In Psalm 44, he says ‘Be still and know that I am God‘.

I think one of the biggest struggles of modern human life is that we cannot sit still, pause, and enjoy the peace of the ‘now.’ We are always on the run, busy with our schedules and checklists, chasing the next thing, that we miss on the wonders of the insight and wisdom that comes from within. 

I believe this is what 2020 taught us. It brought us to our knees and forced us to be still and hear the voice in the silence that is beckoning us and waiting to be heard. It was nature’s way of pressing the reset button so that we were forced to stop and listen to the voice inside of us.

 Of course, we resisted because instinctually, we resist change and run miles away from it. So in we went, kicking and screaming to the new life. A revolution of a different kind!

So while the whole world is waiting for the curtains to close in 2020, I am here to celebrate and mark this occasion. 2020 will be a year that will go down in history and will probably be told as tales to our grandchildren and many more to come. I am proud to be part of that history, and like every memorable person in history, I choose to be the one who looks forward to the revolution. So, as a collective, before we burn ‘old man’, I would like to give him a salute, a big thank you for the year that was!

 Before we bid it goodbye, I would like to list some of the good that I learned as a mark of respect and solidarity and then toast to new beginnings.

This year, I saw a lot of good for me professionally and personally. There were many setbacks as well, but I am a firm believer that good never comes easy, without a free-falling into the abyss, without destruction of the old way of being. That was precisely how it was!

 So here are my top 25 lessons from 2020

1. Life is more about what we make of it, how we respond to situations rather than the situation itself. It is in our hands to make it better.
2. We have more control than we think we have. We are not helpless but always have a choice. We can turn the tide for certain things, or we can moan and groan.
3. Control the things you can and let go of the things you cant. I couldn’t possibly create the vaccines, but I sure as hell could do a whole lot more. I did just that.
4. We can make or break the situation depending on our attitude, so be more intuitive, positive, and move ahead. There’s a saying that those who look for trouble, find it. So beware of how you look at life.
5.  The victim- mindset, the people with ‘ oh poor me! Who can help me!’ attitude helped no one. It is justified only for children. As adults, we can’t play that game for too long.
6. Every goal and plan we make is not easy, will have setbacks and u-turns. The objective is to pause,re-assess, reflect, and move ahead.
7. Every goal or plan is a lifestyle change- It is better to look at it from a long-term perspective and not be short-sighted.
8.  Moving on imperfectly is better than being stuck in the same place for years waiting for the right moment. Progress is definitely better than perfection.
9. Success comes to those who try and are willing to be patient. If you don’t try, you remain stuck in the status quo forever.
10. The present is now, enjoy it and make the best of it. 
11. Your past is gone, kaput. Leave it there. Take the lessons you’ve learned and let go of the rest—don’t burden yourself with unnecessary baggage.
12. Do not fear the future and let it hold you hostage. Do not let the fear of tomorrow rob you from the joy of today.
13. Change is inevitable; the more you come to terms with it and befriend it, the happier you will be.
14. Life is not a battlefield, so there’s no need to keep your sword ready. So live in peace.
15. Fear is our reflex action in the brain. It is the default and instinctual. Use your rational brain to assess how genuine the fear is.
16. Make friends with rejection – It’s part of the process and only a few steps behind success.
17. Think before you act. Ask why do you want it and what purpose will it serve. If not, you will end up being the donkey carrying all the load for no reason.
18. Believe in yourself, take unfamiliar paths, and take courage even when you fail. 
19. Let go of old habits and mindsets that do not serve you. They are like bad friends that you need to get rid of asap.
20. Keep voices of doom and gloom at bay. Surround yourself with people who believe and support you.
21. Polish your past learnings and experiences and trust in its innate wisdom.
22. For every one person that believes in your plan, you will find a hundred others who don’t. So ignore naysayers and move ahead as planned.
23. Life is meant to be enjoyed,  so do the things you love – Bring on your writer hat, baking, and artistic skills.
24. No-one else’s opinion matters except yours. If you wait for others’ approval, you will be waiting in the queue for a while!
25. Rome was not built in a day, it took time, so will your dreams take time to materialize!

Hope you find these nuggets useful. Here’s wishing you a happy and glorious new year! May the New year bring us more wisdom. May we allow ourselves the gift of being still to hear the voice within.