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Action Replay + Gratitude List: January 2021

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We're done with January too? Wow, where are the days going? I still remember the first day of the year and now we're already on the second day of the second month of the year. But, you know what, January has been a wonderful month and no matter how fast it whooshed by, it made a huge impact. January helped me get a reality check and sort out and align my priorities better. As a person with multiple passions and interests, I usually have more than what I can handle in my kitty. I try to do too many things and while I usually succeed in getting them done, it does take a toll on me. It also adds to the guilt incase something gets missed out. Now, I'm more realistic about what I should do and how much I can handle. This has simplified my life to a large extent.

Over the past few years I have mellowed down as a person. Patience was never a virtue of mine, but ever since I met my partner, I have been acing it. I still was hyper and anxious though. With time, I have learned to calm my mind and soul. I have created a beautiful life for myself and I want to eliminate the not so good areas and nourish the great ones. I have been working on myself for years now and that has and will be my sole priority for a while. Owing to this, my word for 2021 is 'Nurture' and I'm going to do everything that I can to nurture myself, the people I love and the things that matter to me.

One more thing that January taught me was the value and importance of privacy. Something happened in January that made us sit back and give it more thought. As much as my partner and I like socializing, we do love our privacy. We also love and guard the things that are important to us. Be it ourselves, our plants or our home. We have worked really hard to get here and everything we do is because we want to do it and it has a special meaning for us. We don't do anything to show off and we hate being discussed even when we are around, let alone behind our backs. It is hilarious and annoying at the same time when people discuss you and what you do on groups that has been solely created for the purpose of alienating you in the first place. We always knew where to draw a line in terms of privacy, but now it looks like we need to draw a square.

Work was pretty peaceful in January and it gave me ample time to read. I managed to read 9 books in January. I have set a target of 50 books to be read this year and I think I can make it easily if I keep up the same pace. You can follow my reading journey via my Goodreads page or my Bookstagram account.

Honestly, I wanted to write more, but I wasn't able to manage my time effectively. I'll no longer be doing blog-hops as I want to focus more on words than images. Hopefully, I would be able to write more in February

The first month of the year came with an ample share of gratitude. Here's what I'm thankful for this January.

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~ Work: Keeps me grounded.

~ Books: Reading keeps me sane and teaches me something new everyday.

~ Travel: We took a holiday to Pondicherry during the last week of Jan and we loved it! A break from monotony is always refreshing.

~ Food: It is no secret that my partner and I love food! We do eat out often and the experience of stepping out to eat in a place with good food and ambiance is always unmatched. We explored some delicious food in Pondicherry as well.

~ Sustainable Living: We embraced a sustainable lifestyle a few years back and we're loving it. It makes you feel so good.

~ Photography and Editing: Thanks to my Bookstagram account, I have taken photography seriously although I solely focus on flat-lays for the books. I have installed a few editing apps and have been experimenting with them. I love the way my timeline looks and I'm glad I made the effort to pursue this seriously.

~ Privacy: You don't need to be a celebrity to understand the importance of this. The private you are, the saner you are, trust me.

~ Love: Having someone who understands you and your actions and reactions without any questions is indeed a blessing.

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January was an excellent month in so many ways. Here's hoping the month of love is the same.

How was your January?

Linking this post to Vidya's Gratitude Circle for this month.

Comments

  1. I agree this month has flown by. On the blog front, I feel lost without a laptop (being repaired since 3 months) and that definitely has affected most online work since I've never been comfortable doing blog stuff on the mobile alone.

    As for privacy, in recent years I've found great solace there... I still fight on twitter and post occasionally on Insta but where actual relatives and people I know are concerned, my updates on Facebook are far less now.

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    1. Oops, I have you have gotten your laptop back by now. I can never do blog stuff on the mobile, it is so inconvenient.

      Privacy is key for mental sanity, I've learnt that now.

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  2. January seems to have been kind Soumya. Hope the rest of the year goes the same way for you. I love your instagram account - it's one of the most aesthtic grids ever. Also, would love to know more about what you have done about moving towards a sustainable lifestyle.

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    1. Thank you so much, Tulika. I'll write a detailed post on the sustainable lifestyle sometime soon.

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  3. There are people who create groups to discuss another person? Wow. Where do they get so much free time from? 24 hours does not seem to be enough for me :-o

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    1. I know, right? Jobless morons seem to be everywhere, so...

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  4. Can't believe it is January already. Privacy in today's age is so important to maintain. Consider yourself celebrity couple and ignore others 😊 I hooe you get to write more in the coming months. Take care.

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    1. Bwahaha, that maybe one way of dealing with it :D

      Thank you, Raj.

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  5. Glad to hear your January was good! I always like January and except for a few years here and there, it's generally been good. It's heartening to see how much you have to be grateful for. Your bookstagram game is strong! :) I honestly couldn't be bothered making a separate booksta account though I briefly contemplated it. Having followed you online for years, I can see what you mean about having mellowed - I think we all have grown in different ways {thankfully!!} and it's nice to see that change reflected through our blogs and online world too. Hope Feb is fab!

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    1. Hahaha, you bet! Since we've been blogging for ages, it is nice to see the trajectory of each other's lives! We all have grown, and how!

      Thank you so much, Sanch! <3

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  6. You are right. January just flew by. I’m happy for you. Knowing you see you grow as an individual makes me happy. Continue doing what you love and makes most sense for you.
    I love your feed. Tell me more about your flat lays and the apps. And wishing you both a happy a February ♥️

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  7. Glad to know that you had a good January, Soumya. Mine was a mix of good and the not so good.
    I agree with you about privacy. We need that no matter how famous or not famous we are. Creating groups to discuss others sounds like the meanest and dumbest thing I ever heard.
    You will reach your reading goal easily at this pace, Soumya. I haven't been on Instagram much lately. But from what I had seen yours is a lovely feed.
    Wishing you a kind February! :)

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    1. Thank you, Vinitha. I hope your Feb was better.

      Privacy is vital for your mental health, there is no other way about it.

      Thank you so much. Wishing you a fabulous March!

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