This year had so many exciting challenges, met incredible people, reconnected with old friends, and constantly putting myself in my un”comfort” zone.
I started an appreciation diary, this year where several times a week I wrote down what I am grateful for. Initially it was focused on things that I had… but eventually it became all the small interactions with people. The random chats that make people smile, or ability to challenge someone to take new perspective, take up a new sport, and of course asking them what they would rather do.
This year was truly transformational. Here are a few of my best moments.
Jan:
Lifestyle Change: Elimination of social smoking, drinking and red meats
Experiences: First time to attend and chair an Annual General Meeting
People: Alex visits Singapore & met my new housemate Carol
Feb:
Experiences: First cycle trip and organized my first adventure trip to Mount Ophir
March:
Lifestyle Change: Celebrated my birthday for the first time since 2006
Experiences: Cycled my first race(OCBC), Gone Cyclin’ is born and have become a certified Interfaith facilitator
April:
Lifestyle Change: Consolidated my bucket list
Experiences: First 3-day 250 km cycle trip
People: Met Grandpa Ted, Radu and Cristina moved in for a five weeks, reunion with Sifaan and met Dileepa
May:
Experiences: Climbed Mount KK & white water raft(First adventure with my baby bro) and first Ride of Silence
People: Reunion with Jackie and met Mandeep and met Vivien Balikrishnan
June:
Experience: Passed my Results Coaching Assessment
July:
Experience: Ran my first 5 km for Cancer (I love you papa), cycling trip to Mersing, got accepted into IE Business School and awarded IE-AIESEC scholarship
People: Bonding with my girls Penang style, reunion with the new couple Bogy and Alia, attended my first Indian/Irish wedding and got to wear my first Sari (Congrats to Sutha and Shane)
August:
Experiences: Climbed my first rock climbing wall (Thanks Denise), 4 day intense cycle on the Tour de Johor, first boat trip to Singapore’s islands, and RIP Tootsie
People: Reunion with Piret
September:
Experiences: Ran my first 10 km, Completed Tour de Timor, and watched my first F1 (totally overrated, cars going around in circles)
People: Interviewed my first Nobel peace laureate President Jose
October:
Experiences: My first triathlon, ran my first 15 km trail run(fabulous) and received my first honorary mention for my essay on peace
November:
Experiences: First American thanksgiving (homemade cranberry sauce is outrageously yummi), first Romanian/Malaysian wedding (Congrats Emil and Nicole), my first TedxConference and first screening event organized Spinning Dreams (Thanks to all for your support and special shout to Piyush for flying down :P)
People: Reunion with Hafez, Amra and Senad
December:
Lifestyle Change: Transpiral is born
Experiences: Ran my first half marathon, my first adventure race/abseil, got over fear of heights from rock climbing (thanks Aaron and Denise)
People: Reunion with Asma and Tarek, and Won
Watch this space soon as I share with you the 100 wishes project 🙂
