My to-do list for 2014

I’ve had it all planned out. I’ve laid out our plans for the much awaited family vacation in Baguio. It’s not that I hardly go to Baguio, but now is the best time to be with family. It’s the holiday season!

Then the inevitable happens, not a robbery like in the movie Home Alone, but maybe something simple like a bad stomach that you’re staying home for the holidays, like literally confined within the four walls of your home.   

And so you’re stuck at home, having a “staycation.” Can’t go anywhere even when the rest of the world is vacationing. All right, so it’s not as bad as it sounds. 

Staying at home gives you time to do many things like get organized, and plan for a more productive and exciting 2014.  

Clean your closet. Out with the old — I know it’s after Yolanda, but still you might be surprised to find things to discard, and maybe donate. One man’s trash is another man’s treasure. Throw it away, give them away. Our closets, and our home in fact would deserve that breathing space. Also, you’d want to leave room for the new gifts that Santa gave you this Christmas. 

Be sentimental. Since we’re all thinking about the year that has passed (rather so quickly), organize your photos. My Mama Elaine usually teases me that I keep on taking photos in my phone that she never gets to see. It’s all in my phone’s memory — all 5,000 of them. While you’re in the mood for organizing, sort out the things to throw away and neatly organize the things you’d want to keep like cards, letters and all the sentimental girly stuff, in your family treasure chest. 

Go back to health and fitness. It’s been almost a month without a serious workout, no exercise. Department of Health assistant secretary Eric Tayag told me that what you gained during last Christmas Season binge stays on your waist. I’m sure that a lot of our weight gain happened during past Christmases. For this new year, it’s only imperative that we increase our activity level and watch our diet in order to go back to our pre-holiday season figure. Dare to be a better you. 

Do something different with your look. I went to the hairstylist of Bea Alonzo because I wanted to look as beautiful as her. LOL. But what the heck? It’s worth a try. There was a time in the ’90s when so many girls wanted to look like Demi Moore in Ghost, and turned out looking more like Patrick Swayze. Normally, I wouldn’t advise people to try to achieve the look of celebrities, because chances are it may not suit you, but now is a good time to experiment. Your hair will grow back. If you want to get BELO-fied, they have a promo for the new year. Zero percent interest for 12  months.

List down the things that you’ve wanted to try and learn. I’ve always wanted to take voice lessons and painting, among other things. But I slack because I don’t calendar it. Now is the time to set a time for those endeavors. If you can’t do them all at the same time, try something new every quarter. 

Plan your family trips this early. This way you can set aside and work on a budget for your dream family getaway, and save for it, and not simply rely on your credit card and bahala na si Batman. I came across some good deals in the newspaper about booking until the end of the year for travels next year. Not a bad idea. Planning our trips ahead is also a good thing so we can give our superiors a head’s up about our vacation leaves. 

Account for how much you spent for Christmas. Yes, we should have done the budgeting before the Christmas season, but since we’ve swiped the credit cards already then damage has been done. So, let’s move on. How much do you have to pay? Do pay your credit cards on time or be burdened by the interest. Now’s a good time to think about our finances seriously.  We call it nahimasmasan period when you come out of your state of euphoria from shopping, now you’re back to reality. Reassess your priorities. 

Earn more. Since we’re all experts when it comes to spending, think of ways to earn more. A lot of us have eight-hour jobs, but surely there is a way of earning more during our free time. Now may be a good time to lay out your feasibility study on an endeavor you’ve always wanted to explore or turn into a sideline that you can do during the weekends. No time? Try investing. Talk to a financial planner. If you’re interested I can hook you up with my brother who handles our finances.

Give more. It’s time that we make giving a habit, a part of our system. We’ve done it before during Yolanda, now is the time for follow through by participating in community efforts and your Church on a more regular basis, and not merely when the need arises. You may also want to regularly donate to a cause that you support. Commit your time and your resources. 

Just do it. Now that you’ve pretty much set a direction for yourself, you have to follow it through with your actions. We’ve listed it down, set a time for our goals. I don’t see any reason why we can’t do it. Unless you have a bad stomach, too. Then again, even with a bad stomach, you can be productive. So quit with all the excuses and just do it.

We wish you a New Year full of abundance!

(Do e-mail me at [email protected].)