches around the world, the gingerbread house has fired the imaginations of children and adults alike.  Who wouldn’t love a story where a little brother and sister face the horror of parental abandonment and the terror of captivity by a hideous, cannibalistic witch only to outwit the old hag, push her in an oven and discover enough treasure and jewels to live happily ever after? Add that the kids eat all the gingerbread, cake and candy they could ever possibly want and you have a perfect fantasy to feed our hungry human hearts.  The story will live forever.

“Every day I see volunteers go to the classrooms and see students eagerly awaiting their turn to work with the volunteer,” said Karen Cauller, Literacy Coach at Hilton Head Island Elementary School for the Creative Arts. “I wish everyone could see the excitement when students see new books in their folders.”

When the curtain rises at Hilton Head Christian academy (HHCA), the audiences do, too! The acting acumen and musical productions keep getting better and better. The growing popularity of the HHCA Arts Program is a direct correlation to the enthusiasm Michelle McElroy, last year’s teacher of the year, has ignited in the students. Michelle stepped into her new role as theater director last year after directing Cinderella and assisting the former theater director and mentor, Rhonda Stones, with the 2014 production of Annie. Her passion for theater is contagious, and frankly, all in the details, as evidenced by her personal investment to each and every show. She gives equal attention to casting, direction and production and her shows are known for beautiful sets, costumes, choreography, music and talent.

The mission of 100 Red Apron Women is to recruit 100 women to make up a special donor group for the purpose of empowering women and their families to work toward self-reliance and independence.

I’m turning 65 in a few months and getting close to retiring. My ex is also turning 65, and as far as I know, he’s still working. I would like to file for my ex-spouse’s Social Security benefits but don’t really want to talk to him about it. Does he have to be involved?