Annual Review 2020
Another Walk in A Different Park
2019 was pretty special for me. It gave my life some clarity and a little sense of direction. More than that, it gave me so much energy to move on to the new decade. For the longest time, like many other Sri Lankans, I was obsessed with a superstition. I believed that it is a bad omen to share what I did or the plans I have for the future. I used to think that sharing your stories, both good and, bad is some form of boasting. Yet with time, I realized that if you share it with the right intentions, any story can always inspire someone out there. Or at least let them learn from some of my mistakes. So here I am.
Usually, I make an entrance to a new year with a bang. In the last week of December, I stop all my work and start making plans for the new year. Those plans contain all kinds of different “big dreams”. Yet, like most people I know, I never managed to tick any of those boxes in my bucket list.
2020 was different. It was the dullest transition of years I ever experienced. I did not have any super hyped motivation at the end of 2019 to start 2020 with a bang. I walked into the new year like it was another regular day.
Instead of having some media-induced energy that fades away in a few weeks into the new year, I start 2020 with a playbook that I made for myself. As I start the new year, instead of creating mental notes in my head, I decided to make a real note. A 2-page document with real boxes to tick. A guide of everything I wanted to do in 2020 with a clear measure to track its progress.
This whole review will revolve around it.
It answers 3 questions
- What I planned and why I planned those.
- What went right and what was new.
- What went wrong and the unexpected.
What I Planned and Why I Planned Those.
Over the last week of December 2020, I managed to keep it to myself without any form of commitment. It gave me time to think things through and clear up my mind a bit. Though I made my playbook before that, the free time gave me the energy I lacked to action those.
As I said, I made plans on paper and hung them on the wall for me to see every day. I will first share what I planned for the year.
- Read 15 books
- Complete 4 online certificate courses.
- Get a Tattoo
- Get my PADI Diving license
- Visit a country.
- Work on a project with my school.
- Learn to Surf
- Complete 3 Hikes
- Write a blog every week.
These were the plans I initially had for the year. When you read it, you would realize that I created the plan before COVID. However, while many complained about how shitty the year was, I think I managed to complete almost all my plans except for the impossible ones. And the best part was, I did not barely complete them for the sake of ticking the box. I enjoyed every little bit and even managed to go beyond my plans in some cases.
What went right and what was new.
My 15 Book Marathon.
Many people who know me think of me as an avid reader. But I am not. Yes, I read a lot, but I am not that kind of a person who can sit in one place for hours and read. By the end of 2019, I became a part of a reading community called “pick a book”. It changed the way I look at books entirely. For all who think of altering your behavior, I recommend you to join a community where your desired behavior is their normal behavior.
Though I have a book with me everywhere I go. Sometimes I fall behind in my habit. It sometimes took over 4 months to complete a single book. Therefore, making plans to read 15 books for this year and writing them down as I go along kept me on track.
I am super picky when it comes to books. I read only the very best. Therefore, I thought of sharing the books I read over the year so that you can get some recommendations for your 2021.
- Man search of meaning — Viktor Frankl
- Talking to Strangers — Malcolm Gladwell
- Grit — Angela Duckworth
- David and Goliath — Malcolm Gladwell
- Eleven minutes — Paulo Coelho
- Midnight lane — Lee Child
- A briefer history of time — Leonard Mlodinow and Stephen Hawking
- Zero to One — Blake Masters and Peter Thiel
- Homo Deus — Yuval Noah Harari
- One-Shot — Lee Child
- The Angle of Dark — Sidney Sheldon
- Factfullness — Anna Rosling Rönnlund, Hans Rosling, and Ola Rosling
- Veronica decides to die — Paulo Coelho
- Pray — Cassie Pike
- Wonder — R.J Palacio
As of this moment, I am reading the book, Wonder. I should be able to finish that by the end of the year. I managed to fit my whole year into 15 books. I am sure if I planned 18 or 20 books I would have covered that too. That is why I believe, setting clear goals that are measurable can improve one's productivity a lot.
While I managed to read a lot this year, a lot of new things happened in the department of reading. I got a kindle from my girlfriend for my birthday. I was not a fan of reading off kindles for multiple reasons. But the fact that you can get any book in the world in matters of seconds convinced me to try it out. All in while, my aunty decided to buy me whatever the kindle books I want to read (can I be more luckier — in chandler’s voice).
I managed to present 3 of those books at the Pick a book club over the year. I was even invited for an online panel discussion to talk about one of those books.
All in all, in terms of reading, this year could not have been any better.
How I Suddenly Became a Writer.
The other major highlight of the year came from writing. People who know me well know how much I hate writing. Even at my school time, it was the essay that made the biggest impact on my test scores. At the end of 2019, for whatever reason which I do not remember, I decided to write an article per week. First, I used Blogger to publish my articles. They were so shitty; I did not even share most of those with anyone. But I had a few close people who always kept giving me meaningful advice that encouraged me to keep going. Also, since I made it a point to post a story every week, I kept on writing.
