Advance Health-Care Directive Explanation You Have The: Fill & Download for Free

I spend half my year in the US and half in the UK. My independent observation, and from talking to people is that American's in general are massively over medicated. Looking at the number of direct-to-patient marketing campaigns and the pressure they must place on doctors is astonishing - each, of course, coupled with a mind numbing list of potential side effects that often include exacerbating the exact condition they are allegedly treating. In fact, many of the conditions advertised do not even seem to exist outside of the US - yet there is a drug for it.The result is a system where prescription, testing and diagnosis are driven by the extent of a patients insurance and are often inconsistent with the needs of the condition. I'm not saying US doctors are dishonest but that there is enormous pressure to prescribe even for apparently healthy patients. Just a look in the average bathroom cabinet reveals the extent of the practise.In the UK it is quite normal to visit your family doctor for a minor ailment and be given direction but no prescription at all or propose an over the counter remedy. Yet, when treatment is needed it is provided free at the point of delivery (you may have to pay a fixed charge for drugs), as in many other parts of the world. There is a parallel private medical system you can dip in and out of if you have the means, through either insurance or direct payment but my experience of that system is that it is far less complex to navigate than in the US and you pretty much know in advance what your costs will be.Friends in the US have received unnecessary MRI scans for simple nose bleeds, incorrect diagnosis of rare conditions which had simple explanations and even a 13 yo who was offered counselling to deal with the 'trauma' of having braces on their teeth. Healthcare has turned into an elaborate deceit between practitioners, providers and patients. I can buy simple treatments over the counter in the UK that are only available under prescription in the US for instance, and the prices charged are extortionate in the US compared with the UK. This is coupled with people who are impatient with whatever medical condition they have, many of which will right themselves over time without any treatment. Yet no-one seems to be given that advice.The US is a hostage to fortune by large pharma and insurance that have enormous political power, so no change is likely soon beyond what we have seen so far.

1. The Universal Law of NatureThe universal law of nature states that everything is always changing.By definition, this means nothing is permanent.For example, the Earth is always changing with seasons throughout the year.All inanimate and animate things that exist will eventually fade away.This is also true for the feelings you experience throughout your lifetime.You must understand that these emotions and things aren't permanent and they will eventually fade away.2. The Difference Between Intellectual and Experiential UnderstandingWhen presented with a concept, you may easily understand it on the intellectual level.But understanding that concept by experience is a completely different story.For example, a mom may tell her son not to put his hands close to the fire to avoid burning.The child may understand that burning of the hands can cause pain.However, if the child has never experienced burning pain before, he won't truly understand that feeling of pain at the experiential level.3. Continuous Practice of Proper Technique to Reach MasteryWhen you want to master or simply improve on a craft, it requires a tremendous amount of effort by continual practice.In the book Outliers: The Story of Success, Malcolm Gladwell states that it requires 10,000 hours of practice to reach mastery of any craft.That is about 417 days if you spent every single hour of every day practicing.If you spend eight hours of practice per day, it will need 1250 days which is about three and a half years.In short, being exceptional at something takes a long time!This makes perfectly logical sense as it applies to many aspects of life.For example, your current body wasn't built in a short time as it required a lot of time and resources to grow to its current state.This also serves the purpose of appreciation.If any achievements were to come easily, you wouldn't discover the real value behind it.You will learn to appreciate something only if you have spent a significant amount of time and effort to earn it.The proper technique is as important as continuous practice to reach mastery.If after practicing for some time and you're not making progress or achieving the results that you want, then you must reevaluate your technique.The two possible explanations are that the technique is wrong or you're not performing it properly.4. Choose Growth“Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.”