special edition of "new day weekend" i'm boris sanchez. >> i'm amara walker. i got to say the music wanted to make me want to do jazz hands. >> with the glitters in the background. coming up, we will look ahead to the crucial midterm elections for the balance of power. for the second half of president biden's term the impact just ahead. and the new year usually comes with new year's resolutions, we've got news to get your financial house in order in 2022. we'll introduce you to a singer-songwriter using her own challenges to inspire young people. first, a check of top stories. good morning, thank you for joining us. i hope your new year is off to a great start. i'm ryan nobles. 2022 begins with more disruptions and a grim warning. things will likely get worse as the omicron variant spreads across the u.s. the nation broke records twice this week for the seven-day average of new daily covid-19 cases. now, one doctor is warning this latest wave is unlike anything we've seen before. while hospitalizations and deaths are lower than their 2021 peak, the cdc predicts that more than 44,000 people could die of covid-19 in the next four weeks. and now, with the millions prepared to return to work and school, there are concerns that the number of new infections will rise further. cnn's polo sandoval reports. >> reporter: the u.s. is shattering records this week, with an average of about 356,000 covid infections reported every day in the past week, according to johns hopkins university. ♪ >> reporter: as the world rang in the new year, the latest surge is sweeping across the u.s., pushing indication and hospitalizations to unprecedented levels. experting warning the turning point could be weeks away. >> given the size of our country and the diversity of vaccination versus nonvaccination, that is likely we'll be more than a couple weeks, probably by the end of january. >> reporter: roughly 62% in the country is fully vaccinated according to the centers for disease control and preparation, only 33 of vaccinated adults have gotten boosters which expects say are critical protecting against the variants. the omicron variant the most contagious strain rapidly spreading across the world. in the u.s., seeing the highest number of hospitalization. new york reporting over 5,076 cases. hospitalizations hit 8,000, an 8% spike from the day before. and risen 20% since monday. >> clearly, new york and washington, d.c., ahead of the curve, but not by much, expect in the next four weeks everyone hit with it. >> reporter: new jersey identify more than 28,000 new covid cases via pcr testing governor murphy said. the number of cases higher to at-home testing he added. the some calling on the national guard. ohio governor mike dewine deploying, 1,755 troops. georgia deployed 200 troops in the same week that the six major health systems saw 100 to 200% hospitalizations. and doubling to 100 and preparing for 80 guardsmen to undergo emergency medical training according to the governor. with more viruses spreading in the country, more than 30 colleges and universities are changing start of spring semesters. and more children are getting sick and hospitalized than any other point in the pandemic, just as schools will be ramping up over the holidays. >> quantitatively, you're having so many more people, including children, who are getting infected. even though hospitalizations among children is much, much lower on a percentage basis than hospitalizations for adults, particularly elderly individuals. however, when you have such a large volume of infections among children, even with a low level of rate of infection, you're going to still see a lot more children who get hospitalized. >> reporter: a positive note, studies say reports on the omicron variant continue to suggest it may not be as lethal as dealt tax even as it spreads quickly. polo sandoval, cnn, new york. >> thank you, polo. let's talk more about this, joining me is are dr. jane morgan, the executive director of the piedmont covid tank force in georgia. dr. morgan, thank you for being here. there seems to be so many things to be worried about with the new surge. i of course, am a parent, i have several kids school age, my anxiety centers around the children going back to the classrooms on monday. do you think school districts are prepared for this and what advice can you give to parents like me to help keep kids safe. >> i think when we talk about returning children to school and parents, we certainly want to do the best for our children. the number one thing you can do get your children vaccinate probably ahead of that, for the parents to get vaccinated. to make certain you have a vaccinated household. that's the number one thing. the second thing you can do, make certain that your children are masked when they are in their school environment. if your school isle going to be in person. we certainly understand, very clearly, the mental fold, the mental anguish this has taken on our youth. and when this is all said and done, it will really be unclear what will be the damage of the emotional and mental toll on our children, because of lack of socialization and interaction. and the odd way in which we have lived and interacted for the