Tag: New Year

Categories
Life

Can we make 2023 a more relaxing year?

Image: Mehmet Hilmi Marcin, iStock

2023 is fast approaching.

This is the time of year where people make resolutions; eat healthy, get fit, etc, etc. How about we… relax? Focus on overall wellbeing?

The last few years have been rough to say the least

Covid threw the world a massive curveball. In Australia, we were in and out of lockdown. People were out of work. Socialising was put on hold.

People were (and still are) worried about children. They were often isolated. Their education was suffering. Earlier this year, primary school teachers encouraged children to play card games to regain their social skills.

2020, 2021 and 2022 have been a rollercoaster. A mess. Yet, people have been expected to bounce back. Back to work. Back to socialising. Back to where we were before.

But have we been able to go back to normal? No. Not healthily anyway.

There’s no Christmas spirit

It’s less than two weeks until Christmas. And nobody is in the mood. The atmosphere is underwhelming. Why?

A woman on Facebook (who I’m not friends with), posted an interesting piece earlier this month.

Quoting psychologist Naomi Holdt, she wrote that no one entered 2022 on a “full tank”.

People entered 2022 tired, traumatised and… lost. We were expected to just bounce back. But we weren’t given time to process. Process grief, trauma and fear.

She also points out that many people are probably using busyness as a mask; to mask the pain and fear, as well as “catch up” on all aspects of life.

Meanwhile, people around the world are having a hard time. They just can’t bounce back. Some people are still battling with their mind.

Financial stress is hitting people worldwide

A major source of stress for people worldwide is cost of living. Earlier this month, I wrote that many people in Australia, US and the UK have been forced to make steep sacrifices over Christmas, including going without gifts.

Inflation is only getting worse. And it’s predicted they’ll only get worse in 2023.

I know, it’s a lot of doom and gloom. It’s so uncertain. So what can we do?

Tips to for mental wellness in 2023

Black man with head tilted back slightly and eyes closed, doing breathing exercises
Image: electravk, iStock

Eat healthily and exercise regularly. Practice relaxation and meditation techniques. This is all stuff we all have heard a hundred times before. Maybe in 2023, we can start practicing it.

Tipstorelax.com shares these tips to maintain mental wellness in 2023:

  • Eat healthily and exercise regularly. Practice relaxation techniques, including meditation.
  • Simplify your life. Evaluate your schedules and don’t be afraid to to cut back. Likewise, don’t be afraid to get rid of any posessions that no longer serve you. Learn to delegate tasks. You don’t have to do everything on your own!
  • Practice gratitude daily
  • Identify your purpose. Find your passion and joy.
  • Keep in contact with friends and family
  • Accept reality
  • Avoid perfectionism (I have to keep reminding myself of this one!)
  • Be playful
  • Maintain your environment. Keep it clean from clutter and dirt.

Make 2023 the year of mental health

On the 1st of January 2023, I think we should just breathe. Just relax. We should prioritise mental health in 2023.

Personally, my aim is to get work, at least part – time. It’s going to be a long road, I still want to maintain my mental health in the meantime. With the love and support from those around me, I think I’ll be able to do that.

I hope the same for anyone who reads this. Make 2023 the year to breathe, to reach out and to honour your needs. Get help if you need it.

What are your goals or hopes for 2023? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

Categories
Events

Happy new year and plans for Glycerine Queen Media in 2019

Happy new year everybody! I hope you all had or are having a great New Year’s Eve. Mine was great.

I’m quite pumped about this year and am determined to make this blog grow more. Thank you to everyone who supported Glycerine Queen Media in 2018.

No doubt there’d be a lot for me to write about this year. There often is. What lacks is hours. However, this year, my hope is I can update the blog more consistently.

The last few days, I’ve wondered to myself whether I’d like to make a YouTube channel as an extension to GQM. I do have a channel, but have nothing uploaded onto it. Has anyone here got a YouTube channel as well as a blog? Do you have any tips for juggling both? Feel free to drop any tips or insights in the comments.

Anyhoo, happy new year! May 2019 be everything you hope for!

