2016 was a beautiful year indeed. It gave us (my husband and I) a lot of happiness, but took away beautiful people from our lives too… Life changed a lot within a few months, in the early days of 2016. In January, I left my job, to seek what I want in life. Initially I had come up with plans to go for Post Graduation – just to shut some people up. In February, My husband left his job as a banker, and joined his dream company. That move changed our life changed drastically 🙂 In March we left our comfort zone, and travelled. We came to the conclusion to leave the city where both of us were born and brought up. My husband’s place of work wasn’t a question here, as the company he moved to, is a distributed organization.

We moved to Kochi, from Trivandrum, and it was very welcoming 🙂

I started my preparations for Post Graduation (The GATE Exam, that is). Things weren’t bad, during the initial days. However, over time, I lost my interest in GATE & M.Tech, and I started developing new interests, which slowly grew to become passions. I chose to learn photography , makeup, cooking and even started baking classes, instead of learning random topics in Computer Science. I wish I could explain in words, how satisfying it was! 🙂 I felt happy & blissful, as I kept doing what I love… My husband, as usual, supported my interests.
 
This year, I realized that following your passions is more important than forcing yourself to satisfy others So, in short, the year 2016 helped me to learn a lot of things:

• It made me realize who the real and fake people around me were. 🙂
• As years fly by, pessimists become more pessimistic, no matter how hard you try to make them positive.
• If you don’t have a job, your value in front of the elder folks in the family goes down to zero! It doesn’t matter if you have had a work experience of over two years in an international organization. If you don’t have a job at the moment, they ridicule you, period. ☝🏽.
• If you quit your job, people consider it to be a decision that was made as part of your pregnancy! People also tend to assume that you quit your current job, because you have plans to seek another job, or that you have plans to take up higher studies. The possibility that you would quit your job to follow your passions, sounds like nonsense for these people! Yeah, right!
• People will never accept you if you don’t have a job at the moment.
• However, If you somehow get a high paying job, the entire situation changes –  they now start welcoming you like a VIP!
• Even if you are happy with your partner, some people advise you to stay happy. Well, what’s the point in advising someone who is already happy, to be happier? 🙂 I never understood why people keep repeating such ‘advice’!
• I finally understood that, you will be judged, no matter what you do or say 🙂 I would love to continue doing what I do for the next year as well! Please step away with your valuable advices 🙂

And above all, I chose to quit my job for my family (me n my husband). My family always comes first in my life!

As we end this note, I would like to take a couple of decisions/resolutions for 2017. I am not sure how successful this will turn out to be, but I would still love to try my best! Here goes:

• Avoid pessimists, if you find one in your family, run for your life! I know, first hand, how much negative influence they can have on your life. These people suck the positivity out of you, and try to make you a pessimist like them.
• Stay positive no matter what 🙂
• Love yourself! Always give yourself the first priority.
• Stop living with the fear of being judged.
• Read one book per month.
• Travel a lot❤ Some people travel just to take pictures to show off in social media, and to tick off their ‘bucket lists’, to prove their travel more than the others! Such people spoil the fun of traveling. I have never felt that such people travel to satisfy their heart’s calling – but, just to show off in Social Media!

Memories of 2016 are still fresh in my mind…  I’ll miss you 2016! Thanks for all the wonderful memories…

As I start the year with a lot of hope and positivity, I am quite sure that 2017 will be my best year yet, as well as yours…

Here’s wishing you all a Happy 2017! Have a great year ahead!

Love,
Arch
Xoxo