We all have negative thoughts. I often find myself concocting stories in my head, most often imagining the worst possible outcome for whatever is before me now. But most of us will have these episodes occasionally and get back more often to a balanced state of mind. For others, unfortunately, these thoughts can overwhelm or even cause poor health. 

We need to learn to challenge our negative thoughts and distortions. We need to question the truth of these thoughts then replace them with uplifting and realistic thoughts. We can learn to act in a way to be our best selves. We can choose to reinforce healthy habits, choices, and behaviors. 

Of course, we are constantly surrounded 24 hours a day with negativity and crisis after crisis. Much of this is media driven. They sensationalize stories to drive views and clicks. Even before the internet the phrase “If it bleeds it leads” was the way the media went. It can be good to find yourself an unbiased news source and view it briefly. Negative people are a little harder to avoid. All you can do there is to stay away from them or remove them from your life if possible. 

It is best to focus on the things that are in your control. You can use something called reframing. Say you have five tasks that need to be completed at work. Say the day is half over and you have only finished two. A negative way to view this is “Oh no! I am not even halfway done, I have so much to do!”. This puts you in the frame of mind that you will never get done. Instead think “I am almost half done! I can finish the rest easily”. This reframes the thoughts. Sometimes, this perception switch is all that is needed to keep you in a constructive direction. Also, planning your day the night before, prioritizing your tasks and taking small steps can be very helpful.

It is good to know that many things that trigger our negative thoughts may have been imprinted upon us before our rational mind was even formed in early adolescence. Unresolved childhood traumas can impede your personal growth. We need to understand that deep- seated childhood experiences can form patterns that affect us in our adult life. 

Setting goals and learning new skills can help to move your life forward. Replaying negative past events and forecasting dire outcomes are just thoughts in our heads. The past is past, and we do not know the future no matter how many stories we make up. Often negativity comes from lack of direction, focus, and planning. The choice is ours to forecast positive rather than negative outcomes. You need to recognize quickly when a negative thought creeps in. Observe it, release it and replace it with thoughts of previous success, positive affirmations, or simply feeling grateful. These mindful exercises can stop negative thoughts in their tracks. 

Surround yourself with people that lift you up rather than put you down. They will support and inspire you to see the good among the challenges in life. Do minimize sources of stress by avoiding endless news cycles. Set healthy boundaries around negative people. Be active in letting go of limiting beliefs and negative self-perceptions. Learn when those thoughts start and quickly nip them in the bud.   

Kathleen Weaver-Zech and Dean’s Team Chicago

Weekend Alert! Please note that this weekend in Chicago has been a long-time coming. It’s going to bring warmer, sunny days as well as the return of some of our favorite summer festivals as we celebrate the unofficial start of summer on this Memorial Day Weekend!!

Begin your extended Memorial Day weekend by attending the Wreath Laying ceremony at the eternal flame in Daley Plaza (50 W. Washington St.) in The Loop on Saturday at 11 a.m. in remembrance of those who died while serving in the U.S. armed services.  Then head on over to State Street between Lake and Van Buren Streets for Chicago’s annual Memorial Day Parade kicking-off at 12 p.m. Once again, crowds will be allowed to line State Street waving flags and paying their respects at this Chicago tradition dating back to 1870!

It’s back and ready to celebrate the beginning of Chicago’s iconic summer festival season! The Belmont-Sheffield Music Festival returns to the Lakeview neighborhood on Sheffield Avenue between Roscoe Street and Belmont Avenue this Saturday and Sunday (11 a.m. – 10 p.m.). Don’t miss top local tribute bands on the main stage (near Roscoe) featuring acts like Rod Tuffcurls & the Bench Press, Don’t Speak, Fletcher Rockwell, and others. Then an eclectic community entertainment stage (near Belmont) will be filled with fun neighborhood music acts, DJs, and other performers.  Plus, you’ll find great eats, libations (beer and wine), and plenty of artisan vendors to browse while just hanging out and enjoying being out of the house!

The first-ever Sueños Chicago takes place at the historic Grant Park’s Hutchinson Field (337 E. Randolph St.) in The Loop on Saturday and Sunday (12 p.m. – 10 p.m.). Come experience this all-new multi-day Latin music festival featuring headlining sets from 15+ Latin performers.  In addition to two days of music, attendees can also enjoy a curated selection of Chicago’s best Latin food, custom art installations, a Ferris wheel, merch, activities and more. There’s even after shows at local music venues!  It’s going to be one of the largest new festivals to launch in Chicago that you likely don’t want to miss!!

Returning for its first in-person celebration since 2019, Mole de Mayo returns to the Pilsen neighborhood at Ashland Avenue and West 18^th Street on Saturday (12 p.m. – 10 p.m.) and Sunday (12 p.m. – 9 p.m.) honoring the traditional Mexican sauce with a mole cook-off. In addition, this event features 2 stages of great live entertainment, including music, DJ, and dance along with some of the city’s finest food vendors, an open-air Mercado (market) filled to the brim with local businesses and crafters, and a lucha libre wrestling ring!

