Another year to bid adieu to! And what a crazy year it was!
Many that I have spoken with have told me this year was possibly one of the toughest years to have been alive. But as they say:
"What doesn't kill you, makes you stronger".
An extremely challenging year it was for me but I'm just glad it's done. The pandemic (as it continues) has just cemented the stoic principles I have come to learn in the last few years. It also reminds me of this beautiful quote.
"Very little is needed to make a happy life; it is all within yourself, in your way of thinking" - Marcus Aurelius.
Last year, I had created an A-Z handbook for 2021.
It went something like this:
Action keeps anxiety away.
Build skills, content, hobbies, talent etc.
Care truly - about people in your corner. Life is unpredictable.
Focus on Deep work - know that less is more.
Be Empathetic towards self and others.
Failure is when you give up. Not when you struggle.
Be Grateful, no matter what. Don't take anything for granted. The universe doesn't owe you anything.
Health is wealth. We stayed inside our homes to take care of this one aspect. Remember it.
Find your Ikigai - find your calling.
Don't over rely on your Jobs. It can go anytime.
Kindness got us out of 2020. Make it your mantra forever.
Stay Learnable. Dinosaurs are better in Jurassic Park.
Mental well-being is serious business. Do more of what makes you Happy and brings Peace.
Say NO to things without feeling guilty. Just make sure you know why you're saying it.
Opportunities are aplenty. Keep an eye always. Last year taught us that money can be made by making masks and PPE kits.
Prioritise yourself before everything else. Nothing is more important than your inner peace.
Quality > Quantity. Always.
Taking Rest is essential part of any journey. Normalise resting to refresh.
Value Solitude. Speak more to yourself, within if you need to have a conversation.
Time > Money. Time lost is lost forever.
There is an Undo button in life. No decision is permanent. It can be corrected.
Get rid of your Vices. It can be as simple as spending less time on social media.
Wake up early. Try getting up 15 minutes before your usual time. Use that to do something important.
Embrace the New, the different. Don't be Xenophobic.
You are capable of everything.
Zoom in while doing, zoom out while building/thinking/dreaming. Dream big, do even the small.
I don't think this is going to change much or even a bit for 2022. I have been able to do well on some of these, while sucking big time at a few. I need to get those right as well!
You are free to follow this or create one of you own version. :)
I'm looking forward to the new year. I'm not into making resolutions anymore. Every year I realised I was creating a laundry list of things to only forget about it after a few months.
So this year I'm going to be minimalistic in my approach.
So this year it's going to be just Two things:
Have identified ONE thing that I want to do no matter what.
Have identified ONE thing that I would not be doing for sure.
It is going to be kept private until I'm successful in this through the year.
I sincerely hope and pray that in the New Year, You:
Are the happiest you have ever been yet.
Prioritise health and yourself/loved ones.
Heal from any pain or losses from the last year.
Emerge emotionally and physically stronger.
Achieve what you have been putting off for a while.
Continue to build on your dreams.
Wish you a very happy, healthy and peaceful 2022!
Drop a comment/share with me on what 2021 taught you the most. Many people would benefit from it.
