Thank you so much for listening and subscribing to the Postcard Academy this year. If you’re a fan of this podcast and are feeling generous this year, leaving a review of this show on Apple Podcasts would be a wonderful Christmas present to me. Here’s how to leave a review. Or, you could become a patron of this podcast, which I produce voluntarily as a labor of love for you. Supporting the Postcard Academy via the Patreon site for creators and artists gives you access to members-only content and helps sustain the production of the show, which involves many hours of work and monthly fees. I really enjoy creating this show for you, and I’m very excited for some things I have planned for 2019. This will include more actionable advice to help you travel more, live abroad — if that is something you’re interested in — and to have more freedom, and free time, in your life wherever you choose to spend it. Less work and stress and overwhelm, and more time to enjoy our very brief time on this Earth. I cannot wait to share this with you! This week, I’m sharing a Ted Talk that I think is perfect for this time of year. Right now, the media is full of summaries of this year’s news — most of it bad news because that’s what they’ve been covering all year. But guess what? The world is actually getting better. When it comes to homicide, war, poverty, and even pollution, we're actually doing better now than we were 30 years ago, according to Harvard professor and author Steven Pinker. This progress is a fact, not an opinion, and he has the statistics to prove it. Do we still have life-threatening problems like inequality, war, and climate change? Of course. But these are “problems to be solved, not the apocalypse in waiting.” I hope Steven Pinker’s Ted Talk gives you some peace of mind. *** I’m your host, Sarah Mikutel. Ready to travel? Sign up for my newsletter and get your free guide to cheap airfare. Thank you so much for listening to this show. I know you’re busy and have many listening options, so it means a lot to me that you’re here. You are the best.Do you ever go blank or start rambling when someone puts you on the spot? I created a free Conversation Cheat Sheet with simple formulas you can use so you can respond with clarity, whether you’re in a meeting or just talking with friends.Download it at sarahmikutel.com/blanknomore and start feeling more confident in your conversations today.

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“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.

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