The revelation of the year as far as I am concerned is that looking to widen our scope to add new friends is not the best way to deal with the loneliness epidemic which has impacted our world – all of us, include me in that.

Instead of looking for someone else to help us solve the problem we need to look to ourselves.

As I tell my NYU students in our stress class for musicians, do away with self-rejection and yes, be kinder, compassionate, more open and forgiving to ourselves first – then to those around us.

The gift I am giving to myself this holiday season is to be enough – good things will follow.

Please feel free to share.