In light of the turmoil rocking finance and politics here and around the world, it might seem a chore to express gratitude this holiday season. But psychologists advise that’s exactly what we should do, for our own well-being and as inspiration to share our relative good fortune with others.

In that spirit, here are some things to be thankful for, particularly in matters affecting financial satisfaction and the health of our society:

Alan Simpson: The curmudgeonly conservative former senator from Wyoming is now aiming his famously sharp tongue not just at Democrats across the aisle but at former Republican colleagues who refuse to face the reality that balancing an out-of-whack budget requires both higher revenues and expense cuts. True to his reputation as a plain-spoken maverick, he also blasted AARP for its exaggerated ads warning against cuts in Social Security benefits.

Small businesses: God bless them, every one. Well, most of them anyway. Like the resourceful business owners mentioned in Matt Hughes’ article today, small business people are part of their communities as well as contributors to the economy. So Butch Pisano continues to sell Christmas trees at his Sunoco station years after he needed the extra income. “You’ve got to care about what you’re selling,” he said. And who you’re selling to; if only the geniuses who came up with financial derivatives shared that sentiment.

Generous donors: Tough times are a double whammy for charities that serve the poor, such as the St. Vincent de Paul Kitchen. As more people look to them for food and other support, fewer people and companies are able to provide donations of cash or food. So when people such John and Tina Dowd, owners of Sundance Vacations, step in with a donation valued at $50,000, it gets notice. But let’s also be grateful for all the people who give what they can to help others in need, whether by opening their checkbooks or spending time that others would devote to themselves.

Steady stock markets: Given the daily gyrations and overheated reporting, you might not notice that stock prices aren’t far today from their levels a year ago. Certainly the changes this year pale in comparison to the meltdowns of the Great Recession – or the outsized gains of the dot.com-fueled 1990s. That said, we should be thankful — or at least hopeful — for …

Skeptical investors: It’s an exhilarating ride when stock prices are soaring. During an earlier bull market I marveled that nearly every advertising client I called on could tell me how much money they “made” that day as shares leaped. You need only to look at the freefall in 2008-2009 to see that things can go south just as rapidly. While market mavens rue the fleeing individual investor, sitting on the sidelines — or at least being much more careful — seems like a smart strategy right now.

The 90 percent with jobs: I know this is a backhanded compliment to the economy, but really, if 9 out of 10 of us have jobs that means most Americans are both earning a living and experiencing the dignity of work. Yes, too large a share don’t make what they should, either because wages have stagnated or hours have been cut, but hopefully we’ll muddle our way out of this mess and better times will return. In the meantime, it’s better to earn something than wait anxiously for unemployment benefits to expire.

And let’s not forget what’s most important to be grateful for — the family members, friends and neighbors who make our lives richer and more fulfilling. Sharing our lives with others through good times and bad has more meaning than the size of our bank accounts.

About the Author

Ron Bartizek covers business for the Times Leader. Reach him at (570) 970-7157 or rbartizek@timesleader.com.

Ron Bartizek has more than 30 years' newspaper industry experience, in advertising, news, general management and ownership. He has been business editor of the Times Leader since mid-2005.

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