Gratitude 2022, Bring it on 2023
It is time to say goodbye to 2022 and welcome all possibilities for 2023 (especially the best!) But first, how was 2022 for you? Gratitude has always been the start of my prayers. My dad was a cheerful man and said that gratitude brings happiness. Life is half-full for some and half empty for others. For my dad, it was always half full and yet it overflowed. He enriched the lives of others with his joie de vivre. The year 2021 was the toughest year of my life. But now it is time for Gratitude 2022, Bring it on 2023
If you remember, I shared that 2020 was the best year of my life. I am a glass-half-full person. Obstacles are a part of everyone’s life and I have faced a lot of hard times and grief but kept my chin up.
Not a Great Start to 2022
The year did not start well, and I had not made a list of things I would like to do this year. I was fighting my grief and related illnesses but slowly started appreciating the small everyday pleasures of my daily walk. I went into self-retrospection mode and realised that I was only harming myself by being stressed and playing the victim. When grief strikes, it is easy to wallow in self-pity and ask why me? Just look around you and you realise that the world is full of grief and you are much better off.
Don’t be Judgemental
This quote is for all those judgemental people out there-“Before you judge my life, my past or my character, walk in my shoes, walk the path I have travelled, live my sorrows, my doubts, my fear, my pain & my laughter… Remember everyone has a story, when u have lived my life only then u can judge me.”
Prayers of Gratitude
I started prayers of gratitude, thankful for my family, my friends, the food on my plate, the roof over my head and the wonderful nature all around me. Appreciating the goodness in our life can give you inner calm and empower you to move on. I did not focus on goals that I hadn’t even set but spotlighted the minor triumphs that I have achieved this year. The milestones I had set long ago were manifesting this year. There has been an avalanche of stimulating blog posts, campaigns and prizes. I applaud myself for these accomplishments.
Move to Hyderabad with my Daughter
I have lived in Vijayawada, all my life-57 years to be exact and always thought it was the best place to live. I moved to Hyderabad last year. Just after a few months; I realised how enriching my life had become. My daughter took me to stand-up comedy shows, musicals, and things that I immensely enjoy. Years after living alone, being with her has made me adaptable.
Significant Events
Mandira Bedi Live
On April 5th, I heard Mandira Bedi live, and it was one of the turning points on my journey to self-love and evolvement. I have etched one sentence she said in my mind: “Heaven and hell are in the mind. You choose what you want. Choose to live in heaven or hell?”
Kashmir- a Trip to Cherish
At the end of the month, I went on a trip to Kashmir with my friends. It was a totally rejuvenating and restoring trip. The beauty and magic of Kashmir worked, and I returned, totally renewed and determined to take life as it comes.
Gratitude 2022, Bring it on 2023
Sister Shivani Live
June 25th was another milestone. Sister Shivani in her talk said-
Heal yourself to heal the planet.
Use affirmations to change your karma
The mind is the most obedient instrument we have
R Madhavan Live
28th June I had the good fortune to listen to R Madhavan. A couple of points he said just worked for me.
Always sing your own tune.
Varied life experiences will take you to where you want to be.
Sanam Puri Live
One of my favourite fusion singers. But the late start and the ambience were a put-off.
Shashi Tharoor Live
3rd October Dr Shashi Tharoor
Grow a thick skin & try to maintain grace under pressure.
When the sharks bite you, do not bleed!
Stand-up Comedy
Other shows that I went to were my favourite, stand-up comedian-Zakir Khan
I was reluctant to go to the Vir Das show but I am glad I did. It was a riot. His recent show in Hyderabad was cancelled, so I guess I got lucky.
Jaswinder Singh Live
“Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, a charm to sadness, gaiety and life to everything.” —Plato.
Oct 15th- Ghazals have a therapeutic effect and lead to a cathartic experience. And I would not miss the chance of listening to one of my favourite ghazal singers-Jaswinder Singh. I have been a fan since his debut on Sá Re Ga Ma and am proud to say that he is a dear friend. He understood my state of mind and dedicated a ghazal to me. It was a very sweet gesture making me feel special.
