When we think of hope, it instantaneously brings comfort, solace, deeper sense of peace and calmness. Hope is the same analogy as why we reassure ourselves to be alive the next day, when we set the alarm. Hope is a beautiful thing to have, to hold on.
Time to get personal. 2024 is a year full of hope and
significance for me. Life happened in the most unexpected ways. It was a year
to self-discovery. 2024 was also a striking reminder to that there is nothing
more powerful than the convictions, and our own belief in ourselves. 2024 has
taught me the incredible power of the human spirit.
Reflecting back, I was challenged both at work and at home.
Many weeks, it felt as if it was a non-stop juggle with the myriad demands, endless
details, and expectations to live up to. I was sprinting from one commitment to
the next. Challenges at work were necessary to foster growth, to navigate, and thrive
in an uncharted territory, when presented. At home, parenting wasn’t a light
task to undertake. Trying to balance it with humor, influence and motivation,
to my experience, should have been an award-winning role that no incentives,
bonus, or salary would have matched up to. Not to mention, mom-guilt came in waves
and subsided. What if spending these long commute hours to work every week, I had
spent it with my kids. At the end, we are only human with feelings of
inadequacy, despair, and sadness but also, with unplanned laughter, fulfilled
sense of accomplishments, and overwhelming joy. 2024 added a fresh perspective,
“it was great to be great, but it was greater to be human.” Hope abounded
obliviously.
Bookworms, rejoice! Extensive reading and learning happened
in the past year. I transitioned to my spiritual journey and a path to wellness.
I was able to connect with others based off of my roots, morals, values, and
embraced my inner-self while remaining authentic, truthful and mindful. This
shift in thinking inspired me to pursue a greater meaning in the universe
beyond myself. It helped me to identify my purpose, follow my intuition, and
practice deep gratitude, keeping the service at its core. I also became a vegetarian
in 2024. For years, I had only envisioned to become, but never had a courage to
enact. The vegetarian lifestyle is now more aligned with the holistic self that
I enfolded gracefully with body, mind and spirit, in
harmony with nature, and all living things considered -including plants and
animals.
Fast forwarding, last year, I travelled Australia with a family
to visit my siblings. It was an extraordinary adventure to travel to a
different continent, but most importantly we enjoyed a wealth of family time
and made lifelong memories, which more than made up for the long flight (21
hours of flight time in total, not including transit time). Not to mention,
Aussies were the friendliest people on earth. I haven’t heard a single honk during
our nearly 3 weeks stay. They have so much patience and empathy towards each
other’s. Australia was breathtaking. Every place we went, looked like a postcard,
very scenic. Startlingly blue sea and sunsets were my favorites and they appeared
as if they were out of this world. It
was definitely a sight to behold. Food was insanely good. I can never come
close to cooking anything they made. Getting exposed to new cultures,
perspectives, and ways of life, was a plus to gain a deeper understanding of
the world around me. The travelling was as a life’s blessing granted.
Looking back, 2024 was beyond hopeful. I was surrounded, supported
and motivated to uncover my true self, values, and potentials that I didn’t
know existed before. The journey had to be enriching when you can share your
fears and doubts without a hesitation. Receiving simple messages, like- “You
can do this!” “Hang in there!” “You are amazing” made a powerful impact on me. The
power of kindness created a ripple effect. When people believed in you, and
supported your aspirations, you fly. Fly high. I don’t know what my destiny holds, but
I am hopeful, remained optimistic, and firmly believe that the universe has a
strange way of answering to your prayers. So, keeping working hard, and above
all believe in yourself, and be yourself!!
“Remember, Red, hope is a good thing, maybe the best of
things, and no good thing ever dies. I will be hoping that this letter finds
you, and finds you well.”
― The Shawshank Redemption
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