Good omens. You start the year with them, and at the end of the same year they mostly evoke a feeling of helplessness. "Keep calm, you still have time."
1) Conserve!
Did you still buy way too much this year? No problem, it happens unnoticed and happens to everyone. If there is a Marie Kondoot sitting on your shoulder, angrily rattling in your ear that you have too much stuff, this is your moment! Give away what you have too much: Fold a piece of paper around it, put a bow on it and throw it in a shoe or put it under the tree. Or, if it's men's shoes, you can always drop them off at one of our walk-in centres anyway. After all, our homeless visitors wear out their shoes like gingerbread cookies.
Marie Kondo says, "if it doesn't give you any fun do away with it."
2) Get out of your comfort zone more often!
You don't have to jump out of an airplane, bungee jump or suck down gallons of nitrous oxide to feel alive. You can also get involved with an Amsterdam native who could use a boost. Guaranteed to get you both out of your comfort zone and into uncharted territory!
3) Buy more local products
A wonderful endeavor! But often difficult because not everything is produced locally and certainly not at AliExpress prices (or Amazon.de).
But if you do want to buy a gift that comes with extra bonus karma points, visit the Bookbindery or ZigZag (Derde Schinkelstraat 9, 1075 TJ Amsterdam). Or order such a wonderful book from our publisher Tobi Vroegh. Everything for sale there is made by someone from our target group. The proceeds are used entirely to keep Amsterdam beautiful and for everyone.
4) Doing "something" for society
We really know how difficult it can be, after all, we have been working with volunteers for 45 years! You're busy too, it doesn't always work out and you didn't volunteer this year. Totally logical. But feel free to buy off some guilt and donate a meal to a homeless fellow townie, for example! How do you do that? No problem, just click below.
5) Being kind to yourself
If all of the above still doesn't work out, that's okay too. After all, next year is just another year too!