One of the best aerial displays you’ll find in Chicago during the summer are the Navy Pier Fireworks which are hosted twice-weekly on Wednesdays and Saturdays from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend.  Stunning views are available from across the Pier’s public spaces located at 600 E. Grand Avenue in the Streeterville neighborhood, or you can take in the show from nearby beaches or on a cruise along the Lakefront Trail!

Finally, the Chicago White Sox are hosting the Chicago Cubs in a cross-town classic on Saturday (6:10 p.m.) and Sunday (1:10 p.m.) at Guaranteed Rate Field (333 W. 35^th St.) in the Bridgeport neighborhood. Hopefully, each team will win a game so all fans can go home happy!!

Have a Happy and Safe Memorial Day Weekend!

Sue Moss and Dean’s Team Chicago

“From Instagram-worthy cocktails to larger-than-life burger… hiding the evidence of your mission will be anything but impossible.”

– The Management at SafeHouse Chicago

One not-so-secret escape from the world is hidden behind a red door just off the Magnificent Mile; if you hadn’t heard of it before… it’s because SafeHouse Chicago has been on a secret mission the last two months, closing its doors to deal with an internal breach. 

But on May 19, the owners of posted on its Facebook page: The wait is over! Chicago’s spy headquarters are NOW OPEN! Find the Red Door at 60 E. Ontario Street to enter a world of espionage. Do you know the password to get in?”

And that’s where the fun starts! At the Red Door, guests either know the password OR do whatever the door person, aka ‘Moneypenny,’ tells you to do. And when they tell you what to do…you listen. Or you don’t get in.

I first visited SafeHouse Milwaukee many years ago. My traveling companion and I were fortunate enough to meet someone who was familiar with the SafeHouse and told us the password. Perhaps you’ll be just as lucky. By now, the password may have changed. But your alternative will live on forever, captured by the video camera.

Once inside…be shaken, not stirred. There’s music. Interactive gadgets. Neon lights.  And food. Delicious food. But let SafeHouse Chicago tell you all about it. 

“Chicago’s spy headquarters are hidden in plain sight in the heart of River North. Your mission begins when you locate the Red Door, located just a block off The Magnificent Mile,” they say. “Behind the Red Door lies a world of espionage… To gain entry, you must provide the correct password to Moneypenny or pass a fun clearance test to prove you are not a double agent. Once inside, you are invited to explore authentic spy artifacts, interactive gadgets, and delicious eats & cocktails.  SafeHouse Chicago is a family-friendly experience. Plan your mission today.”

Should you choose to accept it, your dining mission starts with THUNDERBALLS…SafeHouse Chicago’s meatballs, made with dry-aged prime beef, and served with garlic toast and marinara sauce. Or FOUCHE’S FRIES…disguised under the cover of C4 Cheese Curds, pork belly béchamel, and a fried egg “top hat.” A.K.A. Poutine. Once captured, try a “007” LAYER SALAD, with chopped lettuce, bacon, cheddar cheese, sweet pea hummus, stilton cheese, and English cucumber, tossed in Bond’s creamy herb dressing. Or, learn why DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER, glittering with gem lettuce, tomato pearls, ruby red beets, emerald island blue cheese cat’s eye crisps, and Jaden rice vinegar dressing. The BAY OF PIGS is a bowl of steamed pork dumplings, pork belly, tonkatsu broth, ramen noodles, radish, sweet corn, and serrano chiles. A decidedly dangerous and unorganized invasion of flavors. THE BIG KAHUNA is a Hawaiian-style ahi tuna poke, with garlic fried rice, ripe avocado, pickled vegetables, and wasabi mayo. And did someone mention BURGERS? For the bravest of spies…. take the OOMG BURGER CHALLENGE Down a 15-patty cheeseburger, 2 pounds of C4 Cheese Curds, and 51 ounces of beer.  “Complete this mission in an hour or less,” promises ‘M, “And receive the meal for free, plus spytastic prizes!”

Thought we were done? Hah! Not with entrees like A LICENSE TO KILL MAC & CHEESE, Lupe Lamora’s fiery South American version with cavatappi, cheddar cheese, smoked chicken, peppered bacon, broccolini, chipotle peppers, and green garlic crumb. Explosive! And THE KINGSMAN…48-hour braised short rib, Yorkshire pudding, horseradish mashed potatoes, and Kentucky bourbon demi-glace.

SafeHouse Chicago is located at 60 E. Ontario Street. They are open Wednesdays and Thursdays, 4pm – 10pm, Fridays, 4pm-11pm, Saturdays, 11am – 11pm, and Sundays, 11am – 9pm. They are closed Mondays and Tuesdays. For reservations, click here.

