When I picture a successful woman like Melissa whose toy empire, with her husband Doug is worth half a billion dollars, I imagine that she has the perfect life or at least something pretty close to it.  However, despite Melissa’s successful business, 28 year marriage, children, and beautiful home, she had a secret that she carried within her, it was her lifelong battle with severe depression and anxiety.

Mental health awareness is very important to me because I myself have had my own bout with anxiety and even situational depression at times throughout my life. And with depression and anxiety being at an all time high right now during this pandemic, I think stories like Melissa’s are very important to share, so I hope you all enjoy the interview.

Q&A WITH MELISSA BERNSTEIN: 

1. From the outside, your life looks perfect: you started a business from scratch, used your creativity to design toys, and made hundreds of millions of dollars doing it. You’ve been married for 28 years, have 6 kids, 2 dogs, a cat, a beautiful house. Did the fear of shattering the image others have of you make it harder for you to seek help?

 Melissa:

Anytime you open yourself up and let people see a truer you, it’s scary. But I think in many ways, the ability I have to shatter the image of outward “success” is actually a gift. On paper, I had everything you could ever want, but I was still miserable because I hadn’t accepted myself. At some point, the suffering becomes so great that you have to surrender. You have to say, I can no longer deny this despair, I have to dive in. I decided to reach out to one of my favorite podcasts, The Good Life Project, and share my story. I was terrified, but I also felt crazily, strangely empowered. After the episode aired, I received hundreds of letters saying things like ‘You spoke to me, this is exactly how I feel, you gave words to something I’ve been feeling my entire life.” I felt a lot of communion with all the people who wrote to me. I spent my entire life thinking that no one knew what I was going through, so this was really powerful. It took me 6 months, but I wrote back to every single person who wrote. It was a tremendously meaningful experience. That’s why I’ve included my personal email in every copy of this book—I want to have this conversation with anyone who wants to reach out.

 2. What has this journey been like for you? And what made you want to support people dealing with mental health challenges?

 Melissa:

For five decades of my life, I was racing outward, looking for success and validation. I was imprisoned by my own perfectionism. It was only as I got older, and the cry of my own soul to be seen and accepted got louder and louder, that I finally started my personal journey inward. It’s been the most incredible, profound experience, and I felt compelled to show others that path as well. If I could take my mental anguish and channel it in a way that gave my life meaning and made me want to get out of bed each day, then I knew deeply in my heart that others could do the same.

3. You talk in the book about the depression and anxiety you lived with even as a young child. Do you think those experiences gave you special insight as a toy designer?

Melissa:  

Being a highly sensitive person has many not-so-positive aspects, but also allows me to be very attuned to people. I channel it into my verses, where I try to take really big things that are complicated and hard to understand into something very simple. I do that with toys, too. Toys had gotten very complicated, masked in bells and whistles, and I tried to distill them and make the experience of engaging with a toy and having it captivate your imagination the most powerful thing. Our toys are very straightforward; they’re not hard to understand. I always called them ‘low skill, high impact’, so that they would quickly engage a child in the beautiful experience of play.

 4. How has your immediate family reacted to learning about the depth of your depression and anxiety?

Melissa:

This was a very deep secret that I hid from everyone, and until the dots started connecting, I didn’t even understand it myself. But when I opened up to my family about it, they were very understanding. I was worried about two of my daughters because I didn’t want them to see themselves in me and then think, “Oh, my gosh, I’m doomed.” But they were both really chill about it, which was incredibly freeing. They were like, “Okay, whatever, this is who you are…so are you going to drive me to my practice?” Nothing dramatically changed except that I could see a little more compassion in their eyes. I have many flaws as a parent, but my biggest is that I wasn’t able to fully give emotionally to my kids because I was so repressed. I gave with my actions but I never was able to express how I felt about them. And that was because my own emotional well was empty, which made it really hard to bestow that honest love on others. So I was happy that—and no excuse, I take full ownership of it—but it comforted me that my children could understand it had nothing to do with them.

