Letter from Publisher, December 2018

As I write this in late November, we are knee deep in the season of thanksgiving and goodwill toward others. The hectic celebration of Christmas will soon be here, followed by the hard work of self-assessment and self-improvement as we greet the new year with resolutions to become better versions of ourselves.

I have been musing on the subject of gratitude. There are many benefits to having “an attitude of gratitude”. Research from Northeastern University says that people who felt grateful for little, everyday things are more patient and better able to make sensible decisions.

Gratitude can improve your special relationships. “Having a partner that’s grateful for you or you being grateful for the other” can help your love life, says Emma Seppälä, a happiness researcher at Stanford and Yale Universities and author of The Happiness Track.

Research in the Journal of Psychosomatic Research has found that feeling grateful helps people sleep better and longer.

Further research has shown that people who participate in the “three good things” exercise—prompting yourself to write down three good things or events that happened that day—see considerable improvement in depression and overall happiness in as little time as a couple of weeks.

The following poem reminds me to be thankful for the wondrous gift of each new day that is ours to create.

Be Thankful

Be thankful that you don’t already have everything you desire. If you did, what would there be to look forward to?

Be thankful when you don’t know something, for it gives you the opportunity to learn.

Be thankful for the difficult times. During those times, you grow.

Be thankful for your limitations, because they give you opportunities for improvement.

Be thankful for each new challenge, because it will build your strength and character.

Be thankful for your mistakes. They will teach you valuable lessons.

Be thankful when you’re tired and weary, because it means you’ve made a difference.

It is easy to be thankful for the good things.

A life of rich fulfillment comes to those who are also thankful for the setbacks. Gratitude can turn a negative into a positive. Find a way to be thankful for your troubles, and they can become your blessings.~ Anonymous

Enjoy a Peaceful and Loving Holiday Season.

Roberta Bolduc