last two years. so, we absolutely want to encourage, if we can, children to be in school, as long as there can be a safe environment. well ventilated space that type of thing. and vaccines and boosters are at the top of the list of providing safety. not just for the children, but their households as well. >> yeah. all three of mine have been vaccinated which came as a great relief. >> good. >> well, wee seen omicron begin to level off in countries like south africa where it was first discovered. it seems it's arcing pretty quickly. is that something that could happen in the united states? or do we see the impact of omicron be different depending on vaccination rates in different parts of the country? >> and that's something, ryan, we're watching very closely. our demographic in the united states is different than south africa. they tend to skew a bit younger. they tend to have more unvaccinated people than we did as well. and so, it's difficult to compa compare. it's more of an apples to oranges comparison. in some ways our population mirrors that of the uk. and as we've seen what has happened in the united kingdom ahead of us, we tend to parallel that. one of the things we see the exhaustion of the susceptible. this term, exhaustion of susceptible in science. meaning we might see this virus blow in and blow out. but in doing so, similar to a tornado, it leaves a lot of destruction in its path. this exhaustion of the susceptible. and that is part of what we're seeing now with this volume of positive cases, which, by the way, is being grossly underreported. if you look at the process that abbott posted for the first quarter, 48.6%. 1.6 billion of that in testing, is rapid tests. when you look at units that means probably 60 million units sold at $25. that's probably close to 120 million tests that people are doing at home that probably are not being registered anywhere. they are thrown into the trash. so, we are grossly underreporting and underestimating what the volume is of omicron and delta. here in our society. but we are watching as we see this surge continue to rise, the sheer volume, of this particular bearing that has the ability to overwhum our health care system. >> all right, dr. jane morgan, hopefully, we aren't still talking about this on new year's day of next year. but, you know, we shouldn't make any predictions. we thank you so much for your expertise here this morning. and have a happy new year. >> thank you, happy new year, ryan. >> all right. and as the highly transmissible omicron variant surges across the country, the biden administration is signaling a shift in its strategy to contain the virus. cnn white house reporter kevin liptak has more on the federal response to covid-19. >> reporter: yeah, good morning, ryan, happy new year. president biden is entering 2022 facing this massive surge of covid-19 that's really testing his ability to contain this virus. and return the country to normal. which is something he had hoped would happen by this holiday season. now, the president spent the last week speaking with advisers about this plan to combat the omicron variant, including those 500 million tests that he promised americans last week. we are expecting to hear more details about those tests next week, including contracts between the federal government and companies. we're expecting to learn more about those late next week. now, in addition to those tests, the federal government is searching resources to states that have been affected by this virus, that includes a new testing site set up by the federal government in new jersey. that will open today. additional sites in the district of columbia and philadelphia are also expected to open in the coming days. fema has dispatched health workers to states like new york and arizona. other federal health workers including from the military have been sent to indiana, new mexico and wisconsin. one other thing to watch this week is the supreme court. they're scheduled to hear oral arguments on friday related to the president's vaccine mandates on public health workers and large businesses. that, of course, has been a major component in his bid to put this pandemic in the rear view mirror. the fate of those mandates before the court at the end of this week. now, covid is not the only thing on the president's plate as he returns to washington to begin this new year. of course, his domestic agenda is still uncertain, after senator joe manchin seems to put the whole thing in doubt the sunday before christmas. that's something that the president will be working on when he gets back to washington. of course, he is also still trying to defuse this situation, this crisis on the ukrainian border. he spoke with russian president vladimir putin last week. he's also scheduled to speak with the ukrainian president on sunday. and then, of course, the president is also looking ahead to thursday's anniversary of the u.s. capitol riot on january 6th. we do expect to hear from the president on that day as well. so, all of these items, waiting for the president, when he gets back to washington. and, remember, ryan, we're not only entering 2022, we're also entering a midterm election year, where democrats' control