NEW YEAR NEW YOU

Goodbye 2020 – and good riddance, none of us are going to miss you, unless we own shares in a company that makes online meetings apps. So roll on 2021 as we all work on becoming Covid free and getting back to the good things in life. It is time to get ready with a new look at life, with a New Year and a new you. Losing weight and feeling great

Uh-oh! When the time comes to go back into the workplace do you have a wardrobe full of smart office clothes that might be a little too tight . . . maybe even a lot too tight?

If the lure of the biscuit tin and the sweetie jar have proved irresistible in 2020 as you worked from home, it is now time to get back on track.

We have only a few more months to go, hopefully, until the virus suppression lockdowns and vaccinations begin to take effect, so get cracking.

All the established slimming clubs have switched to online and if you enrol now you will be able to go to weigh-ins when allowed and step on those scales in front of all the other club members and feel so proud of yourself.

Even if you do not have weight to loose, how about making this the year that’s all about eating better? Another thing we have learned during lockdown is how to enjoy cooking for ourselves and upping our culinary skills.

Food cooked from scratch tastes so much better than ready meals and doesn’t have so many artificial flavour enhancers and no preservatives. There is something so satisfying and uplifting about home cooking.

Better still; why not start to buy more food from within our region? The last year gave local producers a great chance to shine and highlight their produce – be they grown, raised or made here in the West Highlands and islands.

You would be amazed at how many people have realised now what so many of us have known for so long – that locally-sourced eggs, be they chicken, duck or goose, taste way superior to supermarket ones.

In Oban, Fort William and Lochgilphead and in smaller villages and the islands you can find so many local artisan suppliers and farmers markets.

Get yourself in a good place

Life’s current circumstances have shown us all the need for reliance; not just physical but emotional as well.

Let’s be honest here – there cannot be one of us who has not gone right to the edge during these uncertain times. Some of us have been able to pull things back together far better than others.

There is no condemnation in this; perhaps one of the best things to come out of this disastrous Covid experience is that people will be more open and accepting about the need for good, positive mental health. We will be more aware of our own needs and those of our family, friends, neighbours and colleagues.

There is plenty of counselling available, on line and wherever possible, in person.

The Martyn’s Monday Club for men and its spin-off clubs for women and young people in Oban are a shining example of the help that is available.

There are so many websites to visit, podcasts to listen to and even courses to enrol in.

Keeping positive is so important. Argyll College and West Highland College have many new courses available for you to expand your horizons, learn new skills and help you on your career path.

That does not mean sitting there like Pollyanna, or becoming an ostrich with your head in the sand and ignoring everything, in the hope it all go away.

One of the best ways to keep yourself positive is to surround yourself with quality information.

We have said it before and will never tire of saying it again: always rely on good resources for your information like The Oban Times. Use government, Council and NHS websites, the BBC and STV and national and local press. We are owned by companies which all work within the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO) guidelines – for real news.

Expert advice

Financial problems can be the one of the worst aspects of this crisis; as many people find themselves furloughed or their hours drastically cut back.

In an area such as ours there is a number of people who rely on the tourism and hospitality sectors for all of, or a major boost to, their incomes.

If you fall into this category, make sure you seek advice sooner rather than later, if you think you are might run into difficulty. Good financial planning is worth its weight in gold and you can still have appointments with advisors online.

Life goes on, online

Exercise and a good pub quiz is what the UK wants most from the internet!

YouTube’s Culture and Trends team issued a report on 2020 and ‘the trends and behaviour defining the evolution of digital culture in 2020’.

Kevin Allocca, who heads the team, said when the report was issued that ‘this is an important moment to examine in the history of pop culture’ because of the Covid pandemic.

Topping the UK chart was Joe Wicks who received an MBE in October. He has said his videos’ success is one of his ‘proudest achievements’.

Jay Flynn, a pub landlord from Lancashire, who hosted his own pub quizzes before lockdown has now found himself with a massive audience.

He began Jay’s Virtual Pub Quiz on You Tube for a local audience and has found himself with nearly 150,000 joining in live on Thursday evenings.

And don’t forget our own superstars of The Oban Times podcast, available each week. Make sure you listen to David Buchanan’s retirement podcast – a classic!