2019 Retrospection and New Year 2020 Goals

It is with mixed feelings I am saying goodbye to 2019. It was a year of hard battles, reckonings and true appreciation for life.

As a person, I have evolved. I let go of certain things and trained myself to be more forgiving. Learned I can’t fix everything and It is ok not to be perfect.

I forged new relationships but also gave up on the ones that no longer fit my life. I am more accepting of my mistakes and tolerance level on that has heightened dramatically. One of my 2020 goals is to be kinder to myself.

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I find happiness easily in simple things off late- like the rain clouds on a humid day, the sight of a beautiful flower on my neighbor’s lawn, the sound of my kids’ laughter, their sweet faces, early morning sun, the first snowfall, phone conversations with my Dad from across the ocean (those moments are fleeting), the fresh air I get to breathe every day..list goes on.

2019 Retrospection and New Year 2020 Goals

What I also realized this year is that there is power in embracing who I really am. My strengths, weaknesses, mistakes all of it. There is no part of me that needs to be hidden away from the eyes of the world. And apologize or make excuses to others for being me.

I also learned to be more thankful for what I have and stop being unhappy about what I don’t. It is only when I sat down to list my blessings on a sheet of paper I realized how truly blessed my life is. Took me a whole afternoon to remember all of those beautiful reasons and carefully write them down. It was a powerful few hours- lifechanging if you will.

In 2019, I promised myself to be more conscious and aware rather than just be physically present.

We have a tendency to breeze through life without really participating. We might go for a beautiful nature walk but the whole time, we might be listening to music or on the phone chatting away. We go to church or place of worship but our minds are a million miles away wondering about things that are remotely connected to God. We spend time with people we love but how many of us are really really spending time in their company with undivided attention?

It was a revelation to me. I do that a lot too. I am hardly aware or 100% present 99% of the time! It was shocking to know I basically wasted the majority of my precious moments in life with unforgivable absentmindedness. Well, that will change now. In 2020 my goal is to collect as many conscious moments as possible. I want to truly experience the sheer joy, uninhibited love, soul-filling adventures, heartfelt emotions that can rock the very bottom of my being-in first person. I will not be a bystander in my own freaking life anymore!

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Another one of my spectacular 2020 goals is to be appreciative of the people I value most in life. By appreciative, I mean is to actually take the time to let the concerned parties know that they are appreciated. Often times, we know they are there and they have our back but we never think of acknowledging them with a thankful heart. A bad case of taking for granted, yes?

Okay, it doesn’t mean I am going to blast off a few thank you cards and call it a day. It can be in the form of kind gestures, thoughtful actions, loving words send their way whenever possible or just because. I have done it a couple of times already. It is truly uplifting and inspiring both for the sender and receiver (So I am told!).

Another thought I have for you guys to enjoy the bliss of a brand new year!

Create a New Year 2020 Bucketlist Planner

(Click the link or the image to download your own pdf copy)

Write down approx 10 new things you want to do this year. And actually finish it by December. If inclined come back and share with me how you did. I would love that! I think it will be a wonderful way to experience 2020 like never before.

My good vibes are full-blown for 2020. I am more than ready to welcome the new year with an open heart and loving arms. I am thankful to be given an opportunity to welcome a brand new set of 12 months to play with. Let’s remember not everyone is lucky to witness 2020. It is not our birthright to step into a new year, but a blessing and lots of good fortune. So let’s enjoy it like one.

Happy New Year 2020 friends. Here’s to more love, more appreciation and the greater good of all.