The weather is cold again (for some of us) and the sun is setting lower in the sky every night. Sunshine comes at a premium this time of year in the Midwest. In fact, November is the cloudiest month of the year in Indiana.

This shift from summer to winter – and the busy-ness of the holiday season can feel overwhelming to some. Put all of these pieces together and you might find yourself a bit depressed.

There are practical steps we can take daily to illuminate life during the dark and cold months. Every person is different – however, this is what helps me:

Each morning, I thank God for another day and acknowledge all the good that is happening in my life. In the daily hustle, it is easy to focus on the negative parts of daily life and to forget the great things that happened and that we created.

So, when the rare November sunshine appears, I take note and give thanks to God for that moment of radiant light. Additionally, I take inventory of the previous day’s happenings and find the positive things that occurred and write them down. Sounds simple, and it is – however my biggest obstacle was getting started.

My father coined a term, KASH – Knowledge, Attitudes, Skills and Habits. The more knowledge you gain, the better your attitude becomes. And that positive attitude drives you to develop skills. Those skills then become habits! This is what happened to me … I gained insight on this topic, my attitude changed, and I developed skills that led to better habits.

Don’t just take my word for it – optimism is linked to an 11-15% longer life span in long-term studies. Practicing gratitude and prayer/meditation are proven to lower cortisol (the stress hormone), which improves mood. Studies also show that prayer and mindfulness reduce symptoms of seasonal depression, which is a big help during the cloudy season.

Wrapping it up – it is the season of giving thanks. I can speak for the entire Ohlson Group team in saying THANK YOU to our dedicated agents. You are making a difference in the world every day – safeguarding retirement funds, creating guaranteed income streams and setting up life insurance plans to protect loved ones.

Thank you for making 2025 a banner year. I hope you all have the best Thanksgiving yet – and here’s to a prosperous 2026!

​When I started in this business 20 years ago, I remember a lot of agents saying things like, “Don’t email me — just send it in the mail.” And at the time, that was normal. But looking back, it sounds crazy, doesn’t it?

The same thing happened with websites. I had agents tell me, “Yeah, I’ve got one, but it doesn’t do anything for me.” Today, of course, everyone knows you need a website — if for no other reason than to show people you’re a real person and a legitimate professional.

Now here we are again, standing at the next big shift. This time, it’s artificial intelligence.

There are now ChatGPT-style softwares built specifically for the fixed indexed annuity market! These tools can analyze cases, build comparisons, explain complex products, and even create custom reports in seconds. Incredible and incredibly accurate.

And guess what? The smartest agents — the ones writing big numbers and staying ahead of the pack — are already using them. Many have been using these tools for a couple of years.

Just like back in the early 2000s with email and websites, we’re seeing the same pattern. Some people resist. Some people say, “I’ll wait and see.” But the longer you wait, the faster you fall behind. The pace of technology improvement is coming with such velocity that it no longer moves linearly - it moves exponentially.

​Whether you love AI or you hate the idea of it, here’s the truth: it’s not going anywhere. It’s only going to become smarter, faster, and more deeply embedded in everything we do — from underwriting to marketing to case design.

The difference between the agents who thrive and those who get left behind is adoption. Invest in yourself and learn to use these tools now. You still have time to get squared away and up to speed.

​You don’t have to figure it out alone. At The Ohlson Group, we’re already using this technology every day — and we can show you how to leverage it to grow your business, protect your clients, and stand out in your market.

Whether it’s through AI-driven software designed for annuities, or through platforms like ChatGPT and other emerging tools, we’ll help you apply it the right way — efficiently, ethically, and profitably.

This is the next great evolution in our industry. You can either fear it… or use it to your advantage. Here at The Ohlson Group, we are embracing this tech revolution while maintaining our personal touch.