Welcome 2025! I'm ready for your challenges!

As we start 2025, let's think about the things we like and don't like about our world and make a plan to take a baby step each month to make our small part better. We know that our needs, wants, desires, and the ways we interact with the world will shift like sand on a stormy beach. And we hear things like "what is old is new" and "the cost of everything keeps going up," but not our pay. But like a flash mob, a small thing by one person excites others to join, and the result can be amazing. Let's dig into this a bit more and give you ideas on things impacting you and things you can do to make your world better.

Changes in technology have made things more convenient, but it has also brought more sophisticated crimes like spammers and smash-and-grab theft. And then there are the changes in people and their attitude toward others. People are seriously injuring or killing each other because they did something stupid, like cutting off someone in traffic, or they didn't agree on who would win a sports event!

So what are we doing to fight back? Yes, I said fight back.

Shopping locally, eating out, and tipping keep stores open. Duh! Yes, I know that everyone knows that. But there are a lot of things behind it that we need to consider. First, if the item is not in the store, ask them to order it and pick it up in the store. Those pick-up trips get you back in the store to see new things you might be interested in purchasing. Plus, that keeps people in jobs.

Yes, you can get it delivered, but then you worry about the porch pirates stealing it before you get home. I've seen news footage where the delivery service was putting a package on the porch, and the thief took it while they were still standing there doing their job. Crooks typically have no fear during the event.

What can your local businesses do to survive in these ever-changing conditions? Stepping up and getting the best customer service staff pays big when in the store. Here are two recent examples I've experienced. I went to my local JC Penny store and of the 3 checkout staff, I got the grumpy one. It didn't leave me with a great last few minutes in the store. However, other in-store staff were SUPER Sweet and Helpful!

A second very different experience was my local Kohls store. I recently took a favorite 96-year-old great aunt to my local Kohl's for some must-haves. She was on a walker, and I had a broken elbow. The front-end staff helped convince her to try out their wheelchair and kept her walker right by the register to help her be comfortable. The chair was easy to move around with my one good arm and gave us a comfortable, leisurely time in the store. We got what we needed, smoothly, and their Staff made the difference! THANK YOU, Kohl's!

Economics: I know they tried to teach it to me in school, but they didn't talk about it in a way that related to my life at the time, so I didn't really get all that. I think we see the impact now more than ever. What you do impacts you! When you buy something from another country instead of your home country, then local people run out of work and their jobs go away. So what can you do?

• Be thoughtful about shopping. It's good to shop online and read up on reviews and specifications, but buy locally if you can. Yes, I know that the big "A" and overseas manufacturing can be cheaper, but we get what we pay for. Made in your home country keeps jobs there and encourages others to start new businesses.

• Go above and beyond to be polite to others. Say please, thank you, yes ma'am, or excuse me. These little words are the first baby steps society needs to turn life around.

• When you're in traffic, let someone in front of you. Remember, if you don't make time to allow others to get in line, the potential problems could make you later than you would have been.

• Open the door for a stranger and say hello.

No, this will not create world peace, feed hungry people, or stop all the violence. But if we don't start making some changes, we're never gonna to solve these other issues.

Challenge yourself to do something positive every month this year. Share your ideas with friends and family and watch them have a positive impact on the world. Happy 2025!