2012 was
year of learning’s and new beginnings. Some of the key take away were:
1. I finally took the plunge and joined back my job. It was tough but some
thing I found immensely fulfilling.
2. I took a strong stand for myself. I have never been a diplomat to begin
with but taking stand this time was tough! 2011 was a rough year financially
and that obviously made this whole thing more tough, but I am glad that I did
it. My old job which I re-joined after my baby proved to be a disaster. They
had a new manager for me who was a complete jerk. (In all my life I can count
on fingers the number of people I have ever judged or declared that I can't
bear them AT ALL. Yes, he made it to that list.) I decided for once and for all
that it's not worth to even talk to him anymore. Hence, I just told my other
manager that either change my team or me leaving.
3. This proved superb thing at right time. I got an interview call from one
of my dream companies for one of my dream profiles and all that drama in
previous office just gave me a right kick needed. Hence I was able to join,
finally, my dream job.
4. We bought a new house and moved to same.
5. I learnt so much of patience. That’s what a baby teaches you every
minute of the day.
6. I also learnt that GOALS are very important to me. After long time I set
some not-so-quantitative goals for me and I failed badly in achieving them.
Worst I even stopped tracking them somewhere in last year.
7. And last learning was more of a refresher but still worth noting here. I
hate inflation more than taxes. Taxes might give you some refunds and
exemptions but inflation spares no one.
Over to
goals for 2013.
I kept on
procrastinating on goals for this year because I don't want one more bad year
in row. Here are my goals for 2013.
I am
calling 2013 year of Self-Love.
One of
the key things I observed in 2012 were that I need to love myself more than
what I do now.
I need to
learn to say no to the things that I don't want to do, need to do the things
that I want to do, need to prioritize time for myself, take care of myself
better.
I am not
claiming I am most generous person on this earth but I have realized that I (in
fact DH as well) go out of our ways to help / please others. It's a good thing
to do when done in limits but I have realized that now it stretches me (in fact
us) both financially and emotionally. This is high time I tackle this problem
in my household. Hence, this year all my goals will be revolving around one theme:
"Love Yourself."
Financial:
High time
we handle this category. 2012 was an average year where we barely managed to
save little shy of 30% (29.7 % to be precise). Given we bought a new house, got
its wood work done, and me not working for almost 5 months, I know this is an
achievement. But let's have some stretch goals this year.
1. Networth: I aim to increase my networth by 20% in this
financial year.
2. Savings: Save 50% of our joint take home.
3. Retirement: Save 20% of our joint pay cheque for retirement.
This category really needs some blood because of no new oxygen for last 2
years. :(
4. Budget: to achieve goals 1-3, this year we have to go
back on budget. So, be on budget for most part of the year.
Personal:
Remember
"Love Yourself".
1. Learn one new dish to cook/bake per month. (Bonus if some months it can
be two.)
2. Aim to not disturb baby's schedule on day to day basis, specifically
when we have visitors.
3. Spend at least one hour on my new job related studying.
4. Get rid of TV from my life. I watch very little of it but even those 2-3
hours per week have to be used somewhere else for now.
5. Pick one bad habit of myself every quarter and work on it for full one
quarter hoping to improve it eventually.
6. Will not spent more then half an hour on my Google reader. Reader is to
me what Facebook is for most of the people, addiction and major time consuming
thing.
10 goals
might look like too-much-on-my-plate again to some but to me I know I will
either achieve all (or most) of them or none. That’s how this gals mind works,
either super focussed or super lost.
Please wish me best of luck and I
promise to try and update regularly on my progress.
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