I was going through my last post How to slay 2018.. and I realized that the year has come and almost ended in a wink. Did I manage to slay 2018? Partly. I wouldn’t be lying if I said this year was totally unexpected- a complete rollercoaster ride of emotions, opportunities and what not.
It started off on a rough note, with a terrible job at hand and friends that betrayed me. Dramatic… I know. Eventually, I hoped things would get better ( Such an optimist I am…take notes children). Things did improve, only to get worse again. 2018 taught me a lot! I wouldn’t change anything even if I had the chance to. Now, you must be wondering if it was such a horrible year, why would I stick to it? That’s because of the things I learnt about myself and about the people around me. Let’s just dive into the list, shall we? You’ll understand what I’m talking about.

1.  Mental Peace is necessary
Zero- that’s the amount of mental peace I had at the start of the year. My job had gotten monotonous and stressful. I used to take off that frustration on my family and loved ones. Wasn’t able to find a job for the longest time possible-  maybe it was fate. Social media has a way of portraying your life from a different angle. People thought I was happy just because of the pictures I posted on Instagram. Only those close to me knew the kind of stress I was in.  Long story short, after trying in numerous places I got the chance to be a technical writer for my very own company. Took the shot. Got the job. To be honest, I didn’t know I could actually ‘write’ until I started my job and won appreciation for the same. I’ve learnt the importance of mental peace and I swear I’ll do anything to keep me sane henceforth.

2.  Internal Happiness shows on your face
I think the best compliment anyone could receive is that ‘you look happy’. That will only be possible if you are happy from within. I’d encourage you to make choices that make you happy. If there’s one thing I’ve picked up along the way is that you need to be selfish once in a while and think about your happiness for once. I’ve spent way too much time caring and catering to people trying to make them happy and in the process putting myself last. This just led them to expect more from me and if I didn’t stand up to their expectations, I was the bad guy- to them and in my eyes as well. You get so used to doing things for others that your mind is moulded into thinking you NEED to make them happy. No, stop right now.

3. Don’t depend on others for your happiness
Do not depend on anyone so much that their moods affect you. A simple ‘No’ from them can disrupt their mood or if they don’t text you, your day is ruined or if they don’t call you, you start doubting them. Don’t expect so much and neither should you be that controlling person. Go with the flow. No one likes a controlling person. And if you see one, take my advice and run far away from them.

4. Your Energy is valuable
The thing I regret the most is in this year is giving my attention and energy to all the wrong people.  I’ve had enough of my energy drained from me listening to Constant complaints and constant accusations. Focus your energy on those who care for you. Focus your energy in doing ‘you’ some good. Life is too short to be burdened with someone else’s problems.

5. Nothing is permanent
Things will change. People will change. Situations will change. Nothing is constant and you need to accept the fact first. Only then can you go with the flow.  People who I thought will stay with me for the rest of my life are no longer with me.  People who I never expected to be a part of my life are now with me.  Its a constant cycle of life.. but I truly believe if you be the best version of yourself and that true raw person that you are, you will never be replaced.

6. You don’t owe anybody an explanation
Something really huge happened in life this year..won’t bore you with the details But I preferred to keep it to myself- One, because I don’t go about wallowing my problems to everyone I see at work and Two, I needed time to accept the fact and move ahead. But during this time that I needed, people came and asked me all sorts of questions- why I didn’t tell them? What happened? Why it happened? yadda yadda. I blame myself for this though. Shouldn’t have gotten so close to everyone, so much so that they felt they NEED to know everything that is up with me. So Kids, moral of the story- don’t let anyone make you feel that you owe them an explanation. It’s your life for god sake. Confide in only those you trust. Most of them are just looking for gossip. Trust me on this. And Yes, you have all the right to keep some parts of your life Private.

7. Keep your circle small
Don’t go about calling everyone you click with your ‘best friend’. Should have learnt this the first time itself.  In short, let them gain your trust first before y’all adopt the tag.  Don’t just adopt the tag, respect it.

8. Finances and Budgeting
Start saving a little bit every month. Learn where to invest your money. Only if you start with baby steps now, will you save a decent amount for the future. Also, don’t get influenced by people and spend only on necessary things.  Spend 50% of your income on necessities like bills, travel and food… 30% on luxuries like social events, dinners and 20% on Savings. Hope this helps.

9. Self Care is important
Take a step back sometimes and invest time in your health. Eat healthily, sleep well. You need to have a healthy mind and a healthy body to work/study well. Distance yourself from negative people and thoughts and spend some time with people who love you.  Find a hobby and set aside some time for it every day

10.  Appreciate
At the end of the day, write down 3 things that made you happy that day. You’d be surprised how differently you start looking at things if you do this regularly. Tell people what you like in them. If someone does something good for you, show gratitude.

I know this post was a bit cynical, but I just couldn’t help it.  And if you’re wondering why this post now even though there’s still 2 months for  2018 to get over, this post will remind me I have 2 months to sort out the unsettled matters.

So here’s hoping that 2018 taught you something valuable and that 2019 does not make me go insane ( *cries*).

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