Getting Grateful

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!

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Until Next Time – Good Selling! 

​Joseph R. Ohlson LUTCF
President
1-877-844-0900
[email protected]