Another Year Ends to Begin Again- the Continuity
One can go down the memory lane to the simple childhood days of black slates to write and draw, wipe again easily and reuse….a continuity. New Year is a time to wipe off the old year to rewrite and draw on the slate of life again!! Much festivities are attached to the New Year eve and day maintaining an entertainment and spiritual balance. Shimmering lights, posters, advertisements for products and hotels announce the New Year through newspapers, radio and all social media to entice viewers.
New Year Resolutions with Perseverance
Do look back to observe how many of the New Year resolutions were fulfilled or left incomplete or deleted. Next, scribble down each accomplishment and the reason for the success. Examine one’s mental or emotional practises that need to be resolved or mended this New Year. Similarly, one can carry forward some incomplete resolutions as well as introspect into the failure of other resolutions or habits at home or work area! This could relate to forming new habits, tackling problems / challenges with a new approach.
This New Year eve create realistic resolutions and sprinkle them with qualities of perseverance and firmness! An approximate plan to execute every resolution is required whether it is achieving goals at work, being tolerant and patient at home or something as trivial as ascertaining time to daily day activities. Advent the New Year as an evolved person and suddenly one finds time for every secret pursuit and passion besides the routine life chores!
New Year Party or dinner
Whether one plans to celebrate with family or friends, one needs to have a New Year eve and day plan in advance. If going out, do check restaurants or hotels status locally, whether the celebrations are indoor or outdoor to dress accordingly, find out the theme or colour code if any, the type of food being served is to your liking, dwell upon the mode of transportation, the predictions or weather conditions and so on.
The ones who opt for a New Year at holiday destinations, also need to plan not just the budget but most of the above check-list. The easy part for them is to enjoy the party and walk to their rooms! Try to look for a cocktail/ mocktail menu that you can manage yourself to fix a DIY drink and carry the ingredients. Additionally required is a basic medicine box and one’s favourite toiletries not depending on the hotel or Home stay supply only.
Outfits and more
Whether the New Year celebrations are at home, at a holiday destination or by oneself alone go for classic or fashionable ensemble well ahead; checking out the weather if outdoors and layer up if inside a hall that can easily be removed or added. As the end result of dressing up one should stand out distinctively and that can be achieved with either a bright colour, trendy design, the gold-black classic, silver black classic or a metallic look- from dresses to tops the choice is endless. Fix a budget and first go through one’s existing wardrobe for novel mixes and matches with brocade, velvet, satin, partially shimmering clothes and accessories like belts, jewellery, scarves, shoes and more! One would like to step into the New Year with clothes that uplift mood, exude poise as well as be comfortable! Itchy tight outfits can ruin the evening and the New Year eve. The fashion magazines and social media have manifested the colours red, yellow and bright pink as the fashion colours of this New Year and onwards besides the best loved black!
Two amusing, mentionable superstitions attached to clothes are to try to wear new clothes on New Year in a desire to get many more as the year goes by! The second is related to not washing laundry on the first day of the New Year as one gets to do it a lot during the forthcoming year!! Having a bath is requisite to start the New Year clean and wearing white for peace are some more beliefs!
For those on their Own
One may choose to or have to, spend the New Year eve or first day of the New Year on one’s own; then also a similar planning is requisite. Ascertain your likes and make a list of movies, a book to read, Television program to watch, yummy food to cook or order. Do remember to dress up and feel special for clothes can give self – assurance. Keep in touch with others through social media platforms, talk to a loved ones on the phone. As it is a splendid feeling to know what is happening around and feel alive with involvement!
Spirituality and New Year
Many think of Spirituality at the New Year eve or the first week of the New Year and so they spend it in a meditation centres, religious- divine destinations or being in solitary- mystical places for peace. Besides the cleaning of the ‘black slate of life’ one should quietly evaluate the year that went by and rethink the experiences with learning not bitterness. Remove the muddle, litter in the home and mind slowly but systematically inviting blessings and prosperity in one’s life. Trying oral or written affirmations is an age old healing process of saying or writing things that you want to happen on the ‘new black slate’ ; after all it is only chalk that one has used!! At New Year eve or the first day ignite the fire- Agni in the cold mind and body with positivity and wait for the seeds that one sow’s now to harvest in the Spring of Life!
It is believed that the New Year is a time to Give and honour planet Earth and Nature so share and donate to Homes and Charities, pay a visit to them in the New Year, send a meal or embellishments on the New Year eve, call a loved one or older family member with whom you lost touch, plan a visit and lots more. Most persons visit a religious place, participate in Keertan, Langar as per their faith to receive blessings in the New Year week and can add the real service to humanity too!
