Tales of 2015
Retrospect: A survey or review of a past course of events or period of time
Introspect: Examine one’s own thoughts or feelings
As 2015 edges to a close it is time to both retrospect and introspect the things that have happened and more importantly the lessons that I have learned from them.
1. Interact and network – yes I need people too!
Though I am an extrovert and can have a conversation with anybody, I like the quiet and peace of being alone. I am very friendly but I don’t make friends easily. This quality of mine is less useful to me as a person and even lesser as a professional. This year I tried my best to meet new people and interact with them on both professional as well as a personal basis. If nothing the Chennai floods was a huge reminder of how we are all dependent on one another at every level and I am glad that I took a step forward.
2. Gain more knowledge
2015 gave me the opportunity to become more knowledgeable. I was able to develop some unique techniques which resulted in my collections such as Romani and Paprika. I was fortunate to attend talks on design given by national and international designers and attend 6 workshops this year – on metal embossing, Origami, research methodology, Calligraphy and finally 2 on makeup. Out of the 6, I organised four, for my students, so I learnt more about networking, organisation and relationship management apart from learning actual skills.y efforts at trying to be a better teacher and writer; enabled me to write for Favecrafts. It was wonderful and I hope that I get similar opportunities the coming year too.
4.Learn to let go
2015 was a hard busy year, I was working a minimum of 12-15 hours a day everyday just to handle my day job, blog and Sayuri. It was exhausting in my health condition and so I had to make many compromises. I made 3 mini collections instead of 4 substantial ones and I didn’t market my designs or brand at all; If it sold, it sold. Instead I took up Bridal orders even though they were repetitive. I blogged only once a week and reduced the number of challenges that I participated in. I leaned heavily on my parents for help. I prioritized like crazy and in the end, did so much than I expected to do. Learning to let go the compulsion to do it all and asking for help for one of the hardest things I have had to learn this year and experience tell me that it will come in handy in my future too.
4. Try New Things – you will be better for it
2015 was the year of trying new experiences from presenting a paper at an international conference to watching a movie (at a theater) by myself, from vacationing abroad solo to trying out new recipes it was all fabulous. I crossed a few things of my bucket list for 2015 easily – like teach a new course every semester, learn new jewelry making technique(s), take mini vacations, pet a wild animal, write/blog for international publication houses and brands, and read a book while enjoying a quiet Chinese meal at a restaurant (seems impossible right?). But a few more like returning to zentangling, painting, and coloring and learning to make pasta or cheesecake took forever to do (Okay don’t laugh at me, the seemingly easy ones didn’t quite pan out as expected)
4. Pride goes before a fall:
I live by this adage and try not to feel proud of anything I do. But sometimes Pride like anger gets the better of me, especially when I think I am doing good work and creates enemity where none should have and could have existed. So my biggest lesson 2015 taught me was to consider my good work or success as my duty and failure as an opportunity to improve myself. I made myself this textile art for my work space as a reminder of this lesson.
These are my lessons and I hoped that I have learned something useful from them. I ask God to give me the wisdom to implement my learning in 2016. I’m sharing my #TalesOf2015 with BlogAdda. As one year ends and another begins at this juncture, I found this ancient Sanskrit prayer make much sense.
“Om
May we all live protected & nourished
May we work together with great enthusiasm
for the benefit of humanity
May our intellect be sharpened through effective study
Let there be no hatred amongst us
Let there be peace (in us), in our environmant and in the divine forces, Om.”
Wishing all of you a very very happy New year. I hope that it is wonderful, kind, prosperous and happy.
I hope you found it interesting
Cheers
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