7 Activities I Enjoyed in 2019

When I wrote about my Challenges that I couldn’t complete in 2019, I realized my moments of truth. Aren’t we critical of ourselves most times? So, here’s a list of little things that actually made this year a delightful one. These activities aren’t new to me, but they made me look at them in a new dimension and helped bring a good deal of sanity in me.

You’d be surprised to know them as much as I was when I figured what helped me this year. I couldn’t really believe I liked some of these until this year. It’s during sadness and low times that we find great interests that lie deep within us. It’s the happiness within us of finding the unknown, we get the power to accomplish them.

So, here’s a small list of my activities that I enjoyed in 2019.

1. Bullet Journal

If not for my bullet journal this year, I would have felt another year just went by. I tracked so much about everything. About what I could acomplish, what I couldn’t, what I liked about myself, what I didn’t really like about me. I tracked about Ilakkiya’s growth and milestones, her doctor appointments, her first words, her sentences, the little books we got from the library, etc., I tracked my disappointments and my happy moments in this journey. I’ll tell you now that I’d write down things to know what I think about a yearly challenge – can I make it or not?

I learnt about journals this year and have put mine to good use. I was gifted MatrikaS dotted journal by Dimple, my Santa last year and this year I am on cloud nine for receiving TinyChange Journal from Tulika. I’d be forever thankful to her for gifting me a treasure.

2. Writing

There was too much chaos at the beginning of 2019. What helped me get it all out and go about getting things done was writing. Some of my posts stated my emotional turmoil so clearly that my blogger friends came forward to help me, I am thankful for these souls. I realized acceptance and the process of healing can do that to us. Though I couldn’t bottle my emotions anymore, I also didn’t feel the need to. I needed the courage to cross that line to write about the not-so-shiny things about my life and I am happy to share my thoughts here.

I managed 32 posts this year and I am happy that writing was something I could always fall back on.

3. Reading

What this year did to me was bring in some brilliant choices of books. I’d be forever thankful to Shailaja V for introducing Atomic Habits by James Clear to the entire blogging circle. I think back to that book every single day. I read some good collection this year, even though I didn’t complete my reading goal. It is good that I managed 15 books this year and I enjoyed most of it.

I started with

• Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare.
• The Wrong child by Patricia Kay
• The Call of the Wild by Jack London
• Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert
• Deep Work by Cal Newport
• The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Annie Barrows and Mary Ann Shaffer
• Atomic Habits by James Clear
• When Strangers Meet by K. Hari Kumar
• Eleanor Oliphant is completely fine by Gail Honeyman
• You Beneath my Skin by Damayanti Biswas
• The Courage to be Disliked by Fumitake Koga and Ichiro Kishimi
• Ikigai by Hèctor Garcia and Francesc Miralles
• Man Friday by Sundari Venkatraman
• Unexpectedly Mine by Stephanie Rowe
• The Bestseller she wrote by Ravi Subramaniam
• The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

4. Doodling/ Step by Step Drawing

Funny, right? I cannot draw a straight line or a circle. I am not a free hand drawing person. Somehow I always thought I missed a good part of art because I cannot draw. I let it be. I never expected that my daughter will enjoy to draw. Luckily she takes it from my mom, grandmother, sister and mother-in-law. Thanks to step by step drawing tutorials. I can appreciate myself for taking the effort to learn the skill.

My husband and I had a great time this year learning this skill. He learned to draw bicycles and swings, while I learned to draw better Monkeys among other animals.What I appreciate more is, my daughter is learning to draw with me. Earlier I couldn’t convince her with my animals. She’d look at me wondering isn’t that a dog, but you’re saying it’s a wolf. I’d say both look alike( atleast to me)

5. Binge Watch/Movies

For almost two years, I have only watched 2-3 movies. Even with Netflix and Amazon Prime membership, I had hardly watched anything. This year I watched so much. I watched 20 movies and 4 series in a span of 100 days. This finally happened when the husband realized what it’s like to have the little one tagging along all the time. So, when father and daughter started spending time together, this movie marathon was possible for me.

6. Travel

This was the best year when it came to travel. The year started with a trip to the Queen of Hills – Ooty and ended with the Seven Hills – Tirupathi. ☺️ Though I couldn’t visit everything I had set on my list this year I managed to visit some places as a good start.

I was mad about England for long, I still am. Finally when we traveled there, it was like a dream come true. London will always be close to my heart. I wish a long stay there, keeping fingers crossed, so I get to explore more of it and it is a place I cherish.

In 2018, Bangalore trip was special and in 2019 it is our stay in London.

7. Parenting

Don’t laugh. Isn’t it a full-time thing? So to enjoy parenting is actually to enjoy the time I spend with my daughter. It’s not always possible to spend quality time with my daughter. When we spend time together, it’s really like two girls discussing everything under the sun. In reality, I don’t let her stay under the sun for long. If I feel blessed for just one thing in my life, it would be my daughter. I’m amazed at how fast she is growing and yes, I want to hug her many times nowadays. I’m fond of her so much, I could just sit and watch everything she does without telling a word. Well, I’m not a OCD parent, but something tells me my daughter will be one. Let’s see.

P.S. How many times did you literally change 2018 to 2019? Oh yes, I guess I almost did it every time in this post. ? Jet speed 2019, I’m still lurking in 2018 waiting to welcome 2019 ?