Joy to The World Miami’s Community News

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The celebrations are over and now it is time to set some goals for 2023! This year, I am focused on the word happiness.

Over the past three years with COVID-19, I have seen so much less happiness. It is time that we get back into the rebuilding stages of our joy. It could be as simple as meeting with colleagues after work, giving of your time or possessions to someone less fortunate, or reinvesting in yourself and your family.

Family is what makes our individual worlds go around. Whether it is kids, parents or other relatives, we all work to move our families forward. And, as I learned on a trip to Africa in 2022, even those without two nickels to rub together can often be happier than those of us blessed to be living in the United States. At the core of their happiness is family. Our travel group was so inspired by their happiness at the simple things in life, we bought 50 soccer balls and gave them out to kids who desperately needed them. In reflection, we really gave ourselves the gifts. The smiles and joy on their faces were incredible.

While I enjoyed my family time during November and December, I also thought about how to keep negativity from my life. A lot of it comes from social media. How often do we all scroll through on our phones looking for information about our friends and family, only to be caught up in negativity. I believe we all must find a way to steer clear of this, and since social media is not likely going away, I think the answer lies in what we put out there.

You would never incite an argument when on a job interview, right? So, why do we seem to catch friends and family doing so online? Instead, promote the positivity of your life so that others can enjoy it and become…HAPPY.

I recently completed a seven day “chain letter” on Facebook. This was the challenge: “Today is Day X for me of the ‘My Life is Good’ challenge. I am to post photos that bring me joy (with no explanation) because we all need joy right now. 7 days, 7 pics, 7 people. If I choose you, please keep this going. Today I nominate [linked name here].”

I usually avoid these things, but somehow this felt right. And it was! I had no negative comments, not a hint of political angle from anyone. Just happiness! I therefore challenge all my readers to do the above. And while you are posting to make other people happy, your reflection on a positive event or person will bring joy to you too.

Back IRL (in real life), don’t abbreviate or hesitate on an opportunity to interact. I think COVID-19 took us away from our humanity. Go and listen to some great local band in bar or festival, like Mr. Nice Guy at Galuppi’s. In December, during their show, additional happiness occurred when Tom Hall (guitar) announced his engagement.

Your happiness could be reconnecting with family or friends who had their lives busy or interrupted with all the crazy twist and turns of life these days. My kids are my focus. Both are in college, but are very different from each other. One is doing well and the other needs help. Both are introverted and are missing out on the happiness that can be had by interacting with people.

For this year’s columns, I want you to email me at <[email protected]> and tell me an event, local place or business that makes you happy. From there, I will endeavor to write about that so that more of us can enjoy that happiness.

I’ll start. Pig Floyd BBQ is a local food truck that pops up in the Pinecrest to Homestead area several days a week. The food is wonderful and when you are there, you feel like there is something special in the air. Perhaps it is the owner’s struggle of constantly morphing his business to survive -or- that the entire staff treats everyone like they are family -or- that you can taste the love in every bite.

Together, we will push ourselves to interact and become our own force of happiness. No sponsorships, just positivity and interaction. If you like this idea, please let me know. I have a year of planning to make this work and your input will make it that much better. My email again is [email protected].

My first photo for the year is an aerial shot of Miami. I took it after my trip to Africa and on final approach to Miami International when I had an overwhelming appreciation and feeling of happiness seeing our beautiful city.

Real Estate Update
As of 12/21/22, there were 108 properties for sale in Pinecrest, 13 homes pending sale and 10.1 months of inventory. The shift away from a strong seller’s market is upon us. If you’re ready to move, contact me to get the best local expertise, truthful guidance and realistic expectations. It’s easy to get started at miamihal.com/getstarted.

I invite you to view past episodes of my The MiamiHal Real Estate Show at miamihal.com/the-miamihal-real-estate-show to hear from experts and get the latest real estate news.

Hal Feldman (MiamiHal) is a Realtor with RE/MAX Advance Realty. You can contact him with your story ideas or real estate questions at www.MiamiHal.com, [email protected] or www.facebook.com/MiamiHal.

To see more #Miaminews from #Aventura to #Coralgables to #SouthMiami, #Pinecrest, #Palmetto Bay and #Cutler Bay and all throughout #Miamidadecounty go to:
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Miami Community Newspaper is an online newspaper that provides up-to-date local news and information about the Miami community. This daily newspaper provides local news coverage and keeps its readers up to date on the latest developments in the area. Their website also includes a Miami community podcast, where listeners can get the latest news and updates on the Miami community. Miami Community Newspapers is the perfect source for all your local Miami news needs, whether it is from their daily newspaper, podcasts, or other media sources.