yoga

Dear Reader,

So much happens over a year—birthdays, celebrations, holidays, work schedules,

school routines, exams, visitors, medical hiccups, fitness plans, diet flops, good

news, bad news—and poof, before you know, the year comes to an end. During the

holiday season, you start all over with resolutions and plans for the next year, and

the whole cycle begins again.

We also find ourselves pondering over what was done and what could have been

done differently in the year that passed by. So immersed are we in routine chores

and daily duties that we regret the loss of a whole year, one that had been kicked off

with promises and plans.

How can you change this vicious cycle?

How about starting small by promising just one thing to yourself? It

could be anything--from signing up for a diet plan (and sticking to

it), writing a book (and finishing it), or joining a course (and getting

a certificate for it). At the end of the year, if you can talk about one

thing that gave you a sense of achievement or accomplishment that

year—check the box, as they say—then you’ve done your bit in

making that whole year worthwhile for yourself.

This thought occurred to me eight years ago when I turned 40. There

was so much on my list of things to do, and I realized life was just passing

me by. So, I vowed that every December when I sit with family, I will tell them

of one thing that I accomplished that year. In other words, I wanted to make sure

I did something for myself every year. Not for the family or my work or the world, just

for myself.

And so I did. It began with getting a tattoo on my arm the first year to cover a scar that

has bothered me since childhood. The second year I went away to spend a month in

Mysore to get a yoga teacher training certificate. I did scuba diving in the Gold Coast the

third year, and started teaching yoga on a regular basis in the fourth year. In the

fifth year, I finished writing a book (that was published and launched the

next year). In the sixth year, I bid goodbye to financial journalism after

20 years and launched Yoga Journal Singapore. In the seventh year, I

got certified in Reiki level 1 and 2, and learned the art of healing with

touch. As I look forward to sitting with family this Christmas, I am

ready with my “What did I do in 2018” talk—a breathtaking trip to

the birthplace of yoga, Rishikesh. For next year, I want to learn yoga

therapy and go deeper with my practice of linking yoga with healing.

Send me a note on my personal email ([email protected])

if you want to share with me what you want to check off for next year.

I will save it, and I hope to receive your note again at the end of the year

telling me you checked it off. And then, we celebrate together!

Focus on just one thing that will make YOU happy, and make it happen. All else

will fall into place.

Happy holidays, and a wonderful new year!

Kavita Chandran

Editor-in-Chief

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ART DIRECTION: ANUJA BAGADE, PHOTOGRAPHER: HANZ LAI