New Decade, New Possibilities, New Challenges

New decade ushers in new possibilities! Or so the cliché goes.

As I look back on 2019, there were many things I was thankful for.

Strengthening my relationships with people (especially those who matter).

Advancing in my career (with the help of colleagues and virtual mentors).

Making use of my Korean in Korea (mostly to haggle prices for my wife).

And many more.

But there was one regret: Not being able to write as often as I did in the past.

It’s a mixture of genuine reasons – lack of free time due to work – and cheesy excuses – lack of free time due to poor time management. (And we all know it’s the latter…)

What I really need was something (or someone) to hold me accountable.

Case in point is my Korean classes. I pay $405 for 10 lessons every 3 months or so and I turn up for it regardless of storm or rain.

Writing is my solace

And writing still is my solace.

If I can only choose one skill in life, it’d be communicating, but specifically, writing.

There’s so much that words can do when they’re read by the right person.

Words can inspire, impact, and even influence one’s actions. That’s how humans have always thrived.

Everyone has the ability to change lives with words. It’s just which mode of delivery – writing or speaking.

In my case, I’m not a good speaker. I wouldn’t dare to say I’m good with writing, but that’s definitely my stronger area.

I may not be a good writer now. That doesn’t mean I can’t be in the future, though. And that’s what I’ll work towards to.

Challenge for 2020

Here’s a challenge for myself: Write a reflection every week for the rest of 2020.

The reflection will be about anything under the sun – work, life, relationships, personal development, etc.

My main objective is to get myself writing consistently again, not just about the movies I get to watch and review, but writing in general.

I forgot how therapeutic it can be to put words on paper (or in this case, on digital paper), and come back to read them sometime later on to reminisce the thoughts that went through one’s mind at that point of time.

Hell, maybe my child will find these writings later on and realise certain traits his/her father had.

If you’re reading this and it sounds like a good idea, I challenge you to do the same.

But it doesn’t have to be writing – it can be anything that you love doing or always thought of doing but never had the courage to try it out.

Do this consistently every week for the whole of 2020.

Don’t treat this as a “new year resolution” or “new decade resolution” or what have you.

Do this for yourself and the “something” you love.

It’s a new decade with new possibilities, and this small challenge can make an impact you’ve never thought was possible.

Topics

Update on 7 Jan 2020: Intention is important in achieving objectives and goals. Going to list topics that I’ll write about here so that there’s a theme/direction to the content.

Update on 27 Dec 2020: Concluding the writing challenge with a round-up post. Challenge completed!

1. Career
   • Career Advice For Myself From 5 Years Ago
   • What I Learned About Workplace Relationships
   • The Dent I Hope To Make In A Company
   • How It’s Like To Work In An Agency
   • Dilemma Of Working From Home Amidst A Virus Outbreak
   • Giving Our Best In Tough Times
   • Office Drama – A Necessary Evil
   • Bracing For Another Wave Of Big Changes
   • Managing Time In A WFH Environment
   • Why It’s Hard To Admit Mistakes At Work
   • What I Learned From Working With Dozens Of SMEs In Singapore
   • Words & Phrases I Learned From Client Success
2. Leadership
   • Reflections On Career – Learning To Be A Manager
   • Challenges As A New People Manager
   • Helping Others Do Better Than You
   • Influencing Office Culture As A Manager
   • Learning To Let Go And Focus On Managing
   • How A Leader’s Confidence Makes A Difference
3. Relationships
   • Trying For A Baby
   • Maintaining Friendships As We Get Older
   • What Does It Mean To Be Married?
   • Understanding What Makes A Friend Worth Keeping
4. Maintaining hobbies
   • Practising Yoga During Tough Times
   • How Much To Invest In A Hobby?
   • Can You “Fail” Your Hobby?
   • Launching A Mobile App Without Coding Knowledge
   • Yoga: The Closest Thing To A Religion For Me
   • What Yoga Taught Me
   • How Maintaining Hobbies Keep Us Curious And Playful
5. Personal growth
   • Why I’m Deciding To Stop Korean Classes
   • Saying Yes To One Means Saying No To Many
   • Stop Learning And We’ll Fade Away
   • The Joy (And Danger) Of Giving
   • What Most People Get Wrong About Customer Service
   • Staying Curious And Playful
   • User Guide To Working With Vance
   • Why Some Do More In Less Time
   • Writing A Fundraising Campaign Story For The First Time
   • How To Improve Sense Making In A Chaotic World
   • Anyone Can Do It, But Not Everyone Will
   • Setting Goals For 2021
   • Slaves Of Our Own Imagination
   • Why Our Lives Will Never Be Like Someone Else’s
6. Single-word prompt
   • Gratitude
   • Jealousy
   • Curiosity
   • Impatience