5. What is your ultimate goal for LIFELINES—the book and the online hub? What does success look like for you?

Melissa: 

I want those who are in darkness to know they aren’t alone. I want those folks who are truly struggling, who feel like there’s no meaning in their lives, to know that there is a group of people—a community—that sees them and accepts them as they truly are. We want to create a community that accepts people in their totality: in their ups and their downs, their good and their bad. People say you have to love yourself before you can love others, but I think it can work the other way too. If you have a community that fully accepts you, I think you can begin to find that acceptance within yourself.

6. How will your approach be different than some others who are trying to help people in the mental health space?

Melissa:

One of the words that best describes LifeLines is “duality”. In society today, we try so hard to show only the shiny side of life and make other people believe that everything has to be perfect. But being human is imperfect. And part of self-acceptance is recognizing that fact. Striving for an ideal you can never achieve leads to utter misery. We have to realize that every day is going to have its share of failures and mistakes, and that’s okay. I admire women who are brash and confident and ready to take on the world, but that’s not who I am. I’m an introvert and sometimes we lack a voice. Despite the personal success, I’m still the kind of person who’s terrified to go to a sporting event because I don’t like social interaction. I’m the woman who’s running with toilet paper stuck to her shoe and something in her teeth. This is all I got—take it or leave it! It took me 50 years to learn that was okay.

The only promise we will give the Lifelines community is that we will show you that you are not alone. We will support you without judgment. We can’t promise answers. All we can do is show you that there is light within you if you have the openness, curiosity, and self-awareness to take the journey inward. We will support you and offer resources and tools to remain steadfast in the face of everything life throws your way.

You can Pre-Order LifeLines HERE!

BOOK INFO:

Title: LIFELINES: An Inspirational Journey from Profound Darkness to

Radiant Light

Author: Melissa Bernstein

Publisher: LifeLines, LLC

Pub Date: March 16, 2021

ABOUT THE BOOK:

LIFELINES is an unfiltered and authentic reckoning with how Melissa’s anxiety and depression—which started in childhood and continue to this day—have manifested and how she coped. Born of a desire to forge community, LIFELINES features Melissa’s story, as well as three of the “lifelines” that saved her: the rhyming verses that have been filling her head for decades (many of which became her mantras), her deep connection to nature (depicted throughout the book with awe-inspiring photography), and stories of how she wrangled her pain into positivity through the act of creating toys. Melissa is sharing her innermost experience and the lifelines that saved her because millions of Americans are struggling with mental health issues—now more than ever—and she believes her personal story can inspire and bring light to those shrouded in darkness.

The publication of LIFELINES also heralds the launch of LifeLines.com an online community, resource center, and content hub which Melissa and Doug Bernstein are developing and underwriting to offer support and authentic connection for those on their own journeys toward mindfulness and a sense of purpose and meaning.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Melissa Bernstein, along with her husband Doug, is the Co-Founder of the toy company Melissa & Doug, which has created over 5,000
children’s products and sold billions of dollars of toys since its inception. Raised by educators, Melissa and Doug started the business
in their garage in 1988, and they’ve been on a mission ever since to provide open-ended, inventive, non-technologically driven playthings for young children. Throughout Melissa’s remarkable career, she kept secret her lifelong battle with severe depression and anxiety. She reveals her struggles in LIFELINES, her first book, which she wrote to help others who are also suffering. Melissa’s book heralds the launch of LifeLines.com, an online ecosystem she and Doug are underwriting to support those seeking support, guidance, and community on their mental health journeys. Melissa lives in Connecticut with Doug and their six children.

fOLLOW Melissa On Social

Instagram @MelissaBernsteinOfficial and @seeklifelines

The post Interview With Melissa Bernstein, Co-Founder of Prestigious Toy Company, Melissa & Doug and Author of New Book LifeLines appeared first on Michelle Rivera Lifestyle.

It’s 2020 and we’re in a pandemic. Many people are furloughed or permanently out of work.  Now to make matters worse the IRS has not sent you your Refund or Stimulus check yet. 

You have been to the IRS.gov website and you have called all of the phone numbers from it. This has only led you down a path of an endless cycle of automated, useless messages that still have not answered your burning question, “Where is my money?”