“Tum itna jo Muskura rahe ho,
Kya gham hai jo chuppa rahe ho?”
Operation ME
In April this year, I focused on “ME”. How to get better physically, mentally and holistically. I started going on walks. It may be hard to believe, but I have never been a fan of walking as an exercise. I grew up playing badminton and table tennis and after kid, I hit the gym, along with playing badminton, but I tore the ligaments in my knee and never recovered from that. I became a yoga buff at 48 and I am still one. But walking was never of any interest. Despite that, I started walking at KBR park which is highly motivating. From 2 km a day to 5kms now, it is something that I am addicted to and would rate as one of THE triumphs of 2022.
I had shunned social media last year, but once I started browsing, I came across some interesting groups on Facebook. Affirmations and manifestations intrigued me. I took the plunge and enrolled on a course with Urvi Jethwa. It was an epiphany for me. I started looking at my life and my attitude from a different perspective. I realised how negative I was, always playing the victim card and wallowing in self-pity. It was a rude shock and the self-awareness jolted me to be the self I imagined I was.
Studies have proved that gratitude helps mental health and also generates openings for future plans that you have conceived to reach fruition. I have done a wellness course from Udemy, as well.
Tips to Manifesting What You Want
What do I want in 2022? How do I aim to make my dreams come true?
I wrote down my list with the top priority on top and the rest following.
Rhonda Byrne says, ‘manifestation is the art of intentionally attracting something you desire in your life’.
I have intentionally attracted and manifested everything I want. To be financially stable, have good physical and mental health, a good life, and travel I desire, the trip to Mexico, to get good work, to write more and to guide others.
How to Manifest?
- First of all, you have to be clear about what you want
- Believe in it, have faith and achieve them
- Make a list on paper
- Act and work to make your desire come true
- Prayer of gratitude every day
- Write your affirmations every day
- Keep a record of what you are doing
- Be your best support. Pat yourself
- Work on building great relationships
- Do random acts of kindness
- Smile and laugh more
- Practice Mindfulness
- Be grateful even for the painful experiences. They make us stronger
NLP- Changed My Life
A chance browsing on Facebook led me to NLP-A way of Life. It caught my eye, and I registered for the Live Zoom,16-week, certification course immediately. NLP or Neuro Linguistic programming helped me reprogram my life, change my unresourceful behaviour, enrich my relationships and transform my emotions. NLP has helped me improve my quality of life, given me peace of mind, and better emotional well-being. No longer being judgemental or jumping to conclusions, I have got the aptitude to calibrate myself and others; to why and how they react as they do.
I now have my certification. Thank you, Sriram Thyagarajan, for giving me joy and happiness this year. He is my NLP trainer and master practitioner. If you are interested in transforming your life, then you can register here.
Appreciation & Accolades
“A piece of writing is like a spider web, spun delicately with words of empathy but like whispers of thunder,” I had said “the pen is more powerful than the sword” I have been a part of @Blogchatter’s #CauseAChatter before but this year, I poured my heart out into my blogs and shared my mental health journey intending to reach out to others who suffer like me but do not voice it. #CauseAChatter offers the chance to give something back to the community. They have rewarded me for most of my posts and sharing my innermost traumas and how I handled them empowers me to empower others.
- May 20th My article published in Better Kitchen Magazine
- May 22-My recipe was published in Goya Magazine
- June 4th Top Blog India In the Blog Directory List
- 5 to July 11 Blogchatter Winner Blog hop
- Aug 15 Diva of Diverse posts-Blogaberry Dazzle
- Sept 9 Winner Xtraordinaari
- Oct 1st Zeezest Winner of the week 2500/- gift voucher
- Oct the 8th Masterchef India qualified for the 3rd round
- Oct 31Top Blogger October 31
- Nov 1 to 7 Blogchatter Winner Blog-hop
- Dec 16 Winner Blogchatter Twitter chat on #HealthyLivingWithVitabiotics
- Dec 18th Top Blog December
Vodka, my Bestie
Cannot end my treatise without mentioning my best friend, Vodka, who is furry and has a tail. When I am sick, she will sit beside me. She will walk beside me when I need a friend. She welcomes me home with her wagging tail and cuddles. Vodka gives me all the support I need and an authentic example of unconditional love.
