A year ago, I reaffirmed my lack of faith in New Year resolutions, yet that affirmation is not entirely true per say. In the bigger scheme that life is, one must align themselves with a major goal almost all the time. The same applies to one’s principles, values and moral ethics although these vary around a certain pivot in which case age and experiences impact on one. So in a way New Year’s resolutions are Ok if they follow that big scheme of things in your life. For example if you own a weather beaten Toyota corona in 2010 and you decide that you want to buy a 2009 Range rover Sport by the end of 2011, it is clear you’re your goals and values have changed drastically just on the basis of date change. One there is nothing special about New Year in reality. Still the sun will rise in the East and set in the West. If you are stuck on a desert island on 25th December you might never see the revered midnight change because it is just an artificial element of time that was perhaps put to instil some sense of order to the imperfect human mind. Ideally do not measure so much on the 365 days of year. Success should be continuous agenda punctuated by months and years. New Year resolutions should be the next stages in your success story, following ahead of yesteryears resolutions. Drastic changes in the scheme of things in terms of knee-jerk reactions to current temporary problems or situations can only serve to worsen the status quo. The end of year is a refreshing moment during which you can cut loose the strings to the past years bad memories and update you your one year experience to match your average age, and that experience should serve to make you stronger in every way. Your ideals should become more definitive, your long-term goals clearer, and your actions plans more defined and easy to imagine. But above all, the New Year should be more about new opportunities than new resolutions. In the rush though life, when urgent things constantly throw themselves at you from all directions, at the junction of years is when one can take a rest, one can stand away from the mad rush and become the observer, keenly trying to identify new opportunities which are abound. Why pope mutter about the new traffic jams in Kigali, think that more cars means more spare parts needed, more car accessories and more garages needed. If the government will no longer host students in universities a whole new array of student related opportunities in terms of hostels, eateries, entertainment joins and the like are likely to be demanded in the environs of these universities. A keen eye can make out more discreet but very profitable ventures that one can use to impact on people’s lives profitably and still improve oneself. All in all, think more about new opportunities and instead of new resolutions, try putting more effort in what you have not succeeded to improve so much in the last year. I wish you a progressive Sunday. kelviod@yahoo.com