Hamba kahle, 2025: Snakes, good vibes and galloping into a brand new year

Hamba kahle 2025. Totsiens, lekker bly. En bly net daar. Check ya later, Year of the Snake. You have been a sneaky little so-and-so this year and it’s the last of the cycle. The Year of the Snake in the Chinese zodiac symbolises wisdom, transformation and intuition, featuring people who are often enigmatic, graceful and strategic.

As the sixth sign, it cycles every 12 years, recent years being 2001, 2013 and 2025, representing renewal through skin shedding and encouraging adaptability. And adapted we have. I’m so ready to rock a brand new year and start a brand new cycle. Whether you believe in any of this or not, it's nice to think of new beginnings and almost starting afresh with a clean slate. It's funny to think that we go to bed on the 31st, or on the 1st lols, and then we wake up a few hours later starting our New Year’s resolutions with that brand new outlook.

And sometimes a bit of a headache too. Oops. I’m going in hot with all the good vibes and piles of positivity because 2026 has just got to be a good one. I think we have got to start anything we do with that kind of mindset otherwise we’re doomed from the start, because our thoughts are more powerful than we give them credit for.

They are strong like superhero Hulk type strong. So make sure to think good things, silver linings and happy thoughts and when you catch yourself thinking baddies about yourself, others or anything really, just stop as quickly as you can. Roald Dahl said, “A person who has good thoughts cannot ever be ugly. If you have good thoughts they will shine out of your face like sunbeams and you will always look lovely.” So just look lovely, be lovely and blue steel like you are a Zoolander supermodel every day.

I don’t really do resolutions, but I am going in believing things will get better for all of us. That rainbows and sunshine will come out after the storms and that everything is going to be alright. Thanks Bob Marley. And to the same point, everything will be okay in the end and if it's not okay, it's not the end. Thanks John Lennon.

I have been out and about this festive season, interacting with folks in all types of circumstances and from all walks of life, and it blows my mind how many of us with so little can love so much. If you have handed out a smile or if you’ve been nice to me, then thank you. And thanks to 95 the service industry superstars out there who do their jobs with the biggest smiles on their faces and with such warmth.

Thank you to the cashiers, waitrons, bartenders, petrol attendants, charity workers and security guards out there for going the extra mile, for being helpful, kind and friendly. It makes such a big difference.

I sometimes find myself looking for my invisible Lego gun so I can virtually shoot gross people with Legos, because there are for real a small handful of people out there trying to make up for everyone else’s goodness by being the biggest dorks they can be, and I honestly don’t know why. Everyone is going through stuff and life is insane at the moment, but that is just it. Everyone is going through stuff. It’s all relative.

I have realised again this year that we do not need much to live a good life. We need a friend. Someone to talk to. The more you let out, the lighter you feel. So I say if you have at least one person to lean on, someone who can be your psychologist, bestie, pillow and party partner, then you are lucky. Treat them like gold. And if you have somewhere you can call home, no matter how big or small, then that’s a blessing.

And if you have food to fill your tummy, then yay for you. Also health. It's the thing that’s most important and the thing we need to look after as much as we can, because like time, which I chatted about in a recent article, it's very difficult to fix once it's broken or lost. So do push ups, stress a little less because it’s not going to solve your problems or make them any smaller, drink lots of water, take vitamins if you can and give yourself big hugs. Just do it, okay.

Also, keep tinned food and bottles of water in the car. Those people waiting for jobs on the side of the road or at the robots are not as lucky. And to those who really struggle at Christmas time, close the curtains and get takeaways. Binge watch your favourite series or go for a walk at the botanical gardens.

Just be easy on yourself and even though you don’t know me, I am sorry for the hard times, the struggles and the loss and sadness you are experiencing and going through. I hope something really magical happens to you very soon. Sometimes surviving is enough and sometimes showing up is the bravest thing you can do, so give yourself credit even if nobody else does.

Here I am sharing all my opinions and thoughts on life and what we do with it, but while scribbling all this down another thought comes to mind. It's one I do not do much of, but meditation is supposed to be really good for pretty much everything.

I have these apps I use for my insomnia, so I’m listening to like five sleep stories a night, but in those apps are meditations and all kinds of things that help with various problems and situations. I also discovered a rockstar from a brilliant band called Hellcats who has gone into making the world a better place, not through music, which he already does, but through this very practice.

He takes a completely different approach and makes it fun and interesting too. Check out www.wozachi.com and reach out to Warwick. You can find him at woza.chi on Instagram too. You will thank me later. Winky face.

I am working right through December and I’ve worked every Christmas Day for the last 14 years. Whether it's been on radio or gigging shows, it's been a pleasure, and am I so lucky to be able to share these special days with people who are enjoying them, whether solo, with family or with their ride or dies. I love all the days and I love Christmas.

Yes, it's definitely because I have a pressie buying addiction, but it's also because people get a time out. They can rest after a long year and recharge. Some are lucky enough to go on holiday, others can enjoy outings and time with loved ones. There’s just a warmth in the air that even the torrential Joburg rains cannot wash away. So take it in and enjoy every second.

Bring on the Year of the Horse. This year brings a whole bunch of awesome. It's action orientated, so it's a time for starting new projects, making bold decisions and embracing change. It's all about social energy, encouraging networking, reconnecting with friends and expanding social circles.

Another keyword for 2026 is motivation, bringing a period of renewed drive and clarity, inspiring people to act on ideas. Let us gallop into the new year like stallions and embrace adventure, the kindness of others and believe in ourselves. Love hard. Reach for those dreams and let’s show the new year who’s boss.