As a result, many people tend to feel like the glass is half empty. But before we know it the holiday season is upon us and topics such as vacation, family, parties and gifts fill our minds. Spirits are lifted as we enter the holiday season, no matter what religion or culture you associate with and the glass suddenly seems more full than empty.

At the end of the holiday season when the guests have gone, our house is empty again, and our pants feel a little tighter. We prepare to go back to work and school and everything else that comes with our normal routine of life. But first we are suddenly hurled into a new year.

Many people make big plans or resolutions for the New Year. Ideas such as “I’m going to exercise regularly” or “I’m going to work harder to get that promotion at work” or “I’m going to make more time for my family” are among the popular ones. We make our big plans but by the following New Year’s Eve we realize that they rarely come to fruition like we had hoped. Perhaps they are too ambitious or too vague to actually put into practice. Or perhaps we should focus on our emotional state first before we make big plans for what we want to do. What if our New Year’s resolutions went something like this: “I am going to wake up every morning with a positive attitude” or “I am going to smile at everyone I see today” or “I am going to pay a compliment to my spouse before I leave for the office today”.

In January, we still have the long winter months ahead of us. The credit card bills arrive and all those things you left on your desk before you left on vacation are there to greet you when you get back. So who could possibly want to go and join the gym or find the time to take on a new project at work? Perhaps if we focus on how we are going to feel good about ourselves and our surroundings, then the rest will follow? It’s worth a try at least.

The New Year is a great time for employers to offer help when it comes to keeping employees happy. New and innovative benefits that cater to employees’ needs can help when it comes to our emotional state. LifeSpeak is one example of a benefit that reaches all employees and their families on various levels. LifeSpeak’s online library provides high caliber expertise and advice to employees by allowing equal access to the content regardless of location or travel/work schedules. The information can also be shared with family members. Each volume is presented by one of Canada's leading experts on a given subject. The LifeSpeak library continues to grow. In 2010, new volumes include several health topics (such as diabetes, cancer, heart disease and sleep issues) as well as various emotional topics (such as grief, divorce and couples relationships) and some work-related topics (such as difficult conversations, negotiations and issues that arise with shift work).

As we all go back to our routines and reflect on our holidays, let us all try to keep the spirit alive with a smile on our faces and a cheerful attitude. Perhaps it will lead us to do the other things we had hoped to accomplish last year.

Happy New Year and cheers to a glass half full!