New beginnings
Yes, it is that time of the year again. Time for defining new beginnings. Well, new beginnings can be at any time of the year. During my younger days, I loved the start of a new academic year and the possibility it brought along. Of new resolutions, to study better, revise each days portions the same day and what not. Most of these resolutions got repeated at the start of every school year. Clearly, the resolutions weren't working. Or, maybe they were. Over the years, I realized I was making some improvements. And now, when I look back, I am able to see the very clear improvements in my approach to studies, with every passing year. While I never got to revising each days portions the same day ever, I realize how my resolutions every year made me move forward, albeit one small inch at a time.
And once I moved past my student days and started working, my father every year gifted me a diary and I started looking forward to the beginning of a new year. He got these as gifts and kept aside the best one for me and I loved to see this big fresh year all out in front of me physically, in the form of a diary. But, I didn’t figure out how to use them well. I used them as notepads and once I started having a laptop, I told him I don’t write down notes anymore! And as parents often do, he still kept giving me his best diaries.
Now, after all these years, I am still so excited about the new year, about the opportunity it gives me to plan for the year, one goal at a time. I love the idea of figuring out what new habits to develop and more importantly, what are the ones I should stop.
And, to be frank, I miss those diaries, but have moved over to using a planner! And I am excited about seeing the fresh planner out here, for me to start using!
Goal Setting
If you have not seen an article on goal setting of late, my question is, are you sitting inside a cave ?? Maybe it has got to with Google knowing the kind of articles I read, I am seeing only articles on goal setting and habits and fresh starts! Anyways, I am all set to define my goals for the year, very soon. And before that, I will definitely do a reflection on last year's goals. No, I am not in for any surprises! Based on my yearly goal setting exercise, I set goals for every quarter, translate them into actions for a month and later into weeks and days. Does this mean every single goal is achieved ? Of course not. Some goals get realized, some don’t. But then, without these goals, I would have got consumed just by the day to day tasks, of what becomes most important for that day. The goal setting allows me to go beyond the day to day and help me focus on what I want in each of my focus areas - work, family, home and so on. I invite you to this episode I had published earlier, especially on this topic.
And click on the image below on my own journey with goals..
Whats in a name..
I came across this term "batter" recently - not dosa batter, but the term batsman in cricket getting changed to "batter". This prompted me to write this article that appeared in my monthly column "Mirror on the Wall", in Deccan Herald. Here is the link for you to read..
A tip
Before we start the new year, I love to do a quick walkthrough of my past year, thru photos. These days, everyone in the family has a smartphone and they would have taken photos throughout the year. Some of them may have got shared with each other, but some of them may have been of the ordinary kind, after making a dish or while going for a walk. I create an album in Google Photos, share access with my immediate family members and ask all of them to upload a few photos of the year, into this album. And then, sitting together with family and going through these photos and savoring the memories of these ordinary days that made up life last year….Yes, it is wonderful….do try it!