New Year Happy

Here we are again. New year, new start… we hope.

“This year I’m chilling out.”

However the previous year had been, the first few days of a new year, without fail, becomes the clean slate that gives us the chance to do better this time; to get rid of what we don’t want this time; to live the dream this time. Adverts for getting fit, losing weight, fabulous holidays and new sofas help us to get into that frame of mind. Or put us under pressure.

Personally, I think this is the wrong time of year to start, or give up these things. Whether you do it to yourself, or others do it to you, the unrealistically high goals add a stress to your life you don’t need. There’s a reason gym membership spikes at this time of year (and probably when gyms make the most money). Why not start in March? Or the summer? Or October? Or just enjoy where you are now, as you are, with friends, family or random openhearted strangers.

This brilliant song by Eddie Harris is a love letter to overeating. Just listening to its easy style makes me want to empty the contents of my fridge, lounge on a sofa and nom, nom, nom, nom, nom…

Let’s live like we don’t care in 2014 and see how we get on.

Happy New Year!