What’s in Store for 2023? Where do we find the answers?

This is a photos taken today on our newly renovated balcony, of a treasured gift received from daughter Natasha, Son-in-law Pulasthi and grand-daughter Sathyana for Christmas 3-years ago. It signifies growth, overcoming challenges, letting go of the old branches and renewing in a purposeful manner.
A picture taken today on our new renovated balcony of a gift of a plant given by my daughter Natasha, son-in-law Pulasthi and grand-daughter Sathyana for Christmas 2019. This signifies growth, letting go of non-value adding activities (cut branches) and renewal purposefully.

This is a question we need to ask ourselves?

We Live in a world that is volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous that no one can tell us what’s in store for 2023. We have been asking this question every year and we could not find the answers out there. It was even more profound in the past three years of the pandemic and the global economic crisis.

The response to this dilemma from my experience is to reflect using some guiding questions. I found this approach so useful that I could say that I had one of the best years of my life in 2022.

Without boring you with what I achieved I would like to say that I attempted to live a purposeful life. A life of service to my world. When making crucial decisions, I asked myself what would be the course of action that is best aligned with my purpose. What action would I be most proud taking. Please search with the key word ‘purpose’ in this blog to explore ideas about living purposefully.

The following questions are useful in taking the energy and learnings from 2022. Reflect on these questions with your family or on your own regarding your personal life and with your team or on your own with regard to your team at work.

  • What are the two or three biggest gain we had during the year?
  • What did we learn from the gains?
  • What are the two or three biggest losses we had during the year?
  • What did we learn from the losses?
  • How did we change the way we live and work?
  • What will stop, what will we continue?
  • What are the new investments we made?
  • What will we retain, what will we dispose?

Thereafter it will be great to reflect on the following questions for 2023. 

  • What are the two or three biggest outcomes for 2023 that you/family/team would be proud of?
  • What baby steps would you take to start the journey towards these outcomes?
  • What obstacles are you likely to face in the journey? 
  • What steps would you take, who should be informed, who can you gain support from to deal with the likely obstacles?

These questions will lead to interesting conversation that will culminate with interesting decisions and action. Continue to reflect on the outcome of the action and take new actions so that you can find practical solutions for the opportunities and threats presented to you.

I will be happy to know how your reflections and conversations went. Please do let me know and reach out if I can be of any assistance.

Wishing you a Purposeful, Passionate, Prosperous 2023

Finding Purposeful Balance

Image Credits: Medical Newstoday.com

Nature retaliated one year ago,

With a pandemic that dealt a severe blow

Men and women, Rich and poor, 

Black and white, and those in power,

All affected in some way, for better or worse,

Wondering how to make life flow,

The materialistic impact was in most of our mind,

health, economy, jobs, livelihood, and the kind,

This was real and we all respond at different levels,

World bodies, Governments, Businesses, NGO’s and individuals.

Masks, hand sanitisers, social distancing and lockdown,

Tests and vaccines for the virus to be knocked down,

Some helped us to take a step back from the dramatic, 

And reflect on the bigger purposes of the pandemic 

A reminder that this planet belongs to all forms of life, 

not just human beings, there are other beings with life,

 reminding us that our purpose is not to just enrich ourselves,

 but learn to co-exist and help others make a life for themselves. 

All’s not been rosy with abuse in families, 

People being discriminated and losing jobs in companies,  

Yet, people helping each other responding to needs of communities, 

The rich helping those are having financial difficulties, 

The poorer harvesting the crops and serving daily necessities,  

health care workers working to encourage recoveries, 

We are one eco-system, one life process that needs good balance. 

When we try to violate the principles of nature and upset the balance, 

the universal energy system will act to bring about the balance. 

Families have found togetherness, love and balance,

Teams have found trust, synergy and balance,

Society has found respect, compassion and balance,   

Love and compassion visibly growing, 

Much needed human values liberating,

Reigniting the consciousness of the need to coexist, 

Less pollution to ensure that life can exist,

The eco-system is gradually regaining its balance. 

Let’s take the learning and live a life of purposeful balance.

Xmas Insights from St. Bart’s New York

This is the Christmas 2020 Audio message from Omar S Khan and his wife Leslie. This was shared with us last Christmas for the first time and they felt it was even more needed this Xmas. I am sharing this with those I love and respect with their generosity. In awe of those Herald Angels and with all our love.

Continue reading “Xmas Insights from St. Bart’s New York”