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Dear Good People,

Do I have to?

A friend just suggested a “sparkle” dress theme for a small weeknight gathering.

Yikes. The last time I wore sparkles was New Year’s Eve 2022.

A man and woman sitting side by side and laughing. The woman is wearing a gold sparkle blouse and a New Year Eve crown. The man is wearing a hat and a blue button up shirt. They are sitting outside under palm trees in a courtyard setting.

I feel cheesy when I wear sparkles.

Yet, when others sparkle, I feel hopeful and joyful. Without sparkles of hope and joy, it is tough to sustain the work of becoming better people (and we become agonizingly tough to be around).

Still, bringing the sparkle ourselves - that is an act of vulnerability. Especially in a world that is ... not very sparkly.

Actually …

Maybe there is a reason so many holidays and crowded public spaces involve sparkly things.

Cascades of white sparkling globed lights hanging from an atrium of a multi story building.

And, that when I typed “sparkle” in my search bar looking for this draft, the google drive gods delivered me an old photo that I had once file-named “close up sparkle.”

OMG.

Whoa!

My dear good people, that’s my online dating picture from back in the late 1900’s (!) when there were no swipe-right dating apps or reality shows featuring questionable Sima Auntie from Mumbai.

Yes, before the cool kids declared online dating to be low-key legit, I was sneaking around with aliases on early Javascript websites. (Dang, what is more vulnerable than that?)

Post Script: CloseUpSparkle.jpg led to this amazing guy and these sparkly kids.

A man wearing a suit and turban squated down with his arms around two young girls wearing beaded hot pink Salwar suits. All smiling at the camera.

Sparkles for Everyone, Every Day

Maybe sparkles are underrated?

Maybe sparkles are an act of courage, a defiant long odds bet that something can shine through the darkness of today's world.

Back by Popular Demand

Which is all to say, it’s time for the most popular Dear Good People issue of the year, packed with end-of-year pick-me-ups to help us keep fighting the good-ish fight.

Long time readers loved the December 2021 Joy Issue and the December 2022 Pep Talk Issue. Welcome to the December 2023 SPARKLE Issue.

Acrostic of the work SPARKLE. Spirit, Possibility, Awe, Rejoicing, Kourage, Laugher, Elevation.

Enjoy the Spirit, Possibility, Awe, Rejoicing, "Kourage," Laughter, and Elevation of these eight sparkly moments!

1. Spirit

The electricity that emanates from D Soraki's epic one minute street dance performance of Diana Ross's I'm Coming Out could power a New York City nightline. He feels the spirit and so do we.

2. Possibility

Valarie Kaur’s Watch Night speech is what we all need coming out of 2023 and facing 2024. She has us breathe, then push, for what is possible in a world of revolutionary love.

Valarie Kaur standing behind a podium with two microphones and two gold lamps. She is holding her hands up with palms exposed warmly smiling. There is a blury group of people behind her wearing suits.

3. Awe

The natural sparkle of fireflies evokes awe, captured by photographer Radim Schreiber in this magical two minute video and photograph. Awe unlocks the soul.

Radim Schreiber's picture. A forest filled with fireflies and trees. There are thousands of yellow fireflies. The forest is filled with trees and green foliage on the ground.

4. Rejoicing

Sheryl Lee Ralph deserves all of the awards for this three minute speech, which is topped only by her adult children's reactions from the far back balcony. Rejoice for things big and small.

Sheryl Lee Ralph holding an Emmy Award smiling. She is wearing a black formal dress. In the background is a large image of the Emmy Trophy.

5. "Kourage"

This beautiful poem called Good Bones by Maggie Smith helps me steel myself in every rendition (one minute reading, four minute short film). What courage it takes to see the world.

A woman and young girl walking across a grassy field with the woman holding a white sack that is glowing.

6. Laughter

I could watch DJ Pryor and his son in this one minute conversation (captured by mom Shanieke Pryor) every day for the rest of my life and I would still laugh (hard) every time. When in despair, search for laughter.

Father and baby son sit on couch chatting and laughing

7. Elevation

With the genius and heart of Alex Lacamoire, Lin-Manuel Miranda, and Ben Platt, the Found/Tonight Mashup soars in every version: studio, Broadway cast, March for our Lives rally. We can elevate each other.

Lin-Manuel Miranda and Ben Platt holding microphones on stage while singing with Alex Lacamoire between them on the keyboard. Students in matching blue rally shirts sit behind them.

8. (More) Elevation

Pentatonix’s four minute Little Drummer Boy Performance levitates every molecule of my spirit. The word "high" is no linguistic accident; that is what elevation feels like.

A diverse group of 5 people, 4 men and 1 woman standing spread out at an overlook and appears to be singing. The background is trees and a city in the far distance. .

Stock Up

So, I am a sparkle convert. We are going to need sparkles in arm's reach during some fetal position moments sure to come in 2024.

Some spirit to help us soar, possibility to push for, awe to give us perspective, rejoicing at wins big and small, "kourage" to see the world, laughter when all else fails, and elevation to bring on that high.

Let's do it together.

Girl holding two sparklers in her extended hands and smiling while looking up. The background is dark and blurry.

My thank you to you

We are almost 10,000 strong with Dear Good People. Thank you for being here, whether you have been around for a while or just joined us. Remember, all past issues are free as is subscribing (no spam, ever).

Also! If you are giving my latest book, A MORE JUST FUTURE as a holiday, birthday, thank you, any-reason gift, I am happy to send you a personalized and autographed free book plate. Maybe for your friends, family, colleagues, book clubs, teachers, anyone (and don't forget you!)?

Dolly Chugh standing up against a wood fence in a burgundy coat while holding her two books. The Person You mean To Be and A More Just Future.

Buy the book wherever you buy books and submit your request no later than Monday December 18 at 9 am ET.

Cocoa and I will be spending that Monday morning with sharpies and stamps in hand, so don't wait - order your book and submit your requests here.

Dolly Chugh sitting and holding a Boston Terrier named Cocoa Bean. They are outside sitting in front of a iron fence and some large trees.

Sparkle on, my dear good people, and let's keep growing!

See you in 2024,

Acknowledgements: Thank you to Corey Hajim, Dan Harris, Modupe Akinola for sparkly inspiration. Perpetual thanks to Anna McMullen for the sparkle she brings to the world (with hugs to Rosie).

Photo credits: Several images are personal images and Canva designs. Header image by Katie Sutton, D Soraki epic dance, Valarie Kaur's screenshot of speech, Firefly photo purchased from Radim Schreiber. , Sheryl Lee Ralph screenshot, Maggie Smith -Good Bones , DJ Pryor and son, March for our Lives with Alex Lacamoire, Pentatonix, Girl with Sparkler Photo by Allef Vinicius on Unsplash.

Dolly Chugh is the Jacob B. Melnick Term Professor at the New York University Stern School of Business in the Department of Management and Organizations. She studies the psychology of good people and teaches leadership/management courses. All views are her own.