2024 Diary -1

1st Jan :

So, we are well and truly in 2024. Even though we can’t take much credit for it as we have done nothing except staying alive (which might count for something in present scheme of things). It was the natural progression of thing, the earth completed one more rotation as per its pre-defined natural order and because of that the calendar dates shifts by one more day. So here I find myself. physically in Pune as I was travelling from Delhi to Pune on the first day of this year. As the very cliched saying goes that you are bound of repeat the activity that you did on first of Jan for the rest of the year; I see myself shuttling between Delhi and Pune more frequently. As far as physical fitness goes not in the best shape by a fair bit of margin. My pre-declared objective of becoming more fit in this year cannot have a worst start that this (pattern of sedentary lifestyle for last two years coupled with irregular sleep pattern and a Spain trip just before Christmas where I managed to catch a severe bout of cold). Now that I'm on the wrong of wrong side of 40, time is catching up with my biological clock and I'm already late on this journey of getting serious about my health. After hitting rock bottom as I had a severe bout of Covid in 2021. I'm recovered after battling with its side effects aptly called "Long Covid". But I was guilty of not taking my health seriously at all. I went down with Covid in May and had my second daughter in October. Even since then, my sleeping and eating schedule is in total disarray. I had made it one of my major new year resolutions for this year to get back in shape. Let’s see how this goes in coming days and years. 

Professionally I found myself in a good space. After a long time, I'm keen in retaining my place rather than thinking about further growth. I was recently promoted in November last year. And I’m coming on terms with added responsibility and how best to manage it. Though I was aiming for this position for many months and in the end, it was a quite dragged-out affair (which did not help my motivation for later half of last year), I don’t have any false sense of entitlement here. I’m very clear in my mind that this is one of biggest challenge in my overall carrier spanning around two decades now. Performing in this new role will not be easy for me and I need to be at my productive best to do justice to this role (And frankly to avoid getting fired).

Intellectually (as the mind seeks new challenges and you want to see yourself growing holistically), I had always identified goals and challenges for me. Majority of times I had failed in achieving them or sometimes even to make even a small progress towards them. But it has kept my mental outlook in a stable frame of mind (As I’m high on Neuroticism personality trait and tend to slip into overthinking leading to depression time and again). Again, taking my Covid illness as a starting point (as it’s a good benchmark personally for me). I more of less recovered in June, then enrolled in a course called “Becoming a morning person” in July / August, basically it was sort of 5am club habit building course. I could retain the habit of getting up at 5am sharp for a few months after this course, and had few other takeaways like gratitude journalling, habit tracker to name a few. In October I had my second daughter (which again is a good person benchmark) after I was forced to let go of this habit as my sleeping and eating schedule went for a toss.

In April 2022, one of my friend and ex-colleague suggested to go a PMP certification and as typically of my impulsive nature, I had dived headlong into this without thinking in detail. It clashed majorly with me personal life (due to small child at home). However professionally I was not doing great as my company was in a great turmoil and we are fighting to survive. PMP certification is not easy and the more time and energy I poured into its preparation, the less time I had for overthinking and undue worrying about my company and my professional future. I managed to clear PMP in staring of 2023 (Even though I had to renew this every three years). I allowed myself couple of months to relax and enjoy this achievement. But I was on constant lookout for my next step or next level of skill enhancement or professional certification to collect. Coincidentally at the same time, my company’s fortune changed dramatically as I become more and more busy. I could figure out the next certification after some time (CMSE) and finding out the way to acquire this certification still took bit more time (as getting these certifications or any academic degree for that matter is a process and a big part of success is to figure out the correct process including resources to consult). But the problem was that I was very busy and was not able to spare time required to study. Also as stated earlier, my mental motivation was not high which did not help my case at all. In the end I had to postpone this plan for 2024.

The last missing link was learning new language. I become really interested in this aspect in last few years. I had always held polyglots in high esteem. Unfortunately, due to my background and upbringing I’m proficient in only Hindi and English unlike majority of Indian who can speak at least three languages. My mother tongue is Punjabi but I’m very limited in the same as my education was in Hindi only (another reason why I’m a big advocate of primary education in local languages). Ever since I joined my present company (around 3.5 years back). I become interested in learning Marathi (as my company is in Pune) and Spanish (as our head office is in Spain). The progress is not great at all and its more of start and stop (ironically like all my other goals) but I’m still stubbornly clinging to this goal. I do get selective opportunities to immerge myself (when I’m travelling to Pune or to Spain). And I had colleague to converse with me in that language but I need to be more disciplined about it, and let go of initially reluctance to speak in that language and make mistakes but not worry about it.