My heart was pounding, and the smoke alarm was screaming, and I was in full-on panic mode. Flames were reaching toward the adjacent wood cabinets. It happened so fast! I didn’t have time to run to the pantry to search for baking soda.

I had a rip-roaring fire on my hands, and I was in slow motion thinking about how sad it would be to be homeless for Christmas.

I’d turned my back for a few seconds to find a utensil. When I returned, small flames were shooting from the burner. My quick thinking told me to smother the grease fire, so I grabbed a pot lid to do that. But the lid wasn’t airtight, and soon the flames were double the size—and spreading.
That’s when I locked eyeballs with the fire extinguisher that had been sitting on the counter for so long it blended into the decor.

Dear Readers: I've been talking a lot about young people and financial education lately, but there's one thing I haven't discussed recently that I think is an important part of everyone's financial lives: giving. Now, with Thanksgiving just ahead and Giving Tuesday coming right after, I want to share some ideas on how to introduce your kids to the importance of philanthropy and get the whole family involved in giving this season.

To me, saving and giving go hand in hand. As you teach your kids to manage their money and save a certain percentage for their future goals, it's a natural extension to also encourage them to earmark some of their money for a charitable cause. And what better time than the holidays to focus on how to share our own good fortune?

When you think “vacation,” do you think “summer”? Maybe it’s time to think “fall” instead!
Fall is a wonderful time to travel, especially if you have young children. The weather is cooler, the foliage is lovely, and attractions are less crowded because families with older kids aren’t likely to take their kids out of school to travel so early in the school year. The holidays also beckons travel for those who have families spread far and wide.

But parenting is hard enough at home! How can you take this show on the road without losing your mind? Traveling with toddlers, especially, can really be a trip. Here are some feeding tips that Mommy M.D.s—doctors who are also mothers—use to travel with their children.

Dirt roads are a part of our lives no matter where we call home.

They are our common ground. Whether they exist as a result of neglect, or a choice by someone to remain off the beaten path, dirt roads depict a state of peace and serenity.

I spent a few of my early years living on a dirt road. I remember the dust taking a long time to settle after an infrequent car passed. Everything seemed to move at a slower pace in Baygall, one of the traditional Gullah communities on the north end of Hilton Head Island. In fact, the road where I spent my preschool years, living with my cousin Mary, remains unpaved.

With just one switch of a handbag, you can change your whole fashion outlook on life this fall. A new handbag is one of the best attitude adjustments you can make for yourself and your wardrobe. Here are some of the big switches for the season ahead:

Handbags are probably one of the first new purchases many of us make every season. Since we carry them daily, they are our best accessory friends. This fall, crossbody bags are still utilitarian favorites, in all shapes and sizes. Check out the new saddlebag designs. Let’s face it, these bags are a lifesaver, leaving hands free.

I wish I could make you cut back on sugar, breathe away your stress or eat only grass-fed beef. But wishes are like dishes: You usually have to do them yourself. What I can do is introduce you to “power-ups”: moment-by-moment strategies to spark joy and boost your well-being this holiday season.

1) DANCE TO ENHANCE
The Setup: A stressful workday has ended. You’re exhausted. You’d planned to lift weights at the gym, but it takes all your strength just to stumble home and collapse on the couch. Where’s your energy? Where’s the remote? Where’s the wine?

The Power-Up: Start the music. As soon as you get home, crank up Lady Gaga or a playlist of your favorite tunes and—without thinking, without excuses—start dancing around the house. You don’t need a partner, shoes or even clothes.

Halloween is one of the most successful and widely celebrated holidays in the United States, coming second only to Christmas.  Many of us have grown accustomed to the traditions that come with Halloween, complete with Trick-or-treating, costumes, parties and jack-o’-lanterns. But where did these customs come from? In many cultures, there is a day for honoring the dead. It is said that on this day, the “veil” is thinner and spirits walk among us. This day, although often landing on different dates in other cultures, goes by many names: Samhain, All Saints Day, All Hallows Eve, Dia de los Muertos (Mexico’s Day of the Dead—a 3-day holiday) and, of course, Halloween.

I think we’ve been looking at physical activity all wrong. We often link it with losing weight, but to be honest, it takes a lot of moving to lose a pound or two. As I’ve learned, the value of physical activity is that it makes you feel better, makes you move better, gives you a sense of joy.

The bottom line? Including some sort of daily physical activity in your life keeps you healthy. That’s really why we should be doing it. Knowing that may be more of a motivator than watching the scale.
Most of us have that backward. We work out to lose weight and then quit when we don’t. But maybe the key is to turn our thinking around: We work out to be healthy, and every day we do, we’re healthier.

