New Year… new beginnings!

Happy Tamil New Year to all my fellow Tamilians around the world!

With this brand new year, there comes this new hope, new beginnings, new promises and new resolutions. Resolutions are a good thing, if they can be realistic. Don’t get me wrong, I believe in the “Aim for the sky to reach the stars” motto and all, but every year, we subject ourselves to more restrictions – new diet, new exercise regime and so on. For this Tamil new year, let’s take a new perspective – to enjoy the little things in life more. A lot of us probably do that and get teased for being dreamy, but there is more to it that it seems. I am asking you to let the child in you show. After all, these are the days when stress is a chart topper for causing premature deaths!

For those who are not sure what I mean by this, start to think of your life in moments rather than months and metrics. Here are some quick ways to build little, perfect moments and get a big payback.

• Wear a smile when you see a person. You never know when that smile would be the ray of sunshine a complete stranger needed in their cloudy day
• Compliment a colleague, genuinely. Rather than complimenting a colleague’s dress, compliment her. Tell her how she looks gorgeous in the dress and then ask her where she got it 😉  Hey, a girl needs to know her resources!
• Share goodies. We are all used to gobbling down our food or even worse, skipping food in the name of a diet. But, take some time to sit down and eat with a friend and share some goodies. As a bonus,  you have a fat chance of being lauded for your cooking skills. But, the real joy is in the conversations. It could be small talks about nothing, but it freshens you up. Helps you think clearly. Not to mention, might make you find your next best friend!
• If you are a parent, hug your kid(s) – not a quick wrap around the body to bid goodbye at the school gate – but hug like you mean it. Every day. Hug them, kiss them and tell them how much you love them. Don’t give into the thought of it being dramatic or too much. As kids grow, we sometimes grow apart and it doesn’t have to be that way.
• Tell you spouse how much you appreciate them. Now, this can quickly backfire so use this with caution. But, nevertheless, tell them how much you like them being around. Tell them how you appreciate them being there for you. They need to hear it, whether they say that out loud or not.
• Call a friend who chose to shun you from his/her life for a petty reason and just wish them well. Nothing expected in return, but rise above. This small act can let them know you still value the old times and who knows, they may pay it forward too.
• Cook/Bake a little extra and give some to your neighbor who thinks you cook/bake better than her. The unexpected home made food can mean a lot more to the neighbor than it does to you.
• Give the friend who feels lost/down some words of hope. Most of the times, friends don’t come to you seeking solutions for their problems. They need reassurance. Give it to them. Highlight their positives. Tell them what you liked in them when you first met them. Giving a person their morality back takes very little, but the impact is huge.
• Appreciate your family, colleagues, your boss for something that they did well. Now, don’t expect that in return. Just appreciate honestly for something that deserves appreciation.
• When somebody says something hurtful to you, over things that may not be in your control, speak up and then finish with a compliment.  See how quickly that shuts them up! Not to mention, the relief you feel. Much better than harboring the animosity or feeling low.

The list can just keep going. But the point is, while it’s a nice goal to make it big in your career or get more fit, it is a great thing for yourself and your loved ones to enjoy the little things in life. It took very little, as kids, for us to think like we were on the top of the world! An unexpected delay in school opening, a cancelled unit test, a chocolate bar that doesn’t have to be shared with siblings – the best thing to ever happen, but as we grow our expectations grow. We find it hard to be happy – with ourselves and with the world. But the world hasn’t changed, it’s you. These little things can help us enjoy our time here. We never know what is our destination or when we will get there. But, we sure know we are in for this ride and the best we can do is fill it with small moments or love, joy and smiles.

So, friends, make this new year mean more smiles. Make it fill with more of the little but happy moments. Wishing you all a very Happy and Prosperous Tamil New Year.

~ Sindhuja