Last summer researchers at Harvard University and the University of British Columbia released a paper that declared the five happiest cities in the U.S. all happen to be located in one state: Louisiana, which also ranks as the happiest state. Topping the list were Lafayette, Houma, Shreveport-Bossier City, Baton Rouge and Alexandria. (Lake Charles finished No. 8.)
I am happy we were on the top of that list, but it got me to thinking about what makes people happy. Is it love, family, God, health, food, travel, art, sports, politics, hunting, money, power or success?
Were you happy in 2014? What would make you happy (or happier) in the new year (other than losing the 10 pounds you gained from Thanksgiving to New Year’s)?
Is it achievement of personal goals? Is it something you want to see happen for your family, business, neighborhood, city, state or nation? New Year’s always provides an opportunity to reflect on the past year (which went by so quickly) and progress made, lessons learned or just precious memories. It also is a time to look ahead to the potential in the 12 months ahead and set goals—but also to plan time for what is most important in your life. Have no regrets.
We all know time flies as we age. We can all remember being at the hospital when our children were born—and now they are grown, married and have children of their own. All in a flash. (But we get to slow down the second time with our grandchildren.)
It seems like yesterday when we were publishing our first edition of Business Report with Huey Wilson on the cover. That was more than 32 years ago. How Baton Rouge has changed.
Many of those executives, entrepreneurs and leaders we wrote about are no longer with us—but they left their legacy.
As we reflect on 2014 and think about the year ahead and the happiness it holds, let’s look at the results of a survey done of 50 people over the age of 95 who were asked what they would do differently if they had life to live over again. The consensus was:
- They would risk more.
- They would reflect more.
- They would do more things that would live on after they were gone.
Great advice—and we got it long before our 95th birthdays. We are so fortunate to live in the greatest country on earth, with so many opportunities to pursue happiness, and I am grateful.
May your 2015 be a “Happy New Year.”
Jobs milestone in reach
The new Louisiana record of 2 million jobs (non-farm) is just 1,700 new jobs away, according to the new numbers released last week by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. And Baton Rouge is now at 399,900 employed after gaining 7,500 jobs over the past 12 months—the largest gain in Louisiana.
New Orleans added 5,200, and Lafayette gained 3,600, with the state total increasing by 18,700. We are also seeing more workers coming to the state for the many industrial jobs being created.
We can expect to see record-setting numbers for jobs in Louisiana—and that will make for a Happy New Year.
National exposure
While some like to criticize the movie tax credits in Louisiana, they continue to bring positive press to our state. One of the most recent stories came last month from CBS News, which aired a segment titled, “Louisiana: The new Hollywood.” The story opened with, “California isn’t the epicenter of movie making anymore. The business has left the Gold Coast and gone south, to Louisiana.” CBS went on to say, “In fact, the Bayou State is now the film production capital of the world, with 18 feature films released into theaters last year, three more than runners-up Canada and California.”
Wow. “Capital of the world.” Not a bad title to have.
The story made note of our tax incentives and said now 39 states are following Louisiana’s lead. The report also pointed out that California is fighting back and hopes to expand tax credits to up to 25%. “But for now, Louisiana remains ahead of the pack.”
Herbert Gains was an executive producer on G.I. Joe and the superhero flick Green Lantern. Gains said, “When it came time to do Green Lantern, I thought of Louisiana. I was familiar with their program and I knew it could work financially, but I wasn’t sure if it could work creatively.” He says it did work and has worked for Louisiana too. “There’s benefits that you can’t even put on paper. People come down here for six to nine months on a movie and it has increased the economy,” Gains said.
A message for 2015
Julio Melara shared with our staff an inspiring story he found online at Sunnyskyz.com. Joseph Mazzella wrote it:
“I switched off the morning news today while I sipped my morning coffee. The constant chatter about sports stars, celebrities, billionaires, and politicians had numbed my ears and left a bad taste in my mouth. I didn’t really care to hear anymore about what this world considers winners. Instead, I gazed out my kitchen window and thought about the true winners in this life. I was sure too that Heaven was smiling down on them all whether they realized it or not.
“Who are these real winners? They are all around us but we so often fail to see them. The single Mom who works all day to support her child is a winner. The person who gives up their one day off from work to volunteer at a food pantry or homeless shelter is a winner. The grandma who both bakes cookies and relearns algebra to help her grandson with his homework is a winner. The hospice aide who holds the hand of a dying person in their last hours here is a winner. The volunteer firefighters who risk their lives for no pay are all winners. The health care aide who dedicates her life to help the elderly and disabled is a winner. The adoptive parents who give a forever home to orphaned children are winners. The person who gives a Christmas present to a poor child he will never meet is a winner. The family who lovingly open their hearts and homes to furry, four-legged friends are winners. The young men and women who spend their spring and summer vacations repairing the homes of the poor are winners. The person who puts love ahead of money, kindness ahead of fame and people ahead of power is the real winner in this life and in the next.
“Everyone who loves others completely and unconditionally is a winner in the eyes of Heaven. Every person who spends their lives helping others is a winner in the eyes of God. May you be a true winner then, today, tomorrow and always.”
