This article originally appeared in the December 2010 issue of INTERNET TELEPHONY.

It’s Election Day as I’m writing this. Sitting at my kitchen table and looking out on my beautiful backyard, I have an unbelievable feeling of calm. Maybe it doesn’t make sense, but that’s my reality.

I have my opinions about many of the politicians who are running for election, but whatever the outcome, I believe that things will be OK. There’s been a steady stream of companies over the past year telling me their good news stories. The retail industry is hopeful about holiday buying. The stock market has been pretty resilient. And TMC (News - Alert), with which I celebrated my one-year anniversary in August, continues to grow and hire.

That last part is probably why I’m feeling so optimistic: I have a job.

These strange times have led many of us to make changes and, in many cases, live with less. But if you have a job these days, and your employer is not cutting your hours or pay, you probably feel pretty lucky just about now.

I’ve been part of a large group of hard-working and positive-minded Americans that over the last couple of years has lived through a layoff. Many of us have found new positions. Others are currently looking for work and hoping for the best.

Today and in the recent past we have had plenty of societal worries – and often legitimate concerns – about such issues as extreme politicians, gas shortages, housing values, terrorism, war and Y2K. It’s good to pay attention to what’s going on in the world and to lend your voice and your hand to the cause when things aren’t going in a positive direction. But it seems that the impact of such things on our everyday lives is often overblown. The bottom line for most of us is that if we have decent health, a job to go to every morning, and a place and a family to come home to every night, life is sweet.

So I’m hopeful that more companies will use this down economy as an opportunity to build for the future, rather than to retreat, and will begin or expand their hiring to enable those efforts.

I understand times are tough for businesses. No argument there.

But companies that are in the position to hire and have a job (or jobs) that need(s) to be done should make that move. More jobs will have a positive impact on citizens, hopefully help fewer people default on their housing loans (which will mean better – or at least not worse – real estate values for the rest of us), and help restore the citizenry’s buying power to create more demand for businesses’ goods and services.

Happy Holidays.