In Reflection and Anticipation

As I sit down to pour my thoughts out on the penultimate midnight of the year, I realize how fortunate I have been to go through 2020, as challenging as a year could be, with no real troubles. A few discomforts here and there, who hasn’t faced those this year?

I remember sitting over dinner with colleagues in January where someone mentioned a virus. Little had I known that that would be the hottest topic for the rest of the year too. Post that first mention, several weeks surely went by before it all became real for me as it travelled closer and closer to home, leaving no destination out from its world tour.

And that was that. One after the other, in a very short span of time, most everyday activities were either adjusted to suit the circumstances or eliminated. It was hardly possible to ignore the ‘traveler of the year’ and many times even crucial. Trying not to make my little reflection about this topic, I find it very difficult to drift away from it; but let me try harder. Something I’m happy about is that I have managed to stay quite positive amidst the chaos, unwavering in a storm. An optimistic and proactive mindset got me through my goals for the year. I was able to share a smile now and then, mostly in front of a screen. I believe I handled my transformation from academics to professional life quite well too. I experienced working in various settings and with various teams during my graduation at KLM, freelance projects, at the university, and now what seems like a full circle – at MMID. Working at MMID provides me with extreme joy and fulfilment and that is certainly the greatest highlight of my year.

All in all, if I have to describe my feelings in one word, it has to be 'grateful'. I am grateful for the people around me, to have a happy healthy lifestyle, wake up to exciting work each morning, be connected to those close to me yet physically distant, and this list can easily become very elaborate.

I must say that there are elements of the changes that I have secretly liked. Meeting fewer people let me form deeper relationships with the limited set of people with whom I interact most frequently. Working from home sometimes allowed me to be more efficient and get more things done. More time at hand instead of outdoor activities let me reconnect with friends and family in different time zones.

Does it mean I would like the ‘new normal’ to stay? I think the ideal path forward would be a mix of the old ways while adopting new ways that we like, find productive, practical, and truly beneficial. Anyway, it is not going to be an instant reversion so let’s say a hybrid of the before and after is here to stay for a while.

I think this is a nice tangent to the upcoming year. For two years, I have been writing either monthly or quarterly goals; both personal and professional. Sharing these on LinkedIn and on a dedicated webpage has subconsciously made me push harder to achieve them. So here are my goals for Q1 and possibly Q2 2021:

WORK: As I mentioned before, I am absolutely enjoying working at MMID. The nature of projects, the colleagues, the energy, it is all very much in line with my personality and ambitions. I have already listed down personal development goals at work so I won’t go into details. But generally speaking, I want to focus on further improving some design and engineering skills that I am passionate about, develop soft skills by being proactive and learning from colleagues, and push myself to put my best effort into every project or task I take up. Happy colleagues and happy myself with concrete results will serve as a measure for work goals.

JOURNAL: I have been writing less and less as the last year progressed and I want to organize my thoughts more often. I (re)started to keep a journal last week and I will open it regularly from now on. Not only writing but skimming through what I’ve written at various points of time gives me an inexplicably useful perspective when I need it the most.

LESS SCREENS: Unspeakable number of waking hours are spent looking at screens and my fascination with VR doesn’t help there. I will try to look away from screens outside working hours to ensure that I treat my eyes as humanely as I do the rest of my body. I will make sure that I wash my eyes every couple hours and do more refreshing eye exercises.

(SPEED) LISTENING: I have always been a fan of podcasts and audiobooks but I believe I have a lot to experiment with on this topic. In line with 'Less Screens', in place of consuming visual content, I find Listening to be an appropriate way to learn and explore people’s perspectives while relaxing or say taking a walk. I see that there is a huge amount of content out there on all my topics of interest: design, engineering, management, psychology, sports, you name it. Instead of erratically consuming audio-bites, I want to be more intentional in what I choose to listen to and also learn to have a higher retention rate. I also want to train my ears more for speed (2x) listening and listen to more Dutch content to further acquire the language. As you can see, a lot to do here!

STAY ACTIVE: I think this one is on everyone’s list. Staying inside isn’t ideal for staying fit. Go for a walk every day, get those steps, do a calisthenics workout, ride the bike, run, kick a ball, throw a frisbee, etc. Whatever’s possible while sticking with the regulations. Since the badminton and table tennis courts were closed, I haven’t found myself too sporty in 2020 but now it’s high time to switch gears.

LOOK INSIDE: I shared this little sketch online that gathered an unexpected amount of attention. I have been meditating and doing breathwork more regularly than ever before. In 2021, I would like to grow in this area and be more involved, have deeper experiences. I find this to be an indispensable part of my healthy and happy mindset.

Clearly, there is so much to do, new habits to form, a lot I want to learn, and I’m very eager to have a clean slate of a year to do so. This outflow of thoughts has been quite personal and centered on my experience. I find writing such things down essential rather than carrying them around in my mind. I can always come back to this article when I need to. If you haven’t done this before, I would highly recommend it. It doesn’t have to be on a public platform, just do it for yourself.

Looking outside, I have sincere hope for better circumstances for those who’ve had a rough 2020. A more positive, exciting, and much needed 2021. With that, I wish you a pleasant end of the year and the very best for the new year. Have a good one.

Aman