Thank You, 2018!

Hello Readers!

Happy New Year's Eve!
I have started to think that I start my every post with 'I know I haven't written in months & I'll improve', but it just never happens. So, no false promises from now on! I will write when I feel like it, when I miss it, when I'm happy or sad or just when I need my words to be seen!

So, this post is about how nice 2018 was. At first, like every year, I thought, well another crappy year has ended too soon with me waiting for Fridays. But then, I looked back & I realised that it was actually a good enough year. Not the best, let’s hope that for 2019. But, it’s definitely a good start. In a nutshell, it was the year of self-care & self growth. I focused on my personal dreams, professional goals, depth of friendships & pureness of family. Yes, it all went in a jiffy, but overall it was quite sweet!

~~Day Job~~

I accept that the year went by waiting for Fridays. But, what I also realised is that's not so bad. I'm grateful for my job, with its ups & downs & everything that comes with it. I have seen some people who have been looking for employment for months with no result. So, even if it is waiting for Fridays, I am grateful for Mondays too!

Monday Blues through to TGI Fridays!

~~Netflix~~

Apart from my job, I don't really know what I did for the remaining of 104 days! Most of it went by binge watching Netflix which I don't really regret. But, in retrospect it amounts to nothing. But, just because it was 104 days, I'll write a post about the best TV shows & movies of 2018! That would be fun & make me feel like it amounts to something!

~~Travel~~

So, 2018, except from my job & Netflix involves travel! I traveled to 4 places this year which sounds very satisfying to me so of course I'm putting it here!
I went to visit my best friend in Indore in March for 2 days. Didn't exactly travel in the city, but it felt nice to be away. Then, I went to Udaipur in August for 3 days which was truly amazing! Check out the posts here & here! And, recently I went to Sikkim, Gangtok & Darjeeling. I'm going to push myself to write the travel journals about it because those 8 days were quite something!!

~~Relationships~~

So, 2016 & 2017 were disaster of years, so I decided to enter 2018 with a clean slate. I stopped talking to some people who were bad for my mental health & happiness. I went on to focus on me, my family & a few good friends. And, it has been peaceful & happy. It's extremely important to focus on yourself & be with those who genuinely care about you. Once you let go of the negativity, you create so much space for better things & that in itself makes you lighter & more happier.

Fam!

Friends!

~~Major Changes~~

I had to travel 2 hours one way to my office which took a lot of my time, energy & money. But then in April, my office location changed. And, now it is just 20 minutes away. So, that was one of the best changes that happened.
I am blessed with the gift of time. I didn't use it quite well, given all the Netflix. But, I'm going to work on it in the New Year! Since I'm also able to save a lot of money, I'm going to keep it in savings & not spend it shopping online!

Another awesome thing was that I chopped off my hair! It's not like I had long hair. It was shoulder length & crazily curly. One day I got too frustrated & decided to cut it all off. So, this is me now & I'm very happy with the change. I'm all for low maintenance. So, if anyone wants a sign to cut their hair (I hope my colleague reads this), this is the sign. DO IT! Set yourself free, women!

~~Experiences~~

I got the opportunity to attend 2 TEDx Talks; TEDx Kharghar & TEDx Gateway. While Kharghar was a low-key event with mediocre speakers, I appreciated the initiative the team took to bring TEDx to Kharghar. That was really plausible.

On the other hand, TEDx Gateway was on a massive scale with really noteworthy speakers. So, spending my entire Sunday there felt quite constructive.

At TEDx Gateway!

Apart from the above, I also participated in one of my company’s Health initiatives. I work for Tata Consultancy Services & we had a TCS Billion Steps Challenge because we turned 50 years old this year. Worldwide, we had to run or walk a collective of billion steps in a week. I thought it would be really fun so I walked 5 kms every day & completed the challenge!

It started out as a challenge, but it became a habit. So, I’m glad I took it seriously.

So…
It was a good year. I know I keep saying 'good', because I just want to be honest. I really hope a year from now, I can say that I had a 'great' year. Always, go with baby steps!

I learned the most important lesson. It's something that my mom always keeps telling me, but I implemented it. Here it is-

Sometimes you focus so much on the things you don’t have that you forget the value of the things you do have! I know its cliché but when you apply something as simple as that in your life, it works wonders! Even if you’re awaiting Fridays, at least you are earning. Even if you have a few friends, at least they are the real ones. It’s not only 4 tours, they are FOUR tours! Even if your siblings are annoying, at least they are there all the time. Maybe you didn’t save much, but at least you got amazing clothes & makeup. (Actually, don’t go with the last one. Save, don’t shop!) But, whenever you think you’re at your lowest, just know that you always have something & rely on that till you’re back up! And now & then put sentences like 'What if it actually works out?' to make you stay optimistic about life!

I'm thankful for my parents, my brother, friends & colleagues who made my year really really good.
Happy New Year & have a great 2019!

Until next time,