Hello my lovely readers!
Wish you all a very Happy New Year!
It is another day filled with so much opportunities, hope and new beginnings, isn’t it? A new day to embark on a journey that excites your heart, stirs your soul, and elevates your mood.
The year 2022 was incredible for me as I took a long break from social media and focused on my family, tried different painting mediums, read around 40 plus books, relocated to a new country, developed new routines, got introduced to a new culture and so on. It was also hard for me when I had to bid adieu to my parents, my close ones and the country that was my home ever since I had come into existence. While the year gave me a lot of opportunities to unlearn & learn new things, it also took a toll on me when things did not go as I had planned.
So, what are my resolutions or plans for 2023?
Last year I remember writing a few resolutions that I thought were easily achievable but life threw new challenges and surprises, so by the first quarter of the year the resolutions were forgotten, broken and unfulfilled. Right from understanding the Luxembourgish way of life, to learning new languages, to do a thorough research for best international schools for Ayaansh, to securing his seat, to finding a perfect house and setting it up, my 2022 has been fast-paced and fulfilling.
So, this year I plan to slow down by taking baby steps to better myself, by being conscious of my thoughts, words and deeds, by focusing on the present and by taking one step at a time towards the future. I intend to channelize my energy and time, thereby respecting myself and the people who surround me. So, this year my only goal would be to develop my behavioural aspect to better myself spiritually & emotionally and not just with a mere tick of a bucket list.
How do I plan to do that?
Set a routine and adhere to it:
To be very honest I have always thought that, ‘one must live life as it comes’ and never stuck to a plan. On the other hand, my husband is a meticulous planner. So, many times our opinions have differed creating a conflict of interest. So, this year I intend to leave behind my lackadaisical attitude and set up a routine, try to adhere to it and have better harmony in the family.
By accepting my flaws and working on it:
Criticisms are often hard to accept especially when it comes from our family and close ones. But, moving away from the family since August I have realized how valuable these advices and criticisms were for me. So, from this year onwards, instead of being too defensive about it, I plan to accept the criticisms with an open mind and work towards improving them.
Fill my emotional bucket positively:
We all have an emotional bucket that needs to be filled with positive vibes. For the past few years, I have held on to bad memories creating a shield around me when I am with certain people. Having moved out of the country and meeting new people with zealous and enthusiasm has made me feel light and positive. I realized that instead of holding on, I can finally let go and experience a tranquil in my mind. Also, watching my children grow up, I have realized how my energy radiates into their minds and they are the happiest when I am happy and buzzing around them. So, instead of sulking into negativity I am going to give some cool-happy mom vibes to them. Afterall, we live for our children, their happiness and laughter.
By practicing gratitude:
We faced a lot of challenges with our move to Luxembourg and I believe that only with the blessings of God, our forefathers and family we could overcome them, travel & settle down in Luxembourg. Although it is a home away from home, I am happy and grateful to my husband without whom we could not have experienced this new life. I am thankful to my children who turn every moment of adversity into joy & laughter with their antics, their hugs, and kisses. I have also realised that behind every joy there is a force that blesses us with the moments and I am indebted to them. So, this year onwards, I shall be practising gratitude with my children by documenting our moments in the journal, by appreciating the thoughts and efforts of those around us.
Pray and meditate:
We as a family believe in the power of prayers and manifestations. Chanting shlokas or mantras have been a part of daily rituals creating a positive vibration at home. However, last year because of the busy schedules we had skipped it many times. As this year began, I have restarted the chanting ritual at home while explaining the meaning of these mantras to Ayaansh and Hridaan. I had also learnt Vipassana Meditation during my working days which instilled a sense of calmness in me which I intend to start doing bi-weekly from this year again.
Two hours off screen time every day:
Last year I hit a pause button on my blog page & social media to declutter my mind space and spend more time with my family. While it definitely helped me spend more time with my family, I ended being unhappy away from my work which gradually started affecting me. I realised I needed to write, keep my blog page running and interact with like-minded people to stay focused and happy. So, I stared with two hours off from the screen every day which gave me ample time to pursue my hobbies and spend time with my loved ones.
By pursuing what I love the most:
Besides my children, if I were to choose one thing that gave me joy and contentment it would be reading. Having read around 40-50 books last year, this year I have challenged myself to read around 120 books and have registered with Outset Book Club and participated in prompt-based challenges hosted by Popsugar Book Club and The 52 Book Club.
Be conscious of what is on my plate:
My close friends and family know that I am big foodie and love trying new cuisines. While I love to cook and feed people around me, I have also enjoyed every possible vegetarian cuisines and delicacies from Swiggy & Zomato which has impacted my overall fitness. So, unlike the past few years where I focused on shedding those extra pounds and ended up gaining more, this year I intend to be mindful on what is on my plate while still loving what I eat.
Moments with hubby:
This February our marriage will be 9 years old and I can’t seem to get over the fact that despite of being two different personalities, we have managed to run the show pretty happily. However, we both know that with children and with different responsibilities the initial magic has slowly eroded. While the love remains, showcasing how much the other person means to you has been limited to birthdays and occasions. So this year, I want to truly be married to my husband by taking few hours a day, everyday with him; sipping coffee, reading magazines or by having silent conversations or watching sports. Afterall, every relationship does take an extra effort to keep it alive and sparkling.