of both houses of congress is on the table. ryan. >> kevin liptak with the president in wilmington. obviously a lot on the president's plate but he's out with a new year's message for the american people. during a prerecorded video on abc, the commander in chief and first lady biden struck an optimistic tone for 2022. >> no matter how high the challenges, the obstacles we always overcome. at the beginning of the new year, i'm more optimistic about america than i've ever been. at our best, we take every crisis we face and turn it into an opportunity. we are a stronger and better nation. >> biden and the first lady also paying tribute to medical workers on the front lines of the covid fight. major new year's eve plans were scaled back around the world due to the spread of the omicron variant. but many cities still found way to celebrate. that, of course, the scene in new york city. that's where 15,000 masked fully vaccinated people gathered in person for the times square drop. the fireworks lit up the sky on copacabana beach on rio de janeiro. and another major show of fireworks in dubai, at the burj skyscraper. before we go to break, the 50-year friendship between carole king and james taylor, watch the special "just call out my name" right here on cnn. here's a preview. >> friends, collaborators, legends, their music shaped a generation. they come together for a tour of a lifetime. ♪ and it's too late baby ♪ >> james taylor. >> his songs were amazing. his voice was amazing and his demeanor. >> t. hall and carole king. >> carole king, one of the greatest songwriters of all time asked to be a part of my band. >> 40 years. >> i loved every experience we have had together. ♪ you just call out my name and you know wherever i am ♪ ♪ i'll come running ♪ >> just call out my name, tomorrow at 9:00, on cnn. nicotte knows, quitting smoking is freaking hard. you get adce like: try pnosis... or... quit cold turkey. kidding me?! instead, start small. with nicorette. which can lead to something big. start stopping with nicorette so, just months from now, voters across the united states are going to determine who will call the shots in washington for the next two years. emboldened by president biden's lagging poll numbers republicans seem all but certain to pick up new seats, and potentially, take the house and senate, while democrats may have to find new ways to show voters they will keep their promises after self-imposed deadlines to pass key portions of president biden's agenda came and went last year. with us this morning to discuss. and alice stewart. ladies, thank you for being here. in ten states that cnn is watching most likely to flip right now, four of them currently held by democrats, sick by republicans, alice, to you first, which of these races are you focusing on as pickup opportunities. what is it going to take to flip them? >> it's going to take the republican party and capitalizing on the vision and low morale in the democratic party which is in full swing. i happened to look at georgia, my home state, because it was a pivotal race earlier in 2021. and i'm looking at georgia to see the raphael warnock race get flipped back to republican hands. whoever it may be, potentially herschel walker, i see georgia as a big pickup opportunity. and certainly other states across the country can galvanize and focus on what we see as low morale problems with the democrats. and also low accomplishment in terms of democratic policy agenda accomplishments. so those are key places and ways we can look at turning over the senate from democrat to republican. >> and, maria, where on the map are you looking? >> first of all, boris -- [ speaking in foreign language ] -- you started by talking about resolutions. democrats are going to make it their resolution not to lose any seats in the house and increase our margins in the senate. look, there's no question it's going to be a tough year because history dictates that, right? normally, the president that is in power, his party, or her party, loses seats in the midterm elections. but, look, we are focused on talking about economic growth. we're focused on talking about all of the accomplishments that are under president biden and democrats' belts. you have 6 million jobs that were created. 200 million americans have been vaccinated. you had economic growth that was huge. labor participation is up. wages are up. people are worried, there's no question about the omicron variant now. and president biden had a great speech last week, where he laid out a big, bold plan to make sure that we're able to crush this virus. and so, i think that there are a lot of opportunities for the senate pickups, as well as not just keeping the house, but increasing the house. and i know a lot of people are going to roll their eyes at that. but, look, there are eight more months, where democrats can make sure to talk about all of these great accomplishments including the american relief plan, including the infrastructure bill. and while we did not build back better at least in 2021, we are still focused on making it happen in 2022. because american economies are at stake. the child tax credit has to pass. we have to pass universal health care. universal