And thank you to everyone for your tremendous response to our Facebook video series “12 Days of Holiday Grief.” We’ve heard from many people about how much this helped them transition through the holiday season in a positive way.

If you’re anything like me, you may have already set and broken your New Year’s resolutions. But really, it doesn’t matter if you broke your resolutions or didn’t stay completely true to them — keep them on your radar throughout the rest of the year. Resolutions are always made with great intentions and very high expectations, so smaller goals often get overlooked.

In December, I looked back on the year and all that I was unable to accomplish. I looked at the list and realized that it’s human nature that makes me focus on negative part of that list, but didn’t consider how much I was able to do. I think it’s so important that we give ourselves credit for the small things we did accomplish.

If you’ve been paying attention to the newsletter we send out, over the last several issues there are items of advice that will position you well for the new year.

A gratitude journal, for example, is a very small resolution that can become a daily habit, and it’s never a bad time to start creating this kind of positive behavior. As a reminder, a gratitude journal can be kept right on your nightstand so that just before bed you can write three things you are grateful for. And they don’t have to be big things.

Your list can include the same things every night, but you’ve got to write down
at least three. When you wake up in the morning, look at that list before anything else. There is so much power in putting your mind into a positive place before your sleep cycle, and it helps you wake up and start your day with a more positive mindset. Expanding your gratitude will set you up for a good year.

The beginning of the year is also a good time to look at people we need to forgive, including ourselves. It’s human nature to be hard on ourselves, but we certainly need to make space for forgiveness.

Over the past year and continuing into 2017, Taelor and I are working hard to provide you with information that helps you recover and feel better after the death of someone you love.

This program is called Grief Compass , and you can expect to see more of it in the coming year as we focus on trying to expand resources for people dealing with the loss of someone close to them. Keep your eyes peeled for more information on this. You’ll be the first to know the details of the content. We’re very excited about development of this, and I think you will be, too!

Lastly, it’s certainly winter here, and the older I get, the longer the winter seems to become. But have heart — the days are actually getting longer now.

Stay safe on winter vacations if you’re lucky enough to get away, and if not, stay warm and safe at home.

All My Best,
Scott Mueller