Happy hours with my children:
My children love it when I read books to them, play hide-n-seek, cricket or board games or when they join me to cook. This is the special time of the day that we (especially Ayaansh and me) look forward very eagerly. As the year progresses, I hope to continue our happy hours to create more beautiful memories.
Travel:
Relocating to Luxembourg presented us with a lot of new opportunities like learning new languages, exploring new places, developing new skills like skiing, skating etc. I started learning A1 Level German which is one of the official languages here. This year I am aiming to complete my A2 which will give me some advantage to communicate with the locals. Residing here, we are also planning to travel to other European countries and create some lasting experiences and memories.
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May this year and all the coming years be of light and love showing us a path of hope, love, opportunities and new beginnings.
Live…
Love…
Laugh…
Read…
Travel…
and
Have Fun!
Stay Blessed, Stay Happy!
Love,
Amritha Srinath
This blog post is part of the Let’s Say Hello 2023 Blogging Activity hosted by Swarnali Nath
It feels so empowering to see that more and more women are practicing gratitude and meditation these days.
Having known you for more that a year and a half I can totally relate to what you have written. I feel happy to see that your emotional bucket is filled with positivity. You are a positive person inherently.. let the coming year be the best for you
The power of gratitude is often underestimated. I have learnt it in recent years. Kudos to your positivity. Wish you a great year ahead
Sreeparna
Dear Amritha, I can’t tell you how much I loved your post. There are lots of things to take away from your write-up. Dedicating time to keep relationships alive, taking care of your children, learning new skills and everything else show that you’re continuously growing in your life. Also, I love how you consciously take time off from social media, pray and meditate. Your gratitude ritual is also something we should practice on a daily basis. Sending you best wishes for the new year. Happy 2023!
Its more important that all of us should dedicate time to maintain relationships. The key takeaways from your post are very valuable for all
What a sorted and motivating post this is dear, your pour candid emotions have flown our v smoothly and touch our hearts. May all your dreams be fulfilled
You had a lot going on Amritha. But I am glad that you found your way to being the balance in your life. That’s what we all want right?
I completely understand how it feels to be away from our family and friends back home. But soon, you will create your second family there.
Hi, a very well outlined post and plan for the new year, which looks attainable. I wish you all the best.
More than half the posts I have read mention gratitude and acceptance. I have a strong faith in gratitude and feel great to see it resonating in our blogging community. It is difficult to relocate, but then we have to accept and move on. We cannot keep complaining about it. I really love that you read to your kids. My grandsons love it when I read. Have a great 2023.
Moving to a new country and starting all over is not easy, especially when you are still learning the local language. I applaud you for taking the challenge head-on and thriving. Your post has goals that I am quite certain you will easily attain. Here’s wishing you a happy and fruitful 2023
You have mentioned a few valid points that need to be applied in our daily routine. Loved all the pointers and would like to copy a few and applying in my routine to enjoy spending time with hubby and kids and staying away from media for 2 hrs WISH YOU ALL THE BEST!
A lovely post on self reflection. I wish you all the best in achieving the desired results. May you achieve the balance that you want to achieve.
Loved your post, Amritha. Especially the point on filling our emotional bucket positively. So much needed.
Very pertinent 11 points. All are equally important and all attainable. Gratitude, praying and meditation, off screen, family time.. loved how you outlined each of them and the conclusion of your post is amazing
Wishing you a fulfilling year
Happy hours, new life abroad being concious of what we are eating these three seem to be pondering upon and adding to 2023 list.
Wow Amritha, way to go! Such realistic and helpful affirmations for the new year. I liked taking 2 hours off the internet the best.
Lovely post, Amrita. All the pointers were so practical and achievable. The best one was to cut down 2hrs from social media and do something more mindful. I also liked the way you highlighted the pointers as key takers at the end of the post Wishing you all the best for 2023 !!
I’m so glad to see you accept the new life and new place so wholeheartedly. It’s always tricky, isn’t it? Admire the steps you’re consciously taking to ensure to make 2023 a great year. All the best! I’m borrowing few of these as well.
I love your resolutions, Amrita. It’s great that you were able to realise what is important to you and create a dedicated routine accordingly. It is so important to have a balance of personal life, passion, and profession alike. Wishing you an amazing 2023!
Congratulations on your move and glad to see you are settling well. I love all the promises you have made to yourself for 2023 and I hope I am also able to borrow from them and practice them this year. Have a happy 2023!
Love how you have sorted it out. Love the positive vibe that your post has. getting ready for a change is challenging but sticking to it matters.
Loved loved loved your vulnerable and honest post, Amritha. I could relate to a lot of your thoughts even though there’s no relocation involved here. Your intention and initiative to spend more time with family, husband and children, and to reconnect with God with daily and weekly rituals had me nodding all along. Simple but such precious goals. I’m intrigued by the book club that you registered. Going to check that out soon. You’ve done well for 2022 given your situation. I wish you a beautiful, blessed, and memorable 2023.