Beverley East, Contributor

Okay, this is the season for giving and everyone is so distracted, but believe it or not, you have exactly two days left before the new year begins. So, I am putting you on notice (or those who need to be ).

During the course of this year, Writefully Yours email box received over 6,374 letters. That is more than 100 emails a week. Most of them I cannot publish because of the request of the writers. Some, however, requested that I respond to them personally and help them sort out their lives.

Long emails

Some also send me such long emails filled with drama. They do not necessarily want a response, they just wanted to unload. I am able to recognise these letters by the final sentence- 'please do not publish.'

Anyway, what I have come to realise, reviewing the past year's work, is that some of our readers need much serious help than one letter from me can actually accomplish. Some deep-rooted problems need to be handled with sensitivity over a course of time, usually on a one-on-one basis.

For those of you readers who do not write me, but have drama in your lives, this column is also for you. Today, I am sending this official notice that 2008 will be the year for you to get rid of your drama.

Some people thrive on it, they are crisis-driven. When they cannot get what they want, it's always someone else's fault.

Effort for success

Many people want success, crave it, look at others who have it and envy them. But success doesn't come easy. Success in your career can only come with maximum effort, which requires much energy. It takes maximum effort to be bigger and better to be successful.

If success were easy, everyone would achieve it. One of the components of our lives is the amount of energy that we expend over unnecessary drama. One reason is that we use our personal crisis as an excuse for not moving forward.

We all have certain situations and circumstances that can totally consume us - death, illness, divorces, sick children, ailing parents, etc. I am not making light of some of what I have listed as these are situations that can make or break you. But what I am referring to are the little incidents that we fuel into bigger nothings - that create drama that we can stop.

Stop the madness

Stop the madness! If you are not tired of your own drama, let me share a little secret with you - the people who love you are tired and the people who you think like you are laughing at you.

Everyone who is watching you are tired of watching you. They talk about you behind your back, they mimic your story and tell it in joke fashion to someone else. So before your actions become someone else's 'suss', begin the New Year by cancelling your drama.

Writefully _yours@hotmail.com