Alvida 2008

I started off the year with this beautiful thought that my then boss had passed on to us: Sir Edmund Hillary on failing to conquer Everest twice said.. I will be back. As a mountain, you cannot grow. As a human being, I can!

2008 has been a good year for me. Took a couple of tough decisions, and realized that I need to take more of them if I had to get even close to where I want to be. February, in that sense was a tough month. To move out of ING that month was a difficult thing. I still miss the place and the team. But then, you cannot get everything together, can you? I wanted to chase the satisfaction of working for myself and I am happy I took that decision. Since then, the pace of life has been much more comfortable and manageable, albeit slow. Thankfully, the flow of moolahs has not shown the same trend. And so, I am happy. In fact, what excites me the most in my professional life is that there is so much more left to be done. That in itself is a good motivator.

Personal life has been steady. Still single and still happy! Still at peace. Relationships are a lot like salt, me thinks. You add it to your life on a need basis, like you add salt to add taste. You do not just get into relationship because you ought to do it. If you think this sounds obvious, then look around. A lot of them are in a relationship because they are supposed to be in one. So I have stayed away from relationships. Or to put it differently, nothing came my way and I did not chase any.

As a person, I choose to believe that I have matured. I have made a lot of mistakes this year, like in any other year. Yet, I do not feel quilty. Doing mistakes without feeling the guilt is a good way of learning, I have realized. One does not become wise with age, but with thoughts. I am satisfied that I have been able to give my thoughts a breeding ground. All through the year. This is the least I expect to keep doing for each living year of my life.

Looking back, there has been no extra-ordinarily happy moment or event in the year. Few events this year will go a long way in changing me and my emotions. I am happy that I could move through them in a manner I would have hoped to. Ironically, one of the most exciting and dreadful moments of the year came together!

A lot of my resolutions for the year have been left undone. Thanks to me remaining passive and lazy for a large part of the year. Yet no real regrets. Today is the first day of the rest of my life, and I can still achieve them. And I will.

I have not made any list of resolutions for 2009. There are a lot of ideas in my mind, but cannot term them resolutions. Ideas that are, in most cases, productive. Ideas that are not really associated with my profession. Ideas that basically will leave me a lot more peaceful and content when implemented. Well, that's the key. Execution. And that is going to be my theme for 2009. I will look to execute a whole lot of ideas.

Here's wishing you and your loved ones a very happy 2009. Keep smiling and stay healthy.