kindergarten for all of our kids, elderly care. and so we're hoping that joe manchin will come to the table. who knows maybe a senator as well, lisa murkowski, i'm looking at you, who understands that they have to govern and they have to meet the needs of the american people. and they are in need right now. and democrats are going to continue to fight for them. >> there is a perception problem, maria, i want to stay with you because a recent cnn poll found three quarters of americans are worried about the state of the economy. only 3 in 10 voters, 3 in 10, said president biden's policies have improved condition information the country. the white house had been holding out for biden's social spending bill. you mentioned joe manchin sinking it a couple weeks ago. how do democrats turn that around among voters? you mentioned a list of accomplishments from the white house. it doesn't seem like it's sinking in. >> you're right. we have to do a much better job of bragging. we have to make sure that americans understand what we have accomplished. what we have accomplished for them. and what we will continue to fight for. build back better is not dead. build back better is going to continue to be a focus of the democrats of president biden, i hope joe manchin as well. look, maybe it's not going to look like what it looked like at the end of the 2021, but there are definitely pieces in there that we can do together that will be important to make sure that the american people continue to look at their own economies. and that they see opportunity, not just to survive, but to succeed and to thrive. and there are so many proposals until their, boris, as you know, they're immensely popular with the american people. and so democrats do need to continue to talk about the accomplishments that i listed. the infrastructure bill is going to inject millions into the economy. the american relief plan that we passed earlier in 2021, that put shots in arms that put money in the pockets of american families that were desperate for help. that helped not just jobs, but helped small businesses survive the pandemic, all in the face of the republican party who refused to join democrats to do anything to help the american people. while they were happy once these laws were passed to join in ribbon-cutting ceremonies and taking credit for something that they absolutely did not do. so, we will absolutely continue to brag about all of these accomplishments. that is something that we need to do a much better job of. >> boris, if i may. >> sure. >> clearly, maria's new year's resolution is to look at politics in an optimistic lens. >> always. >> but that's why i'd love to fact-check a few of her optimists. joe biden is having trouble with unity within his own party as progressives are really steamrolling through his own agenda. the build back better plan has failed. i see it d.o.a., it's not moving forward. we have a terrible humanitarian crisis at the border. inflation is a big problem, it's not transitory, it's long term. he said he would get a handle on covid, covid is worse over the past year than when he took office. as well as the abysmal withdrawal from afghanistan. we're seeing rising gas prices, rising price of food. and the economy is in peril. and those are the kind of issues that are concerning to the american people. boris, you mentioned that is a key focus for the american people. also an important part of that recent cnn poll is when people look at joe biden accomplishments or how he has handled the economy, 55% of american people disapprove of the way joe biden has handled the economy. and that is a key issue for them. so that bodes not well for biden and the democrats moving forward. there's also a terrible morale problem within the democratic party. they are certainly concerned about their lack of accomplishments. and the fear of losing, but also a key factor is they are concerned about how redistricting will impact their district moving forward. so, i think as they say, democrats, you have a real problem in the midterm election. >> you know -- >> we unfortunately have to leave the conversation there. i have so many more questions, sometimes, chatting with you, you both go back and forth. i love it. maria cardona, alice stewart, happy 2022. look forward to seeing you both soon once all of the omicron stuff is behind us. >> thank you, boris. >> same to you. we've got a check of the top story just ahead. plus, if one of your 2022 goals is to get your finances in order -- yes, i've got my hand up -- we've got help. that's next. exploring the heart of historic europe with viking, you'll get closer to iconic landmarks, to local life and legendary treasures as you sail onboard our patented, award-winning viking longships. you'll enjoy many extras, including wi-fi, cultural enrichment from ship to shore and engaging excursions. viking - voted number one river cruise line by condé nast readers. learn more at viking.com. when you have xfinity xfi, you have peace of mind built in at no extra cost. advanced security helps keep your family protected online. pause wifi whenever for ultimate control with the xfinity app. and family-safe 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aftermath