This Avurudu... - Sangeeta Rana

(Published on 11 April 2006 in 'Women at Work' - W @ W - a supplement of the Daily Mirror, Colombo, Sri Lanka)

A New Year heralds in the promise of a new beginning and the assurance of a future filled with hope and optimism. One looks back at the year gone by with contemplation and the year ahead with a new found zeal and enthusiasm. A New Year resolution is a promise you make to yourself. We thought of a novel idea to help the working woman of today to keep abreast with the goals she sets for herself in this fast paced age.

Here is a year planner to make the year ahead more meaningful. 52 weeks in the year ahead and 52 goals you could work towards. If you can accomplish even half of those listed below by the end of the year – you truly are a woman of substance and have reason enough to celebrate the next Avurudu with aplomb.

#Week 1: There is nothing more invigorating than starting the New Year on a healthy note. Start on the right foot. Go to the family doctor and get a thorough medical and dental check up done.

#Week 2: Pen in time for the elders in the family. There is no better way to teach children family values – than spending quality time with grandparents.

#Week 3: Quit smoking now. And if you are already a non-smoker help a friend to give up the habit.

#Week 4: Locate and get in touch with an old friend whom you have lost touch with. It is a joyous feeling and one that brings a flood of happy memories.

#Week 5: Donate old newspapers to an NGO or charity that recycles them. Though small it is your contribution towards preserving the environment and making a difference.

#Week 6: Read a book. With the invasion of television into our lives one has almost forgotten how it feels to read a book in bed.

#Week 7: ‘De-clutter’ your kitchen. Throw out things you have not used for over a year. These include old sauces and squashes that have lived way beyond their shelf life.

# Week 8: Spend quality time with the family. Switch off the television and play a game of monopoly or scrabble.

#Week 9: Save money. If you already are in the habit – there is no harm in pushing yourself that last stretch to save a little more for a well deserved family vacation.

#Week 10: Revisit work habits both at work and at home to increase efficiency and productivity. The key word here is time management.

#Week 11: Keep a count on calorie intake. Revisit daily diet but do be flexible to accommodate that occasional splurge.

#Week 12: Prepare mother-in-law’s or mum’s favourite dish and take it across to her place. You don’t have to wait until Mother’s Day or her birthday to make her feel special.

#Week 13: Go for an eye check up. Opt for glasses especially if you work long hours in front of the computer.

#Week 14: Visit your old school, your alma mater, and meet up with teachers who have helped you grow and develop into the person you are today.

#Week 15: Give away old and worn out shoes to a home that could pass it down to the needy.

#Week 16: Learn a new skill – whether driving, swimming, computer or tap dancing. Step out of line and do what you have most wanted to do or have been putting off for another day.

#Week 17: Drive out of the city. There is nothing more beautiful and pristine than the country side. Soak in the sunshine and the beauty that is God’s bounty.

# Week 18: Take time off to visit the spa or salon for some pampering. Relaxation works wonders on the well being of the mind, body and soul.

#Week 19: Partly pay off a loan taken – and feel the spirit soar. All the hard work finally seems to be worth while and paying off. (literally!)

#Week 20: Contemplate. Reflect on your strengths and weaknesses and identify ways to become a better wife, mother, daughter, employer and colleague.

#Week 21: Work on an exercise regimen that best suits your schedule. Leave no room for excuses. Get fit today and motivate others in the family as well.

#Week 22: Teach an old uncle or a senior citizen in your locality how to email. The excitement as well as gratitude they express on receiving an email from a loved one now based abroad will outweigh anything you have experienced in a while.

#Week 23: Drink less alcohol. Moderation is the key word. If you are a teetotaller drink an extra glass of fresh fruit juice to celebrate your good habit.

#Week 24: Visit a monument or building of national significance. It is essential for the family to appreciate the history of their motherland.

#Week 25: Sort out your medicine cabinet. Throw out medicines that have outlived their expiry dates. Other medicines which are no longer in use can be donated to an old people’s home.

