The year is almost done; you clean your desk and prepare for the last holiday of the calendar year.

Sometime during that last week there is always that moment of reflection, of what was and how it could be; the mistakes you don’t want to make in the coming year, the bad habits you want to leave behind, and the things that didn’t get done.

On that last day of the year you think back about the things that went wrong, whether you can leave them behind, and start over.

How are things with you? Do you feel comfortable with yourself, are you enjoying yourself?

You have a beautiful empty page in front of you, a pristine new year, a new round with new opportunities. How will you make the most of them?

Of course you begin and end the year with a party. New Year’s Eve is the moment to celebrate with abandon all the chances and possibilities life has to offer. Together with many others. In the dynamics of a group it is difficult at times to stay on your course. You do as the others because you want to belong and you don’t want to spoil the mood. It’s difficult to say ‘no’ when everybody else says ‘yes’. Maybe that’s why you drink a bit more alcohol than you had planned, laugh a little louder at a mean joke, or with much bravado you go look for an exciting way to light the fireworks. And maybe your friends will look at you with admiration because you do all that. Respect!

But the next day the hangover will be there. How many people will be sorry on January 1st for what they did the night before?

Wouldn’t it be wonderful to start your year fresh and without guilt? A whole new year lies at your feet and you want to begin it bright and fit! 2016 could be the year you do the choosing, from your heart, without worrying about what others will think of it; a year without hidden agendas, because you are who you are and will always remain so. You do not have to ‘earn’ the approval of others. You just need to make sure you can honestly look at yourself in the mirror and have respect for yourself. You are your own criterion.

If you know who you are and you have a Healthy Sense of Self it will not be difficult to set your course. Your inner compass will naturally point you in the right direction. You can enjoy a beautiful party with your friends and family, be yourself, and bring in the New Year with full confidence.

Best wishes for a healthy and prosperous 2016!

Editor’s Note: The end of the calendar year is a universal experience and  so are some of the rituals of completing a year before commencing another. Healthy Sense of Self is made up of a global team of contributors who can be found championing the message and mission from the United States to South Africa to Italy to the Netherlands. We hope you enjoyed this end of year message wherever you are in the world and there is something we would love to know too! What are your highest hopes for your 2016?