Thursday Thoughts: Adios 2011

It's Thursday, so you know what that means...

Thursday Thoughts

This is a segment where I post my thoughts about various nutrition and health related topics, or maybe even something else if it is really an intriguing topic. Most of my current views and opinions come from experience working as a dietitian and as college instructor in nutrition courses. Most of that learning is science based or observational from the clinical setting. In general, I hate over-generalizations, so for many of the things I post, I expect there is one or two exceptions because broad sweeping generalizations are always bound to miss out on something.

Well, being that this is the last Thursday of the year I wanted to make one last Thursday Thoughts post, but I also want to keep it simple.  So here are my thoughts for saying goodbye to 2011 and welcoming in 2012.

1) Be safe!  Don't drink and drive.  Be aware of your surroundings.  Tell a friend or family member where you are going and who are going out with.  Don't post to the world that your house will be empty all night or other things that may put you at risk.

2) Enjoy the evening!  New Years Eve is always a big party night or at least a time to enjoy with those you care about (or just like to have fun with).  Don't get hung up on broken resolutions from the past year and goals you are looking to start early.  Relax instead and enjoy the time you have celebrating.

3) Reflect!  Take this time to reflect over the past year.  Don't harp over the negatives, just think about how to make those into positives for the coming year.  Make your reflections fun.  Get your friends and family in on it.  This will help you gain support for future goals.

4) Call your family!  Maybe you aren't with them for the evening, but take the time to call them and wish them a Happy New Year.  Tell them what you liked best about your memories with them in 2011 and what you are looking forward to in 2012.

5) Get some sleep!  Staying up to midnight is fun and usually well worth it, but staying up until the next morning (or longer) just isn't worth it.  You may feel groggy and moody from lack of sleep and it may be hard to get back into the swing of things when it comes time to head back to work.  Unless you have a really good reason for staying up until well into the morning, make sure to get some rest.

Most importantly, enjoy yourself!

Happy New Year!

QUESTIONS:  What are your tips for having an enjoyable and memorable NYE celebration?