#Week 26: Inculcate the habit of reading the newspaper in children. Discuss current news at the dinner table. It is a good way to keep abreast with current affairs and besides it also encourages healthy dialogue between family members.

#Week 27: Clear out your garage or store. You will be shocked at the amount of useless things one gathers. The rule is if you haven’t used it in a year – you never will.

#Week 28: Attend yoga and meditation classes. It is a good way to revitalise, refocus and rejuvenate ones being.

#Week 29: Get money-wise. Take out time to learn the tricks of safe investment and insurance. Ask a friend or colleague to share their expertise.

#Week 30: Help a stranger. For once listen to your heart and trust a person you have never met before. It helps to restore one’s faith in mankind.

#Week 31: By now it’s way past the middle of the year. It’s time to check whether your weight has been kept under check. Revisit your diet plan and exercise regimen to drop those last few stubborn kilos.

#Week 32: Take out time for your grandmother or an aging aunt. Take her a potted plant. Still better would be a moisturiser jar. You can never fail to please with that one.

#Week 33: A ‘say no to junk food and aerated cold drinks’ week. Not too popular with the family but a good way to keep healthy and fit.

#Week 34: When was the last time you witnessed a performance by Sri Lankan dancers? Keep in touch with your roots. Attend a traditional dance recital.

#Week 35: Say no to plastic bags. Carry a basket when you go shopping next. And if you do end up with some plastic packets at home – recycle them. Give them to your vegetable vendor.

#Week 36: Spread awareness. Whether it is about AIDS, bird flu, dengue or just malaria. You don’t need to go far. Start with your domestic help and staff.

#Week 37: Streamline your wardrobe. Give away clothes you have not worn in a while or have kept - hoping to lose the last couple of inches. Alter, dry-clean, darn and mend. There is no room for faded and worn out stuff. You need a great amount of will power for this one.

#Week 38: Plant a tree or simply get some potted plants. Nurturing plants and seeing them respond to your care is therapeutic.

#Week 39: Adopt a cause close to your heart. Participating in a sponsored walk or awareness drive requires nothing but the commitment of your time.

#Week 40: Organise a picnic or a party for your children and their friends. What better way to get to know their circle of friends. It also gives you an insight into the peer pressure they may be experiencing.

#Week 41: Go in for a mammography test especially if you are above 35 years of age. Know your body… and help yourself to remain fit and healthy for the sake of your family.

#Week 42: Go for an early morning or evening walk with your father. Talk to him and find out if retirement is treating him fine. The time spent together will do wonders to the father- daughter relationship.

#Week 43: Take out time for a family portrait taken by a professional at a studio. Pencil this down as a regular annual event. The pictures hold beautiful memories and are the best way to capture those precious moments.

#Week 44: Call up a friend going through a rough time – whether a divorce or a bad phase at work. All they need is a shoulder to cry on – and all that you need to offer is your time.

#Week 45: Donate old story books and toys to an orphanage. Inculcate the feeling of compassion for the needy and the less fortunate amongst your children.

#Week 46: Adopt a stray animal or feed the birds. Love and care for pets is a gratifying and rewarding experience.

#Week 47: Bake a cake together with the whole family. It is a fun exercise that develops bonhomie and special bonding.

#Week 48: Raise the self esteem of a colleague, employee or even a family member. Kind words and deeds are remembered for long and besides they help you to carve out a little nook in the hearts of others.

#Week 49: Make a difference to your community, locality or society. Stop being complacent and voice your concerns. Give your time to better the future of your children.

#Week 50: This is really a personal choice that needs fortitude and gumption. Pledge to donate your organs and your eyes. What a beautiful way to be remembered.

#Week 51: Attend an event put up by children with special needs. Encourage and cheer them on with your presence.

#Week 52: Review priorities and get ready for another year filled with challenges and triumphs.


This Avurudu, pledge to make a difference - not just in your life - but in the lives of those around you. May the coming year hold more promises and challenges that take you to new heights and enable you to test your potential to their limits.

Avurudu greetings to the readers of W@W.