How often do we think "Am I doing the right thing in life? Am I living up to my potential? Is there something more?". Such questions show that we are truly alive and not in limbo. New years are wonderful opportunities to
DECLUTTER
Minimalism is good not just for your house but for your mind too. Clear out the clutter of "Oh! That person did that to me. This person said this to me." Cut out all this noise and throw it in the dustbin. People cannot change. You can. You can have just those who are good, have common interests with you and add value to you. Rest is all clutter. You don't have to give "mind space" to them even if they are under your own roof. Even Jesus the King of Kings had just 12 friends and one of them a traitor.
Decluttering your home is not rocket science. Although when I searched about minimalism on the internet I learnt there are techniques, classes, cult figures and faithful followers; all for clearing out clutter from your home. They even give advice on how to throw out your teddy bears!
Anyhow this is my take away
- Create zones in your home. For eg. Toy zone, Reading zone, Unwind zone etc. Keep objects in their specific zone
- Don't use the floor to store stuff
- If you have not used a thing in 4 months bless someone else with it
That's it! Worked like a charm in my house. (I haven't thrown my teddy bears out yet. No can do.)
A lot of free space means space for creation which is what we are all born to do.
(If you already have a job then look for a joy-filled hobby using this method.)
Getting married to a Naval officer means frequent travels, parties, the high life but we all need something that's just for us. That is our job and our joy. If you are like me you studied whatever you studied cause your parents told you so. The key to landing a job is finding out your true interest.
Find your interest. Check if you have the aptitude and a matching personality to pursue that interest. The best-suited job for you would be the one in which you are talented, have a suitable personality and a keen desire to put in consistent efforts.
Finding your talent - listen to the voices of others close to you. If they say you are good at something, that's your talent. Another way to find is taking a multiple-intelligence test online. They are available for free. After finding your specific intelligence, google search for jobs/hobbies that fit that intelligence type. Make a list(1) of jobs/hobbies using this method.
Finding your interest - Go through job opportunities in websites. See what you yearn for. Keep scouting. Think of some person you wanted to be like. What job did they do? What was their expertise? Make a list(2) of jobs using this method.
Finding your personality type - This is a personality test I took - 16 personalities. It has helped me immensely. I learnt that I am not like other people and hence I should stop trying to make others understand my views and just get on with life. I completed post graduation in a field I love and got a job too after I took this test. Take the test at least 5 times at random to ensure the results are accurate. This website also states what kind of jobs/hobbies suit your personality type. This is the list(3).
Now find the common jobs among all the three lists.
This is how you find the job or hobby that fits your aptitude, interest and personality. This is your sweet spot. Place yourself here and you are sure to win.
This is how you find the job or hobby that fits your aptitude, interest and personality. This is your sweet spot. Place yourself here and you are sure to win.
HAVE NEW GOALS
New year goals might sound cliched. But if we are not aiming at anything we are sure to waste a lot of time shooting arrows into the bushes. Goals must be in all the aspects of your life - Spiritual, Physical, Emotional and Mental (I took this from the book - 7 habits of highly effective people).
It also helps to have a Personal Mission Statement. You can build one of your own using this - Personal Mission Statement Builder
It also helps to have a Personal Mission Statement. You can build one of your own using this - Personal Mission Statement Builder
One of the key problems we face when setting goals is - we lose motivation after a while. So, set a few achievable goals in line with your newly found jo(y)b. Write them down leaving space in between. In that space add this statement - To ensure I fulfil this goal I will do ___________, from ______ to _______ every single day no matter who is with me nor what is happening around me. (This is an idea I got from a book called Miracle Morning).
They also teach about Mini Habits in that book. Mini habits are to train your mind to build consistency. Eg. if my goal is to have a more active lifestyle then I start by doing five rounds around the playground every day (NOT ten kilometres every day). Five rounds is a ridiculously simple goal but the idea is to activate your mind to include that activity in your daily routine.
The fact that you finished the goal(even though it is small) makes your brain happy, releases feel-good chemicals and so helps you go towards loftier goals.
Every day is new. Even if we live to be a hundred we have 8,76,000 hours to live. Use it well. Doing what you are good at is not selfish. You are at your best when you do what you love to do. And those you love deserve to get the best version of you.
Happy new year to you, TrailBlazer!
Happy new year to you, TrailBlazer!