of 2024 presidential election. and the potential for lethal chaos inside our military that would put all americans at severe risk. in short, we are chilled to our bones at the thought of a coup succeeding next time. i'm joined now by one of the authors of that op-ed, retired brigadier general steven anderson. general, thank you for joining us. is this a big step for you and two colleagues to speak out like this. what motivated you to write this column now? >> thank you, pam, for having us on. it's very difficult to talk like this pipe was raised in the army to be apolitical. and i've never been active politically, the last couple of years, sick laterally, the 6th of january has changed my mind considerably. we can no longer afford to be apolitical. i voted as such and never was active and things changed and trump got over the republican party. and now, it's a mere -- it's completely lost itself. it's lost its way. and it's overwhelmed with cowardice. but 43 years ago, i took an oath to the country that i would support and defend the constitution of the united states, against all enemies, foreign and domestic, and my co-authors and i, and the vets organization we work with are tremendously concerned about the threat internally. the threat domestically. within the military in particular. and so, we need to start taking actions now to prevent for the eventuality in 2024 that trump will try to do the same things he did in 2020, which he got incredibly close. we just tried to write an article that highlights our view of democracy at risk. we love our country, and we need to take actions now to mitigate that risk. >> why are you so concerned about what's going on in the military in particular? >> well, if you look at the extremism that has gone on within the military, you look at those that were active on the actual assault on the capitol. over 10% had a military background. we all saw the pictures of the guys with the zip tice sand helmets and marching formations into that throng. you know, there's a threat within. we've got some people that just haven't been educated. they haven't been found out. and they've grown empowered through, perhaps, inaction on the parts of some of our key leaders. and we need to do -- what we can do now, identify those people, get them out of our ranks, and train the rest of the force on civics 101. about how our country is supposed to work. how elections work. stop listening to the pillow guy. and start learning about our country and how it's actual little supposed to run. >> really quickly, just walk us through your concern about this partisan divide and how it could impact the chain of command, and why that is so concerning to you, in terms of preventing another coup attempt potentially in 2024. >> well, the big problem here is allegiance to the constitution, versus allegiance to a leader. in this case, a cult-like figure like trump. there's a lot of people in uniform that are confused about that. they think the president is something like a king, and it's not. you know, we swore an oath to the constitution. that's how our soldier, sailors and the marines need to act. you know, we're concerned that there's so much activity within the military that shows that people are ignorant of what our constitution is really all about. and they have responded to people like trump. and when he tells them to jump, they're probably willing to do that. >> all right. that is just chilling, bone-chilling, as you say in the op-ed. brigadier general steven anderson, thank you. >> thank you. >> stop listening to the pillow guy. always good advice. still ahead, the up and coming singer-songwriter using her skrous to help those struggling with depression and anxiety. we'll hear from her, next. welcome to silversneakers. are you ready to get moving? (throws punch) our new virtual classes were designed for you and millions of seniors like you. you can now choose from thousands of live virtual classes every week. get moving wherever you have an internet connection. and when you're ready, enjoy access to thousands of locations nationwide. with silversneakers, you're free to move. enroll today at no additional cost by visiting getsilversneakers dot com. i have moderate to severe ulcerative colitis. so i'm taking zeposia, a once-daily pill. because i won't let uc stop me from being me. zeposia can help people with uc achieve and maintain remission. and it's the first and only s1p receptor modulator approved for uc. don't take zeposia if you've had a heart attack, chest pain, stroke or mini-stroke, heart failure in the last 6 months, irregular or abnormal heartbeat not corrected by a pacemaker, if you have untreated severe breathing problems during your sleep, or if you take medicines called maois. zeposia may cause serious side effects including infections that can be life-threatening and cause death, slow heart rate, liver or breathing problems, increased blood pressure, macular edema, and swelling and narrowing of the brain's blood vessels. though unlikely, a risk of pml--a rare, serious, potentially fatal brain infection--cannot be ruled out. tell your doctor about all your medical conditions, medications, or if you are or plan to become