With time I got better. Not great, just better. I moved from Blogger to Medium. I started getting some followers, got few articles curated too. Then a local digital marketing company wanted me as a freelance writer. Since then, I wrote 30 articles per month for over 6 months. Then a friend of mine helped me start my own blog called DuneekableNotions.
Something I stared out for no apparent reason became a part of me that I really like.
I used to think that it was the talent that takes us to places. I waited till opportunity hit me on areas I was talented at, and never even tried to see the opportunities on everything else. This year taught me that effort, interest, consistency with constant refinement matters a lot more than raw talent.
Health and Fitness For 2020
Since my school time, where I swam for the team, 2020 is by far the most active year for me. As we were forced to stay indoors throughout the second quarter, I deliberately started working out in whatever way I could. First, I ran up and down the lane. Then followed HITT training on YouTube, and I even started practicing yoga. Within months, I transformed from someone who struggles to hold a plank for 30 seconds to a guy who can do the headstand for 5 minutes.
As the lockdown eased off, I took off to the playground in the evenings. I started playing some intense (to my standards) football there. Joined few communities which ran online challenges, completed my first half marathon. Changed my diet too. By the end of the year, I lost over 20 pounds and became much healthier. While most gained weight in the lockdown, I lost a lot.
I would like to take all the credit for my “strong will”. But I know it was not the sheer will that helped me to stay healthy. It was the community of people around me. Work colleagues who shared their workout routes and apricate your effort. Friends who bug you to come to the playground every day. Family members who adopted their diets to stay healthy. A girlfriend who kept bugging me to lose weight.
A supportive environment can add so much value to your life. Because I learned this lesson, I kept on being supportive of everyone around me too. So if you are someone who is annoyed by me constantly bugging you to workout, please take it as a compliment.
Work-life
Just like for everyone else, my work life too was subjected to massive changes this year. But our team that I believe is the most supportive team someone who is starting out a career could wish for, managed to get everything right. Though my way of life at work changed, the progress and inner satisfaction remained going up.
Just like the old times, I decided not only to stick with my job role. I became a part of the company's Toastmasters club as the Vice President of public relations. And that is where I acquired my other skill. I was never an aesthetic person. I had a good eye but no skill to draw. Thus I never tried creating anything. However, having to maintain the club’s public relations meant I have to post so many posters. Just like how I started writing, I started by creating shitty ones. With time I got better, not great but better.
Even my direct responsibilities were a hit this year. Of cause, there are things I wish were better, but overall nothing to complain about.
Everything Else That Went Right
I would not take too much credit for completing my planned online courses. Since we were stuck at home, it was easier than before. I managed to complete a basic course on python, a business course, and a writing course on Udemy, an HR course (managing people) on Coursera, and a Data Analytics course on Coursera.
Getting a tattoo had always been a dream of mine. But deciding on that perfect tattoo with the ideal meaning took some time. However, I finally managed to implant an art on my skin that means a great deal to me. Since I cannot donate blood for a year after getting it, I donated a pint before that.
I managed to complete all three hikes planned. Two with my boy gang and the other with my girl. Surprisingly the toughest one was the one with my girlfriend.
I always knew I was a good cook. But the extra time I had made my interest in cooking an obsession. I made all kinds of stuff. All I did was following the instructions on YouTube, and they all turned out really well!
What went wrong and the unexpected.
Blame It On the COVID
After everything that went right for this year, I still could not check all the boxes. I would like to blame it on the COVID, but I think I had other reasons too.
First, there were plans to visit another country this year. I think it is safe to say I could not do it because of the whole lockdown. Both I and my girlfriend were looking at all the cheap countries we could visit, but we had to settle for a few local trips. Maybe better luck next year.
I could not get my diving certificate this year. But I did 2 discovery dives. The first was all by myself and the second one was the birthday gift for my girlfriend. It is safe to say that no surfing this year. I only managed to take one surfing lesson where I could not get off the board.
I always wanted to start writing a journal. Tied a book but ended up forgetting to take it where ever I go. Then download an app that I thought would support my habit but never did. That is one of those “could have done” things that I missed this year.
And That’s a Wrap.
“It’s better to change and adapt than to complain and remain.”
― Rob Liano
If I wrote this article around May, the list of failures would have been much larger. 2020 was the epitome of unexpectedness. Nothing went as it was planned in the beginning. Yet, the biggest victory for anyone this year would be decided on how quickly they adopted. I believe I managed to hit the nail on the head when it comes to that.
I guess 2021 would be even more challenging. Now that we found consistency in uncertain times, moving back to the previous steadiness we lived would again feel like a challenge. Unlike this year where we were forced to change with no choice, next year we may have to test our willpower a bit more. But I am excited to see next year in a better light.
May it only bring the best out of you.
See you on the other side! Adios!
