NOTE FROM THE PUBLISHER

by JOHNNY TAN

Happy November, everyone! In America, Thanksgiving is right around the corner! I am so looking forward to my favorite holiday of the year because it celebrates gratitude and thankfulness, and I get to gobble up all the wonderful food on“ Turkey Day!”

Another great celebration in November is World Kindness Day, which falls on the 13th. The World Kindness Movement created it in 1998 as an international awareness observance day to encourage us to pay attention to our actions, that is, to be kind to others and to reciprocate others’ acts of kindness toward us!

I am so glad we are in a month that prompts us to reflect on positivity amid the chaos surrounding us nationally and globally! Each November, I am reminded of how fortunate I am to have been exposed to diverse cultures, religious beliefs, and philosophies of life at an early age, growing up in Melaka, Malaysia. That exposure deepened and broadened when I attended Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, at 18, where I was introduced to and celebrated my first Thanksgiving with my Southern Belle Mom’ s family, the Carters.

Although it is an official holiday here in America, which I love, the concept of gratitude and thankfulness is ever-present worldwide. One of the most important things I have experienced over the years is that celebrating gratitude and thankfulness may very well be what unites us rather than divides us as citizens of lovely Mother Earth!

All of my 9 Moms taught me that two distinct yet equal forces govern our decision-making in our professional and personal lives: Love or Fear! From an early age, I learned to look through the lens of love. My Malaysian mom, Nyah, constantly reminded me that my view was about contributing to someone ' s happiness.

4 | Inspirations for Better Living • November 2026