9/11 Promises: Review

Today is 9/11 yet again and it will be gross injustice to the previous 9/11 post if I don't review it today.

1. Weight 60+ Kgs: I tried for sometime but then just left it. I feel hopeless in this department. I don't even want to talk about it now. Let's move.

2. Promises be kept: In retrospect, I think this was a really vague promise I made. Because there just wasn't any set criteria for what will be considered as a promise, since I seldom use the word "I promise to...". Having said that, I think I did pretty good in the last one year, but still couldn't do a few things I "promised" to do (like meeting after promising!). Promising to keep up the promise all the time is insanely hard. I think it is better to be really careful while making promises.

3. Don't wait to be late: This was once again a disaster. I thought I was late even more times in the last one year than any other year. Total fail.

4. Concentrate to Meditate / Meditate to Concentrate: Tried out a lot of techniques of meditation, including guided meditation, meditation while lying down or walking, meditation while running or even while doing a task. And did get partial success. But still a proper 15-20 mins of meditation everyday is not in my success resume right now.

5. Either be one or forget it: I started revising my programming skills about 3 months back and have been doing regular (though not extreme) programming everyday for last 30 days or so. Not a success yet, but I think I have just made a good start.

6. buzzRSH > 50 posts: Now this is prime reason that I am writing this review :) Full success! (though it came dangerously close to being another failure.

7. It's a funny issue: I think I have done some good progress in this department (though friends will be able to tell better). I have moved on from the sad & painful period, and while set backs still come in life, I think I am getting better at handling them. What's amusing is that some of the issues that were causing discomfort turned out to be a non-issue later on! So, it's funny to say but I am happy :) Don't believe me? Read this!

8. Learn/Do something new: I started learning GIMP sometime ago and I made some good progress in that department. I also shared my progress (secretly!) with a selective few friends. I have also been trying to learn to sleep early and I am proud to say that for about 1 month I slept on or before 9.30 pm and around 10 pm for the past 2 months! Unfortunately, the Anna movement has disrupted the schedule and now will have to build it all over again. But now, I know I can sleep early!

9. Stop being afraid: Again it was a bit vague promise. I think I meant to say as to take far more initiatives, which, I did I would argue. So it was a fairly successful promise.

I made 2 more promises more for others (read family/friends) than for me (and also because 9 + 2 = 11 :) 

10. Get (a) mobile: I tried mates, but like a girlfriend, I think mobiles are not made for me (or the other way around?). The thing is that I really don't feel a need to keep mobiles, they just irritate me. I don't think, I will "never" get a mobile. But when exactly, I can't and won't promise (again). But to compensate for that I did something else "just for friends" (you know what I mean ;)

11. Get employed: I did complete this promise and though I could have done a better (or say smarter) job while getting a job, I am content with what I achieved, for now.

As I said when I started, I wasn't sure of completing even one of these. But I did do a few of them and I am proud of the fact. But, I also found out that I kept slacking initially and the real efforts came only in the last 3 months or so. So, I think instead of giving a list of virtually a new year resolutions, it's better to make just ONE promise and try and complete that before making another.

With that in mind, I will try and learn meditation now and get regular in this skill by the end of this year.