Word of the Year | A Word to Guide Me Through 2018 - Mindfulness #WOTY

Word of the Year | A Word to Guide Me Through 2018

Have you heard the 'Word of the Year' concept yet? 

Well, here is my two cents about it, but before that please bear with my rants for the year that was.

2017, the year that was.

2017 for me was a mixed bag affair. There were some highs and there were some lows. I did work on some of the goals I had set for myself for the year. For example, after almost a year of no posts on this space, I took up blogging again, although I could not be as consistent as I would have liked. I took out time to read some books too. I also got the opportunity to travel a little.

But, most of my time went in taking care of the needs of my little one. In the role of a mother attending the beck and call of her toddler, came the realization that motherhood is a demanding job, one that can keep you on your toes 24x7. In the process of fulfilling my mommy duties, and taking care of the home, I always had my hands full. Too much multitasking became the norm, and soon it started to take a toll on the quality of my life. I felt burnt out at the end of most days.

Thankfully, I realized sooner than later that I have my own limitations and that I do not have to be a superwoman all the time. I learnt to delegate and prioritize which have made life easier. I also learnt that it is okay to put yourself first before others sometimes.

Word of the Year for 2018

Mindfulness #WOTY 

So, when I came across the concept of choosing a Word of the Year - a word to guide you throughout a year, instead of making resolutions, ONE word came to me spontaneously. I am a little old school in that and have already made a list of resolutions to work on and stick to throughout the year. And I am going to do it with the help of this one word - MINDFULNESS.

Mindfulness is quite the buzzword these days. But, what exactly it is?

In simple words - mindfulness means being present in the moment. It is the state of being conscious and being aware in the present moment.

Doesn't sound like much, right? But it is. Today, in our fast-paced lives we are always multi-tasking. So, practically we are never living in the moment. I know being mindful is a habit and it will take a conscious effort to be there and I am going to make it there one baby step at a time.

There are a number of ways I can exercise mindfulness in my day to day life. Here I am listing a few ways and I am sure more will come to me in the way. 

• Take one thing at a time and do it well. Say, when I am spending time with my little one, I will just focus on that and be there in that moment. What I will not do is check my phone for social media updates, or flip the page of a book I am reading. I will concentrate on doing one thing at a time and do it well. 
• Mindfulness while cooking. I will try to cook as much we can eat and cut back on any food waste. More thoughts need to be put into menu planning. For that, I need chalk out a weekly menu plan a week in advance so that I can order groceries in time and the work in the kitchen is streamlined. It will also help me in developing food related posts here consistently. 
• Mindfulness while eating. For that, I will keep the phone away when having food so that I can savour the food I eat. I am often told that I am a fast eater - which means that I don't chew my food well. Being mindful while eating will be good for my gut too. 
• Mindfulness online. When you are into blogging, spending time online on your blogs, visiting fellow bloggers and spending time on social media is necessary. But, once we get online there are so many things that can distract us. Being mindful when online can help me in being productive when I am online. So, on any particular day, I am going to make a list of things need to be done online and set timelines for that so that I don't while away my time on unnecessary things online. 

There are so many more avenues to put mindfulness to exercise. In our words, in our actions, in our relationships, in our responsibilities towards the society, environment, etc. and more. I hope to better myself by being mindful.

If you have any tips more me for the same, let me know.

Have you chosen your Word of the Year?

Thanks for stopping by! Cheers!

My New Year Resolutions for 2018 #MondayMusings

My New Year Resolutions 2018

At the very outset, let me wish you all a very Happy New Year 2018.

Every year we make a brand new beginning as the new year sets in. Everyone makes tall promises to change at the brink of New Year, but soon the reality of it dawns. Only calendar changes, not the person. I have never documented my New Year resolutions on this blog, in all these years, so I thought to do it differently this year.

"For last year's words belong to last year's language
And next year's words await another voice. And to make an end is to make a beginning."
---- T. S. ELLIOT

I do have a longish list of things I want to accomplish in the year 2018. Some of these are things I am already working on, and there are also some new projects I want to undertake. But, today I will share with you the 3 most important things to focus on this year.

So, how am I going to make it work for me?

I have always done things better when I have written them down, hence the idea to post it here. Writing things down works for me because it gives me a chance to remind myself of my goals, it pushes me to get things done, and also gives me the opportunity to recheck and reassess when needed. The only way to make it work in the long term is by making myself accountable for it. Don't you agree?

So, let's get started with my New Year Resolutions 2018.

Health:

This is the number one area of focus in most new year resolution lists. Mine is no different.

There are many things that I need to change in my daily routine to move towards a healthier lifestyle. I have made efforts in this area this year as well, but I am not quite there yet. After much introspection, I realised that in order to really succeed in this area I have to follow the old age maxim - early to bed and early to rise. If I can join the 6 a.m.club, I am sure I will have the time for the things I need to do to move towards a better and healthier lifestyle. 

