Who needs New Year’s resolutions?

When midnight strikes on the first of January of a new year, I’m sure millions of people are showered in confetti, singing Auld Lang Syne even if they actually have no idea what the words mean, marveling at gorgeous fireworks, lighting up firecrackers and running in the other direction, and, of course, declaring their ultimate New Year’s resolution: to lose weight. "This year na talaga!" everyone says – of course, while lapping up wine or hot chocolate at media noche and munching on Fiesta Ham and hot breads.

I don’t get why people are so obsessed with weight during the holidays. Sure, a lot of people put on pounds during all the Christmas parties and reunions. But when the New Year strikes, that’s all they can think of – the extra flab, the sluggish stomach, the tighter waistbands. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not against getting fit or starting a healthier lifestyle. I admire those who can replace greasy fast food with leafy green salads, those who can put aside 30 minutes of their day to jog or to go to the gym, instead of wasting away on the couch in front of the TV. As a professional junk-food-eating couch potato myself, I’m perpetually in awe of them, and I totally approve of better health and longer lives. It’s just that people forget about the other aspects of their lives that need improving, especially the little things that people often forget about. Yes, there are other New Year’s resolutions that you can make.

My personal resolution this year is to improve my posture. I think people pay too little attention to their posture. They’re slouching in their chairs, dragging their shoes, slumping over books and laptops. We all look like the lazy and bored hunchbacks of Metro Manila. The worst thing is we get so used to being hunchbacks that even during formal events, job interviews or presentations, we give off the Quasimodo vibe. It’s unattractive, sloppy-looking and unprofessional. No wonder all my teachers seemed so bothered as they perpetually reminded us to sit up straight. Not only does it look bad, it’s got to be bad for the back. It was actually painful for me to start sitting up straight again. As I was struggling to keep from slouching into my chair, praying that I wouldn’t get osteoporosis someday, I thought of two other resolutions that people should really make – to drink more milk and more water.

I’ve always wondered how we’re supposed to retain all the fluids we’re "supposed" to drink in a day. On top of the eight glasses of water a day, we’re also supposed to drink three glasses of milk, two cups of tea, and a glass of wine every day to be healthy. While I maintain it would be hilarious to ingest all of that every single day, I agree that people never drink as much water or milk as they’re supposed to. Here we are, sipping frappucinnos, bottled iced teas, and sugary shakes but resisting "tasteless, boring" water and "gas-inducing" milk. Okay, so milk really does induce a little rumble in the tummy, but it also does have endless health benefits. Water does, too – and do you know of any beautiful person who doesn’t swear by drinking water? We owe it to ourselves to watch what goes into our body, not simply in terms of calories.

We have to watch what goes out of our mouth as well. I think the New Year is a chance for everyone to practice speaking in straight Filipino or straight English. One of the worst things that we always, always do is to lapse into Taglish; now we find it hard to stop. Even commercial taglines are in Taglish. Of course, it’s more "natural" when the promoter talks in Taglish in the actual commercial, but when it’s a tagline? Can’t we drop a single line just in Filipino or English anymore?

More than just speaking, we simply have to practice expressing ourselves better. Maybe we’re so used to other means of communication that we forget how beautiful English and Filipino are. How, indeed, can we realize the richness of either language when we say "Wru na? Hr na me" almost every single day in text? When we rely on yellow little emoticons to relay our true emotions instead of real words? When we use shortcuts so often that it emerges even in formal writing? When we rely on the Spell Check to tell us when we’re writing something that isn’t grammatically correct? When we inject parang or like after every word? We will always be interacting with other people. Let’s make every interaction worthwhile by writing or talking better.

Interaction is not only about what you say; it’s about how you listen. Maybe we’ve gotten so used to speaking in shortcuts because we’ve stopped listening to anything that takes longer for us to read. We’ve stopped listening to anything that doesn’t interest us, that is too hard or complicated to understand, or that simply takes too much of our time. People should learn how to listen, to really listen again. Have longer conversations with your friends, especially those who you don’t spend enough time with. The best friends are not always the ones who know what to say, but those who know how to listen. Listen to the news, to homilies, to your teachers and bosses. Not only will it train you to be a better listener, but it can actually be an enriching experience.

One last thing. When did the world become so self-deprecating? I don’t know if it’s because of the panels of judges in the countless reality shows who always have to "keep it real," but lately it seems so cool to be critical and make fun of others. We’re constantly looking for something wrong with other people instead of seeing them in a positive light. Instead of dropping your next nasty comment, make it a resolution to pay someone a sincere compliment every day. Whether you say "Nice bag!" or "You’ve always been an amazing friend!" – it gives the next person a quick boost of confidence and a shot of happiness. Usually, people aren’t really aware of their best qualities. By pointing them out, you help them realize how great they are.

Of course, learn how to receive compliments yourself. It’s not arrogance to simply say thank you when people praise you. It’s like rejecting a gift that they’ve given you because you feel it doesn’t fit you. Be gracious, simple and thankful. You never know, when you hear the good things people say about you, you might realize you don’t need your New Year’s resolutions after all.