The year that was.The memories I have.The lessons I learned, the friends I made, and the goodbyes that happened.15 startling realizations this year not random. They happened because I survived.

It was a year like never before. Sounds cliched, but I finally grew up I think. The stress is on I think.

But in the last few days of this year, as I look back, I have a sense of finality, of closure.

I am grateful to God for always giving me the tools to prop my soul up.

Sometimes you need those bandages and sellotapes to hold you together. You can call them books, habits, people, relationships, or chocolates. But the truth is they help!

15 Startling Realizations this Year

1)I think learning to breathe deeply and count to 100 and sometimes 1000 is helping me stay calm. There is news about attacks by terrorists everywhere, sometimes you just want to stop thinking. Let’s have a motto and stick to it people.

My motto:

[bctt tweet=”Evil will not win!” username=”misra_amrita”]

That’s a promise from a mother! You can beat us but we will not die. You can attack us but we will not cry. We will just become stronger till your hand breaks trying to beat us down.

2)Glass ceilings the truth about them

They are there.Everywhere.In Government offices and a Corporate corner office with a view.You will face them everywhere. But every time you think you are being skipped for the man behind you, remember, we will reach the top glass ceilings or not. Break them one at a time and always believe you have millions of women waiting to hear your story. So every time you struggle. Breathe and put on that lipstick. It will help I guarantee.

3)Walking and being healthy

One year back I was going through a rough patch and couldn’t seem to calm down, till I started using my trusted treadmill aggressively. By aggressive I mean it’s my walking desk and writing companion. Sounds weird and how can you run and write? I don’t. I walk and write. I am slow, but I persist. I have seen that the only way for me to persist and get the results I want, is by doing what I enjoy. When I clubbed writing with walking, it stopped being a chore.

4)If you stop having sugar in your tea or coffee it will make a difference to what you eat throughout the day . You stop craving those cakes, cookies, and chocolates. It’s always easier to control what you eat even while traveling when it’s a good habit.

5)I completed three years of blogging. That makes life very interesting. There’s a saying you need to have 10,000 hours of learning a craft before you are good at it . Good or not I understand the concept. It’s about sweat . Nothing succeeds like success and success is 99%perspiration!

6)I want my daughter to be strong and kind. The rest God will help me with. Oh also financially independent. That is something I want her to be. If I could make syrup and feed her this thought it would be infinitely useful. Unfortunately, there are no shortcuts to parenting. I have to do this the long way, one story at a time.

7)Husbands are to be chosen carefully. Yes, I have felt this from the time I started reading Mills and Boons. After being with my best friend for 15 years and being married for 9 and a half I realized in life you need a friend and a game worth playing. If parents help you stand up and walk, your spouse sees you grow wiser more beautiful, or crankier. If they don’t love your flaws it’s not easy.

[bctt tweet=”In life, you need a friend and a game worth playing ” username=”misra_amrita”]

Love the flaws the cracks the shortcomings and the person.If you are a good friend you will have a good friend too!

8)Some kindnesses can never be repayed.They may be disguised and you may miss them when you were helped. But when your life changes and the veil lifts a lot can be revealed .Wait, introspect, and think of all the epople who have been kind to you even once .When you remember kindness and feel thankful you send positive energy toward your well-wisher. That’s a good thing right?

9)Don’t stop yourself from starting a garden. Rental?No problem.Apartment?No problem. Traveling no problem.I have solutions for all .

• Get succulents. They don’t need much water and can tolerate any kind of neglect.
• Get a vertical garden with inbuilt watering and nutrition synced to your mobile. Yes you can have it in India too.
• Talk to your nursery owner to babysit your plants.
• Help your neighbors start a community garden and keep your potted plants there when traveling.

10)Life will give you lemons and you can make lemonade, cheesecake, pickle just about anything. Lemons are great. You will get exactly what you want just don’t forget writing to the universe about it.

11)Thankfulness.I have written 53 thankfulness posts last year and plan to find more ways to be thankful this year How did this help me?

You are what you practice. What you focus on grows. It’s better to focus on the good and the blessings it will help attract more of the good stuff.

12)What will be will be?

Then why should you even try? You must try. Sometimes the Universe says

That will be which you will!

Tricky right? This is where persistence always helps. I never give up until the river changes its course or I reach the shore. Whichever comes first.Good or bad this is still my favourite part of me !

13)I love lipsticks and that’s a good thing.A few months back on a decluttering spree my hubby threw away plenty of my makeup stuff. Good thing as it was beyond expiry date. The best part I got to buy new lipsticks to try . You really can’t have enough lipstick ever.Get rid of clutter and junk to make a place for new good things.

14)When I was a young girl festival were bittersweet Not going into the deep end I would say they made me stronger even if they didn’t give me happy memories.

With my child, I take every opportunity to create memories, every moment of every day.I tell her my stories and want her to understand that taller, stronger, and sharper is what all girls have to be!Because sometimes being born is the blessings.Everything else can go downhill after that. Will you act or react?Will you take it lying it down, or get up and fight?That is the question!

With cases of child abuse being reported from every nook and cranny, one wonders what happened to people’s fear of karma. Does karma not exist or is this the biggest game that the universe plays with all the nonbelievers and evil doers.

This false sense of get away with anything? It is false right? When these people look into the mirror, they know. Their family knows and there is always a higher court not necessarily in this life. Those destined for eternal suffering repeat their mistakes.

[bctt tweet=”Those who repent and make amends get blessed.” username=”misra_amrita”]

Be strong. Strength is something you will need, to battle this.

15)Don’t be cynical, be wise. Life events have a way of making you bitter, distrusting and less of a believer. But that’s exactly when you need to believe.Pray , believe and have faith. It will be okay.

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