Don’t look now, but we’re getting meaner.

Our highways, social media, the news, and even the customers in the niftiest upbeat grocery story in the universe – Trader Joe’s – demonstrate an accelerating volume of animus, angst and anxiety.

It need not be so. Though evil reliably stalks the world, it’s dependent on cooperation. We – not it – remain the arbiters of our choices, behaviors, and dedications.

In the spirit of the season, let’s take a look at ten antidotes to this mass misery kidnapping our mojo.

Love

This one tops the list. If you aren’t doing something for the benefit of others, you’re missing out on one of the great magic elixirs.

Loving others makes you smarter, healthier, and happier. Not loving something besides your own pleasures does just the opposite.

Is that really a decision?

Growth

We live in a complex world. You have to grow to figure it out.

Stagnancy and growth are different like marching in place and running to new places are different.

How do you do it? Purposefully improve your head, heart, hand, and spirit, a little bit, each and every day.

Forgiveness

One of the greatest sources of collective wretchedness is anger.

It’s an additive emotion that drains the carrier, poisons the world around them, and reliably comes packaged with depression that leads to more anger.

There is only one unfailing antidote – forgiveness – and it must be given not because it’s deserved, the wrong is no big deal, or you’ve received an apology.

Forgiveness is a smart play for two reasons— (1) it relieves you of the toxins found in anger and (2) it breaks the bond that glues you to those you hate.

God gifted you karma to take care of the rest.

Productivity

The number one source of freedom, opportunity, and prosperity is not a handout from a vanity-driven politician. Productivity is the best mine for these gems.

Get busy being useful.

Creativity

One of the most neglected components of the human spirit is creativity. It’s an enterprise not reserved for the arts.

Like all skills, creativity takes practice.

Look for ways to make things around you better – the world needs you to take off your leash.

Faith

Having a constructive view of where we come from, what we should do while we’re here, and where we’re going when we leave here, helps human beings stay in balance.

These missions have little to do with dogma, judgment, religious comfort food, or pomp and pretense. That’s all the stuff of man.

How do you spot the real deal? My faith simplifies the search with a sourcebook defining spirituality as (1) seeking the truth (2) working to follow God’s stated will and (3) loving your fellowman.

I find simple helpful.

Responsibility

We live in a time of growing indifference to the importance of personal accountability.

Can’t get ahead? Where does a lack of effort and responsibility fit into your mix? Find yourself repeatedly bumping into trouble with the law? Considered following the rules? Struggling with addiction? Do bad choices play into that hardship?

The number one determinant of where you land in life is personal choice.

It’s the growth option over which you have the most direct control. That’s a compass for finding your happy place.

Gratitude

Next to love, an attitude of gratitude is a ‘best in class’ medicine for what ails you.

The bad of life is what hurts so we’re naturally programmed toward disgruntlement. We have to work at appreciating our gifts.

Think of the firefly – without the night, you wouldn’t see their light.

Positivity

Are there things to be grateful for? Absolutely, no matter where you look, there’s far more that’s working than not.

A hangnail will capture your attention, but the fact you have nine more uninjured fingers means more.

Ventilating your grumpiness is like indiscriminately expelling gas. For a very brief moment of relief, you’re just making the world more stinky.

Positivity is the Channel No. 5 of attitude.

Stress

Yep, we need stress.

For the same reason bones need pressure to heal and muscles need tension to mature, your head, heart, hand, and spirit need challenge to grow

Stress wasn’t put here to make you miserable. It was put here to motivate improvement.

Stress management is less about getting rid of stress than changing how you respond to it. That simple shift can make a remarkable difference in you and your impact on people around you.

One last stocking stuffer

Being a jerk is addictive. Being a source of joy, same-same. Give some thought on which team you want to play for.

A final gift for 2020 and the holidays? Focus on the things you can control over the things you can’t.