The Kind Warrior

I’d call 2015, the year of transitioning.
Or a better fit nickname would be ‘The Limbo Year’.

At the beginning of each year, we set goals for ourselves, targets to achieve. Some are quantifiable – like losing weight, earning more. Some not –like trying to become a better person. Over the year, we have panic moments – ‘Oh no! It’s already August!’ which lead to sudden bursts of energy that make us work harder, but mostly we fall back into a rut – the chaos of everyday life.

Just like everyone else, I set goals for myself at the beginning of the year. And as I sit here and reflect on the year gone by – I must admit – I didn’t reach even one. Nothing was ticked off my bucket list, no weight was lost, I didn’t change anyone’s life significantly – basically nothing.

But did I grow as a person? Hell Yeah!
Every experience has been a lesson.

I’ve met difficult people, I’ve met great people!
I’ve failed at my business, almost giving up and I’ve pushed with everything I have to achieve my dream.
I’ve hurt people; I’ve been terribly hurt myself.
I’ve depended on people so much – I lost myself when they left.
I’ve found myself in these moments.
Like I said, every experience has been a lesson.

What happens when you meet different people or face difficult situations? Every experience forces you to alter yourself in small ways, to deal with it. These changes can be both positive and negative. Sometimes you make decisions you would have never thought you’d make, sometimes you throw your hands up in despair and sometimes you fight back. So where does this alternation stop? How far will you go before you lose yourself in this chaos?

As I look back at 2015, there are some lessons that stood out far brighter than others. I’ll summarize them for you, and hope that you find your lessons in them too.

1. Believe in the Power of ‘Me’

You don’t need a significant other, great parents or amazing friends.
Sometimes, despite all this (or the lack of it) – the only person who can drive you – is YOU.
No one knows your dreams as well as you do, no one can heal your broken heart like you can, no one understands your life like YOU do. So when the going gets tough, nothing will be your biggest strength – other than yourself. Believe that if you really put your heart to it? You can achieve the wildest dream you set your eyes on!

2. Don’t Judge

This is something I’ve been trying to practice day in and day out in the past year. In the kind of world we’re growing up in – what with social media throwing perfect lives of others in our faces, crazy competition at work or even personal lives,  and constant judging from others – it becomes very easy (almost second nature) for us to resort to judging everyone around us too. We always complain that we don’t like it, but we do it ourselves. So next time you find yourself judging someone – just take a step back and try to understand their position. Like they say – you don’t know their story. After a while, you feel so much lighter – without having to take their burden as yours – not caring about what their life is about.

3. Don’t Be Intimidated

Whether it is the success stories of everyone you know doing rounds or you standing in front of the CEO of a huge company – don’t let yourself be intimidated by anyone. Be strong; be confident – we’re all humans after all. We’re all made from the same thing, we all have fears and we all have quirks. No one is better than you and no one is lesser than you. You’re an equal to everyone! Stand tall!

4. Fight!

If you have a dream that seems impossible, or you love someone but you’re making no progress, or you’re sick and nothing seems to be helping – FIGHT! The world is going to push very hard, love. Each time you feel you’ve conquered a mountain, you will face another one. So don’t take it easy, don’t give up – fight for it with all you’ve got. And more. And trust me, it’ll be yours.

And, lastly:

5. BE KIND. BE KIND. BE KIND.

I cannot stress enough on this.
To your parents, to your siblings, to your friends, to your dog.
To a stranger, to the woman who honked behind you for no reason, to the guy who banged into your car.
To a stray, to your employee, to your employer.
To the person who yelled at you, to the person who has nothing nice to say.
To the one you love.
But above all, to yourself.

 I have learnt this year, that a kind word is so important to change all the negativity in the world. That it is very easy to yell or fight, but kindness – it gets you so much farther! Being kind is probably the hardest thing I’ve had to do. But it also the MOST rewarding. You will change lives, you will change outcomes of negative situations - you will avoid negative situations most of the times. Kindness is beautiful, not just to you but to the person receiving it too. And it will pay forward. It always does.

If you have a kind word for someone, don’t think twice. Just say it. Kindness isn’t a weakness, it’ll be your biggest strength. Trust me.

2015 has prepped me for 2016.
In this ‘Limbo Year’ I’ve learnt and prepared myself so that when 2016 comes, I’m ready to take onto to it with a full heart and a lot of strength! ‘Cos 2016, is MY year. And it’s going to be KICK ASS! Every goal shall be met, every bucket list item ticked off and I’m definitely shedding all this extra weight of 2015!

I’m going to take on 2016 as a WARRIOR! Are you?