Today, January 2nd

Photo © Osawatomie Fire Department

IS “NATIONAL RETURNS DAY” according to The United Parcel Service (UPS), who expects to handle a record 1.9 million return packages this Thursday (a 26% increase over last year’s record).

I’d like to think that packages from the small town of Osawatomie, Kansas won’t be among them. After all, the town’s families would have had no gifts at all if not for an unidentified postal worker’s heroic efforts on Sunday, December 22nd. Seeing smoke coming from his mail truck, the worker was just able to pull to the side of the road before it caught fire. By the time the fire department arrived, the truck was completely engulfed in flames, said Osawatomie Fire Chief, Brian Love. And while the vehicle couldn’t be saved, its driver did rescue every package inside it.

The efforts one man made to ensure a whole town’s Christmas didn’t go up in flames makes every gift (no matter the size or color) worth keeping.

MAKE A GROUP RESOLUTION: As Americans return to work, it seems we’re barely out the door before our New Year Resolutions go out the window. Going at them like an employee wellness issue could change that—with leadership posting sign-up sheets and providing space for a variety of “Resolution Groups” that encourage employees to pledge to lose weight, quit smoking, or exercise regularly, together. Behavioral research shows that publicly declaring an intention creates accountability and greater chance for success. As does co-workers buddying up to:

• Create realistic goals

• Track progress

• Help course-correct

• Reward milestones