Wrapping up 2018!

Wrapping up 2018!

2018 was all about investing in self, both personally and professionally. Although I started my Atlas Corps Fellowship in May 2018, I count my entire year on the same. 2018 with fellowship brought me so many good things to learn, accept and share. These are the few things I want to highlight for me if I have to look back to 2018;

• Challenge: Since fellowship is all about starting from ground zero, it brought me a lot of challenges. Overcoming personal barriers, emotional barriers and starting new professional journey, it was all about challenges but in a good package. Through these challenges, I could explore my emotional strengths and also the professional potential.

• Investing in self: One of the thing from my to-do list in the USA, was to invest in self. Apart from the professional involvement, I was determined to explore the best of me. I invested in my health (I joined Cardio Kick-Boxing class), I did a lot of hiking (my favorite outdoor activities), I traveled a lot (it was like a meditation to me) and I gave myself plenty of time to reflect upon things that I did every day.

• Improving my skills: The other part of investing in self from my to-do list was to work on my skills. So, in spite of financial limitation, I decided to invest some money in my skills. I joined Toastmasters Club.The membership fee and joining fee is not a lot but still, it’s big money since I am only getting the stipend to cover my living expenses. It provided me a platform to work on my communication skills as well as to meet people with the great passion to help each other. And, in fact, one of the old members of my Toastmasters club paid my 6-month membership fee seeing my enthusiasm and potential to grow. Thank you Jim for your generosity and I promise, I will make the most out of it.

• Opportunities: If I have to talk about the opportunities besides professional ones, then it would be my travel and meeting people. I have encountered various interesting and inspiring people (I always keep people filled with negativity away from myself). These people have reminded me that it is ok to be nice and kind-hearted. I am also thankful that I could meet my school friends, my martial arts guru and my relatives in the US which was almost unlikely if I didn’t come to the US.

• Giving back: Despite my struggle to understanding and learning to live with the VERY VERY limited stipend, I could manage to give back. I donated $1/ $2 every month to needy people (I know it’s not a lot but I donated with all my heart). I reach out to people if I could help them. I volunteered with people and organizations to help people in need. Giving back makes me feel so great.

I am so excited to take some of the best things that I did in 2018 to 2019 too. I am looking forward to travel a lot more than 2018 and I am also going to invest more and more on self 🙂
Happy New Year always and every day 🙂