Gratitude 2022
Thank you 2022. You taught me many life lessons. I will share the lessons I mastered. I have realised that sharing my time and energy to help others doesn’t just make the world better, it also makes me feel better. It enhances my happiness, health, and sense of well-being. I have been told that I am radiating positivity. People love being around me. If you want to feel the feelings I feel, then reach out to me and I will surely help you reach your goals.
Celebrating the New Year!
Celebrating the New Year is not a rigorous thing to do by just boogying away the night. Be mindful and conscious of being grateful and celebrate in such a way that the New year is going to be great.
I want to fall in love this year, with myself, going to live this quote- “You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream”. I will be a part of a unique fashion show by Xtraordinaari for all ages and sizes on 8th January 2023. My dream of being on stage will come true when I set the ramp on fire. And maybe my teenage dream of acting in a theatre will turn into reality. Please shower your blessings!
Happy 2023, and Happy New Year with these Heartbreakers
This blog post is part of the Let’s Say Hello 2023 Blogging Activity hosted by Swarnali Nath.
@wordsmithkaur
@wordsmithkaur
Oh my God, Harjeet, your 2022 has been so happening and full of celebrities. I am impressed b how you picked up one lesson from all your visits and are applying to your own life. Wish you many more successful years ahead.
Dear Harjeet, I am very glad to know that 2022 gifted you soany adorable things and you achieved a lot. Especially, I liked how you moved to Hyderabad with your daughter and attended events. It’s really enriching. Also, you have done some great courses that indeed help you grow by recognizing your power. Last but not the least, hearty congrats to you for proceeding in Master Chef contest. I am happy to see you smiling and learning the art of coping with underlying grief. I really wish you have more and more such moments so we can proudly say someday, ‘That’s Harjeet, our rockstar!’ Wishing you a fabulous 2023. May you have more smiles, joyful moments, and loads of happy memories in the new year.
What a turbulent year. Having witnessed your life through blogs I must say that you are a beautiful soul. I too have learned NLP and by god it changed my life like nothing else. So happy to see that despite the hardships you could find several valuable moments to cherish
Wow what a year. This post was full of positive vibes. i was amazed to see how many live shows you have attended. And those certifications….awesome.
NLP is just amazing. I see the positive effects of learning NLP almost everyday in my life. And it is helping me so much at my work place.
Wish you a prosperous 2023.
I am so so proud of you Harjeet. Every time I read you I am left speechless and the way you have brought joy to yourself in 2022 is phenomenal, I learn from you every day. Sending you positive vibrations for acing your ramp walk in Jan and theatre thereafter, you deserve it all.
Thank you so much, Roma. Means a lot to me
What an eventful year, Harjeet! I am in complete awe. Congratulations for all of your achievements! I’m guessing you would have the ramp walk today as it is the 8th. Wishing you luck, I’m sure you’ll slay. 🙂
First of all, a big round of applause! I have always been a fan of you and you are aware about it. Kudos to your spirit and there is so much to learn from you, when one wants to come back to life. Last year was not good for me as I had to deal with health issues of my parents and it was a little chaotic. This year , I plan to make it better in all aspects.
You certainly have been through quite a bit in 2022 Harjit and am so glad that you have emerged stronger. I have been hearing quite a bit about NLP, your comments have intrigued me to explore more. Here’s wishing you a wonderful 2023!
I’ve been a fan of your recipes and have made many of them. I was so happy to see you in MasterChef. Many congratulations to you. Loved the tips you gave on manifestation and how you picked up such positive points from life. I am too in Hyderabad. Would be honoured to meet you
What a mind blowing year,Harjeet !! Amazed the way you have learnt your lessons from every live show.Your post is full of positive vibes and you inspire me everytime when I come across your posts. You are one strong and inspiring soul.Wishing you all the very best for 2023 !!
