2021 - Copy from my Facebook post on January 6th, Wednesday

Six days have passed since the calendar flipped and I don't get a chance to gather my thoughts of my 2020 and what I have learnt from the previous year. Also, I don't get a chance to write my new year's goals and resolutions because I know I keep recycling them from the past. Go Green, uh? I should be excited of this transition, moving from a horrible 2020 to a brand new 2021. What would be different?

We celebrate New Year's with high hopes and crazy expectations - which may be why a lot of us feel so uncomfortable. Maybe I am right that life isn't going to improve just because the calendar flipped. Objectively, I know my life was good. But like many people, I often focus on the negatives of life instead of the pleasures. I probably don't appreciate what I have as much as I should. I pay too much attention to what's wrong than what's right.

I was on my way home from Bintulu on January 1st, and I was sunk in my deepest thoughts. A person like me always need a brand new year to start, so why don't come up with specific goals and resolutions and be serious about it. Thus, I came up with '5S' and added another 2Ss which made '7S' now!

1. Solat / Sembahyang - I need to be more consistent to 'solat di awal waktu'

2. Sihat / Sejahtera - That includes my physical and mental health. To do that, I must remember, "You're what you eat!". A healthy mind comes from a healthy body! Don't forget, exercise!

3. Simpan (savings) - Save, save and save for not only my year end trip, also for the rainy days!

4. Sedekah - Even how much you have earned, don't ever forget to give back!!!

5. Syukur - Learn to be grateful with whatever I have!!! That's the key to happiness!

And... I added another '2Ss'

6. Social Media cleansing... - Let's start with Facebook, then Instagram. Slowly but surely. Let's go back to the old-style-way, frequent logging in and logging off from the web on your computer, instead of an easy single click via apps on your phone.

7. SUCCESS - Success at work is all about moving forward. Reach one goal and there's still another to achieve. Gratitude requires that you take a different approach - relishing the moment and not fretting about the next step!

Savouring what I have is never straightforward. It's easy to look at someone else and think how lucky they are and how wonderful it would be to have their life and success. But what any of us feel on the inside is rarely the same as what is perceived from the outside.

P/S: I'm writing this on my computer, not my phone. I have officially uninstalled most unimportant apps that have made me carried away. The 6th S is doing its job now!

Thanks for reading till this part!