Christmas Day is of course an important day of religious significance for Christians worldwide, but it has now long been a day for people of many other other religions to celebrate life with family and friends, and to enjoy life's many blessings. In a week, it will be New Year's Day, where we all turn back the clock to Day 1 of a new year, and regardless if the preceding year was good, bad or indifferent, New Year's Day marks a fresh start for everyone. 

It seems indisputable that not just in America, but the whole world seems to be in its greatest state of chaos and concern since probably World War II. News reports from all perspectives, Facebook postings and other social media, conversation with friends and colleagues about politics, the environment, discrimination against many groups including the rise of the far right (and sometimes the far left),a host of other issues are at the heart of what causes our collective concerns. We have all seen instances when discussing these matters with others whose positions are opposite to ours, have led to a lack of civility. It's them versus us. Uggh.

If our leaders behave in a way so as to instigate this tension, that does not mean we have to follow their lead. As hard as it may be, WE THE PEOPLE have to lead. We, individually, person to person, in real conversation need to go back to "discussion" as opposed to "argument." Am I naive? Maybe, but things have to change, and change in America has always come from within us. We need to set the example in how we speak to each other. And we all especially need to work hard on how we generally treat other people, regardless of who they are. Per The Queen of Soul: R E S P E C T.

With that background, I believe if everyone could take a deep breath, at least even just this week, we can collectively celebrate positivity and gratitude. I share some points that might make us all a bit kinder, gentler, smarter and happier. Sorry for the pontification, but I have found that gratitude is a game changer in how I see the world, other people and especially myself. I wish I figured out and practiced this gratitude stuff years earlier. Consider the following:

1. Be thankful for everyone and everything around you. Appreciate what you have, and I don't mean by material possessions. So many people suffer and have little or nothing. Any of us could have things turn south in a heartbeat. In reality, aren't we all so lucky? 

2. Live through kindness. Help others around you including by committing random acts of kindness. I suspect I'm preaching to the choir here, but this will make you feel better and it will enrich someone else's live, even if it's for something simple. You get what you give. 

3. Find the silver lining in difficult situations. Everyone at some point is going to go through something really bad. No doubt there are some devastating tragedies where nothing is positive, such as the death of a child, but even in dealing with a bad illness or the loss of an older parent or friend, there are positive lessons to be learned. 

4. Nothing is perfect. As an admitted obsessive compulsive control freak, I am working on this one. But when I've learned to take a half step backwards and accept that someone tried, even if it wasn't their very best, I find myself much calmer in fixing things or saying, "It's all okay."

5. Be accountable to yourself. No one is perfect. Everyone makes a mistake every day. Could be major. Could be really small, but this is reality. Own it and move on.

6. Actively nurture your relationships. Whether it's your kids or relatives, friends, colleagues, clients, whomever. When you show people you care, so do they and everyone is enriched. It can be by a telephone call or visit, a quick text, almost anything. Its really easy to do something simple to make sure that people you care about know it. Build bridges. Or as Stephen Stills said, "Love the One You're With." 

Thank you all! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Let's see how long we can keep the fresh start of a new year going.