A recent study found that increased activity in middle age and beyond may decrease the risk for death from all causes—cardiovascular disease and cancer—according to a study published recently in The BMJ.

Art is something that makes history. Historically, Hilton Head Island’s main attractions have cast a shadow on the astounding artistic talent that is hidden throughout the Lowcountry. Thanks to Bobbie Fertig, a local artist and founder of the new maker’s space, BoArt, the shadow is getting smaller. When creating BoArt, also known as Bo, Bobbie’s thought process wasn’t to open another art gallery and show off her own work, but to create a place where many artists could have a chance to showcase their work and shine, too. However, the end product exceeded the vision.

Bo became a collaborative community space where local residents can come and make art, build projects and learn new skills. “It’s meant to be a fresh oasis for people, where people and their art can fit in,” said Mira Scott, a local artist and Bobbie’s right hand.

Bo isn’t just for people to come and make art, but to showcase their art, as well.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed in women in the
United States. Everyone dreads possibly someday hearing the words:
“You have cancer.” There are some things that you can’t control regarding getting breast cancer, but luckily there are things you CAN control.
Women can make choices every day to decrease their breast cancer risk.
So, what are they?

Diet: What we eat matters not just for diabetes and heart disease but also for breast cancer. It’s not rocket science, but it isn’t always easy, or as much fun. Nonetheless, eating a diet of real food and cutting back on meat (especially red meat) can decrease breast cancer risk. Real food means food that comes from the ground or on a plant, not chemicals. If it comes in a box, it’s most likely processed, which isn’t healthy.

Fall is fashion’s favorite time of year. Designers roll out the runways with updates on the classics and totally new inspirations that will give you a wardrobe ready for the season ahead. Check out these 10 must-have items to add right now:

A Big Blouse 
The blouse is back, and it is big ... in volume, that is. Drama is the name of the blouse game, with billowy sleeves, big bows and standout collars. Romantic is the look of this fashion trend.
A plaid jacket   Designers are mad for plaid this fall, and the plaid jacket is one of the season’s key pieces. Top off pants and skirts with a roomy jacket in menswear plaids or checks. Then, for a new twist, cinch it with a skinny or wide leather belt.

Autumn is one of my favorite times of year, and it’s not just the oversized taffy apples. I’m talking crispy cool days that call for turtlenecks and yoga tights, a seasonal shift to fading colors and falling leaves, and great sales on outdoor furniture.

“Every leaf speaks bliss to me, fluttering from the autumn tree,” writes Emily Bronte.

“This is the season of the harvest,” writes Elson M. Haas, “the fruition of all the growth of spring and summer.”

Some say life is only as good as the people you surround yourself with. For Cassandra King Conroy and Bernie Schein, life has been great…interesting, intriguing, exciting and loving. One a wife, and the other the ornery best friend, these two became intermingled because of the love that surrounded them from one legendary man—Pat Conroy.

I arrived at Cassandra’s home in Beaufort, SC,  to talk to her about her new book, Tell Me a Story: My Life with Pat Conroy, which hits the news stands on October 29.

Cassandra, an award-winning, bestselling novelist, was married to Pat Conroy for the last 18 years of his life. They met at a literary festival in the mid ‘90s in Alabama, where Cassandra is from, and he never let her go. “We met in LA,” she laughed, “lower Alabama!” We both cracked up with laughter and settled in for what became a comfortable two hours of reminiscing, swapping stories and talking about Pat.

Kelley Luikey is a tall, athletic woman, with beautiful long hair. She opens the door to her private paradise in Port Royal with chickens clucking, a dog barking hello, a husband on the way out to do errands, all to the sound of a nearby powerboat in the Port Royal sound.

Kelley is an award winning nature photographer who will be honored next month as “Artist of the Year” for the Port Royal Sound Foundation. Her photos of birds, all shapes and sizes, and nature are in galleries in Bluffton, Beaufort and St. Helena Island. It all started back at Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina, where she graduated in 1994. There she discovered photography, back when negatives were developed in darkrooms.

After marriage and two babies, Kelley discovered digital photography in 2014 with a basic, entry-level Canon model. She was hooked by digital ease, and the ability to take hundreds of pictures easily. The editing capabilities came later.

Dear Readers: If you’re like most people, you’ve made a few hare-brained money decisions in your time. That’s just being human. However, if you’re striving to get yourself on track, I suggest that you review these ten smart money management tips. This Halloween, treat yourself to a more secure financial future!

