<p>In this reflective piece, Alex challenges the conventional narrative surrounding the holidays as a time for renewal and optimism. Instead, he emphasizes the importance of acknowledging personal loss and the complexities of life. He advocates for clearer thinking, honest conversations, and modest wishes that focus on competence and responsibility rather than empty optimism. </p><p>Alex's message is a call to embrace the nuances of life, recognizing that real change comes from attention and effort rather than mere belief.</p><p><br /></p><p><a href="https://alex715.substack.com/p/tom-mulligan-on-storytelling-selling" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">⁠</a><a href="https://alex715.substack.com/p/closing-time-the-pr-after-hours-brand" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">⁠⁠⁠⁠</a><strong>CONNECT:</strong></p><ul><li>​<a href="https://alex715.substack.com/p/le-sens-des-noms" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠<strong>⁠⁠All the Fits That's News on Substack (Free or Paid)⁠⁠</strong>⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a></li><li>​<a href="https://jalexandergreenwood.com/" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠<strong>⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Alex's Author Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</strong>⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a> <a href="https://mgopod.com/f/our-digital-alexandria" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a></li><li>​<a href="https://mgopod.com/about-the-show" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠<strong>⁠Contact Alex about advertising/sponsorship here⁠</strong>⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a><strong>.</strong></li><li><a href="https://amzn.to/4iuHtXT" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠<strong>Buy a Book!</strong>⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a></li><li>⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠<a href="https://killingcitypod.com/" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠<em><strong>Going to Killing City...Alex's True Crime Podcast</strong></em>⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a></li></ul><p><br /></p><p>Enjoy this episode? Please leave us a review on your podcast platform of choice, and don't forget to subscribe for more literary journeys! <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mysterious-goings-on/id1080474124" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠<strong>⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</strong>⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mysterious-goings-on/id1080474124" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠<strong>⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LEAVE A REVIEW ON APPLE PODCASTS⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</strong>⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a> </p><p><br /></p><p><em>This Mysterious Goings On Podcast episode was recorded and mixed at Green Shebeen Studios in beautiful Kansas City, Missouri. Copyright 2025, all rights reserved. No reproduction, excerpting, or other use without written permission.</em></p>