– Neale Donald WalschFor my recent vacation to Southeast Asia, the only arrangements I made was booking my airfare ticket and the first two nights at a local hostel.My primary goal was to have a spontaneous trip by asking other travelers for recommendations.This allowed the opportunity to travel freely without restrictions.For example, if I found a city I was particularly fond of, I have the option to extend my stay. This wouldn’t be likely if I had already preplanned all my accommodations in advance.By exploring this way, I increased my probability of achieving my second objective - forcing myself to talk to others and make friends. Going by myself, I created more chances to meet new people. If I traveled with a friend, I wouldn’t feel the necessity to initiate conversation with others.The curiosity of meeting interesting people was exciting since they tend to have fascinating stories to tell. And on my trip, I met countless people from all over the world which included the following countries:FranceSpainHollandChinaSingaporeSwedenUnited KingdomGermanyCanadaAustraliaWe created lasting memories and have taken joyful and unforgettable pictures together. Because of their contribution, my journey was that much more meaningful and eventful.Since they are now part of my network, I reach out to them regularly to further deepen our relationship.Having complete trust in myself and abilities, I knew I can overcome any challenges which may arise. By willing to face uncomfortable situations, I experienced growth.And reflecting back, my trip went better than I could have ever planned for.Often times, life throws unexpected obstacles at us. They are there to strengthen our character.Don’t run away from them. But rather confront those hurdles. Where there is the largest difficulty, face it head-on to gain the biggest development.Through that process, you’ll evolve and transcend into a stronger man.5. Keep an Open Mind“When the student is ready the teacher will appear.”– BuddhaTo enjoy life to the fullest, I have to be willing to learn.I followed my interest and adopted the beginner’s mindset.Being in new countries, I wasn’t familiar with their culture and way of thinking. To adapt, I had to watch the locals carefully in how they live.With that open perspective, I was able to take full advantage of my travels by doing the following:Learning new customsEating delicious and exotic cuisinesEngaging in exciting and daring activitiesMeeting locals and understand their way of living and beingAs a result, I gained new knowledge and experiences.There were times when I knew a great deal on something. But with humility and eagerness to learn, I kept quiet and listened to others.They may hold wisdom I’m not aware of.This way, I create space in my internal cup to gather more information.To grow, you must be willing to learn from all that’s around you. That’s because life is always teaching you.Realize no one in this world knows everything. Leave room in your mind to adopt new mindsets and beliefs.This line of thinking will accelerate your personal development.6. You Are Never Alone“What one man can do another man can do.”– Charles MorseNavigating my way around the complex cities in Southeast Asia, I learned to maintain perspective.Even though I was traveling alone most of the time, I constantly reminded myself of how connected I really was.Getting on the local bus, I instantly noticed other travelers.Despite the language and cultural barrier, they were also able to communicate and get around.Because of that commonality, we were able to bond effortlessly.We naturally smiled at each other and introduced ourselves. There’s nothing awkward about the interaction at all.However, in times of hardship, it’s easy to lose that insight and instead think I’m alone on the journey.But whenever I encountered a new problem, I remind myself I’m not the first person to experience this.Others have been in my exact situation before.Despite their unique background and circumstances, they were able to overcome it.This gives me hope and inspiration.That’s because what one person can do, another person can as well, and much more.To have perspective means not falling into the victim mentality - blaming yourself or the current situation. This allows you to take charge of your life and directly face your challenges.Understand others have been in your shoes before and have conquered those same obstacles.This doesn’t just apply to the valleys in life, but also the peaks.Life is filled with both, giving you the grand opportunity to encounter the entire human experience spectrum.7. Appreciate the Simple Things“A man travels the world over in search of what he needs, and returns home to find it.”– George MooreDuring my trip, I had the opportunity to visit the countrysides.Hiking through the mountains and seeing the endless fields of chili pepper, rice, and bamboos, I was amazed at how beautiful the small rural villages are.They sparked my childhood memories of the simplistic lifestyle in southern China. Engaging with the locals brought back reminiscence of living with the bare necessities.To western society, they would be considered “poor.” But to me, they were “rich” beyond their wildest dreams.Despite having so little, they were completely content and satisfied. It also helps with the ignorance of technological advancements in the western world.They utilized everything they needed to live a happy and fulfilled life.Focusing on the essentials such as family and health, those villagers lived their definition of a meaningful life.In terms of relationships, they take ownership and priority in taking care of those who are close and important to them.As for food, they grew their own fruits and vegetables and raised animals such as cows, chickens, and pigs.There’s no such thing as organic or processed food. To them, it’s just simply food.By living in a community, they traded for goods with a barter system rather than with money.And for exercise, there’s no need for a gym membership. Men and women partake in labor by working in the fields. They start at dawn with needed breaks throughout the day.As a result, they are in great physical shape.This type of lifestyles creates a sense of simplicity and urgency.Their drive to work is survival.And that is based on how efficient they perform independently of mother nature.It all comes to the level of resourcefulness they get.They learn to rely on themselves and the support of their community.8. Stop Holding Yourself Back“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did so. