The song lyric, “It’s the most wonderful time of the year,” keeps running through my head.

Well, it should be the most wonderful time, but it’s awfully hard to imagine it as such with all the bad stuff happening in the world.

I’ve been thinking about how we, in the absence of a lot of positivity, can help to make our holidays, and beyond, brighter.

It’s easy to fall into a black hole of negativity and say, “What’s there to celebrate?”

Long ago, after I received my bachelor’s degree and was studying at a school of education to pursue what I thought would be a career in teaching, we read a book about the connection between thought and language.

I think about that book as everything in the universe seems to be going to pot — a deadly virus threatens to wipe out the population, political enemies spew hatred, families flee their native countries seeking safety and a better life, children and adults across the country are killed by gun violence, gas and food prices rise, and we wait in dread for what’s coming next.

There’s an interesting connection between thought and language. If we use negative language, complain a lot and constantly whine, that’s how we are going to feel in our heads — that life is all bad and it’s never going to get better. The effect is that our lives become dismal.

The other way around may seem to make more sense — that negative thinking prompts negative language. But the theory in the book is that if we speak in hopeful, optimistic language, then we feel better, are more positive, anticipate good things are in store and become proactive.

This thinking may seem Pollyannaish as the world is rife with inequity, tragedy, poverty and deadly weather events such floods, fires and tornadoes that wipe out whole communities. Of course, it is all horrifying. But we have the power, in small ways, to act.

We can advocate for fighting climate change, argue for gun control (a lot of people won’t like this, but how else are we going to stop the shootings?), get vaccinated and persuade others to, and have mercy on others fleeing rape, torture and poverty.

That holiday lyric coursing through my brain makes me want to join the chorus.

We have the power to effect change, however miniscule. And a lot of small actions add up to big ones.

We can sing holiday songs, listen to beautiful music (Handel’s “Messiah” comes to mind), watch “The Nutcracker” ballet or revisit old holiday movies such as “Miracle on 34th Street” and “Christmas in Connecticut.” Allow ourselves to indulge in the suspension of disbelief.

We may bake foods that fill our homes with the scent of Christmas. Donate to a charity or two, visit someone who is alone, give an unexpected gift.

We can turn our language — and thoughts — joyful.

Most importantly, we can count our blessings. Yes, every one.

Amy Calder has been a Morning Sentinel reporter 33 years. Her columns appear here Saturdays. She may be reached at acalder@centralmaine.com. For previous Reporting Aside columns, go to centralmaine.com.