As we are crossing over to a brand new year, it got me thinking.. why does everyone emphasise so much on restarting on a New Year, and why not restart on a New Day? This way, you don’t need to wait so long to say, “I’m so glad that horrible 2023 is gone. Looking forward to a new 2024!” Isn’t it better to say, “I’m so glad that this day is almost over, and when I wake up tomorrow, it will be a brand new start!”

I used to give myself a hard time whenever it came to New Year or my birthday, self-integrating into what I had achieved for the past year. As I enter my 40s, I realise a lot of things do not matter as much as before. In fact, little stuff that used to make me sweat is a laughing matter to me now. I’m perplexed and secretly delighted at the same time that I no longer care what others and society think of me. I live for me. If I want to spend hours dolling myself up (which I never do), putting on make-up (which I hardly do) and slipping into my heels (which I dread), it is because I want to do it.

Not caring what others think is very liberating. I regret those times in my 20s and 30s where I aim to please. Now, the only person I want to please is myself. If I am unhappy, why should I go out of my way to make someone else happy? I should stay at home, under my blanket, bling watch on Netflix and feast on Bens & Jerry until I refuel my own happiness, enough to share with others.

We are drowned by unnecessary noise; these noises are allowed in by nobody but ourselves. If you want inner peace, work on accepting it is, is what it is, and stop being a square peg trying to fit in a round hole; instead, celebrate that you are a square peg. So, I am old; I accept I am old, but I also tell myself that I am halfway in my life journey, and I still have a long way to go. I don’t use many beauty products and seldom go for beauty treatments to retain my beauty or my youth. Fact: I don’t even own a facial wash. Body wash is fine by me.

So, in 2024, I wish happiness for everyone in my life, but not at the expense of sacrificing myself. I don’t need others to cheer on the sidelines for me. Instead, I want them to participate in my life and share my success. I wish peace for everyone, not only in terms of peace surrounding them but to achieve inner peace by finding contentment and stopping pursuing stuff that does not matter.

Happy 2024! Cheers to another year of living the best of your life!

PS. The art is created by AI. Impressive, eh?