This is my simple 5 point agenda for health this year -
Brisk Walk for 1 hour every day (or at least 5 days a week).
30 minutes of meditation every day.
Drink 2-3 litres of water every day.
Eat right. (That sounds vague, but I am clear about what I need to do, maybe I will elaborate in another post)
Get 8 hours of sleep every day.

Read & Write {More}:

Okay. This bit is for the reader and writer in me. Ever since I joined the mommy club, my priorities changed drastically. Now that my LO is soon going to turn two and I am long done with my sleepless-nights phase, I need to shift the focus a little bit (if not all) on me. I have to learn to make time for myself if I don't want to feel burnt at the end of every day.

On the reading front, my goals are clear and simple. I aim to read at least 2 books every month in 2018. I want to catch up on the blogs of my fellow bloggers (I have discovered so many amazing new blogs recently). And yes, I also want to write more, and more often. Anywhere between 6-8 posts a month for each of my blog will give me peace!

Declutter:
This is actually a work-in-progress idea from last year. Somewhere in the second half of 2017, I came across a video on WhatsApp on the importance of decluttering and when I watched it, it made so much sense to me. In essence, the video gave the message that when we declutter our surroundings, we bid adieu to chaos and negative energy and make way for positive vibes.

I went into a reassessment mode after I saw the video and realized that there were so many things in my house- in my wardrobe, in my kitchen, in my storage spaces, etc., that I have not used over a year. Anything that has not been used for a prolonged period is essentially ‘clutter’. There were clothes that did not fit me anymore; bottles and jars I thought I would use as food props and they kept piling up. There were books that were of no use to me and not to talk about the pile of documents that should have been shredded long ago, etc.

You get the drift, right?

Ever since we welcomed baby M into our lives, there has been an exponential increase in the baby items (gear, toys, etc.) in our house. A little more space in the house was more than welcome as it could go a long way in keeping things organized. So, I began my journey of decluttering. I have given away a lot of things that were of no use to me but were useful to others. The space this exercise has created inside my wardrobe, storage areas, and kitchen shelves have given them a breather. And strangely I feel so much lighter.

There is still more to do in this area. In the year 2018, I don't just want to do declutter, but I want to go a step ahead. I want to avoid gathering more clutter. I am often an impulsive buyer and many a time I get things that I don't really need. Recently, I came across this article on My year of No shopping and wondered if I can follow suit. Maybe with a little bit of planning, I can. So, to test the waters, I will make a conscious effort to be more mindful of my purchases. Minimalism is one of my mantras to live by in 2018. That can save me money and much hassle later. A win-win deal. Isn't it?

That's all for now on my new year resolutions 2018. I will love to hear your thoughts on New Year resolutions. Do they work for you? Or you do not believe in them. Whatever is your story, let me know about it by leaving a comment below.

Thanks for stopping by! Cheers!



Linking this to Corinne's #MondayMusings hosted at EverydayGyaan

Stand Strong by Shubha Vilas | Book #4 of Ramayana- The Game of Life Series

Stand Strong by Shubha Vilas #Book Review
 Book #4 of Ramayana - The Game of Life Series

Stand Strong by Shubha Vilas is the fourth book of the Ramayana –The Game of Life Book Series. Since I have read the first 3 books of the series; I was elated when I got the opportunity to read this one. Stand Strong is a modern retelling of the Kishkindha Kand of Valmiki Ramayana - it tells us all about the events occurring in the monkey kingdom of Kishkindha. Like the previous books, this book too doesn’t just narrate the stories from Ramayana but also imparts insightful life lessons to the readers. The book is motivational, enlightening, and encouraging, all in the same breath.

Bombay Masala Sandwich Recipe | How to make Bombay Masala Sandwich

Bombay Masala Sandwich #Recipe

Bombay Masala Sandwich is a very popular roadside snack from the city of Mumbai. Between two grilled bread slices smeared with a generous amount of green chutney and butter is a spicy potato mixture topped with onion and tomato slices and grated cheese. The roadside vendors are very generous when it comes to filling it and topping it with cheese. I, however, exercise caution when I make it at home. However, if you like it cheesy you can be as generous as you like!

It is best to have this sandwich when it is freshly made - crisp and hot, along with a cup of masala chai.

Jhaal Muri | How to Make Jhaal Muri from scratch | Street Food Recipes

Jhaal Muri #Recipe

Jhaal Muri is another popular street food from the state of Bengal. It is a light snack and is quite healthy too. ‘Jhaal’ in Bengali means ‘spicy’ and ‘muri is puffed rice – and it translates to spicy puffed rice. In the streets of Kolkata, the street vendors prepare them instantly and serve them in newspaper cones. With chopped onion, tomato, boiled potatoes, peanuts, sev bhujia, mustard oil and a blend of spices, it is a delightful snack to munch on. Using mustard oil is a must, as it imparts the dish its characteristic taste. While it might look somewhat similar to Bhel Puri, it’s taste is altogether different.