Throughout all of 2024, the thing Master Chi has most often told the people around him is this: don’t put too much pressure on yourself. In the current broader environment, the direction of many things is not something you alone can control.
If you’re willing to look carefully, you’ll find that no matter how polished and glamorous someone appears on the surface, they always have their own difficult story behind the scenes.
So as long as you give your best effort in general, live a stable and steady life, avoid major mistakes and major disasters — that’s already an excellent place to be.
Now, today is December 1st. From here on, it’s time for year-end wrap-ups and reflections, and the important milestone of crossing over into the new year.
Here are some things you need to act on right away:
1 — If some object or document has brought you bad luck throughout the entire year, try to get rid of it. Absolutely do not carry it past the new year — otherwise it will truly extend its negative influence. If you truly cannot discard it, pack it up and store it away in a storage room, sealed shut.
2 — Two things are especially important in December. First, maintain consistent exposure to sunlight. Never habitually confine yourself in a cramped, closed-off space — this easily leads to a stagnant, declining energy that follows you straight into the new year. The second thing: take advantage of the cold winter and visit a lively, bustling public bathhouse for a good long soak. When you’re sweating from head to toe, treat yourself to a vigorous scrub-down, and properly cleanse away the bad luck.
3 — Every year-end, Master Chi has one habit: no matter how busy things get, he organizes a few small dinner or tea gatherings and invites the friends who have helped and looked after him that year — just a brief meetup, some casual conversation. The goal is to let blessings and goodwill carry forward. Once we get closer to the Spring Festival (Lunar New Year), everyone runs out of time to gather, and even when greetings are exchanged, they tend to be perfunctory — they don’t really land in the heart.
4 — Also, get a haircut in December. Don’t be lazy about this. Unless you have specific image requirements, men should go for a clean, sharp look; women for full, refined styling. Here’s something a bit uncanny: for many people, the biggest sign before their luck turns bad is that their hair starts looking disheveled and unkempt — followed by a gradual decline in their vital energy and spirit overall.
5 — Do a comprehensive, honest review of your life situation. Think carefully: over this past year, have you become someone else’s emotional dumping ground? Have you gotten tangled up in too many petty matters that don’t benefit you? Have you been manipulated or exploited by people with ulterior motives? Has your daily state been sufficiently focused, streamlined, and efficient? Don’t hesitate — and don’t put off change until next year. Start adjusting right now.
6 — Next year is the Yi Si year, so I strongly recommend wearing bracelets made of cinnabar (zhu sha) or amethyst. They don’t need to be expensive — affordable and good quality is perfectly fine. Also pay attention to your home: the due north position governs wealth loss — place a metal piggy bank or coin box there to guard against it. The due south governs windfall wealth (pian cai) — a small music box works well there. The southwest governs regular income wealth — a small model car or ship placed there is ideal. We’ll go deeper on the details in next month’s main article.
Finally, it is my sincere wish that this December treats every one of my brothers and sisters well — especially you. 🙏