Dear Readers:

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!  On behalf of the entire Mesimer Team, I offer sincere thanks to our loyal clients and their families for giving us the opportunity to help them buy and/or sell property this year. Satisfying our clients is our most important goal.  We look forward to continuing to serve our “old” clients as well as to welcoming “new” ones into our real estate family.  Remember – we are only a call, click or text away. 

As I peek at the calendar it comes as no surprise that Christmas is just two days away.  For those of us belonging to the Christian faith, Christmas is one of the biggest of celebrations. I would be wrong, however, to say that Christmas is only celebrated by Christians – quite the contrary.  With our world becoming a global village, Christmas is celebrated in many countries.  While the mode of celebration, the calendar date and traditions may vary, good wishes and prayers along with feasting and gift-giving are universal…… as is Christmas Spirit.  No doubt it too means different things to different people but for me the Spirit of Christmas is the spirit of faith, joy, peace and good will.  It’s about giving – not just gifts but the giving of time and love to family, friends, neighbors and co-workers.  It’s about treating people with kindness and respect.  It’s about caring for animals and it’s about finding joy in everyday life. 

Coincidently, I came across a new magazine last week.  It’s called Livehappy. (livehappymagazine.com)   I read it cover to cover and loved its simplistic message. I learned that about 40-percent of our own level of happiness is entirely within our own control.  And that happier people are more likely to have:

• better health and longer life
• higher incomes and more financial success
• better work performance and more professional success
• more fulfilling marriages and relationships
• more social and community involvement

According to one of the articles, Google trends show that for nearly a decade there has been a steady increase in the number of times people are searching the terms “happiness” and “positive psychology.”  People are breaking free from negativity, overexposure to sensationalized news and everyday stressors that cloud the good and numb the mind, body and soul.  People are trying to bring back balance into their lives.  I think this a spot-on observation.  We may aspire to be happy but do we really know how?  The easiest way is to be around others who are happy.  A recent study by Barbara Frederickson at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill shows that when people interact, their gestures, biochemistries and neural firings start to mirror each other.

I leave you, dear readers, with happy thoughts and good wishes. As we welcome in the New Year let us resolve to keep the Spirit of Christmas in our hearts all year long; let us give a gift and expect nothing in return and let us find happiness within ourselves and in the simple things of life.

Estelia