By Beatrice Sithole Email: sbeatrice033@gmail.com

TWELVE months have come and gone – again – and the new year is here, aim to begin the year with a fresh mind, fresh heart and a fresh body. Companies, organisations and businesses take stock of their goods at the beginning of each year to try and see how they did over the past year so that they can improve on their profit in the new year.  
So should it be with you and me, we need to take stock and see how we lived, so that we can make the necessary improvements to be able to live happy and fruitful lives.
Pause just for a while and take stock of how you handled your relationships, business, finances and your health so that you can see where you need to improve for the better in all areas.  
If mistakes were made over the year, it’s okay and it is not too late to make amends.  
Clever people learn from their mistakes and go on to achieve more in life, just by adjusting their mindsets.
Begin the year with fresh ideas and a good willpower.  Set your own goals and standards that are achievable.  Do not compete against anyone, compete against yourself.  
You know yourself more than anyone else, you know much you can do and how far you can go.  
Set yourself targets that you can reach, it does not matter how big or how small, you need to start from somewhere.  
Big achievers started small, therefore, believe in yourself and begin to work on your dreams now.
Start the year with a clean, fresh heart.  
Over the past year you might have erred or exasperated other people.  
You need to make amends and begin your year at peace with yourself and other people.  
Life is too short to be lived with a heavy heart and disappointments.
Review the way you lived the past year objectively and see how and where you can make changes so that you can sail through life with a clear conscience.  
Be wise and start your year on a clean slate.
The beginning of the year is a good time to review the way you managed your health, physically and mentally.  Check and see if maybe you have abused your body or mind in any way and take measures to rectify your mistakes.  
You can begin by appreciating who you are and loving yourself truthfully, that way, you won’t want to endanger your life by eating or drinking wrong foods. Exercise your body and mind religiously to live a happy, fulfilled life this year.
Remember life is what you make it.