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”– Mark TwainBefore deciding to go on a long trip, I constrained myself with collateral thoughts. They included the following consequences:Having a significant gap in between my career/businessLosing the consistent incomeNot building the necessary skills to advance my professional developmentNeglecting my existing customers and clientsNot growing my ventureBut to mitigate some of those effects, I engaged in activities that allowed me to serve my clients despite my absence.In addition, I practiced the essential skills (sales, marketing, leadership, etc.) which make me more valuable in the workforce.Contrary to the possible consequences, there are numerous benefits such as:Having the freedom to pursue my deepest desiresWorking on fun and exciting projectsTraveling to new and exciting placesMeeting people outside of my normal social circleLearning more about myself - wants, dislikes, and beliefsNo matter where you are in life, realize this important fact:You will never be as less responsible as you are right now.As you progress in life, you’ll gain more obligations and tasks. Your expenses will most likely increase because of your lifestyle and codependents.Don’t wait until you’re “retired” to do what you want. That time may never come.And if it does, you probably won’t have the youth to engage in some of those activities. Or worse yet, you may lack the drive to execute those endeavors because you have postponed them for so long.Instead, you can take mini-retirements in between your career and/or business to enjoy life now.When we are too focused on our goals and ambitions, we can lose sight of our deepest desires.We have the tendency to put off things we truly want to do.It’s necessary to stay grounded and remind ourselves of the following:“What’s most important to me in life?”“Why did I start in the first place?”“What am I working so hard for?”Answering those questions will help you bring back awareness and focus on the essentials that will give you meaning and fulfillment.9. Be 100% UnapologeticBeing myself was difficult as I did everything I was supposed to according to society’s expectations.To makes things even more challenging, I was trying to be someone else.Wanting to be liked by everyone, I put everyone else first and did everything to please them.While meeting everyone’s wants, I wasn’t fulfilling mine.Deep down, I felt resentful and angry.I was inauthentic.Thinking that there must be a better way to live, I did the complete opposite and started focusing on my wants.That’s when I became happier and lived life aligned with my values.In the process, I identified my real relationships.All the fake friends started to disappear as they didn’t appreciate my time.My circle of friends got smaller, but those who stayed recognized my value.By being authentic and 100% unapologetically me, I attracted people who respected and treasured me for who I truly am.Life became easy because I was simply being me.I wasn’t pretending to be someone I’m not.Too many times, I see men who put on a façade pretending to be someone they’re not.Motivated by their hidden agenda, they act and behave in supplicative ways wanting something in return.Not getting what they want, they feel frustrated and bitter.By not being the real you, you’re lying to everyone you interact with.The truth will come out one day and your relationships will suffer because of it.Living a life of lie is no way to live.You might get what you want, but others will feel cheated.More importantly, how do you feel internally when you deceive others to get what you want?Life doesn’t have to be as difficult as you make it be.It becomes challenging when you do exactly what’s expected of you because it’s typically not what you truly want to do.But when you know your genuine goals and dreams, it becomes easy and natural.Love and care compel you to do them.You don’t need to force yourself.10. Focus On Experiences Instead of ThingsDuring my college years, I put a lot of emphasis on schoolwork.It was my sole reason for existence.While schoolwork is important, a few less As and some more Bs and Cs will not harm me as much as I thought they will.That’s because my intelligence is not depicted by my grade point average.Work experience far outweighs my grades because that’s what companies look for.Instead of dedicating most of my time to studying, I should have experienced lifeby doing things.For example, instead of spending my Friday nights learning about physical chemistry equations I’m never going to use, I should have watched a stand-up comedy