Now that everyone has had a good festive season and enjoyed the festival treats, it’s time to take stock. Most of us would be a few pounds heavier due to uncontrollable indulgence in food. No one bothers about calorie input at a time like this, and I don’t blame them.
Christmas and New Year is the happy time of the year, meeting family and friends. Everyone is in the party mood at these times and good delicious food and drinks are part of the festivities.
For a moment, I thought there won’t be any Christmas this year as according to the Mayan calendar, on December 21, 2012, the world was expected to come to an end. When I woke up on December 22 and saw the sunshine through my bedroom window, I thanked almighty for saving the world. At that time I knew, Christmas will be there to celebrate.
Restaurants do a brisk business during the holiday season. Office parties and friends getting together at different restaurants are common. One eats and drinks over the limit.
I was impressed to note that there were check stops even during the day to catch those who drank above the legal limit. It’s a pity that some people haven’t learnt the lesson despite all the drunk driving cases, some ending in fatalities. People don’t get the idea of how serious a crime drunk driving is unless it happens to someone close to you – but by then it’s too late.
January is an excellent month for gyms and weight loss firms. They obviously are eager to recruit those of us who have gained weight and are eager to shed a few pounds. Newspapers are full of ads from weight reducing companies and gyms, who wish to capitalize on the markets. Loved ones travel at this time of the year to be with their family, some even outside the country. Airlines love this time of the year as all the local and international fights are fully booked. You have no idea how many people travel everyday at the local airport until you have the occasion to visit the airport.
New year arrives and everyone rushes to make resolutions. A New Year resolution is time for commitment when people make personal goals for their projects while others try to reform their habits. It is a time for new beginnings and taking stock of things left pending during the past year. It’s a time for looking back to the past, and to look ahead to the coming year. It’s a time to reflect on the changes we want to make and resolve to follow through on those changes.
This is the favourite time for smokers who pledge to discontinue smoking. My younger brother, the only smoker in the family, every year vows not to smoke but returns to this evil habit after a month of abstinence. Most people who have gained weight during the holidays are feverishly hitting the treadmill at home. Taming the bulge happens to be one of the most popular wishes of the year.
A poll conducted by General Nutrition Centres, Quicken, shows that more than 50% of Americans vow to appreciate loved ones and spend more time with family and friends. Many take their family to a sun vacation like Mexico; the idea being that the whole family get a time to bond and strengthen their family ties.
Others decide to complete their projects, which they have not been able to complete during the past year. My New Year resolution is to complete my manuscript and publish the book this year. In that connection, I have dedicated four hours a day to writing by locking myself in my study with gallons of tea by the side. It’s reasonable also to get your home organized so that you can invite someone at a whim. I have also decided to organize my study so that I can find the stapler when I need it.
New Year also is a time to learn something new. This is the time to think of a career change or take a computer course to broaden your horizons. Local libraries and community colleges offer several courses or recreational programmes that could interest everyone.
A non-selfish New Year’s resolution, which is becoming very popular, is volunteerism. Many people take this time of the year to volunteer for their favourite charity of helping the local library or mentoring a child. There are several worthwhile charities looking for volunteers.
My special New Year resolution is a wish that President Barrack Obama is successful in passing legislation for gun control without any problems from the Republicans. After what happened in Newport, Connecticut, Americans cannot take any more chances. I don’t think Obama has the courage to attend another vigil of murdered children.
As the bestseller author of “The Happiness Project,” Gretchen Rubin says: “You hit a goal, you achieve a goal. You keep a resolution.”
