Happy New Year!
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With the frenzy of ending 2008 by tying up last-minute loose ends and seeing all the people who matter to you, things can get quite hectic and tiring. Spare yourself the exhaustion and expend your energy the right way by ushering in 2009 with these worthwhile, self-boosting, and barkada-bonding activities.
Have one last hurrah for 2008 with your friends. We bet you normally spend New Year’s Eve with your family and the first day of the new year with your barkada, right? While it’s perfectly fine to welcome the new year with family as per tradition, plan something with your pals—it could be something wacky as “come as who you want to be in 2009” party, or something simple like dinner, drinks, and dessert where you can share your New Year’s resolutions with each other.
Have an early spring cleaning. One week before the new year rushes in (which is the day after Christmas), pencil into your calendar a day or half a day devoted to spring cleaning, a.k.a. throwing out junk from your room. Not only is it good feng shui practice (letting go of negative vibes and clearing space for new, positive energy to flow in), but you’ll also get rid of stuff that you don’t really need. The act of de-cluttering is also rejuvenating, and we guarantee that you’ll feel tons better after doing your pre-new-year cleaning. Bonus: This “chore” actually shaves off calories—so go ahead and sweat it out!
Want to earn extra money to make up for the pesos you just blew or need extra cash, period? Set aside all the things you don’t need anymore and organize a garage sale. Invite your siblings, relatives, and friends to join to double—or triple—the fun! And if you’re feeling extra generous, why not donate what you’ve earned to the charity of your choice?
Translate this house (or room) spring cleaning into de-cluttering your computer as well. Get rid or burn old files to free up memory space, and change your old passwords—you can never be too secure nor safe!
Rethink your priorities for the new year. Everyone’s probably coming up with their own list of New Year resolutions. Take this one step further and write down simple, achievable goals in your handwritten journal (we suggest you don’t blog about them; it’s too public and too cliché). Include what expenses you’d want to avoid for the next year—finance charges for late credit card bill payments, unnecessary gadgets, or shopping binges, etc. By jotting these down, you’d be storing these financial potholes in your subconscious and you’re more likely to steer clear of them.
