My tough New Year resolutions

I bet you have not realised that today’s the 353rd day of the year meaning we have barely a fortnight to wrap up a very eventful year. It has never been easy to see off another year with all its challenges and opportunities, tears and smiles, fortunes and tragedies.

However, what’s most important is that we are still counted as part of the living. I don’t know what tragedies befell you or what misfortunes that occurred to you. So long as you can read this, you have a second chance to right whatever wrong there is. With life comes hope. So go out there and make that dream come true.

We are exactly 12 days to a new year and as usual people will come up with all manner of personal resolutions to make the coming year both better for themselves as well as those around them. Cheating husbands/wives will resolve not to engage in amorous affairs again.

There will be people that will also resolve to shed some few pounds in order to have the Kim Kardashian type of physique. In fact, all manner of resolutions will be made heading into 2015. Of course, it’s one thing making them and another keeping them.

I bet you wanna know what mine are? I do make resolutions every year though I must confess I have never being able to keep one. But should that forbid me from making subsequent ones, no. In fact, this year I have made the biggest of resolutions.

I have resolved that I am making no New Year resolutions. I don’t know about you but for me a change of attitude is not what I can do overnight especially on 31st December. Of course, there are those who are able to stick to their resolutions no matter the odds.

We all need to be frank with ourselves when coming up with such resolutions. Indeed realistic is a watchword when planning your to do list for next year. As far as I am concerned most people literally build castles in the air with no idea how to raise the foundation.

If you keep on setting the same resolutions and you’re unable to meet them why set them up anyway? I’m sure quite a lot of people will pledge to quit certain addictions. Knowing you have to quit the addiction is surely the right step, but the approach methinks counts too.

For instance, if it’s your resolution to quit smoking in the coming year, I don’t expect you to be smoking on the last two or so days to end of the year. As far as the body is concerned, a new year does not mean anything it’s the brain that recognizes the change.

If all throughout the year you have been feeding the body with cigarettes, it’s highly difficult to wake up one morning and decide you have quit the habit. In that instance, you have a high risk of relapsing especially without professional support.

Nevertheless it is worth nothing that there are some who have stuck to their resolutions, though very difficult to do. But does that mean we should not turn from our harmful ways? No. We all need to quit whichever practise we believe is detrimental to us or the people around us, no doubt.

What I would have you do instead of drawing a tall list of resolutions is to plan for change without tying it to the New Year. In effect, if you need to change, do so now and don’t wait for a new year. If you want to hit the gym more regular than before, start now.

Technically everyday marks a new year, not just January 1. Alternatively, once you make strenuous efforts to stop a particular habit in the course of the year, you can use the New Year as more incentive to strengthen your resolve.

But come 2015, I would expect people to become proactive in helping the vulnerable in our communities. Like someone said even the smallest of kind acts can fill up the biggest of places in somebody’s heart.

I know Ghanaians are generally generous, but one of my expectations for the coming year is to see the doubling of that generosity. In my small world, I will extend a helping hand to those who need it most. Together our small perfect world will make the world a better place for humanity.

As we celebrate the coming of Jesus Christ’s entry into this world to save humanity, it is worth mentioning that there are people in our community who are also doing their bit to give hope to people who are lacking it.

We shouldn’t celebrate this season of divine love without acknowledging what others are doing for the orphaned and the less privileged in our societies. Serwaa Quaynor of the Ghana Autism Centre, is one of such people who deserve commendation.

I’ve had the opportunity of spending time with some of these less fortunate kids. And I am more than certain that Auntie Serwaa is God sent. That’s the only way you can explain her dedication to these kids. Much as we can’t all be another Auntie Serwaa, let’s try to either volunteer our time or even donate a few cedis to help in the running of the place.

Talking about Auntie Serwaa reminds of the founder of the Countryside Orphanage in Bawjiase, Central region, Emma Boafo Yeboah. Her orphanage is home to more than 100 residents. I don’t know how many kids a woman can have in her lifetime, but it appears none will be able to rival Mrs. Boafo-Yeboah.

How she does that is sometimes left to generosity of the society. When we make plans for X’mas let’s not forget these kids. You may not be able to make donations to these orphanages but certainly there are thousands of gestures we can do to put a smile on the faces of these unfortunate ones.

In all, we do let’s put meaning to the Christ in Christmas. Stay safe and see you next year. Happy New year! I’m out.