Fed-Up

Chances are that if you are reading this right now then you are fed up. My husband and I filed our taxes electronically with our Accountant this year on March 30th, 2020. Now it is 6 months later and we still have not seen one penny of our tax refund. We are owed quite a big refund too, but since April our Refund Status Results on the IRS website has read, “Your Tax Return is still being processed.” So frustrating!

Not a Normal Tax Year

It is definitely not a normal year, let alone a normal tax year. Like many Americans, IRS employees have been furloughed too. This has led to a tremendous backlog on everyone’s tax refunds or Stimulus checks. However, this doesn’t change the fact that people still need their money, especially in today’s economic climate. Also, people may need to talk to someone in regards to other specific tax issues as well. It is so discouraging when you really need to speak to a human being, but instead all you get is caught inside a web of phone automations.

Here’s The Phone Number That Finally Worked For Me

After months and months of combing through the IRS website, and reading countless articles on who to contact at the IRS, I finally found a phone number that led me to an actual human being. Hallelujah! Miracles do happen. I want to share this phone number with all of you, in hopes that it will help you with finally getting in touch with a human being at the IRS as well.  

The phone # is 1-800-829-0582,  press prompt #1, and then Ext 652. It said it would be a 15-30 minutes wait, but it took about 35 minutes for the Agent to answer. I called on a Wednesday afternoon at 1:30pm. I have heard early morning calls do have lesser wait times though. However, I didn’t find the wait time to be that bad and was thrilled to finally speak to a live person.

I have also included a link to tax advocates that you can locate in your state to help you resolve your tax issues. Click HERE.

Good luck everyone! I hope this helps you.  

Disclaimer: Although these results worked for me (Michelle), I am not a tax professional and can not guarantee everyone’s results will be the same as mine. 

The post How To Speak To A Real Person At The IRS appeared first on Michelle Rivera Lifestyle.

Don’t Be Silent

Don’t be silent. Get out and vote.

Elections are won by narrower margins, and politicians change the rules to make it harder for younger generations and people of color to vote.

It’s more important now than ever that you let your voice be heard and the way to do that is to vote.

Get Registered 

If you’re not already registered then you can Register here at:  https://register.rockthevote.com/registrants/new?partner=37610&source=michelleriveralifestyle.

Don’t let important decisions be made without you. Your power comes from your vote. 

You can follow Michelle Rivera at @MichelleRiveraLifestyle 

The post Latinos Are You Registered To Vote? appeared first on Michelle Rivera Lifestyle.

For More Information contact Michelle at MichelleRivera@MichelleRivera.net 

Follow Michelle on Instagram at @MichelleRiveraLifestyle

The post Real Estate Boss Episode 2: What 3 Questions You Should Ask When Hiring A Realtor. appeared first on Michelle Rivera Lifestyle.

What CAR Has To Say

According to CAR Senior Vice President and Chief Economist Leslie Appleton-Young (CAR=California Association of Realtors), she said in a statement, “A new record high in the statewide median price suggests that there is stronger housing demand from more qualified, affluent buyers in this extremely favorable lending environment.” 

It’s optimistic news that the Buyers are out there, but unfortunately the Sellers are not. Across the entire state of California, all areas had housing supply decline more than 30% from the year prior, CAR said. Southern California had the biggest drop in supply, as for-sale listings fell 47.3% year over year.

Home Prices Have Been Driven Up

With the lack of supply of homes on the Market, the demand has driven home prices back up. With less options for buyers to choose from, multiple bids on homes is not uncommon. Therefore, it is now a Seller’s market and an excellent time to list your home.

Listings In Moorpark and Thousand Oaks

As a California Realtor whose expertise is in the Ventura County area, particularly in the cities of Moorpark and Thousand Oaks, I can tell you that as of today, there are only 34 homes listed in the city of Moorpark, and only 93 in the neighboring city of Thousand Oaks. 

Now, factor in that some of those homes are over a million dollars, which many Buyers can not afford. This now creates an even shorter supply of homes available to them.

So if you have been thinking about selling your home, then my recommendation is to do so. With the buyer pool being so high, along with home transactions being predominantly digital, and new Covid-19 CAR Safety Rules in place , now is as good of a time as any to move forward on selling.