pregnant. if you can become pregnant, use birth control during treatment and for 3 months after you stop taking zeposia. don't let uc stop you from doing you. ask your doctor about once-daily zeposia. your shipping manager left to “find themself.” leaving you lost. you need to hire. i need indeed. indeed you do. indeed instant match instantly delivers quality candidates matching your job description. visit indeed.com/hire welcome back, everyone, to this special edition of "new day weekend." i'm amara walker. >> happy new year, amara, i'm boris sanchez. the new year usually comes with new resolutions and for some that may mean getting a handle on your finances. we've got some tips to help get your financial house in order this year. and we'll introduce you to the up-and-coming singer-songwriter using her voice to help young people dealing with adversity. that's coming up. first, a check of the top story. thanks, amara and boris, i'm ryan nobles in washington. and 2022 is getting off to a chilly start. some states are getting hit hard with heavy snow and freezing temperatures. so how could it impact your holiday travel plans? let's check off the new year's day forecast with allison chinchar. hi, allison. >> good morning, we've got a smorgasbord of american across the map today. we've got snow, we've got ice, we've got tornadoes, damaging winds and even flooding potential. let's begin with the winter side of the storm. it's a very expansive system. we have winter weather alerts stretching all the way from arizona up to maine, and pretty much everywhere in between. again, when you look at the north side where all of that arctic cold air is already in place you've got a lot of snow. and some of that snow coming down in pretty heavy bands at times. it's going to make its way from the eastern rockies to the midwest. especially the great lakes region by tonight. for tomorrow morning, as that cold air begins to infiltrate to the northeast, that's where we see impacts there, in terms of cold weather like snow and ice. widespread snowfall totals for areas of northern kansas and southeastern nebraska, all the way over to the chicago suburbs, looking at 4 to 6 inches and several inches on the higher elevations of the east. south of the system, severe weather in the forecast. nashville, atlanta, montgomery, huntsville, all looking for the potential of tornadoes damaging winds and even some hail as well. while we do have ongoing storms this morning, the bulk of the severe weather really ramps up this afternoon and it will continue through the evening hours and overnight time line once we're talking about to the east. ryan, the other big concern, a lot of the ground is saturated to this point so any additional rain that we bring in is likely to exacerbate any flooding concerns. >> all right, allison chinchar, thank you so much. appreciate it. fans around the world are mourning the loss of tv icon betty white. white died yesterday, just a few weeks shy of her 100th birthday. former first lady michelle obama tweeted betty white broke barriers, defied expectations, served her country and pushed us all to laugh. actor and co-star ryan reynolds said, quote, the world looks different now, she managed to grow very old and somehow not old enough. let's go back to boris and amara. with the start of the new year brings new resolutions. and a chance to refocus. for some of us that mean paying closer attention to our finances, especially now, as we're seeing prices on nearly everything continue to go up. joining us now is julian hill, a senior editor at cnn underscore. a team testing out products and services to help you save money. julian, happy new year, great to have you. there are plenty that folks can to to get their financial house in order. and the big one is page down as much debt as you can, right? >> absolutely, most people hate talking about debt. the least favorite financial topics. but if you're looking to spend more money on the things you want. or just want to get your finances more under control, paying down at least a portion of that debt in 2022 is vital. especially if it's credit card debt. because the interest rates on those credit cards are so high that if you're only making the minimum payment each month, you're paying most towards interest and not really paying down the debt itself. now, there's a solution to this that is counterintuitive. believe it or not, one thing you can do is go out and get another credit card. no not to go on a spending spree and buy more. but, rather, you're going to look for a credit card that has an introduction tore balance transfer offer. these are cards that come with the ability to transfer the existing balance from another credit card. and get zero percent interest, anywhere from 12 to 21 months from the date you first open the account. once you get your interest rates down to zero making that monthly payment, all of it going to principal, none to interest. so if you're looking at getting started on the right foot in 2022, page down some debt, we have a list at our zero balance credit cards at cnn underscore. >> the interest rates are shockingly high in the 20s. but we'll move on. a lot of this has to do with budgeting, right? you