Stick to your budget, no matter how large or small: Living beyond your means is dangerous no matter how much money you make. So even if you’re lucky enough to earn a big paycheck, it’s important to create—and stick to—a realistic budget. Use an online budget tool and make a list of your essential expenses and another list of your nice-to-haves. If your income won’t cover both, start crossing off the extras you can live without. And don’t be tempted to pull out the credit cards to cover any excess. Keeping on top of debt is an important part of smart budgeting. While you’re thinking about debt control, remember to stay on top of any student loans!

I’m Elizabeth Millen, the founder and working owner of Pink. The “Little Room That Could” is a 12’x8’ room in my house, nestled between the kitchen and the laundry room, and it is legendary. I think it was supposed to be a breakfast room, but never had the architectural flow to pull it off. For reference, I live in a typical Hilton Head style home built in 1976 in Hilton Head Plantation. I can’t remember what we used this room for the first nine months we lived here. The people before us kept their dog kennels in there. The house was in need of remodeling, but we had no money for that. However, a need arose, and the “Little Room that Could” became space for a home office—where Pink Magazine was born.

I purchased a desk, a large iMac computer, a printer and a few office supplies and reported to work each day to this room in my house that became the headquarters for the start up of Pink. About six months in, the magazine had grown to having several people working in this room and a few at the dining room table, too. I decided Pink needed an office outside of my house, as it looked favorable of becoming a full-fledged, viable business.

It is difficult to read Jane Carson-Sandler’s story, let alone live through it. But this tenacious, altruistic and immensely strong woman has a reason to keep putting her truth out there: the only way to transform nightmare into purpose is by sharing her experience.
 
Early on the morning of October 5, 1976, shortly after her husband left for work, a ski-masked man brandishing a butcher knife broke into  Jane’s home. Threatening her between clenched teeth, he bound, gagged and blindfolded both her and her 3-year-old son. After taking the boy away, he viciously raped  Jane, but all she could think the whole time was Where is my son? What are you going to do to my son?

If you’re ready to update your wardrobe, chances are you’re going to want to add something denim to your shopping list. And while you may need to replace some of your old favorites, the newest denim choices this fall are anything but basic. From relaxed carpenter jeans to fringed miniskirts to snakeskin prints, there is plenty of new jean therapy for everyone.

Here are a few tips for boosting your denim mood right now.

• When shopping for a new pair of jeans, it is best to head to the store. Unless you have a brand you’ve recently worn and know your exact size, it will be difficult to order denim online. As there are so many different designs available now, a morning session of actually trying on jeans may be the best way to find a new favorite.

At the foundation of your children’s financial intelligence should be this undeniable truth: It is not the amount of money you have but what you do with it that matters.

This is true for a child managing a $5-a-week allowance or a corporate executive with a $5,000-a-week salary.

For the better part of my life, I didn’t know this truth. On the contrary, I believed that more money was the answer. I was convinced that if we would just make more money, win the lottery or receive some unexpected inheritance, all of our money problems would vanish. But the more we made, the worse our problems became. Because I didn’t know how to manage what we had, more would have never been enough. We didn’t save. We didn’t give. We didn’t plan. And we had no idea where all the money went.

OK, here’s a bit of silliness to start your dendrites dancing: What do Chubby Checker and every yoga class in the world have in common?

Think now. (If you’re wondering who Chubby Checker is ... YouTube.) Yes! It’s “The Twist.”

Chubby Checker made twisting a wildly popular dance in the ‘50s, but for thousands of years before him, yogis were doing twists as part of their daily bliss-making practice: deep, penetrating twists around the spinal column that are done standing up or sitting down, upside-down or right-side-up, by slowly, gently twisting to the left and then slowly, gently twisting the opposite way, moving as far as you can, coming to your edge ... but not powering through.

When one is faced with divorce—thinking about it, going through it, starting a new life after it—she is faced with a series of challenging decisions. The key is to move past divorce with as little pain and as much clarity and confidence as possible. But how?

The Mrs2Me summit promises to help answer that question and put a smile on the faces of all who attend.

Divorce is so hard and overwhelming because it touches on every aspect of your life. Divorce is second in grief to the death of a spouse or child. Feeling isolated can have a paralyzing effect on a person. Along with the dissolution of a marriage comes the ending of some friendships, family traditions, family connections and a lifestyle you once knew.

“It hurts.”

“I don’t want my implants to rupture.”

“The radiation is too harmful.”

“I don’t really need to get a mammogram until I’m older.”

“If men had to get mammograms, they would have figured out a better way to do those years ago.”

These are some of the many reasons I’ve heard for women not getting mammograms. We all agree getting a mammogram isn’t fun, or what we would choose to do with a free afternoon, BUT, it could literally save your life. Of all the things we do in a day, how many can we say that about?

