New Year Resolutions and Making them work

The last couple of weeks of the current year which lead up to the new year are full of resolution making activities. People indulging themselves into pursuits which they resolve to quit being a slave to as the old calendar makes way for a fresh new one.

Newspapers, blogs, websites dedicating exclusive space for articles helping readers out with creating their lists is common place. But all the enthusiasm fizzles out before the January page wears out! ( sounds familiar?)

Well apart from the reliable family I'm blessed with, I have had two other guiding lights.
one, "The Secret" - a book by Rhonda Byrne and second, Celestine Chua's blog about personal excellence.

One of Celestine's latest blog lists 58 noteworthy resolutions one can make. I've included them below.
I'm working on the ones which apply to me with a few additions of my own. ( might  will share them later on! :-)

1. Stop procrastinating on your goals
2. Spend more time with your family
3. Widen your social circle – Meet new friends!
4. Become more organized
5. Exercise more and keep fit
6. Lose weight: Achieve your ideal weight
7. Eat more healthily
8. Wake up early every day
9. Be on time
10. Express gratitude to people who have made a difference in your life
11. Do volunteer work
12. Do more kind deeds
13. Further your education
14. Learn a new language
15. Cultivate at least one new skill that will enable you to perform even better at work (presentation skills, public speaking, effective writing, etc)
16. Be emotionally generous
17. Drop caffeine
18. Reconnect with old friends
19. Make at least 5 positive, like-minded friends and foster strong relationships with them
20. Take your family out on a vacation
21. Revamp your room into your personal, inspirational haven
22. Run a marathon
23. Don’t bad mouth other people
24. Stop complaining
25. Be a more positive person
26. Be your real self
27. Read more books
28. Read one meaningful self-help article a day
29. Visit the holiday destination of your dreams
30. Deliver your best performance at work ever
31. Double your business revenue (for business owners)
32. Get a career switch to a better career
33. Or better still, pursue a career of your true passion
34. Earn a million dollars
35. Earn a billion dollars (for those who have achieved #30)
36. Find your soulmate
37. Move out and get your own apartment
38. Get out of debt (if you are in debt)
39. Save more money
40. Help other people achieve their dreams
41. Get rid of clutter
42. Take up a class in something of your interest (dancing, singing, roller blading, ice skating, swimming, photography, web design, rock climbing, piano, guitar, yoga, pilates, etc)
43. Drink more water
44. Reduce your alcohol intake or quit drinking altogether (for people who drink)
45. Quit smoking (for smokers)
46. Learn to see the positive side of everything
47. Turn every challenge into an opportunity
48. Let go of any past baggage
49. Meditate daily
50. Go on a Vipassana Meditation Retreat
51. Write a book
52. Visit a new place you have never been to
53. Stop beating yourself up when bad things happen
54. Love yourself more
55. Start your life handbook and use it document everything it takes to live your best life
56. Limit your mass media exposure – Stop watching television or reading the papers (remove negative stimuli from your environment)
57. Take time out to rest and rejuvenate every week
58. Live every moment to the fullest! 

Let's see how things work out for me or rather how I make them work for me ;-) 

Paradise Lost?

The images you see above are those of paramilitary forces passing through my colony on their way to the Osmania University campus, which has been in the news for all the wrong reasons for the past year or so.

When we moved in to this area, habsiguda, it was one of the most serene places in the city of Hyderabad. With the lush green Osmania campus  next to our apartments it was a wonderful sight from the terrace.

Political equations in the state have changed for the worse. Language is no more a unifying factor in this region of India. When riots break out over the telangana state hood issue, my lane is one of the first to bear the brunt. It’s as if Satan can strike at will here.

The next couple of months will reveal whether if my worst fears are true? Is paradise indeed lost?

Facebook - closed my copy

phew! I never thought I would be doing that - deactivating my facebook account. But what's even stranger is that after having deactivated my FB account early in the day, I watched "The Social Network" in the evening! and this wasn't planned.

But the point i'm trying to make here is that social networking sites like FB, Orkut and the like are very addictive and we end up spending a lot of our valuable time on them. I, for instance, used to check my FB page the first thing when back home from work! All this time can be better utilized and I am gonna spend mine learning a new skill, helping around the house and of course looking for ways to improve my fortune!

and yeah btw the temp here in Hyderabad hit 9 point something this sunday, the lowest in 5 years and I was the first casualty in the family - down with a cold and fever. much better now. back to earning bread tomorrow :-)

30DLBL Day 2 – My Ideal Life ( subject to upgradations :-) )

What would you do if you can never, ever fail? What would you do if you have unlimited resources, time or networks? What are your biggest goals and dreams? What would you want to achieve in your life? What is your ideal life? What is a life you can look back and be proud of living, and tell yourself “I’ve truly lived to my fullest?”

Envisioning My Ideal Life.   


