With over 320,000 COVID-19 related deaths in the U.S., 2020 tested our endurance, patience and resiliency. However, in what appears to be an out of control world, good people are banding together – volunteers at food banks, neighbors helping each other and community non-profits, more than ever, rising to aid of those in need.

What if, today, we were grateful for everything? – Charlie Brown –

Emotional gifts to strengthen happiness and well-being

According to Jack Levine, Founder of the 4Generations Institute (Tallahassee, Florida), the holiday season is a time when we buy and give gifts to family, friends and colleagues to show how much they mean to us, but it is often the things that cost nothing that mean the most.

Here are ten gifts from the heart for you to contemplate, practice and share from Jack Levine and his wife Karen. As we begin the New Year, let us resolve to incorporate as many of these “gifts” as possible in our daily lives. https://mommybites.com/col1/ask-dr-gramma-karen-jack-levine-guest-columnist-with-a-holiday-message

• Consider making the gift of one week’s grocery bill and donate it to a community food bank, domestic violence or homeless shelter, an infant or child health charity, foster parent association, hospice, veteran’s support agency, your United Way or emergency relief fund as a token of appreciation for what we have, and what others do for the less fortunate.
• Express your heartfelt appreciation to those who care for others as a profession or as volunteers. Compliment the good works of caregivers for our children and frail elders … those who are dedicated to babies and toddlers or assist people with mobility-restrictions and help nurture and stimulate their minds. Our valiant health professionals deserve the kindnesses of family members and neighbors all through the year, but especially at holiday time.
• Respect your community leaders for their service. While we believe in representative government, who among us is brave enough to run for public office? We don’t have to agree with all of their policies, but we should respect their service, and hold them accountable for their actions … or lack of action. Silence is the antithesis of effectiveness. Vote and give voice to your priorities through effective advocacy.
• Conserve resources by consuming less fuel, reusing, and recycling. Native American culture considered our planet as a parent, worthy of respect and protection. Our throw-away culture is feeding our landfills with trash, and our air and water absorb the residue of fuel-generated pollutants. Preserving our environment is self-preservation, as well as a life-saving gift to wildlife, plant life, and our children’s children.
• Slow down. Whether behind the steering wheel or in conversation with others, speed is not a good thing. Being in a perpetual hurry endangers our lives on the road, and cuts short our relationships with others. Give yourself a few extra minutes in transit to be a safe driver … and listen a bit longer to the words in conversation with loved ones and co-workers. Actively listen and show others that positive attention is a gift worth giving.
• Put technology in its place. We live in a high-tech, low-touch culture, governed by the beeps, buzzes, and blinking lights of technology. As time is compressed, stress grows. Immediate response raises expectations, reduces careful consideration, and makes us more prone to error.
• Take a breather from all the numbing numbers and ask others to be considerate in public and private spaces by turning the “on” switch “off.” Our children need to know that our eye contact and voices are focused on their needs, too. Cell phones and e-mail should not keep our loved ones on hold.
• Advocate with assertion, not aggression. Free speech is not an invitation to be offensive. Responsible advocacy requires thoughtful strategy, practical solutions, and effective conversation. Clear and consistent communication with allies and adversaries alike sets the stage for progress. Advocacy is the heart-felt expression of a wrong to be righted, with composure and grace. An advocate’s power is in persuasive and persistent articulation, and the recruitment of others to the cause. Support advocacy organizations which represent your values and policy goals.
• Health is a form of wealth. Making sure we eat right, exercise, and taking time to rest and relax are the keys to clear thinking and long-term effectiveness. Our bodies cannot support us unless our minds resolve to take care and be careful. Grow a vegetable garden. Being healthy examples to our children in nutrition and behavior sends positive signals for their future actions. During the COVID-19 pandemic, preventive health measures are especially essential.
• Take optimism pills every morning … the time-release kind. Positive attitudes and negativity are both contagious. Those who believe they will make a difference can achieve their goals. Pessimism is the mind’s way of giving up before the first step is taken. We who strive to make change for the better in our lives, neighborhoods, and the world around us should stop whining and start winning. The power of one, multiplied and magnified, is the only correct formula for progress.

2021 Must read books:
Choosing Civility (The Twenty-Five Rules of Considerate Conduct), by P. M. Forni
The Psychology of Gratitude, by Robert Emmons and Michael McCullough
A Simple Act of Gratitude: How Learning to Say Thank You Changed My Life, by John Kralik

On behalf of all of us at the Mesimer Team, we want you to know just how grateful we are for your friendship and support and we look forward to serving your real estate needs in 2021. Happy New Year!

St. Petersburg Communities

If you’re interested in any of these of communities or live in one of them and are thinking of selling, call Estelia today!

Allendale Terrace
Bahama Shores
Bayway Isles
Coquina Key
Crescent Heights
Crescent Lake
Downtown
Greater Pinellas Point
Historic Kenwood
Historic Old Northeast
Historic Roser Park
Historic Uptown
Isla Del Sol
Old Southeast
Placida Bayou
Snell Isle