got to prioritize what to pay down first? >> yes, if debt is everyone's least favorite financial topic, budgeting might be number two. a lot of people get nervous about budgeting. if you are nervous about budgeting, one thing you can do is take a look at popular budgets apps out there. we test these apps, consistently, pocketguard is one of our favorite. it's cheap, easy to use. even a free version to get started. if you're still nervous about budgeting, though, another option is to create a spending plan, now, this is similar to a budget, except that you're putting aside money for things that you need that you have to pay for then you do whatever you want with the rest. for instance, when you get a monthly paycheck, if you create three spending plan buckets. the first one is to pay yourself back. you always want to pay yourself back first if you can. you put that first bucket of money towards a retirement fund, college fund, vacation fund. pay yourself first. the second bucket is the essentials, the things you must pay each month. your rent, utilities, car payments. these are things you can't do without. whatever is left for the third bucket, that's your fun money that you can do with whatever you want. again, not totally different than a budget, but easier to have a spend plan. to get 2022 on the right foot. >> that's great advice. i wish i had known you many years ago. doing all of these things can have an impact on your credit score, right? >> it could. and credit scores are something that scare a lot of people because they're complicated and people don't understand how they work. but a great credit score, a good one can open the door to better car loans, and even buying a house with a mortgage down the line. now, the bad news is there's only one way to improve your credit score permanently, that's to pay your bills on time each month kentily. but if you're looking for a little bit of a jump start, one thing that we love at cnn underscored is experian boost. it's created by one of the three agencies in the u.s. what experian boost does, adds the on-time payments for items that don't normally appear on a credit card to your score. your cell phone payments, believe it or not, your netflix payments. by adding those on-time payments it increases your credit score without you having to do thing to start. not all lenders use experian boost. it's not a cure-all but a good way to get a jump-start. >> yeah, who would be delinquent on their netflix payments, right? one more tip, specifically for homeowners. >> if you haven't refinanced in the last two years and you're feeling left out, believe it or not, it's not too late. interest rates are not at historical lows that they were in 2020, but they are still relatively low. and if your morgutgage is more than a few years old there's a chance you can find a lower interest through a refinance than you're currently paying on your mortgage. also, because home prices have gone up so drastically in the last year, you may be able to take cash out of your home. you might be able to do that by a refinance. there's lots of ways to start a refinance. a broker. one way we like to do it at cnn underscored is an online marketplace where you can get multiple offers from lenders all at the same time. if you want to start on that process and again i recommend you do, if you haven't already, check us out at cnn.com underscored. >> who needs a financial adviser when you have julian kheel. at cnn underscored. happy new year. a clean slate too. >> sounds great. happy new year to you, too. i've always been running. to meetings. errands. now i'm running for me. i've always dreamed of seeing the world. but i'm not chasing my dream anymore. i made a financial plan to live it every day. ♪ at northwestern mutual, our version of financial planning helps you live your dreams today. find a northwestern mutual advisor at nm.com (kate) this holiday, verizon has the deal that gets better and better and better. get iphone 13 pro, on us, when you trade in your old or damaged phone. here, the phone everyone wants, on america's most reliable network. better? (guy) better. (kate) that's not all. the new iphone, and up to 7 entertainment subscriptions for your family. like apple music, apple arcade, and more. better? (family) better. (kate) not done. the new iphone, the entertainment, and up to $1,000 when you switch. (carolers) ♪better♪ (kate) this year, holiday better, with verizon. because everyone deserves better. ♪ i see trees of green ♪ ♪ red roses too ♪ ♪ i see them bloom for me and you ♪ (music) ♪ so i think to myself ♪ ♪ oh what a wonderful world ♪ 19-year-old rising singer-songwriter grace gelstda has thousands of followers on instagram. and grace struggled with depression and anxiety after being bullied by classmates in high school. >> so, for her debut album, she's released a short film creating the traumatic experiences of her past and the healing journey that got her through it all. listen. >> at 75th cafe, the place where every ounce of my dignity was stolen.place where i learned to hate myself. the place i learned to hate others. also the place where i learned that everyone, even the worst people are human. i realize that only