Now what would I do if I could never fail? hmm... This is what everyone wishes for, I wish for. But when given the chance I actually have to think! I dreaded school as a kid. But what made it worth while was those few classes where the teachers were very inspiring, friendly and who encouraged us to build on our strengths. The role of a teacher/ instructor / trainer is very important. The methodology used to impart the skills decides whether you open your mind to the subject or develop a mental block. I wish my lecturers at the university were at least half good as my teachers in school where. I would have definitely got a better push on to the subject then. Yes. Training has been a passion with me. Though never worked in a professional capacity as a trainer, I have noticed that I give more than 100% when I'm explaining something I know to any audience.( May be that's coz both my parents are good at it & my mom is a teacher herself ) I love computers, computing and anything that has to do with computer programming. My bane - I could never pick one to focus on and nibbled at each and every aspect. But surely in the near immediate future (with the ideal conditions assumed) I will have a training institute  academy corporation ( will have to think of a better term ;-) ) dealing not only in software training and development but many other fields like creative & technical writing, spreading computer literacy. I will make my country men realize that computers and allied branches are as much an art as painting and other trades. Being a Gemini I just can't stop at one thing. Writing is one hobby which I will develop to the next level. I wish to write a book    many books on a wide range of topics. Though I will make a lot of money out of all my pursuits it definitely wont be the only thing to drive me. In my career so far I've realized that you can't just pick a field to make money. You need to be truly driven to enjoy and perform and money will follow or at least avenues to earn more of it, surely will.



Business / Career / Studies – What are you doing? What achievements and results do you want to create? 
I will be working primarily in a technical career handling a talented bunch and keeping my skills updated with the technology trends. Java/Oracle technologies will be my forte and I will be a role model for good work ethic in my team.

How big is your business/career? (If you’ve a business, will it be international?)
My training and development business which starts off as a local organisation will soon be part of a web which helps in channelling business to any location irrespective of geography. 


Finance/Wealth – How much money will you be earning? What property do you live in? What material possessions will you have?
My business would fetch me, at a minimum, one crore annually. My home would be a blend of values which my family believes in. Simple and comfy. It wouldn't be lavish and loud but would definitely be furnished to make life simpler and comfortable for my family. 


Health/Fitness – How is your fitness level? How do you look? What is your diet like? How is your health?
 Having led a vegetarian and simple life and a regular exercise schedule my family fitness levels are good and all of us look fit and athletic. The diet is very well balanced with less of oil, salt, spices and more of fibre rich and fresh foods. All this ensures that the family has a sound body and a sound mind too :)

Social/Friends – How is your social circle like? What are the kind of friends you are with?
My social circle comprises of people who value principles like hard work and honesty. They are a  highly educated lot and contribute to the society with a sense of responsibility. My friends share my entrepreneurial thoughts and skills and we have a healthy powwow over a wide range of issues under the sun.

Family – What are you doing with your family? How often do you meet them?
 The family stays together. We make sure that we dine together and have a small talk no matter how busy our schedules, daily. During the day we call up each other to check out how the day has been so far. Weekends are strictly family time. We discuss issues like securing the family's future, planning a monthly outing and also regular health check ups for every one.



Romance/Love – (if you’re single) What is your ideal partner? How is he/she like? What do you love about him/her? Do you have kids? How many? How are they like?
The most striking aspect of my ideal partner's persona is her simplicity. As much a human as I am she appreciates the value of a good education and pursues her own passions actively and is truly my "better" half.

Recreation – What do you do for recreation? What hobbies do you want to pursue?
Reading and writing are my recreational activities. Also, I play my guitar , which i bought on my first job, to help me relax. I would like to pursue some out door activities like trekking and water sports. 

Contribution – What will you be doing socially? How will you be giving back to the world / helping others?
My organisation collaborates with a NGO to ensure poor families can educate their children and also help them secure jobs which would put their education to better use. Also, we help the poor and stranded middle class youth to chart their career by providing guidance and ensure they do not become rats in a rat race.


  Personal Growth – How will you be pursuing your personal growth? What will you be learning, growing?
On the personal front, I will attend trainings to learn new technologies and stay updated and upgraded ;-)
I also will  learn two new languages ( one Indian and the other foreign )

Spiritual – How connected will you be with the world? How will you be pursuing your spiritual interests?
Praying will be my way of staying connected with the supreme power. Prayers at home will be regular. I believe life always shows signs when we are in the middle of no where. I have always seen them when I needed them and am sure the almighty will be my guiding light at all times.

30DLBL Day 1 – MyLife Wheel

Part I: Assessing where you are


MY LIFE WHEEL


 

            LIFE WHEEL SCORES:


   1. CAREER:                                   2
   2. FINANCE:                                 2
   3. HEALTH/FITNESS:                   2
   4. SOCIAL / FRIENDS:                 4
   5. FAMILY:                                    8
   6. ROMANCE:                               0 
   7. RECREATION / FUN:               2
   8. CONTRIBUTION:                     0
   9. PERSONAL GROWTH:            2
  10. SPIRITUAL:                              2

Part II: Reflections

REFLECTIONS



Reflecting on my scores:

Some where deep withing I knew the scores would be bad, but to see the wheel cave in on paper was nothing short of a tight slap. You hear of budding geniuses going astray & wonder what went wrong with them till one day find yourself in the same league.


