Articles published in November 2020

A selfish reason for being thankful

By Robert J. Tamasy

Many of us spend weeks – for some, months – getting ready for the Christmas celebration. Buying trees and ornaments, putting up decorations, planning parties, purchasing gifts. And sometimes it seems as if we still don’t have enough time. What if we were to spend as much time getting ready for the annual Thanksgiving observance?

Optimism: a vital part of resilience

By John Thurman

“The sun will come out tomorrow!”
Little Orphan Annie

Optimism is a vital part of resilience. Without optimism it is difficult to move through tough time, particularly these past few months. I have been working from home since March 13, and my wife of 48 years and I still like each other at least 5 days out of the week.

How are you doing? Are you one of those folks who see the glass half-full or half-empty? Believe it or not, how you answer the question may reveal how resilient you are!

Cultivating an attitude of gratitude

By Robert J. Tamasy

My friend Clarence recently offered a good reminder in a video he posted on Facebook. He said that despite all the anger and angst that seems to pervade society today, we should strive to find something for which we can be grateful.

Even though I sometimes get seduced by the prevailing negativity myself, I wholeheartedly agree. A little-known psychological fact – at least one that’s very under-appreciated – is the reality that circumstances and people don’t control our feelings and attitudes.