2018 Images

Post: #117

2017 was a turnaround year, thanks to MINDFULNESS. I truly learnt to respect and love myself. I try to support myself. I am a lot more kind and compassionate to myself. 2018 should have built on those foundations but frankly this was a year when nothing moved forward.

            Even at the start of the year I realized that no one is going to pay money to learn SOFT SKILLS and so I stopped marketing and threw in the towel.  I made COLD CALLS to colleges but then it was hitting a brick-wall. STRIDES CONSULTING game me priceless SHADOW experience at St. Josephs and after that have kept mum – either they have more trainers or they are waiting for the next order.  Lots of insights here: HR managers paint all trainers with the same brush. My claim is I AM MILES SUPERIOR IN CONTENT N DELIVERY. Two, Corporates are cutting on training budgets and this is the most inopportune time for a rookie to ring the bell outside the front door.

            Shyam, a true well-wisher, says, “ Sathya, you have three skills and so don’t throw in your towel on any of these.” I am an EXPERT CONTENT WRITER, FLEDGLING SOFT SKILLS TRAINER and potential PRECOCIOUS THERAPIST. But seriously 2018 proved disastrous on the earning front.

            I watched 11 movies this year and I loved “The Post” and “Bohemian Rhapsody" the most. I also relished “Three billboards outside Ebbing, Missouri” for an outrageous climax. I also caught up with “My fair lady” and “To kill a mocking bird” at USIS library movie screenings. The best was "It's a wonderful life"a 1946 movie for an all time classic in which Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed play the lead.  

            I did two 7 day Vipassana retreats this year; in April at B’lore and in September at HYD. Besides there were 3 dayers at Chennai, Thiruvannamalai, and Nagpur. My meditations have gotten deeper and lighter; this is not a ritualistic sitting on the mat but I am able watch my thoughts and energy flow in them. I am able to dilute strong energy patterns that don’t serve me. But this is still work in progress though emotionally I have gotten very strong. Any anger or fear or hatred don’t last more than 10 min in the mind and so lots of little things have added up here.

            Dubai was a dream that crash landed thanks to a fraud called Rajeev in Pondicherry. I am still hopeful that the cops will catch this rogue and compensate my 1 lac I lost from my naivety, pollyanna attitude  (meaning recklessly positive and trusting). I also finally QUIT applying for jobs. JUST DIAL interview in Noida opened my eyes. I had a fantastic interview and later I heard from an inside man that I was not considered due to my age. Ironic for a company to reject a candidate at 49 when their brand ambassador Big B is over 70+. This for me was the final straw at the jobs hustings. 

            The best gains of this year was IMT friends. Smita invited me for a Delhi trip, Neetu and Lalit connected with me there. My best IMT pal is Deepak Mehra who reads my FB posts and blogs. Then there is Lakhina, Anu, Darbari, Bansal, Anurag and counting. Lalit wants me to try a LIFE COACH even to extent of underwriting those expenses, I am having none of it. If I find it useful, I pay from my own pocket.

            TH Iyer mama is my best friend in life at the Beach. He calls me almost every second day. Then there is Dhamma Mani who I met at Chennai Vipassana centre, he is a man with a hearty laugh and tells stories with a flourish. I also like my budding friendship with Pandian who is the new owner of my apartment. He packs in a lot of grace and cheer. Meeting and interacting with Babu of LIC was some inspiration. I have not met a more principled man who stands out like a lotus in the muddy waters of corruption. My go to friend on telephone is Vivek Banerjee, a calm and sober personality. I have my monthly drinking bouts with Ranga, Manisha is still a regular caller. I can't thank my cook Thangam mami enough. She brings in wisdom and friendliness apart from home made tambrahm food. So on friends, my circle is expanding without me actually reaching out. I credit this to my new state of confidence and latent peace of mind; gains from MINDFULNESS.

            This year I gave two FOSWL talks – one on MINDFULNESS and another on VIPASSANA thanks to Iyer mama. Another gains of this year was SPARRC that has gotten daily workouts, I am like a sloth bear and now I have to exercise and I feel nice about it. Thanks to Venkatesh and Oviya there.

            I took two vacations. Guruvayur to overlap Diwali so that I don’t drown in my misery of sorrow in the midst of out of the skin gaiety. I loved the Kerala trip in November. In December I spent three days in Madurai and this was even better. I love to travel in budget. I saw three iconic temples in Madurai, a day’s outing to Courtrallam falls is something I fell in love straightaway. I plan to visit Courtrallam more often; this is some reckless adventure standing underneath the torrent of water flow that hammers your head in its ferocity. Rameswaram was a short three hours visit and I got the gist of that place. What I like about my trips is I take the passenger trains and local buses and avoid private transport as much as possible. I get to see the local populace and it furnishes so many learnings for my observant mind.

            I rate 2017 as a MIRACLE year and 2018 should have built on it but sadly that was not to be. But at least I got my SPARRC exercises and guitar going (I joined DOLCE music school for two class days in a week). I am a TRIER and a valiant soldier of life. I look at this year with a sense of satisfaction that I did my best. Maybe the seeds sowed this year may burgeon in 2019. As long as there is life, there is hope. Still then shut your gob and keep trying.