Recap '2017

Yesterday, I was driving past this place near home which has several cute and fancy eating joints, and I found them all lit up, festive, and felt the new year vibe yet alive.

So actually did a glass of wine and went through a recap, a recap of the year that's been. Something I was told I owed myself :)

I figured why. The years been big. Way bigger then I realized. (which is why recaps are so brilliant). In nutshell, what stands out is:

• Shifted living back to Hyderabad
• Completion of the most impactful course I've ever done
• Travel has yet again been phenomenal - 8 trips, of which 4 are to states I've not been to before
• Launching of the next phase in my career
• Consciously, Effortfully and Significantly deepening bonds with each of the people who are special in my life
• The brilliant Sunrises and Moonrises I've connected into, from a train, from flight, and likely, the best ones from home

And I think I need to add, each of these was a conscious effort, a decision. (ok, ok, I won't take credit for the sunrises :). Decisions that took a high level of awareness and thought...and not to forget, 'Risk'.

In this context, there's a couple of quotes that stuck (random jottings, so sadly don't have the author names):

"If you are not willing to risk the usual, you will have to settle for the ordinary"

and this

"She took the leap and built her wings on the way down"

Brilliant stuff. It's the kind of stuff that if imbibed, enables. Enables and empowers you to move beyond what's doled out to you and carve for yourself a life that's about 'living' and not 'existing'. Sure there's pitfalls and at times big gaping holes on the way, (which look at times like they can swallow you whole) ,but that's where you grow your wings too, when needed, again and again and again.

Each of these has so much in terms of real time, and emotional experience that I'm wondering how to write it all in one post.

I'm giving it a shot, as I'm already so connecting into the process....just this looking back and calling out the big ones, gave me opportunity to embrace the year one more time, and in process become more appreciative and grateful, not just for the joys and successes, but for the times I've fallen, and had the shoulders, the support (thanks there to all those who've been there) and the grit to get up and go on again.

This brings to mind a conversation from years back, in Google. Kiran had asked "Smitha, tell me, from where do you get this crazy level of energy, this ability to be more than hundred percent in everything that you do".

I was stumped for a bit. I've had people tell me this, but no one had asked me the 'how'. I was thinking and articulating it likely for the first time. And I found my answer was simple...... "I love life".

This is not to say I do or have something special, not at all.....but surely, to say, it's that simple. And these recaps can tell you why you can love life, it just has so much to offer. You don't need a blog to recap, just pick up that pen and paper, it's just so so worth it.

I've gotten so caught up in just the intro space, that I'll do the rest in next :)