We should try to engage everything in Krisna’s service, even the time, by celebrating the certain occasions, fasting, and increasing our devotional service. The essence of all the rules and regulations is to always remember Krisna and never forget Him, so whatever helps us to remember Krisna is devotional service.

At the end of the year we, as devotees, should derive important lessons from the past and understand that devotional service is the way to be happy in the new year, because devotional service is amazingly powerful. The main lesson of the past year is that we should not try to take shelter in something which does not really give shelter. Humility is when you don’t take shelter in anything else, you only take exclusive shelter of Lord Krisna. By building this artificial civilization people are trying to counteract this essential nature of the material world, they want to say that this is a happy and permanent place, but it’s not. Krisna is ready to give us protection, He is just waiting for us to accept it sincerely. 

At the moment of death nothing will help us, only a genuine humility can help us to pass this difficult test. In the new year we should live in such a way that we are prepared to be with Krisna. As a result a real change can take place within our heart. Krisna bhakti is a very amazing thing, it can become a newer and newer experience every day, if we chant the Holy name with this understanding, every day will become new. Krisna consciousness is ever fresh, like Krisna Himself. If you follow the path of the soul you will be flourishing, if you follow the path of the matter you will be dwindling.

Think about Krisna – man mana, this is the essence of all Vedas. If we identify ourselves with the soul, the natural humility, gratitude and all other elevated emotions of love will come to our heart, by chanting the Holy name, it will make us happy.