THANK YOU 2018

As we come to the end of a year, most of us get reflective, philosophical and a tad emotional as well. Of course the festive environs nudge us towards such a state of mind. I normally get into a similar mood whenever I have either had a fantastic all round year or whenever I have had a trying year, a year where I have had to dig deep, fight out the demons outside as well as inside my mind. The last time it was the end of 2011 when I had a fantastic year on all fronts – family, health & fitness, career and finances. As we come to the end of 2018, my reasons to introspect are rather different. At the start of 2018, I felt like a pariah, a self-inflected thought. I had parted ways with my employer starting December 2017 and was jobless until the August, my financial position was not good, my parent’s health was a constant worry and I was not in a good frame of mind to begin the year with. Work had been a nightmare ever since late 2016 and its toxicity was taking its toll on me. I should have developed a saturnine temperament.

Instead as I look forward to enjoying a quiet New Year’s celebration this evening at home, emotionally I find myself in as good a space as I was at the end of 2011 perhaps even a couple of notches better. Surprising isn’t it? It is, but the secret is not that difficult to comprehend and I would like to share the same with you.

The primary reason has been my Family which I believe plays the most important part in everybody’s life. The secret and the success to happiness is a well-rounded family support – emotional as well as when in need in other forms. Here my reference to family does not just mean the immediate family but one’s extended family and close friends. My extended family continued to thrive and support me through the early part of 2018, my wife and my kids pushed me and got me out of the mental rut. My parents, in laws, my sister and her family, aunts, uncles as well as a few close friends were always around who opened up my mind and helped me adopt a couple of simple initiatives that led to a fitter body and a clutter free mind.

Let me get to the mind first since without a clear head, other things are always a bit difficult. I am in the midst of reading my forty fifth book of the year. That’s almost one book a week. I was never a big reader during my school and college years, can’t even call myself an average reader. But somewhere into my early corporate life, I took to reading. The average number of books I read every year have been a modest ten to fifteen, but 2018 has been an exception. Being jobless helped as I took up reading with vengeance. Reading ensured that I kept myself busy but more importantly kept me mentally alert. I have the habit of taking notes on every book I read. This habit I have cultivated recently and it has paid me rich dividends. Also I ensured that the topics I read were a smorgasbord of different ideas – biographies, behavioral economics, sports especially cricket, politics, history etc. I am not a big fan of fiction and my collection is essentially non-fiction, something I can relate with. There have been times while in the midst of reading, a particular topic catches my fancy so much so that I deliberate over it for hours and can see how I have or could relate to its significance. For me reading a book is not a task but a joyous bond, a journey and I am glad it is.

Apart from this, I took to fitness with a certain dedication. The area I lived in Dubai had a lovely cycling track that stretched along the beach road and merged with the new attraction of Dubai, the water canal and finally took me to a serious 8 kilometer cycling track that ran around the Shaikh Mohammed Bin Rashid City. A good 40 km return trip. This I religiously followed thrice a week combined with some swimming and running (more a brisk walk). Coupled with perhaps the best decision of my life at that stage -to quit alcohol albeit temporarily which lasted almost six and a half months and ended courtesy the football World Cup. The result was a lighter me having knocked off 8 kilos effortlessly. I was also abstemious with my food intake since I was at home the entire day to enjoy my wife’s delicious cooking and could have been a happy victim of overindulgence. Caught up with watching movies as well. And more importantly stayed off social media by deleting my Facebook account – another decision I am proud off which has turned out well. My account still remains deleted and inactive.

I continued with my job hunt as I was keen on spending at least two more years in Dubai since my younger son was in his year 9 of his Cambridge curriculum and both my wife and I didn’t want to disturb him. Unfortunately the hunt was painful and difficult given the poor economic conditions in the UAE and the Middle East in general. Simultaneously I started working on a business proposal something that I am keen on doing post retirement or earlier if I am able to retire early. This involved a lot of reading as well and more importantly brought a sense of satisfaction and calm to me. I now have a sound business idea and a model ready to go as soon as I am ready to go. I was also looking at opportunities in India and I was fortunate to have landed one by the time my threshold of staying jobless in Dubai was ending. So towards July, we moved back to Mumbai our original home.

My younger son took this move in his stride and I am mightily proud of him. He has been an inspiration to me with his attitude as well as his maturity. I wish I was like him as a 14 year old. My elder son who is in the UK studying did feel the effect of our situation but never showed it to us though I know what he has sacrificed and had to let go. The move to Mumbai was tough in all ways but we as a family were and are determined to make it a success. It’s been a little over five months now and we have settled in well. We have had to make quite a few adjustments but are pleased with where we are at the moment. It is going to be a tough, long road ahead but I am looking forward to it. Another lesson that this entire year taught me was it is important to separate the wheat from the chaff especially when it came to friends. Many I realized are fair weather friends and as most of us realize – it is only those handful of close friends that eventually matter and make a difference to your life. So as I sign off 2018 with my last blog of the year, a BIG THANK YOU and cheers to my family and close friends without whom I wouldn’t have been able to end the year on a positive note. Love you all!!!