The labor market’s continued strength helped fuel consumer spending and economic growth during the past 12 months.

The job market has indeed cooled down but did not derail despite 11 Fed hikes that brought the benchmark interest rate 5 percentage points higher in under two years’ time.

“We’ve lived through something quite unprecedented:

A large INCREASE IN INTEREST RATES.

A SHARP DROP IN INFLATION

WITHOUT MEANINGFUL INCREASE IN UNEMPLOYMENT.

“It’s NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE.”  (Ziprecruiter)

Let’s hope 2024 is just as good!

It’s a simple solution for a common problem.

Statistics tell us that 50% of American adults suffer from too much stress.

That’s a society that is living their lives on the edge.

Concentrating on your blessings instead of your worries is a healthy way to live.

I can’t think of a better habit than focusing on your blessings, especially at bedtime.

Try it. You’ll like it!

If not today, when?

If you’re not as healthy as you’d like to be, there may be one thing you can do.

Let me suggest some ideas from which you could pick one:

PHYSICAL EXAM- Don’t begin a radical change w/o a physical exam by a qualified physician.

FOOD-This is often the culprit. Too much. Or the wrong food.                                                                      You know which ones deteriorate your health.

ALCOHOL- Too much. Wrong friends? Wrong habit?

EXERCISE- You have heard this all you life. You don’t need to become a track star.                                            Regular walking works.

PARTNER- It’s difficult to do any of these things alone.                                                                                     Choose a friend who also wants to become healthier.

Remember to choose ONE of the above!

If not today, one!

Well, here we are, back in the real world.

I hope you made the best of the holidays.

Now, it’s time to make the best of the real world.

SPOUSE: Will you make any positive changes in your relationship to your spouse?

 I think you’ll agree we can become a better spouse.

 All other relationships are affected by our spousal relationship.

CHILDREN: Raising children in today’s society is more difficult than ever.

 What improvements can you make as a parent?

SIBLINGS: Also a relationship that is sometimes neglected.

CO-WORKERS: Will your worklife be more productive this year?

These suggestions are hopefully intended to be helpful to you.

If not today, when?

I’m not talking about the old habit of New Years resolutions.

Some of those are kept, most are not.

We’re talking about substantial improvement with no compromises.

Let me go first.

I’m going to try to spend more time involved in the serious concerns of others.

This will require regular communication in person and phone conversations.

I am also going to try not to let myself to get too “down” with bad national or international news that I have little influence over.

I will concentrate more on the events in my life that I can impact.

How about you?

How will you become a better person?

Are you motivated more by HOPE than FEAR?

It’s an important question.

If the answer is fear, you must take inventory of yourself.

Why are you fearful?

Have you chosen the best values to live by?

I think the best way to face an uncertain future is to base your life on solid values..

Are you honest, loyal, kind to yourself & others, compassionate, forgiving, faith in the Almighty?

I believe these values enable you to live with yourself.

I also believe practicing these values will give you HOPE in your future.

If not today, when?

If you are a news addict, you are deluged with a constant diet of bad news.

We also receive upsetting information that affects us personally.

Bad news that affects us personally may be something we should and can act upon.

This is obvious.

World events, however, are a completely different matter.

In most cases, it upsets us, but is beyond our reach for a solution.

And yet, an upsetting world event can continue to linger in our conscious thoughts and even in our dreams.

As these troubling events pile up in our memory, we become more upset because we are helpless to bring a solution.

I think we must dismiss these troubling events by focusing on those issues we CAN SOLVE.

There are plenty of people within our reach whom we can help.

There is nothing more satisfying than helping a friend or loved one.

Keep your focus on those people.

If not today, when?

Many of our ancestors were greeted by the Lady in the Harbor.

There were and are other ports of entry.

There are as many stories of coming to America as there are families.

My grandmother and her two sisters immigrated from Ireland.

On the boat trip across, one of her sisters died.

She, after arriving in Chicago, married a fellow Irish immigrant from County Cork.

And so the stories became imbedded as part of our heritage.

They were brave people one and all.

Leaving everything familiar and struggling with everything unfamiliar.

Thank you, Grandma!

The beginning of a new year is upon us.

Do you have a habit of setting goals for a new year?

If not, why not?

Look back at the year just ending.

Are you proud of your accomplishments?

Because it seems, the older you get the faster time flies, you should set goals.

Here are some thoughts about goal setting:

Is it WORTHWHILE?

Is it OBTAINABLE?

What PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES must you have to obtain this goal?

What PREPARATION is necessary?

Does it have an INTERIM DEADLINE?

Does it have a FINAL DEADLINE?

A PUBLIC DECLARATION of your goal will help you stay with it.

Set at least one goal and stick with it!

If not today, when?