A WORD FROM PRESIDENT JACQUES LOVEALL
Attitudes are contagious. People gravitate toward those who think positively. Their opinions are sought and they’re seen as natural born leaders. Stay optimistic and watch your enthusiasm spread to others!
Optimism is more than an outlook, it’s a way of life. By keeping a positive outlook, you can improve your health and take control of your life — even when external forces, like a slumping economy, might conspire to bring you down.
An up beat mentality has many beneficial physical aspects,
including higher energy levels and improved sleep patterns. It can alleviate a host of physical ailments like headaches and digestive disorders.
Start thinking positively
You can begin by thinking about your speech patterns. Start using words like “we can” and “we will.”
It also helps to put things into perspective. When you encounter something difficult, think of it as a challenge. Ask yourself, “Will this matter tomorrow? In a month? Next year?”
Another excellent piece of advice comes from a wonderful woman named Audrey Mouer, who retired from our union. She used to say: “Any time you feel sorry for yourself, focus on thinking about others and their challenges. It’s amazing how quickly you’ll stop feeling sorry for yourself.”
And, of course, count your blessings: your health, your family, your friends.
Lessons to be learned
Regardless of what happens, no matter what the situation or how bleak it might seem, there is something positive to be learned.
My father regularly said that 90 percent of the things we worry about won’t happen and the 10 percent that do aren’t nearly as bad as we thought.
Yes, there are those who scoff at positive thinking and prefer to look at the world through mud-colored glasses. Stay away from them! They are like kryptonite.
There is nothing more chronically draining on the soul than being around someone who constantly worries and complains. If you happen to be one of those people, it’s likely you have a lot fewer friends than you did when you didn’t worry as much.
There’s a difference between worrying and planning or
anticipating. If you are making plans to avoid or change undesirable outcomes, that’s not worry. That’s planning, which is a part of being optimistic and having high expectations and an upbeat perspective.
You’re never alone in a Union
When you are in a union, you’re never alone! Our union is an extended family in the best sense. We are indeed brothers and sisters.
Our District Union Representatives and our Stewards are there to support you when you have problems at work or at home. Of course, our union-negotiated health benefits help you and your family get the medical assistance that you need.
We’ve all seen teams beat seemingly insurmountable odds and come-from-behind victories. We have seen people overcome what appeared to be fatal illnesses.
This year in particular we’ve seen an out pouring of humanity and compassion in the wake of a devastating recession. All of this is evidence that good things do happen.
Miracles do happen. Focus on these things. Life itself is a miracle.
Solidarity Works!
Live Longer, Be Union: What’s in store for the future?
A WORD FROM PRESIDENT JACQUES LOVEALL
Pictured on the cover of Voice of Action are my nieces, Aviana and Abigail, along with their friend hailey. Like other children their age, they look ahead to lives of fulfilled dreams and adventure.
If trends of the the past 200 years continue, they can expect plenty of time to make those dreams and adventures come true.
Researchers at the University of Southern Denmark studied the life spans of past generations and evaluated the current accelerating pace of developments in medicine.
Their conclusion: many, if not most, of the babies born since 2000 in Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK and the United States will live to be 100 years old or more.
This is good news for me, because I have plans to attend America’s tricentennial celebrations in 2076. I've already put it on my calendar. At that time I will be 114, which all of a sudden doesn’t look too far out of reach!
Staggering consequences
If the danish researchers are anywhere close to accuracy in their forecast, the consequences for our society will be staggering. Imagine the things we could accomplish if our working careers were followed by several decades of learning, leisure, volunteerism and travel!
Union members already enjoy a superior standard of health care that undoubtedly contributes to their longevity. Studies regularly show that life spans are shortest in states where the percentages of union households are lowest. That is certainly not a coincidence.
Advancements in health care and unions are the driving force behind widespread availability of health care to ordinary people. The more union members there are, the longer we can expect our lifespans to become.
Unions will continue to perform an essential role in the lives of Aviana, Abigail, Hailey and other citizens of the future. As a result, they will be happier, healthier and more prosperous than they would be if they didn’t have unions.
You may have seen the bumper sticker that says “Live Better, Work union.” Soon I expect there will be an alternative version that says “Live Longer, Be union.”
My nieces might want to put one of those on their hovercrafts — a hundred years from now.
Solidarity Works!
Pictured on the cover of Voice of Action are my nieces, Aviana and Abigail, along with their friend hailey. Like other children their age, they look ahead to lives of fulfilled dreams and adventure.
If trends of the the past 200 years continue, they can expect plenty of time to make those dreams and adventures come true.
Researchers at the University of Southern Denmark studied the life spans of past generations and evaluated the current accelerating pace of developments in medicine.
Their conclusion: many, if not most, of the babies born since 2000 in Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK and the United States will live to be 100 years old or more.
This is good news for me, because I have plans to attend America’s tricentennial celebrations in 2076. I've already put it on my calendar. At that time I will be 114, which all of a sudden doesn’t look too far out of reach!
Staggering consequences
If the danish researchers are anywhere close to accuracy in their forecast, the consequences for our society will be staggering. Imagine the things we could accomplish if our working careers were followed by several decades of learning, leisure, volunteerism and travel!
Union members already enjoy a superior standard of health care that undoubtedly contributes to their longevity. Studies regularly show that life spans are shortest in states where the percentages of union households are lowest. That is certainly not a coincidence.
Advancements in health care and unions are the driving force behind widespread availability of health care to ordinary people. The more union members there are, the longer we can expect our lifespans to become.
Unions will continue to perform an essential role in the lives of Aviana, Abigail, Hailey and other citizens of the future. As a result, they will be happier, healthier and more prosperous than they would be if they didn’t have unions.
You may have seen the bumper sticker that says “Live Better, Work union.” Soon I expect there will be an alternative version that says “Live Longer, Be union.”
My nieces might want to put one of those on their hovercrafts — a hundred years from now.
Solidarity Works!
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