2016 is history, and as we welcome 2017 it is time to contemplate. Here are lessons I learned in 2016.
The year is about major upheavals, relocation, coping with parent’s illness and everything else in between.
If I sit down what do I see. Yes, I see myself going through a lot of anxious moments, helplessness oscillating to hopelessness and tears. However, there were some moments of laughter and happiness in anxiety laden days. It is a year to remember with a deep exhale.
Lessons 2016 Taught
Anxiety comes and goes
It’s scary to see your parents getting older
When things become difficult and overwhelming your breath becomes your anchor.
Nature heals, creating simple rituals in nature like watching sunrise or sunset taking mini nature breaks by spending ten minutes with your plants, or observing trees around your house helps greatly.
Every bad situation is just a situation and it WILL change as every good situation also alters.
When things are difficult people will be more difficult. At such time be kind and gentle with yourself. Let go of your expectations and just be there for you.
What you focus expands and what you resist persists.
Emotions are like small kids and calm down with attention.
Things take time to fall into place, and patience is what helps. Let the bigger picture emerge, and you will observe that whatever ever happens happens for the best.
I discovered that it may not always be a fight or flight response it could be a freeze response too, and that is dangerous. After reading extensively on this subject, I discovered this to be the root cause of chronic stress and main reason for most manifestations of diseases. It requires time and conscious effort to reduce this frozen stress and finally eliminate it. Yoga, deep breathing meditations are some tools that greatly help.
Another important lesson was; cities don’t matter, but your home does. You can face challenges in the outer world from the safety of your home. And it doesn’t take much to transform a house into a happy home only if you ‘let go’ of certain things. Relocating to a new city and new way of life I felt lost initially. The piles of boxes, stuff all over the place and not finding what I needed was extremely frustrating. There were a lot of adjustments, new ways to adopt and learn through strange experiences.
Then one evening I sat with a cup of tea alone in the house after a tiring day of unpacking and setting the house. The family was out and the house belonged to me.
The western sky was a colourful canvas of orange and gold with a purple tinge of clouds near the horizon. Breeze and wind were playing hide and seek and watching the traffic move along the highway near my home was calming. Strangely, I loved the place and felt happy. That moment something changed in my heart, which helped me ‘let go’ of sadness and regret I was experiencing for the life I had left behind in another city. I felt comfortable in this home and facing the challenges outside would be easier if I have a safe place to come back and close my petals. Home is your heaven.
Sipping tea while watching the sunset every evening is my new ritual. It gives my mind the message that the day is over and becomes a transition point between home and office. When you work from home it is easy to become a workaholic.
This is my take away from 2016.
I welcome 2017 with hope and joy!
Sunaina Sharma says
Best wishes to you for the New Year….May your new house be home to beautiful memories….enjoy the hot cups of tea and make it a place to remember and cherish forever…..I loved the many snippets of wisdom in this post – particularly the one on emotions being compared with small children…..I will keep it in mind when my emotions try to go out of control….Yes, parents age is a matter of worry too….the least we can do is spend some moments listening to them, by just being with them…..
nupurt says
Many thanks Sunaina for your lovely comment. I am glad you loved many snippets. Yes, emotions are like small kids they want attention. Try this strategy and you will feel the difference. Thanks for your good wishes.
Ramya Abhinand says
Best wishes for the new year. It’s a good start indeed to fill your heart with home and joy. That s an optimistic easy to look at the year ahead. Agree anxieties come and go. And we need to strive to feel positive..
nupurt says
Happy New Year to you too, Ramya!Yes, optimism is all we need. Thanks for your kind words. Anxieties will always be do.
Corinne Rodrigues says
Ah I had a mental picture of you sipping tea mindfully, Nupur. May your the New Year give you many more opportunities to reflect and enjoy your new surroundings.
nupurt says
Happy to see you here Corinne! Happy New Year to you to. Thanks for your good wishes. Yes, sippining tea mindfully is so helpful.:)
MALINY says
Anxiety comes and goes – so true! I hope you have a wonderful 2017 too, Nupurt 🙂
nupurt says
Thanks Maliny for reading this post. Happy 2017 to you too.
Esha says
I can relate very well to the big upheavals you faced. I too faced some of them last year and I know the feeling that comes with it. However, as you beautifully wrote, anxiety, like everything else is also a part of life, and glad that you are enjoying the moments of bliss (sunset et al.,) I wish you a very Happy year ahead in 2017. May everything positive fill your life to bring you peace, quiet and contentment in the coming days. Take care 🙂
nupurt says
Many thanks Esha for your heartfelt words. Yes, life at times makes you go through many challenges. Thanks for your god wishes. Happy 2017 to you too! Take good care of yourself.
SHALINI BAISIWALA says
This was such a lovely read for me- insightful and inspiring. I have some turmoils in my life concurrent to what you mentioned here. My biggest take away from your post is “Letting-go and giving acceptance”
Thanks
nupurt says
Many thanks Shalini! I am glad that you enjoyed and could relate with my post. Yes letting go and accepting is what we need.
Vinitha says
I loved reading your lessons learned from the previous year, Nupur. I agree, nature heals. And yeah, every bad situation is just another situation and it will change but at times it is so hard to look at it that way. I loved how well you have written this post. I am bookmarking this. I envy you for sipping tea enjoying the sunset. 🙂
nupurt says
Many thanks Vinitha for your kind words. I am glad you enjoyed reading this post as I wrote it from my heart.
Yes, sipping tea while watching the evening sky is lovely. I am happy to know that you are book marking this, thanks again.
Shalini R says
Great start to new year indeed. I was imagining you sipping that tea and having such beautiful thoughts. Wish you a fabulous new year.
nupurt says
Many thanks Shalini for the appreciation. Happy New Year to you too!