I must admit, I am an optimist. I believe that good wins in the end and that most things work out for the best.
We may all be direly in need of optimism. Already, cuts are beginning to bite and the coming year promises to be tough.
Combined with the weather, the temptation to stay under the blankets is almost too much.
The austerity measures will undoubtedly change life for many of us. But adversity has always been what drives us on to greater and better things.
However bleak the outlook, we have much upon which to base our future prosperity.
We have the most professional fighting forces in the world. Our Army, Navy and Air Force are universally admired and emulated. despite cuts, they still outgun armies twice their size.
We have a stable monarchy, with a widely respected Queen, who has ruled us wisely and with great dignity for over 50 years.
We have our great institutions, like the House of Commons, where I spend much of my time. While its reputation was sullied by the behaviour of some members, much is achieved there, that serves our country well. It will recover and restore our faith in this great democracy of ours.
Not least, we have wonderful volunteers; carers, charity workers, community organisers and the countless others, who form the backbone of our society.
We live in a country where we can protest without being thrown into jail - or worse.
We can complain - if we want to - about the Police or elected officials without our lives being made a living hell.
Wile I don't want to sound like Pollyanna, I do believe that being optimistic brings rewards. A positive attitude is infectious. If we are glad about something every day, it does lift our spirits.
And we need to lift our spirits as much as we can.