It’s 2019 – instead of making New Year resolutions, why don’t you ask yourself frequently, “Does this support the life I’m trying to create?”

sista-new-year-resolution-feminist

Taem hemi wan new yia, fulap woman hemi traem blong liftem up laef blong olgeta. Mifala stap makem ol goals olsem “Mi wantem losem weight”, “Mi wantem exercise moa”, “Mi wantem startem wan new hobby (sewing, gardening, etc)”, “Mi wantem savem money”, “Mi no wantem usem plastic,” etc.

Hemi gud blong makem ol goals bae sometimes mifala traem blong makem wan bigfala change wea hemi no realistic. Sapos mifala i no achievem quick taem, or mifala I makem wan smol mistake (olsem kaikai ice cream afta yu stap talem se yu wantem losem weight) hemi esi blong giv up.

Mifala long Sista believe se hemi important blong makem ol goals, bae hemi mo important blong acceptem yu wan. Taem yu wantem liftem up laef blong yu hemi no start long wan new yia, hemi wan wok wea yu mas makem evri day. Yu learn, yu forgivem yu wan, yu kirap bak agen.

Hemi gud sapos yu wantem cook healthy kaikai mo exercise. Bae make sua hemi from YU WANTEM. Fulap taem ol goal wea ol woman hemi makem, hemi reflectem wanem wea society hemi expectem blong ol woman – be thinner, healthier, prettier, etc. Taem yu makem wan decision long laef blong yu, askem long yu wan sapos hemi supportem laef wea yu wantem. Ol woman hemi facem fulap expectations finis so mifala wantem suggestem difren kind goals blong 2019.

1. Embracem body blong yu

Acceptem wanem wea God hemi givem yu. Hemi olraet sapos body blong yu hemi fat, thin, disabled, gat pimples long face blong yu, etc – evri body hemi different olsem ol flowers mo tree long earth.

2. Learn blong talem ‘no’

Life hemi busy, especially taem yu wan woman wea yu gat fulap responsibilities. Household workload blong ol woman hemi bigwan mo hemi unpaid mo unrecognized. Fulap taem ol woman hemi stap lukaot ol nara man, hemi no save lukaotem hem wan. Sapos yu no gat taem blong makem wan samting or yu no wantem, yu no fraet blong talem NO! Yu no nid blong talem ‘sorry’ tu, hemia laef blong yu, sapos ol man hemi harem no gud taem yu talem no, hemia problem blong olgeta.

3. Educate yourself

Liftem up tingting long saed blong raets blong yu – vistem www.sista.com.vu mo likem Facebook blong mifala blong save moa long saed blong women’s rights. 2020 hemi stap kam and hemi taem blong makem sua se ol voice blong ol woman hemi represented blong ensurem se ol issues blong ol woman, pikinini mo ol minority groups hemi wan priority long country blong yumi.

4. Supportem ol nara women

Sapos yu luk wan woman hemi wearem wan nicefala earrings, talem long hem. Sapos yu luk wan woman wea wok hemi promotem hem, congratulatem hem. Olsem wea mifala talem bifo, yumi ol woman olsem ol flowers mo tree long earth, I gat fulap difren kin bae hemi gat space blong evriwan. Yumi no competition, yumi save collaborate mo liftem up each other.

5. Supportem businesses blong ol nara women

“How you spend your money is how you vote on what exists in this world.” Sapos yu gat chance blong pem wan cheap plastic earrings long wan shop or yu gat chance blong pem wan handicraft earrings long wan mama bae hemi mo expensive, yu spendem money blong yu long wea? Sapos yu supportem business blong mama ia, hemi save liftem up laef blong hem, family blong hem mo community blong hem.

6. Self-care

Kaikai gud, silip gud, spel gud, readem wan book, watchem TV, paintem nails blong yu, stylem hair blong yu, wearem nice clothes, yu lovem yu wan samek fasin wea yu stap lovem pikinini mo partner blong yu. Hemi neccessary blong makem ‘self-care’ from taem yu gat wan healthy relationship wetem yu wan, yu harem gud afta yu save managem laef blong yu.

Be kind to yourself and stay empowered! Blessed 2019 olgeta. #YouArePowerful


This article was originally published in the Vanuatu Daily Post Life and Style magazine’s January 2019 edition.