hurt people hurt people. these girls who will i so desperately wanted to be are so broken, they just learned from a very young age how to create the illusion of perfection, even though they were the farthest thing from it. >> christi paul sat down with her to talk about the project. >> singer grace gaustad is here with us. congratulations, on your debut of album "black box, what are you hiding" is what it's called. what made you want to share your experience with mental health? >> what made me want to share my own experience with mental health, i think it's so hard to be a teenager in today's society. i think as much as i can do to help the next generation have an easier time than i did, you know, that's really what i want to use my voice and my platform for. i knew that i just didn't want to put out an album. i wanted to put out a project that i feel could actually make a difference in the world. >> so, it takes a lot of strength. it takes a lot of gumption to be as vulnerable as you're allowing yourself to be publicly. help us understand what you went through. >> i went through a lot of bullying in school. about a lot of different things, and i explore all of these topics in "black box:what are you hiding." i went through body dysmorphia, anxiety, sort of coming to terms with sexuality, a lot of things that i feel a lot of kids go through today. bullying unfortunately is very prevalent in today's school system and society. and it can really affect, you know, people long term. it certainly affected me. but i'm really grateful for the experiences i did have because it allowed me to create a project that turned something that was painful into something beautiful. >> and what have you heard from people about this. sigh know that when somebody, particularly if you're younger, teenager, early 20s, you see somebody going through something that you're going through now. or that you have been through. it is so strengthening. you must be getting -- you must be getting some sort of feedback from people. >> feedback has probably been the most rewarding part of the entire project. i get countless messages on a day-to-day basis, you know, about teens sharing their own coming out story because of the song red. or how people sharing how they're able to overcome their fear of therapy through 93 days. it's just amazing to see the music really doing something good. and it's been an incredible way for me to connect with fans on a more deeper and personal level. it's just fascinating with human beings and our entire existence. so, it's great to see the project have positive impact. >> it's so nice to hear you talk about therapy. because it can have a negative connotation to it. i love therapy, personally, i've been there, i've done it. is that part of your hope, to make sure people figure out to get the help that they need that oftentimes has to come from somebody else that's a professional? >> absolutely, you know, i think therapy is a really important part of anybody's healing journey. but, you know, i totally understand that therapy is not always available to everyone. so, part of my mission with the blackbox project.org, which is the project, i paired with a professional therapist, josh robbins who walks through the 12 topics discussed. anxiety, depression, sexualitity, et cetera. on the website, she provides sort of free guidance for teens, adults, anyone who is really searching for it. and it's really easy to access. that's something that i wish i had when i was younger. i wanted to make sure that was something i included in this project for anyone who may be struggling. >> i love how strong you are. and how brave you are and how talented, grace gastaud. we wish you the very best. >> thank you so much. happy to be here. >> we're happy to have you. take good care of yourself. we're cheering you on. >> all right, thank you. >> thank you. thank you so much for sharing part of your new year's day with us. we hope all of your resolutions come true. amara, always a pleasure to be with you. >> i hope my resolution comes true, too. try to be nice tore my husband. "newsroom" is coming up next, happy new year, everyone, happy 2022. [microwave beeps] [ahh] ♪ ♪ ♪ i'm so defensive, i got bongos thumping in my chest ♪ ♪ and something tells me they don't beat for me ♪ ♪ i love romance, but i got eggshells around me ♪ ♪ don't step on 'em, don't step on 'em ♪ ♪ don't step on 'em, don't step on me ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ he'd better not take the ring from me ♪ ray loves vacations. but his diabetes never seemed to take one. everything felt like a 'no'. everything. but then ray went from no to know. with freestyle libre 2, now he knows his glucose levels when he needs to. and... when he wants to. so ray... can be ray. take the mystery out of your glucose levels, and lower your a1c. now you know. try it for free. visit freestylelibre.us ♪ happy new year. i'm paula reid in washington. and you are live in the "cnn newsroom." well, it's a new year, but same virus. people flooded the streets of new york for celebrations in times square, making it seem like any other year, but, of course, it's not. health o

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