show and worked on my social skills.Rather than taking abstract and theoretical classes for my general education requirements, I should have taken more practical classes such as public speaking, auto shop, or an acting class.At the time, studying abroad in a foreign country sounded intimidating, but it was an adventure in disguise.How much fun would I have had studying internationally?What about the cool and interesting people I would have met?What about the invaluable lessons that I would have learned?Pushing myself out of my comfort zone would have been the best thing for me.After graduating from college, I jumped straight into the corporate world.Having a job was great because it provided money to fuel my lifestyle.But instead of saving for a nice car, I would have spent it on new experiences by learning a new hobby, attending music concerts, or traveling to new places.“The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.”― Augustine of HippoTraveling never crossed my mind after graduating because money was my only focus.I was living my life according to society’s definition of success, that money equals happiness.But thanks to the fortunate opportunity of work trips, I discovered the benefits of traveling.This served as a great reminder that there’s much more to see in the world.Breaking away from the cultural bubble that is my neighborhood, I saw and met people who had different life perspectives, behaviors, and appearance.After living in the U.S. most of my life, I had forgotten how many more places there are to see.Because I was born and lived in rural China for my first nine years, I began to miss it and reminisce about those carefree childhood days.Now I love taking trips because I get to visit new countries, cities, and places.Some of my benefits gained from traveling include the following:Having new perspectivesKnowledge of different culturesGratefulnessMy biggest growth were times when I traveled alone.Without others’ help, I was forced to push myself out of my comfort zone by communicating in foreign languages, eating alone, and making new friends.Getting comfortable with myself and my own thoughts was one of the most difficult things I had to do.Truly not caring what others thought was the second most difficult.Vividly, I still remember the first time I ate by myself at a full serviced restaurant.Feeling uncomfortable with the countless stares from the people around me, I continued to eat and enjoy my meal.Initially, it bothered me a lot.But I wasn’t foolish enough to let others’ opinions prevent me from eating.The saying that kept on repeating itself in my head was this:“What others think of me is none of my business. I can’t control what they do, but I can control what I do.”Now, I love doing things by myself and see it as a treat.Not feeling the need to always have someone by my side liberated me.Traveling alone has also allowed me to meet lots of amazing people whom I still keep in touch with.Not having anyone to fall back on, I’m more receptive to meeting new people.Now I have adopted this mindset even when I’m not going on trips.Viewing my hometown as a tourist, I find beauty in the mundane streets I walk on every day and meet people whom I normally wouldn’t engage with.11. Don’t Be Afraid to FailIn my 20s, I was in a great position to experiment with new things and take risks.That’s the part of my life when time was one of my biggest allies.If I were to make any mistakes, I would still have ample time to make up for it.This concept comes from financial investments.When I’m young, I can afford to take more risks in my investments.Even if they don’t do too well, I can make adjustments and allow time to compensate for the losses.The plethora of “failures” I have had in my 20s taught me many invaluable lessons as I figured out what worked and what didn’t.Viewed as feedback and opportunities for growth, failures forced me to seek alternative solutions and ways for improvement.Therefore, I evolved as a person and became more valuable by acquiring new skills.Experiencing quick success wouldn’t have taught me those important lessons.It’s in those failures that I learned and grew the most.Now, I don’t want instant success because I wouldn’t know the first thing about sustaining it.I wouldn’t have the grit, knowledge, and resilience to keep going when the odds are stacked against me.Mistakes are great teachers, so make them and make them often and early.12. Know ThyselfIn my early 20s, I put a lot of emphasis on superficial things.Working hard at my job, I had the end goal of using the money to buy materialistic things such as a fancy car and expensive clothes.My bank account and my possessions were my definitions of success and self-worth.On the surface, I seem “successful” but I didn’t feel successful.What I think I wanted wasn’t what I truly desired.Now, I define success and self-worth in a completely different way.My contribution to my growth and that of society is my definition of success.As for self-worth, it’s based on the true value I can add to the world.It comes from within and it's not depicted by society.It took many experiences and tribulations for me to discover what I want and value in life.The more I experienced, the more I got to know myself.Through trial and error, I determined what I liked and what I didn’t like.My set of values and what I