2021 : Another Year Gone By

Manasi Thaken
4 min readDec 31, 2021

The year 2021 which was terrific in many ways. I decided to take out a moment on the last day and decided to write what I felt throughout the year.

1/ Being there for someone is the most important thing you can do. All you can do when you don’t know what to do, sit in silence with your loved ones and hold their hands or just be in the moment. This very small act of gesture can go a long way that is beyond the imagination

2/ Every year I used to think, I’m getting a year old and hence the less time to achieve my goals. What I didn’t realise is this sort of thinking isn’t helping me in any which way. Years can go by in a blink in front of your eyes. So start now, whatever it is!

3/ Appreciate friends and family in your life. There is something remarkable about them who actively make an effort to bring a smile to your face or just to see you. Especially in the culture of busy 24*7, appreciate these folks who take extra steps to make you feel home.

4/ Every year, things are getting worse as compared to the previous. I don’t know what next year will bring in. There is one thing we can do to make the world a better place, be kind to ourselves and others.

5/ Do not attach your identity to the job role which you have. Life is full of uncertainty, tomorrow it can be taken away or you might end up in another role. Understand, you are beyond the title of your job. Don’t let anyone fool you.

6/ No one cares about your life, money, clothes, success as much as you do. Be easy on yourself and allow yourself to be real.

7/ Take every opportunity to enjoy life with your loved ones. Do not take work everywhere you go. Have a KitKat break. This is fuel for you.

8/ It sucks to know so many people you loved, they don’t need you anymore. They move on very quickly and you are stuck on memories. It’s sad to be in this situation. Learn to let it go and move on.

9/ Courage doesn’t always have to be the cold face and bold words. Sometimes it can be seen in tears, laugh, hugs, and the warmth of your loved ones.

10/ Find the music of your life and dance to it. Life looks large in years, but if you do not end up enjoying it, you may get stuck in a routine. Find a moment to be crazy

11/ Humans have potential which doesn’t have any limit. We all have sat inside the home for many days and we were able to still find the reason to smile. Do not lose hope, even in the tough days.

12/ Travel to places which you haven’t heard about. Learn the sounds of birds, trees, and the sea. Let the cold breeze hit you in the middle of nowhere.

13/ Hug is the most underrated feeling in the world

14/ 2021 isn’t a year of anything but trauma to many of us. It has changed the perspective for many of us. It’s the trauma which many of us will carry forward. There is comfort in knowing that we are together.

15/ Send mushy good morning and good night texts to your partner. It’s not cheesy, it’s the rarest form of love. Keep doing it.

16/ People are allowed to walk away with no explanations. It hurts but that’s okay.

17/ In the world of creating a network of high-end people, try to create a community of meaningful connections. Not every conversation has to be transactional in nature.

18/ Travel solo, if you can. It will help you to discover ‘self — love’ which no book can ever do.

19/ Take a leap of faith. Not everyone is meant to break you, some are there to heal you

20/ There can be no fixed plan for anything. Roads can diverge and hence the destination.

21/ Have a cup of chai without using your phone

My daily view with cup of coffee/chai in Sonipat

I shall leave you with this thought for the time being :

“ Whom do we most remember? We remember those who lived to serve others. We are most impressed and affected not by what people gain but by what they give, not by what they conquer but what they contribute”- Fred Factor

May the next year bring tonnes of love, warmth, and comfy days into your life.

Thanks for reading this. Add anything you want to in the comment of your reflections, acts, or learnings which you would like to share with the world.

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Manasi Thaken

I like to write. I write about every possible thought I see and feel. Open for collaboration. You can reach out to me on manasithaken@gmail.com