Happy New Year and welcome to the year 2016. With 2015 gone and confined to the dustbin of history, you and I need to first of all give thanks to the Creator of heaven and earth for giving us the abundant blessings of life and divine protection throughout the year.

How would you describe 2015? A year of successes or failures? A year of accomplishments or unfinished projects? A year when you achieved your goals or when you were unable to realize your dreams? If it was a year of successes and accomplishments for you, I congratulate you and urge you to build on those successes in the New Year. If it has been a year of monumental failures for you, you only need to reflect on your shortcomings and ‘reboot’.

You have to map out new strategies in order to achieve your goals. Your dreams and aspirations are achievable. But you need planning and focus. You must not allow your failures of the past to define you and your future. You can rekindle your dashed hopes in 201’6 and reach your destination.

But there is one big thing you need to do to pave the way for the actualization of your dreams. The big thing is  slough off those old habits that may create a gulf between you and your goals. Let us take a cue from one of God’s creations…the snake. Unlike most animals and reptiles, the snake has a unique way of getting rid of its old skin and replacing it with a new one that is particularly fascinating. It periodically sheds its old skin to get rid of icky cells and replace it with a bright new skin. The snake sloughs off its one big skin at one time.  And as soon as it gets rid of the old skin, it never goes back to it.

If you are still burdened with the vices such as alcoholism, drug addiction, adultery, smoking, extremism etc., do not bring them into 2016. They are a drag on your progress. You’ve got to slough them off and never go back to them. With determination, you can do this and your year will be a fulfilling one.