These scores are nothing to be proud of but nevertheless it did make me feel lighter. I may not be satisfied with these scores but was satisfying, was to have a look at my life from the outside. It was like watching some body's life from the top ( that some one being me )


From here, I can only do better; I am destined to. After the "recession-hit" days life seemed to have stagnated. But my efforts to get myself back on track on the technical front have been a big boost. I know I deserve a lot more in life. This surely isn't where I saw myself a decade back.


The highlighting feature of the wheel of course is my "family". With this one block in place I can build and re-build my life from the ashes over and over again. The other pieces of the pie will follow suit.


It all boils down to being one's own control/feedback mechanism, applying corrective measures and re-assessing one's movement forward


WHY AM I HERE

I could fill books on this one. But it didn't take more seconds than the number of primary reasons to pin this one down.

1. Procrastination
2. Lack of focus.
3. Fear of failure

My 10+2 days which still feel like yesterday had all these three in good measure pushing me into a shell eventually.


THE LOWEST POINTS
Eight out of the 10 spokes of the wheel with a pathetically low score. And as i read the other connected blogs I realise that firefighting is what I have been up to. So that, while keeping me busy all the time, gets me nowhere and end of day I fall short on all fronts!


COMING TO TERMS WITH MY SCORES

No, I am not happy with the wheel. In fact my scores on the life wheel make it look more like a dagger than a wheel.!!! I surely do not want to stick with these scores forever! Every passing day would feel like a century if the scores remained where they are! I want my wheel to expand outward so it can look like one and help me "wheel" through life :-)


ENVISIONING MY ENTIRE LIFE

My ideal wheel, for the better part of it would be pushing the limits.

Health, Family, Love, Friends would be & will be at the zenith. With those in place there would be an inevitable progress on the other fronts too. Career, Wealth, Contribution, Personal Growth would be hovering at 8+. These are insatiable in a way & every conquest leads to making plans for a higher or equivalent goal. The more I realise The more I contribute the more I realise how much less I have been giving ( If you have seen the last 20 odd minutes of Schindler's List, you would know what I mean )


Health, Friends, Family, Love, Fun would be max. They have to be for the scores to indicate a sense of fulfillment. :-)


PART III: MY BEST 30 DAYS AHEAD

   1.   Learn Oracle PL/SQL to a professional level.
   2. Kick start Java & cover the entire module.
   3. Exercise regularly.
   4. Eat nutritious food.
   5. Wake up @ 5 daily.
   6. Try to attend atleast two interviews on weekends.
   7. Take a walk in the evenings.
   8. Expand social network.
   9. Clean the room.
  10. Get info on setting up router @ home.
  11. Learn the Guitar.
  12. Pray Daily. ( @ rise - before meals - before bed )
  13. Read the Secret - Use it.
  14. Da Vinci - Think like him
  15. Work on your vocabulary.
  16. Deal with work issues head on.
  17. RDBMS - GET A BOOK!
  18. Sharpen your skill set and take time to read books I wanted to & the ones i need to.



MY BEST 30 DAYS AHEAD

Link To My Calendar

30DLBL Day 1 – My Life Wheel ( Personal Note )

Its been a great start to a promising month. As promised in an earlier post I am sharing my diary on my blog here. This is a part of the 30 Days Live a Better Life series started by Celestine.

Following is my activity for DAY 1 as outlined in the blog here.


Personal Note: ( the first page of the diary )
 I realise as i look around me that I have always had all the ingredients to make the most out of what life offered me and then grab some more. Honesty & an evergreen will to learn have always been an asset. I know I will make the most of this exercise... I need to. I have been planning it all along and will not let myself down. Practice, they say makes a man perfect. Not only have I just known this but also experienced the results at various stages in my life.

I expect to lead a disciplined life in this month and streamline it further as time passes. A positive outlook towards life and focus on the task @ hand would figure in the top priorities. A regular schedule for studies and a constant vigil for opportunities is a badly needed "To-Do".

At the end of the month I expect myself to be more confident & on par with industry requirements in my chosen domain ( Oracle, Java )

                                      "Labor Omnia Vincit"

                                                                                       Rohit
                                                                                  2/09/2010 ( yes a day behind! )
                                                                                     

The 30 Day Challenge #30DLBL

The universe indeed aligns itself to mirror your subconscious. I, despite my shortcomings am always willing to forgive myself and start every day with a clean slate. And september would be the drawing board for the life ahead. I, guided by Celestine and with all other 30DLBL ( 30 days live a better life )mates from across the globe are on a journey to break the inertia and stop sleep walking through our lives. I will be sharing my 30dlbl diary here on  the blog for your comments.

To a better September and a even better life :)