That was one hell of a ride and firstly many congratulations on all the amazing achievements. ad i so agree on the point you mentioned, dont be judgmental. Yes, only one who is walking would know the pain as well as the happy that comes along. so love reading you and how positive vibes you send across.
Wow. What a year this has has been for you. There are so many moments which one can only imagine to fulfill in a lifetime. You’ve done them all in one year. Pure gratitude.
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ wishing you the best wholeheartedly. May you meet celebrities and listen to them speak. May you live your dreams. Good luck and loads of love.
You have seen more lives and celebrities in one year than I have seen in my entire life, Harjeet! Oh, what would I give to watch my favourite Madhavan speak. So many achievements and such a positive attitude towards life are both so inspiring for all of us. Have a great 2023 as well! Best wishes!
Wow Harjeet, such a beautiful ode to an excellent year. You made the best of it despite having difficult times of grief. More power to you.
Hi Harjeet. I really enjoyed your post and am very inspired. Your how to manifest list is awesome and I’m going to borrow it, please. You’re a rockstar, is how I would put it. Wish you a fulfilling 2023.
wow, what a busy social schedule you had Harjeet that too with all the famous personalities, I liked the way you carried a lesson or two from each of those outings. I am totally in awe with you and inspired a lot from this post. Thanks for sharing it. Wish you a very Happy and more exciting 2023
The year 2022 was really filled with so much, I am sure your 2023 will be as wonderful as you want. I also believe in affirmation and gratitude towards the universe for giving beautiful life.
You have had such an eventful year and so many accomplishments! Way to go! I also plan to start writing down my affirmations and hope to be able to follow through with them all year. I have been hearing about NLP – but your post has made me really interested and I will definitely find out more about it and learn it. Many thanks!
Congratulations on a star studded year 2022. Hope 2023 will be a blast too. Loved reading your gratitude post.
Sreeparna
Wow, Harjeetji! What an exciting year 2022 has been for you! There is so much to learn and be inspired from you. You are setting an example of ‘age is just a number’ and ‘learning has no age’. Wish you lots of good luck, happiness and lot of happy memories for 2023!
Hi Harjeet! What a delightful post! I’m in awe of your ‘can-do’ spirit. Being optimistic helps as it’s rooted in child-like trust. Also, love how your curiosity is driving you to explore new experiences and learning. And like everyone else, I’m kinda shocked at the number of celebrity events and meet ups you’ve had last year. You’re truly living and acing at life by spending time with diverse people and gaining diverse learnings from each. And we HAVE to meet up. I can’t wait to experience your aura in person. Hugs.
God bless you dear, your 2022 stories are so inspiring. And Hope you achieve almost that your heart desires in 2023.
What an amazing piece to read, made my day. Its very important to feel proud during your highs and lows and confident that you can achieve so much more than you must have ever expected. I felt very great that you met so many amazing personality. Looking forward for many such posts
And you met me in 2022 hahahaha… I’m sure the best was that you shifted to HYD with your daughter. And I also love Mandira Bedi’s line… Will write it down for another day! It’s so true!
Wow! 2022 was truly eventful for you! So glad that you explored so many new things that enriched your life physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually! Way to go! More power to you and more happiness and positive vibes in 2023. Cheers!
Gratitude is something that all should have towards the people who contributed someway or other in our growth and well being. From your post I can vry well see that you had a great 2022 and I wish 2023 be even more brighter and happening for you.
Absolutely happy for you and all the achievements you have accomplished. I really wish the best for you this year as well and lot of positive vibes.
Wow so much fun through out 2022. I am envious of you for all the amazing lives that you got to attend. Would love to hear R Madhvan and S. Tharoo live. Also Vir Das… wow. These are some things that I would have loved to do too. Hoping for a more fantastic 2023 for you
Your journey is an inspiration to stay strong and focussed in life. You have shown how one should be grateful for everything in life. Wish you lots of happiness always.
Oh my god, that’s quite a list buddy. I am so glad you watched Zakir khan by chance, He is such a gem of a persona and stand up artist.