Delane Marynowski had no idea what she was getting into when she volunteered to facilitate the Advanced Artist of Allendale Program. How could she? Prison was a place in which she was completely unfamiliar. In fact, she had dedicated many charitable hours helping and supporting victims of crime with a full view of the pain and suffering inflicted upon them. At first, she wasn’t sure she had the heart—or the stomach—to work on the side of the fence where those who committed such crimes were now incarcerated. After one visit, she was all in and became the weekly class program director and facilitator.

“Sunglasses and a great pair of heels can turn most outfits around.”

Yes, sunglasses are one of the best accessories to add a touch of glamour to anything you wear, but they are also one of the most important ways to protect your eyes from harmful UV rays—oh, and to give you a break when you don’t want to put makeup on!

This year, oversized sunglasses are one of the biggest trends, giving you even more sun protection. The ‘70s influence is also seen in the renewed interest in wraps and shields that are almost goggle-like in shape. Other trends include colorful lenses (especially warm tones such as amber), square and triangular lenses and white frames. The classic cat-eye and aviator shapes are still popular.

Would you be surprised to learn that one of the most popular college courses in America teaches students how to be happy? Probably not.

Most adults discover that you can be crazy rich, drive the biggest Tesla, take a luxury vacation that costs $4,500 a night—breakfast not included—but if inside you’re feeling miserable and depressed and unhappy, what good is it?

Welcome to Professor Laurie Santos’ wildly popular course at Yale University called “Psychology and the Good Life.” I haven’t taken it yet, but as a dedicated student of Positive Psychology, I’ve studied the research for years, including a recent overview of Santos’ work by Adam Sternbergh called “How To Be Happy.” The article was published last summer in New York Magazine, now available online at The Cut, and is well worth reading.

A look at drinking and driving/boating through a millennial lens:
What we have to say, and more importantly, what some of us are doing about it.

I always say “I love you” to my parents before getting in the car. It’s silly at my age, but there’s a reason for my caution. Driving is dangerous, and my young-adult life has been plagued by people I know becoming victims of driving/boating accidents. More specifically, drinking and driving/boating accidents. Whether you knew the victims, or only recognized their names from headlines, the accidents were shocking. They alarmed residents of the area and appalled me, a person who’s always assumed people my age (20-somethings) are indestructible. They show the dark side of a presumably safe state, the underbelly of a Lowcountry paradise. And they add to the statistic putting South Carolina towards the top of the list as the most dangerous driving state—the reason I make sure to say “I love you” before pulling out of my driveway.

Want to be healthy? Move more and sit less. It’s as simple as that.

Sitting more has been linked by new evidence to higher risk of heart disease, high blood pressure and all-cause mortality, according to the second edition of the “Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans,” published by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for 2018. All physical activity, especially moderate-to-vigorous activity, can help offset these risks.

Janice Magnin and her three-year-old daughter Emma had just come home hungry and tired from a high school football game. Dinner would be late, so Janice offered Emma a cashew from the bag of nuts in her hand. In less than the time it took to walk across the room, Emma became violently ill.  

Tests revealed Emma had allergies to both tree nuts and peanuts. Doctors cautioned Janice that, as bad as this reaction had been, the next one could be much worse, since Emma’s body was now in full defense mode. For this reason, it was imperative that Emma’s diet—and environment—remain strictly nut-free. Over the next few years, Emma would be diagnosed with additional allergies to latex, carrots and celery, each time requiring a new layer of daily restrictions.

Monday, August 7, 2017, started out as just another ordinary day for Cooka Garrett Sells. She worked from home for a few hours and then took a break to run to the dollar store. Her cell phone began to ring in her purse. The news was every mother’s worst nightmare. Her son had been found unresponsive in his home. Twenty-three-year-old Frank Richardson Sells III was pronounced dead at the scene. How could this be? Cooka had just spoken on the phone with him the night before, and everything seemed fine.

Have you ever woken up and felt like your limbs aren’t responding to what your brain is asking them to do? How about taken a long road trip, and when you go to get out of the car, you’re not sure if you can actually make contact with the pavement without toppling over?

Short, tight and stiff. These are all conditions your muscles want to avoid, but they need your help. Muscles, like many other systems in the body, retain memory. That memory is what propels the body into motion, recalls specific movements, and retains the muscles normal physiological shape. So, when you’re lying down, sitting, or standing for a period of time, your muscles want to stay in that position, which causes them to shorten and become tight. By stretching, you are activating the muscle memory and returning them to their normal designed state. Stretching will enable the joints to lubricate themselves, increase blood flow into muscle tissue, reduce muscle tension and improve range of motion. These are all necessary to improve balance, strength and physical stamina.