Onwards and forward?

I started this newsletter in March 2021. I wrote pretty regularly for a few weeks and as with dozens of other projects before, the motivation waned and the newsletter went dormant.

A lot happened in 2021. I switched jobs twice (or four times technically), tried to kickstart a startup (thrice), got a better understanding of myself and what I want from life, improved relationships with friends, family and colleagues, and so much more.

The year concluded with me being in arguably the best phase of my life so far. I feel secure in all senses of the word. And I am incredibly grateful to everyone who helped me along the way.

So much has been written about new years resolutions that I have little new to add to it. But I’d like to document my own relationship with them.

Since 2013 (or December 2012 rather) I have been writing a series of ‘objectives’ for myself in a little orange-paged notebook. These objectives are part-resolutions, part-desires. Over the years I have written things like -

  • Graduate in the calendar year
  • Run a sub-10-minute mile
  • Date (?)
  • Read 30 books
  • Go on a roadtrip with friends
  • Stay fit and get muscular

Do you get the idea? I’ll elaborate on the nature of these objectives at some other time.

I write these at the beginning of the year in the exact same way - I’ll write the year in numerics in a large size and then underneath it I’ll write a little ‘hashtag’ or a motto. And the objectives come on the next page.

What is the ‘hashtag’? It’s just a little phrase about whatever is on my mind at that time. In 2014 I wrote “#IAmSherlock”. In 2016, “Was Bringst Du?”. In 2018, “#Jalwa”.

Today, to begin 2022, I wrote - “Onwards and Forward”.

Like I said, I am in a good place these days. My focus for the coming year is to keep it going without turning stagnant.

How do I keep it from being stagnant? One of the ways I intend to do it this year is by writing more regularly. And that’s where this newsletter comes in.

I have had similar writing objectives in the past and have never been able to meet my target. But I hope this year is different.

Do you want to join me on this journey? Enter your email below and let’s go! Or keep visiting my website to read them here. Here’s the link to the archive.

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Cheers! See you soon.

Last modified: Jan 01, 2022