For more information contact Michelle at MichelleRivera@MichelleRivera.net

Follow Michelle Rivera on Instagram @MichelleRiveraLifestyle

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For More Information Email Michelle at MichelleRivera@MichelleRivera.net 

Follow Michelle on Instagram at @MichelleRiveraLifestyle

The post ‘Real Estate Boss’ Episode 1: Do You Know The Difference Between a Pre-Qualification and a Pre-Approval Letter? appeared first on Michelle Rivera Lifestyle.

Searching SoCal Podcast Is Here!!! Okay, I can’t fool all of you, because yes, it’s already been here since September, and I’ve just been too crazy busy to post about it. However, regardless of that, it is here and we couldn’t be more excited about it! Yes, I’m speaking for Lara too.

Every Tuesday, Searching SoCal brings you the hidden gems, local events, and favorite places of Southern California in a bite-sized podcast.

Searching SoCal was founded by K-Earth 101 Radio Host Lara Scott and Emmy Winning T.V. Host & Lifestyle Blogger Michelle Rivera (yep….me).

You can Download and Subscribe for FREE anywhere you like to get your Podcasts from. If you’re unsure though where to go then click on this LINK and it will directly take you there.

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/searching-socal/id1480065697

So if you are looking for a great family outing, date night, or fun Girls Night Out in the Southern California area , then you MUST Tune-In to find out what fun events are currently going on in the community.

Also, if you think there is a Cool Spot we should feature on ‘Searching SoCal,’ then please email us at SearchingSoCalPodcast@Gmail.com.

Follow Searching SoCal!

Instagram: @SeasrchingSoCal

Facebook: @SearchingSoCal

The post Searching SoCal Podcast Is Here With Michelle Rivera and Lara Scott! appeared first on Michelle Rivera Lifestyle.

As many of you know my Post-Pregnancy issues were not ideal health wise. Not only did I suffer from a massive Diastasis Recti, I also suffered from a major Ventral Hernia too. After 6 months of Physical Therapy I ended up having surgery to correct both and the 6 week recovery was not fun. You can read my whole story about that here.

Even after surgery I had weight to lose and still needed to rebuild the core muscle strength that was now lost after all of my abdominal trauma, and to this day, almost 4 years later, I still work on keeping my core muscle strength strong and healthy.

That’s why I am so excited to share with all of you AB-EZE. I really wish I had found this product before my surgery because I believe it would have helped me tremendously.

AB-EZE is a smart, new way to strengthen your core. The revolutionary design supports your body against gravity to specifically activate the muscles of your abs, back, glutes, and legs. 

Simply place the anchor over any door, lean on the comfortable support pad, and your muscles will instantly engage. Intensity changes with the press of a button to lengthen or shorten the strap. Change your body position to quickly switch between exercises that will get you fast results. 

AB-EZE targets the exact areas you need to tone. Firm and lift your butt. Sculpt your abs and shrink your waistline. Strengthen your back. Shape and define your legs. 

Don’t have a door? AB- EZE attaches to any fixed point or interchanges with your favorite fitness system. The well crafted, intuitive technology, use, storage, and portability a breeze. In just seconds, AB-EZE conveniently turns your home, office, dorm, or hotel room into your personal gym.

AB-EZE will transform your physique without changing your lifestyle. No time to workout? In just minutes, you can efficiently strengthen your core wherever and whenever your schedule permits. Use AB-EZE between meetings, while baby is napping, as dinner cooks, when taking a study break, or even while you’re watching tv or talking on the phone… AB-EZE is the perfect solution for busy people because it turns unused minutes into body changing moments without breaking a sweat or even changing into workout clothes!

Everyone can use AB-EZE whether you are just starting out or a fitness pro. Choose from a variety of exercises proven to tone your tush, sculpt your abs, and strengthen your back. With AB-EZE you can shape the backs of your legs and shrink your waistline. Tightening your core will relieve back pain, too. 

You can enjoy more traditional movements or a fun, dance style workout. Challenge yourself with advanced exercises. You can even strengthen your entire core without ever having to get down on the floor. The choice is yours. The adjustability and open belt design make AB-EZE the perfect solution for people of all ages and fitness levels to look and feel their best.

For more information on AB-EZE visit www.ab-eze.com.

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