Ideas for coping with change and grasping opportunity.

• Author: Whited Salo, Marcy
• Position: About This Issue

When I was first offered the opportunity to edit this issue, I was so excited about its themes: holidays, Veterans' Day--the feel-good issue! As I got closer to putting this publication to bed, it started to seem that with everything happening in the world, perhaps the feel-good issue would be harder than I had thought. Then I started reading the articles that LMA members and friends were submitting, and I understood why I was struggling.

Julie Savarino's article about how law firms and lawyers play key roles in supporting our U.S. military and veterans struck an immediate chord, reminding me to be grateful for the sacrifices of others. Traci Ray's article, "What I Am Thankful For" reminds us to appreciate all of those who inspire, support and help us every day. Kathryn Whitaker's article, "New Year's Resolutions for Legal Marketers," encourages us to look not only at what we've done before in planning our future goals, but to also look at the things that might be holding us back. Jason Miller and Sara Kadletz provide us a handy pull-out on making the most of our firm's referral sources. And finally, Nancy Manzo's article, "Goal Setting with Neuroscience in Mind," is a heady review of S.M.A.R.T. goal setting, backed by science. If you want to set goals that you can meet (and exceed), try it!

This brings me back to my thoughts on this issue. As I was preparing to send it in for final review, a lot of things were happening, such as the presidential election and Superstorm Sandy. The year has been trying at times, but as I look forward to 2013, I have a few thoughts for you (and me) to keep in mind:

1. Remember, we are not alone. We all have friends, family, peers and support systems that help us, ground us and are there for us.

2. Don't be afraid of change...