want in life changed dramatically in my early 20s to now.13. Do It For YourselfFocusing on women thinking they’re the ultimate prize, I spent my early to mid-20s chasing them.My parents put tremendous pressure on me to find a good woman who I can start a family with.Everything I did was to ultimately get the woman.As I later discovered, that type of thinking is invalid.The main reason for everything I do should be for myself.Because the better I become, the better I can serve everyone, including the woman I choose.My purpose in life is what drives me.That’s the thing that excites me and wakes me up every morning.Although the woman will never replace my life’s purpose, she would still be very important in my life.To know what I want in a woman, I had to date lots of women.I even dated women with traits I didn’t like just to confirm I don’t want those qualities in a woman.Often times, I was able to identify the attributes I want in a woman from my female friends.But those characteristics are usually mirror reflections of who I am.My type of women started showing up when I started doing the things I liked.Meeting them was a byproduct of pursuing my hobbies.I didn’t have to go out of my way to meet them.Become the best person you can be by doing things for yourself.Your type of women and people will naturally appear in your life.“Your mind is a magnet. You don't attract what you need or what you want; you attract who you are. And I love who I am!”― Carlos SantanaAnd if you don’t know what you want in a woman, start dating a wide spectrum of them.The only way to know if you like something is to try it out.Knowing what you don’t want brings you closer to realizing what you do desire.Closing ThoughtsYou’re the only person that’s responsible for your life.All your results in life are because of your hard work or lack of.Remember life is a fun game and you’re the main character.You get to write your own movie script by creating your own rules.Level up your life and become the best you can be.You will attract those who share similar values as you.Enjoy the beautiful journey that is your life by creating lasting memories and great companionships.Go to your grave with battle scars knowing that you lived life to the fullest.Empower yourself with choices you make knowing you lived life on your own terms.I hope this helps.Check out my best Quora answers here.

Short AnswerNo, a homemade trust from some company’s software is not nearly so good as one created by an experienced estate planning lawyer.Longer AnswerI’m a lawyer, but my area of specialization is business rather than estate planning.More than a decade ago, I decided that my wife and I should form, and transfer our assets to, revocable (living) trust.I knew that it would be best to retain an estate planning lawyer. However, we were paying for our daughters’ educations at private universities, thus we didn’t have a few thousand dollars sitting around with nothing better to do.So I bought the appropriate two-volume reference book, with forms CD, from Continuing Education of the Bar (CEB), a joint project of the State Bar of California and the University of California. CEB’s forms and explanations are far superior to those a lay person would receive from any commercially available product.I read substantial portions of the book. Then I prepared a revocable trust and a pour-over will. We went to a neighborhood clothing store that my wife frequented, where we signed the documents, which were witnessed by the store owner and another customer. Then we funded (transferred assets to) the trust.Many years passed; fortunately, my wife and I did not.Two years ago, we decided to have our revocable trust and associated documents redone by an experienced estate planning lawyer (I’ll call her “RH”). I’m glad we did.The documents that RH prepared, and the guidance and services that we received, are far superior to what I had done on my own - which, in turn, was far superior to any commercially available product:The trust instrument is more detailed and more thorough.RH prepared a Certification of Trust, which summarizes the trust provisions in a document that we can provide to any party (such as a bank) that needs it.RH identified assets that we had not previously transferred to our trust.RH provided guidance about beneficiary designations for life insurance policies, retirement accounts, bank accounts, and the like.RH provided a supplementary memo that we can complete and revise, from time to time, for the disposition of tangible personal property, such as jewelry.RH prepared better advanced health care directives.RH prepared durable powers of attorney for financial management.RH provided digital asset authorizations.RH’s firm provided the two witnesses who were required when we signed documents.Finally, aside from telling our daughters where our estate planning documents are located, I introduced our daughters to RH by email so that, once my wife and I are gone, our daughters will know whom to contact for guidance.In summary, while creating your own living trust from a commercial product probably will be better than doing nothing (assuming that you fund the trust properly), your resulting trust instrument will not be nearly so good as, and will not have all of the same ancillary documents as, that prepared by an experienced estate planning lawyer .