What I Learnt in 2021...

What a year 2021 has been, for so many different reasons.?The good, the bad and the ugly.?I can’t believe it’s been almost two years and we are still struggling with the impact of COVID… 19!?Well, on the plus side, another year has gone by and you can only expect things get better from here on in (famous last words?).?Or, at a minimum, you can expect a new variant and therefore a new booster in 2022.

So, in a year that was dominated once again by COVID, what else do I have to look back on and learn from??A lot actually.?Besides COVID, three milestones this year were – a 40th birthday, a new house, and little baby Picabook Creations turning 1!

Personally, this was a magnificent year – we took the plunge, after much debate and finally purchased our first home.?We (maybe more so me) Ummed and Aaahed before finally relenting and decided that it was time to move.?We had had our share of London apartments (for now at least), so we figured we would experience the joys of a bit more space and the English countryside.?So, now on weekends, instead of trying out one of London’s fine dining establishments and looking through menus, I find myself looking through furniture catalogues or browsing through a garden center aisle looking for the best plants that would fit our living room, or library. ?I have to say, that though I miss bits of London, I couldn’t be happier with the decision.?So, the lesson from this – Listen to the wife… always??

It was also the year I turned 40.?A year in which I (sort of) had a chance to take a pause and reflect back on everything done, everything accomplished and everything messed up (of course I have messed up over time).?Despite all that has gone on this past year, somehow I was able to look back and reflect on even the smallest of things, and appreciate them for what they were.?Because as Steve Jobs put it, “You can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backward.?You have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future”… and yes, some of them have. So, as everyone that wished me with the words "Life begins at 40", I did take their advice to look back and reflect on the years gone by so that I can indeed begin life (again) at 40. ?

And also, at 40, I’ve learnt the importance of not having a ‘but’ in everything, which I realized had started to become fairly common.?I had begun to notice that even simple questions about how I’m doing or how my (now imaginary) trip was, my response was usually, “It was great, but…”.? I have learnt however that this response should just be, “It was great. We had a great time and it was amazing to be away for a while.”?Appreciation for what something truly was and how good it was, without any caveats or buts.?“How was the restaurant you visited last night?”.?The response will no longer be, “It was good, but the service could have been better.”?Instead, the more positive response will just be, “The food was good, and the experience was new and different.”

In 2021, we planned a holiday to India at the back end of the year, only for those plans to be thwarted at the very last minute by… you guessed it … COVID!?Not wanting to chance it, we decided to cancel the trip and spend the rest of our holidays at home (more gardening time!).?I guess if I have learnt anything in the last two years, it is that even your best laid plans can go to waste, because life always has something up its sleeve.?But since I’m a planner, I will continue to plan – hey, I’ve already got my calendar for key dates in 2022 out and ready. ?But, I know that I will do so with a back-up plan this time around.

Speaking of COVID, this little bugger gave me quite a scare this year. For a few tense weeks in the summer, I didn't know what to do as one of my closest friends literally fought for his life, as the virus ran rampant across India. I hated to think of the possibilities; being so far away meant that I didn't know what was happening and worse, that I couldn't help in anyway. But it did make me realise the fragility of life, the importance of family, of close friends, of being there for them when it matters. Most of all, I learnt this year, to appreciate and love those that are around us because you never know what life has in store.

2021 was also the year we tried to make something of Picabook Creations, after the little baby had completed a year.??It sort of worked, but it didn’t, and I decided to put an end to the experiment with the completion of this year.?Many lessons came out from this one, but three big ones for the year, and generally in life, would be:

(a)???Give it a shot, at least you won’t regret the fact that you never tried;

(b)???But know when it is time to quit, because hey, what’s the point of dragging out the pain; and

(c)????Do something with a whole heart and complete effort, otherwise don’t bother. I mean, you can't expect a fully-grown, healthy child by only giving it only half your love, attention and food. Just as with a child, it is the same with anything else in life.

While disappointed to have closed Picabook, I know it was the right thing to do, after having given it my time, money and (half) attention.?In addition to the above, I also did learn that it is best to run your own race.?In this world, we get caught up with what everyone else is doing and want to always compete and outdo the other.?Maybe, just maybe what everyone else does is not meant for me, or just because someone else does something, I don’t necessarily have to do it as well.? There were many other life lessons derived from setting up and running this business – lessons around friendships (or lack thereof), around choosing the right partners and lessons around karma (yes, it can be a %^￡&^)!?But those are for another, lengthier discussion.?

And lastly, invest time in yourself, in doing something for yourself. ?This year, I spent time reading a lot; I took a new course and challenged myself with a obtaining a new professional certification.? And as I invested time in learning this year, I found myself turning to the Gita for inspiration and wisdom.?In there, Krishna advises Arjuna, “Arjuna, you can choose actions and not reactions.?Do not choose action because of the reactions.?Do not choose inaction either.”?Bhagvad Gita – Chapter 2, Verse 27.?

I know what kind of a year 2021 was.?I just want to make sure the actions of 2022 are for the right reasons.? #reflections2021 #whatilearnt #2021 #happynewyear