Categories
Life Opinion/Commentary

Last minute ramblings for 2017

Happy New Year WordSwag design.

It’s nearly the end of yet another year. Some have 2018 all planned; new year’s resolutions and goals included. Some will be living it up, partying with friends and/ or family. Some will be camping. And many will be living it up at Sydney Harbour (1.6 million people are expected to attend celebrations).

Others simply couldn’t care less. They may not even be awake until midnight.

I usually have high hopes for the new year. I used to be obsessed with New Year’s resolutions and have stayed up until midnight every year except one, since 2000. Now, I’m more relaxed. I’ll most likely stay up to midnight, (until recently, I’ve been a bit of a night owl and often stay up until after midnight, anyway).

 

Not long after 1 January, (or it might on that day), it’ll be twelve months since I’ve started this blog. It’s been a blast!  I’m so glad I did it! I really have high hopes for it. Thank you to all those who have read posts, commented and followed this blog and supported it on social media. I’ve been pleasantly surprised at how far it’s come. Thank you, again.

Next year, I would love to take this blog and make it even better; take it to the next level. I would love for this to be a dotcom site. That’ll be my first one ever! I’m excited in what I’ll be able to do with it when I do. The frequency of posts, at least for the first half, may not be as frequent as this year. If, for some reason, I take a prolonged break from blogging, I’ll try and let you know beforehand.

 

That’s all for the moment. Have a safe New Year’s Eve and a great 2018!

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Uncategorized

Reflections on this year and visions for the next

Sorry for the sporadic posts. Been busy lately.

2017 is quickly coming to a close. Christmas is just around the corner.

I love the Christmas/ New Year period (although, I’m starting to think maybe New Year’s is a wee little bit overrated, more on that another time).

This year has seen a lot happening both nationally and personally. This year has seen me grow as an individual. It has seen me develop skills, both personal and professional. I’ve loved the course I’ve been doing; Certificate IV in Professional Writing and Editing. My main aim next year is to get it done!

This year has also been tumultuous. I still can’t believe how hard the same – sex marriage debate hit me, even after the result was announced. It’s been emotionally draining. It brought back feelings that I though I had left behind years ago: sadness, feeling of not being good enough and the paranoia (not clinical), that people won’t accept me for who I am. I think it’ll take time to heal. That’s going to be another of my goals next year; to get to a space where I’m happy and not worry so much.

I also need to learn not to worry about timelines so much. Things will happen as they are mean to, when they are meant to. I’ve been so worried about getting things done before the age of thirty.

 

I’ve just got myself a journal. My aim is to write (hopefully) daily affirmations. Hopefully this will change my mindset. Maybe 2018 could be a year for a real overall health kick. Sounds good, eh? Let’s see how it goes, how many temptations I have and how many I give in to (fried food, etc)!

But seriously, this year, while good, has also frankly shown me how fragile health —especially mental health — can be. We all have emotional limits to how much we can cope with. I think there should have been more times when I switched off, especially from social and mainstream media. At least I know now.

Word Swag display: Daily affirmations

 

Now, here’s to the upcoming Christmas, enjoying the rest of this year. Then bring on 2018!!!

 

What are your goals/ plans for 2018?

 

Categories
Opinion/Commentary

New year – a marketing dream

 

 

So, all the partying has stopped. Chances are, you have eaten or thrown out the Christmas lunch and you’ve gotten over the hangover from New Year’s Day.

Let me ask you something – how are those resolutions going? You may still have stuck to it…. it’s only the 2nd of January, after all. I’ve read some blog posts and it seems that there is a backlash aginst New Year’s resolutions as a whole. Mamamia founder, Mia Freedman has ditched new year’s resolutions and instead, has suggested focusing on a single word to focus on throughout the year. Nice idea. When I tried it, I thought of about ten words. Hmmmm, might need a bit more thought. Gemma Hartley of Ravishly believes that a better way is to focus on self love rather than abberation Michaela MItchell, also from Ravishly has rejected the ‘new year, new me’ mantra. Which is the thing I want to talk about.