 Alison Moran-Powers and Dean’s Team Chicago

There’s a certain appeal of having guaranteed access to a vacation property in a spot that you enjoy visiting frequently on your holidays, which is precisely what timeshares offer. Simply pick up and go without having to jump through hoops to make sure the place is available when you feel like ditching the concrete jungle in favor of something more serene for a little while.

And even when it comes time to sell, there are typically always a pool of buyers who are willing to pay for these conveniences.

But not all resale timeshare sales transactions are good deals. In fact, many of them are downright scams.

While there are plenty of honest sellers who are trying to unload their timeshares to willing buyers, there are also plenty of scammers out there waiting to rip off unsuspecting people.

In fact, this practice is so rampant that the Federal Trade Commission has actually had to step in and cease hundreds of deceitful resale timeshare scams that have been responsible for stealing millions of dollars. When timeshare owners are anxious to get rid of their vacations properties quickly for whatever reason, scammers are lurking in the shadows waiting to pounce.

Before selling or purchasing a timeshare, it’s critical that you do some research first to find out exactly how they work, and how to decipher between what’s a legitimate deal and what isn’t. Scams in the timeshare resale realm are varied and can take on many faces, so it’s important to be wary of them to avoid getting caught in the current.

“I’ve Got Cash Buyers Ready to Purchase”

Lots of timeshare sellers have heard this line. Scammers offer the promise of having a buyer ready to purchase the timeshare, or promise that they can definitely sell it quickly. All sellers need to do, they’re told, is pay an up-front amount to cover expenses like maintenance fees, closing costs, taxes, and so on. Once that money’s been wired over, sellers never hear a peep from the tricksters again – or their money.

Without a paper trail or any contract signed, there’s little recourse for sellers. All they’re left with is a loss of hundreds or even thousands of dollars.

“Been Scammed? We Can Help Recover Your Stolen Money”

Scammers are smart, and they often come up with new and more savvy ways to swindle a buck out of unsuspecting victims. Changing the game up a little helps avoid a trail left behind, so they can continue fattening their bank accounts with little chance of getting caught.

In the case of the first type of scam, many thieves continue on with the act by contacting the victims and promising to help get the stolen funds back. But of course, this service comes with a fee. And once the victim is convinced of the legitimacy of this service, more money is wired to the con artists, after which the initial funds are never recovered.

“We Help Connect Buyers in Mexico With Sellers in the US”

It seems there’s nothing a crook won’t do to get their hands on illegitimate funds. A scam that’s recently become pretty popular involves scammers claiming to be the go-between for buyers in Latin America who want to get a visa by purchasing property in the US. By putting their name on title – so the scam goes – these agents acting on behalf of the buyers claim to help them obtain the green card they’ve been longing for. All that needs to happen to get the ball rolling in this purchase is for the seller to send over a transaction fee.

The story ends like the others . . . with the sellers left with a lot less in their pockets.

Many Scammers Are Engaging in Identity Theft to Appear Legit

While there are a lot of people out there who are easily fooled, fraudsters don’t rely on their naiveté to make sure they get away with their nefarious plans. As such, many of them go so far as to steal the identity of trustworthy and reputable names in order to appear legitimate in the eyes of their prey.

Many timeshare scammers hide behind the names of established companies or even government officials in order to extort money from sellers. They even have fake websites, professional-sounding titles, and phony addresses to keep up the facade. Many are putting themselves out there as real estate licensees and use an actual broker’s name and license number in order to make it appear as if the sales transaction is real.

What Can You Do To Protect Yourself?

It can be pretty scary to think about the lengths that scammers will go to in order to rip off timeshare sellers, especially when identity theft is involved. Being vigilant is inevitably the best thing in order to protect yourself. It’s better to be highly skeptical with a legitimate service than be gullible with a fraudulent one.

First and foremost, be very suspicious of people who ask for money up front. If the deal is authentic, any fees owed will usually be payable after the transaction is done. And once the fees are due, money should NEVER be wired, nor should they be paid in cash. Instead, funds should only be transferred through a legitimate attorney where a valid and easily-tracked paper trail is left. The former two methods will only make it impossible for law enforcement to recover the lost money.

Speaking of attorneys, you should always have one carefully review any documents involved with sales transactions to make sure you don’t sign anything illicit. Everything should be in writing and reviewed in detail before any sales transaction is finalized.

Even if the reseller seems legitimate with a company name or title that sounds genuine, check into them in more detail to find out if they truly are who they say they are. And if the timeshare being sold is in a resort, call and ask if the resort has a resale program of their own, or if they’ve ever dealt with this particular reseller who’s been in touch with you.

By being cautious and aware of the potential scams floating around out there, you can make sure that the people you’re paying for a resale timeshare are the real deal.