There's a bright yellow two-pager of 101 Ways To Be Happier; travel to places outside of your comfort zone.
I did this year spending time in Thailand. Watch the sunset. We have beautiful settings in our district to do that.
Don't worry about spills on the carpet. Hard when you have a white carpet but I'll try. Use your juicer, meditate, have more sex. The list goes on and on. It can stay up for another year too because I still have plenty of Ways To Be Happier to cross off and the majority cost little or no money to action. It's attitude really and being prepared to "have a go and do something different".
The one picture that has caused comment and questions is of Eva McGauley. I cut it out of the weekend newspaper magazine Canvas last December when they did an article on Eva.
"Who's this" I get asked? Eva is a brave young 18-year-old who has been fighting cancer for 3 years.
She has nasopharyngeal cancer – a rare type of head and neck cancer.
What I find so inspiring about Eva is not her battle with cancer, although that's inspiring too, it's that her terminal illness hasn't prevented her from working to raise awareness about a cause close to her heart. Rape and sexual assault, particularly amongst young people.
Eva thought services needed to be more youth-orientated especially for survivors. She has fundraised too. She set up a Givealittle Page called evaswish and has raised over $70,000 so far.
She says "When you know your days are numbered, it really makes it clear what matters to you". Raising awareness to prevent rape and sexual assault is not for everyone but it matters to Eva. It's a tough subject that so many people are reluctant to discuss.
I think Eva is an inspirational New Zealander because she is fighting on two fronts. Her own major health issue and that of New Zealand's high tolerance to sexual assault.
It would be so easy to say "let someone else worry about that problem. I'm not well and need all my strength to deal with my health problem". And that would be totally understandable. But not Eva. It's something she feels strongly about and just got stuck in and took action. I admire her for believing she could make a difference. And she has.
But now I have, along with other caring New Zealanders, an opportunity to help Eva. She travels to Palmerston North every month for treatment and the drug she uses costs $4600 each visit. A friend set up a Givealittle Page to raise the $60,000 needed for the treatment.
Drug company Merck, Sharp and Dohme covers the cost of anything above $60,000. Initially the fundraising effort for Eva wasn't going so well. By last weekend only $14,000 was donated. After raising so much for others I think it's payback time for Eva. I will be donating to: givealittle.co.nz/cause/evasmedical.
Sometimes when my day hasn't gone to plan and I feel like moaning and feeling sorry for myself. I look at Eva's picture stuck on the refrigerator door and feel ashamed. What must she be going through just to hang onto life? "Get over yourself Merepeka, count your blessings" I mutter to myself sternly. Eva's picture will remain in full view for another year.
She is prepared to continue to work "to create a better, safer New Zealand for the kids of tomorrow". They don't come more inspirational than that. Oh well, looks as if I'm just doing some paper shuffling this year. Nothing so far has made it into the rubbish basket.
Merepeka Raukawa-Tait is a Rotorua Lakes Council councillor, Lakes District Health Board member and chairs the North Island Whanau Ora Commissioning Agency. She writes, speaks and broadcasts to thwart political correctness.
