Hello reader! Finally 2020 is in the dust, and we all are looking forward to a more forgiving 2021 — not counting the new CoVid strain and the return of lockdowns till mass vaccination happens.
I’m not one to believe in new years and resolutions, but I do buy into the pursuit of a clean slate. This is as good a time as any, to reflect on what we learnt about ourselves during a mentally and emotionally challenging 2020. I did realize many things about myself in this period, and have slowly become more conscious of my ultimate purpose as a designer — there’s nothing like being thrown into an unfamiliar situation to bring out the best in you.
Some useful things I’ve picked up in 2020
Making workout a habit.
Having the discipline to follow a diet and reap the benefits
Dispelling a lot of myths about clean and unclean food
Learning to cook new recipes regularly
Learning to make phulkas, paranthas and dosas; I always was my own worst enemy and believed these were hard to do (don’t know why!)
Drawing for Inktober — I picked up the pencil after 8 years!
Showing gratitude for everything I have and everyone who has been there for me
Learning to multi-task my personal chores with work calls (My colleagues sometimes have video calls with a view of my kitchen !)
Designing and shipping products quickly at work
Getting the hang of video calls and using Google meets captioning to stay in conversations
Developing the confidence to talk to people virtually instead of texting
Understanding the importance of family — I had to be away from parents for 10.5 months, and it was both liberating and unsettling!
Last but not the least, realizing my true ambition of working towards accessibility. Remote working was a very hard time for me with my hearing disability, and only reminded me that many people are struggling with the same.
Things I would love to do this year
Continue my discipline with workout and diet
Focus more on mental and physical well being
Evangelize accessibility to many more designers
Become more open to mentorship and networking opportunities
Continue to draw more and read more
Start baking, especially super healthy desserts — this has been on my bucket list too long
Maintain a better work-life balance — hustle culture is not sustainable at all
Re-invent myself personally and focus on small but achievable milestones
Write as many articles as possible, for others and for myself
Become very comfortable with video calls one way or the other
Move into a more spacious home with a balcony
Become a pet parent (if everything goes well)
Like me, you have your own aspirations and plans for 2021, and it helps to put these down somewhere and try to make feasible goals to stick to. These can be simple goals, but should add value to your life and pave the way for a better version of yourself.
Personally, I feel that this is a great time to seize new opportunities coming your way, or to pick up the things you have been putting off for so long. Change is inevitable, and this year will hopefully inspire us to seek a better way of life for ourselves, as we emerge from the spectre of 2020 with a lot of mental and emotional scars.
Be nice, 2021!