New year, new me.

Sounds like a bit of a jingle, doesn’t it? An advertisement slogan. It’s short, easy to remember and has repetition.

Last year, marketing manager of Fitness First, Samantha Bragg told news.com.au that the number of people signing up for a gym membership rose 15% over the new year period. Also, take a look at what I found while scrolling through a tag on Ravishly:

First link – an ad for Tony Robbins.

 

A few days ago, I watched a bit of Todd Sampson’s show, Body Hack. He stayed with the Hazda tribe in Tanzania – one of the last surviving hunter – gatherer tribes in the world.

I remember when Sampson was watching a funeral of one of the grandparents who’d recently died. He said something that struck me. Unlike us in the West, the Hizda tribe don’t have the same concept of time like we do. When I heard that, I realised that they wouldn’t have a new year. Anything like that would be completely foreign to them. Why? Maybe it’s because they aren’t exposed to mass media and marketing. They would not be told for months that Christmas is coming, New Year is just days away. No posters displaying Boxing Day and end – of -year clearance sales. No TVs with Jenny Craig ads. When you think about it, we are reminded daily about time; dates and events coming up.

Reassessing priorities

I’m not against New Year’s resolutions. I get sucked in most years. However, last year, I left it late and did a rough goal list for the next two years. But I have made resolutions in the past, a big list of them. Have I kept them? Like most people, no. I do think the end of the year is a good time to plan, dream and reflect. Then again, that can go pear- shaped, too. I like Mia Freedman’s idea. A year focussing on a single word. Now to think of the word…

Discipline?

Love?

Family?

Friends?

Relationships?

 

I can think of one that I’d most likely stick to – writing. Yeah, that sounds good. If I can focus on this blog and the writing course I’m enrolled in. That would be great. Now, I’m looking forward to the rest of the year.

Categories
Uncategorized

New year, new blog and reflections of 2016

Happy new year!

I hope this year will be good for you. I know there were a few sour notes for many in 2016, and some downright tragedies. It was a year that saw fear, anger and sadness. It held some largely unpredicted events, like Donald Trump’s victory in the U.S. Election. I’ve got to say, the reaction from some Hillary Clinton supporters has been appalling, and, if anything, hasn’t done progressive/centre -Left politics or causes any justice.

The backlash against centre Left extended to Australia, with conservative parties like Pauline Hanson’s One Nation winning major influence in the Senate. Things went pear – shaped when Pauline Hanson refused to help Rod Culleton pay personal legal bills. Culleton later resigned.

The same – sex marriage debate dominated the political landscape for a few weeks. So – called ‘respectful debate’ ended up in intimidation against Mercure motel staff in Sydney, and a bomb threat against Melbourne’s LGBT radio station, 94.9 Joy FM that caused thirty staff to be evacuated. Unfortunately, the second event got minimal coverage in the mainstream media, and little condemnation.

2016 in summary

The world had been rocked by terror. The Pulse Nightclub attack in Orlando, Florida hit the LGBTQ+ community hard.It did bring people together and many people did stand in solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community. I hope the solidarity continues. Please continue to support and love your LGBTQ+ family members and friends. And, when safe to do so, speak out against queer – phobic violence. That includes media personalities.

2016 saw a continuation of one of the worst human rights and humanitarian disasters in living memory. Reports have claimed that the conflict in Syria has caused the greatest refugee crisis since World War II. The reports, images and footage in the mainstream media and on – line have been absolutely horrific. There wascalls for a cease -fire.

The future

So, what about this year? Who knows. I hope to hear less about culture wars. Even though they are good to blog about, they can be emotionally draining. I really don’t know what else to say about Syria. It’s such a tragedy. I don’t see it ending any time soon, to be honest. I’ll just leave it at that.

On a more personal and a lighthearted note, I’m so glad to be starting this blog. I can’t wait to see what happens with it. Surprisingly, I had moderate success in the three blogs that I wrote before, which I’m grateful for. But I think it’s time to move on. Plus, I have study and other stuff I’ll be doing throughout the year.

 

What are you up to this year?