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AACREDITUNION.ORG | 15 KEEP FAMILY TIME As life gets back to normal sometime in 2021, the close family ties many have created over the long lockdown period may come undone. They don't have to. Experts advise families prioritize hanging onto new traditions like these: Cooking together regularly Doing puzzles weekly Taking a daily walk or bike ride Doing the small things constantly like holding hands and hugging unpleasant tasks off my to-do list in a satisfying way, but it makes me more a person of my word," Azoury says. "It proves I will show up and do something I have to do, even if I don't want to." TWO: Work is hard, especially now. But make a habit of being as positive as you can as often as possible. "Bitterness, resentment and constant complaining hinder growth," says Ian Kelly, vice president of operations for NuLeaf Naturals, which makes hemp wellness products. "Choose instead to be solutions oriented, open to feedback, optimistic and supportive of others." Boost spirituality. ONE: Express gratitude each night to a higher power. Whether that's God or some other type of universal life force or just something that's beyond your own self, recognize and give thanks for the good that fl ows from that power. "By directly thanking the source of the good things in our lives, we are more connected with that source and increase that connection," says Keith Felty, a happiness expert who wrote the book, "America, the Happy." TWO: A daily habit of mindful meditation might help to lift, or at least redistribute some of the mental weight that the pandemic and uncertain economy have had on us all. "For a society wholly dependent on technology, this brief disconnect is a moment of silent comfort," says David Foley, the founder and CEO of Unify Cosmos, a site offering meditation guides. "Sometimes, the simpler things hold the most importance in life. Sit in a quiet room for 10 or 20 minutes. Let thoughts pass you by, and practice being in the moment." JOSEPH GUINTO, a freelance writer and editor in Washington, D.C., has made a habit of calling his mother more often this year.