Happy New Year !!

Dear readers,

Seasons greetings and wish you all a very happy new year.

Times are changing, and changing fast. I just remember welcoming 2017 a year back. Seems like yesterday. And all of a sudden it’s 2018. How time flies! And what better way to greet the new year with a brand new look-and-feel blog site!

I hope that this year gives you all that you hoped for. I say all that you ‘hoped’ for and not what you ‘wished’ for, because there is a profound difference between what you wish for and what you hope for. They are two totally different things: apples and oranges which many people unfortunately, think to be the same.

A wish can be defined as some immediate want or desire to obtain something which generally, would be unobtainable by ordinary means in present circumstances. ‘I wish I had a Billion Dollars.’, ‘I wish I were as good-looking as him/her’, ‘I wish I were famous’,”I wish my mountain of fat melted away and I got a six-pack”... and so on and so forth. You get the picture.’, A wish is also a negative way of acknowledging an action or event which you believe that would be impossible to undo. “I wish I had never spoken rudely to him/her in the heat of the moment”, “I wish Jawaharlal Nehru had never approached the UN to resolve the Kashmir Issue.”, “I wish the 1857 rebellion would have been successful and India would have become free much sooner.” and things like that.

A hope, on the other hand is something more realistic. In many ways it is just the opposite of a wish. A hope is also a desire, but unlike a wish it is an optimistic way of portraying a desire or a goal that you feel can be achievable, despite numerous odds which lie in its’ path. “ I hope there will be no Nuclear weapons one day.”, “ I hope there will be an end to world hunger and poverty in the future.”, “I hope to exercise and burn off all excess flab in my body”, “ I hope that the Government brings about a permanent end to the pollution problem plaguing our cities.”, “I hope there would be a peaceful settlement to the Kashmir issue.”, and things like that.

Our entire human civilization is founded on hope. Hope is what pulls us through difficulties. Hope gives us the courage to overcome the odds which lie in the way of your goal. Money lost can be re-earned. Health lost can be regained. Time lost can be recouped. But when Hope is lost, you lose everything. When Hope is lost, you lose the will and the determination to fight through adversity, to tide through tough times. That is why, it is essential to never lose hope. Hope is what keeps people going.

As the pages of the calendar turn, civilization has marched into another year. And with each new year dawns newfound hope. Hope that things will get better.

And with every new year also come resolutions. Resolutions which we earnestly make at the start of a new year. Resolutions like “I will exercise regularly.”, “I will quit smoking / drinking” and other usual routine stuff.

Like every other year, I tool made some resolutions this year and hope to keep them.

The first resolution I want to make is to write more often. Being somewhat busy in my work schedule, I could not blog as much as I wanted to in 2017, which is evident from the one single solitary blog I put up. But I hope to change that this year by adding more content. I hope to add more blogs and more stuff for the world to know.

The second resolution I want to make is to stay connected. Times are changing. New technologies like Artificial Intelligence, Internet of Things (IoT) Machine Learning, Crypto-Currency, Block-Chain and Data Science are bringing about huge changes in the way things are done. It’s too much to ask one to become an expert in each new technology which rises. But the least we can do is be aware. Ignorance is no longer an excuse. Awareness is the key. Being aware will help us tremendously to know what impact these new technologies have on our lives and our careers. Being in the know can boost your career prospects apart from improving your lifestyle and social standing.

The third resolution I want to make this year is to exercise and stay fit. Yeah I know, I already thought that last year, and the year before that, and the year before that …. But this year I am dead serious. And in today’s fast paced and stressful lifestyle, staying healthy and fit is of paramount importance. Health is the real Wealth. So folks, shake off the lethargy, hit the road, spend some calories and burn off that nagging excess fat. Stay organized and make your life as stress free as possible. Being ambitious is important but it’s even more important that you don’t burn yourself to reach your goal. Stay healthy and happy.

The fourth and final resolution I want to make for 2018 is to spend as much as spare time I have with my loved ones. This world can be a mean and nasty place. But when you know that there are people who care for you, who love you and accept you for what you are; that gives you a whole lot of courage to face the world. When you’re down and out, it will be your loved ones who will stand by you, encourage you and give you the strength to get back on your feet. And vice versa, always be there for your near and dears, no matter what the stakes are. Even if it means sacrificing time, money, comfort or any other amenity.

When 2018 is about to come to an end and 2019 starts, I am going to come back to this blog, see the resolutions I have listed out and do an honest evaluation of how good I have been in achieving them. In fact, I am probably going to read this blog every week just to remind myself about my resolutions. That should hopefully shake off my long sleeping conscience to prick me if I am straying from my path.

Friends, start working on achieving your resolutions... because resolutions need resolve. Without resolve, there is no direction. Without direction there is no inspiration. Without inspiration there is no effort and without effort there will be nothing.

Shake of all excuses, and try and upgrade your skills in every way possible. Don’t be the typical frog stuck in the well. Get out of your comfort zone, learn new technologies, be up to date with current trends, meet new people, go new places and most important: try and make things happen rather than wait for them to happen. But at the same time don’t burn yourself up. Give utmost priority to your health and your family and things that matter to you.

When 2018 comes to and end, don’t lament on opportunities lost or missed chances. Don’t wish that you could have made things better. Focus on achievements and what you have accomplished.

Start working on your goals NOW! Not tomorrow, not the day after that …. NOW!! The longest journey starts with a single step. Let bygones be bygones. Don’t let failure deter you and your dreams. Learn with each step, improve and grow. Become a role model and inspire many others to follow your path. Make a fresh new start, just like my brand new blog.

Once again, even though it is one month past I wish you and your loved ones a very happy new year.