It is the end of the year and I am torn between doing a wrap up post and mentioning only things that happened in December.
The wrap up won over because December IS a time for reflection and we do tend to think back–and of course, forward.
So if my post is a bit half-hazard, please bear with me. I just decided to free write as the words flowed. I will try and keep it short by setting a timer.
While the year gone by has had its ups and downs, as usual, I am focusing on the lessons learned and the good things. When we focus on the good things, more will follow. Most of the time! Also, I am open to abundance. Way better than wasting precious energy feeling bad!
Joy
Son is at home for his end-semester break and will return in a couple of days. I cannot describe the joy of his presence. While he has work to do and we had to skip our usual outings, we are nevertheless making the most of his visit by enjoying cooking, good food, watching our favorite shows, walking together, and long conversations. What more could one want?
https://www.instagram.com/p/Br8HDa0lumy/
Work
In spite of ongoing technology woes, I’ve somehow managed to build a working relationship with technology—pretty much like many other relationships in my life. I did get work done. And best of all, this constant living on the edge with my computers has helped me manage my work time better, odd as that sounds.
I love my clients. What more can I say? I do what I love and love what I do. Grateful for work that allows me work from the comfort of my home and gives me flexibility to do other things I enjoy.
Blogging
Yes, I love blogging. And while I am more social now than when I started thanks to social media, my style has not really changed much. I continue to write for the sheer joy of it.
Grateful for the rewards via sponsored posts allowing me to make a difference to support welfare homes in my area and beyond.
This year I started the Wednesday Wisdom series and I really enjoy writing those posts – and I am grateful for the wonderful comments on some. Especially, thankful hugs to Darla Sands for her loving comments.
Shilpa Garg and Debbie Doglady for sharing all my posts.
Gary for his humor, kindness and for sharing my posts.
My Triberr communities for their constant support.
My Facebook support group since 2012.
Relationships
My offline relationships are much stronger than my online ones, probably because I do spend a lot of time offline. To this end, my eternal gratitude goes to my schoolmates, my apartment community, my childhood friends and the loving bonds I’ve formed during my life on earth.
Of exceptional note is Vanita Cyril, my sister-mentor. Our souls met the moment we connected and remain irrevocably enmeshed. I am grateful to her for always standing by me, supporting me and well, putting up with me.
Special gratitude to the kid I’ve watched growing up into an amazing adult who now runs a successful family business . . . who always, always comes to my tough shopping rescue–he’s literally a magician when it comes to making things happen.
Special thanks to Mr.Praveen of Matrikas for helping me keep my year organized with their fabulous desk planner. I’ve been using these for years. This year I also got a beautiful bullet journal just for fun. I have been following the system in a square ruled spirally bound book for as long as I can remember, but thought why not be posh this year! I plan to write a separate post about bullet journalling, please stay tuned.
Thank you Sreesha for your presence in my life this year. Good times, and looking forward to more. Who knew a passion for Andhra meals and window shopping would lead to many more shared interests!
Fitness
My early morning walks continue to be great until my walking buddy moved. Since my son’s in town, we’re walking in the evening and boy, I am covering some crazy distances. All good. When he returns to campus in a couple of days, I plan to return to the early morning routine. Because exercise is a non-negotiable for diabetes. Grateful to have walking companions and good conversations and also, our lovely area that’s great to walk in.
Kindness
Ryan Biddulph mentioned me in his post on Christmas day – and it was like a Christmas present because of the context. I started reading Ryan’s blog around the time he started blogging which is years and years ago and it is always amazing to see someone so focused, so cheerful, so consistent. His accomplishments are legen(wait-for-it)dary. Please do visit him to get inspired.
Emails from non-bloggers who subscribe to my blog filled my heart with happiness. That’s what makes writing so fulfilling. I’ve received long appreciative responses from readers to specific posts, sharing their own experiences. Grateful to make a difference. If I am able to touch even one heart, I think my work is meaningful.
Accolades
Features in the “top ten lists” on websites picking this blog and also my health blog among the millions online – what a wonderful feeling to be noticed!
Talking of featured, I have been nominated for the Asian Fitness and Wellness Blogs 2018 Awards.
Please click the image below to vote for me! If there is any prize money involved, it will go towards supporting the education of one child for a year. Thank you!
Making a difference
Grateful to contribute to welfare homes towards food and medicine, children’s education, homes for the elderly and schools for the blind. I also do what I can when I meet someone who is in need—cash and non-cash. Gratitude to my Mom for inculcating this attitude in me and also showing me by constant example.
This gratitude list is far from complete, but if I had to list everything, I’d have to write a series of books.
So, I wrap up…
…feeling grateful to enjoy hosting the Gratitude Circle blog hop every month.
My heartfelt thanks to those who link up. I still don’t know some of you since you don’t comment after you link up, but then you know what they say= the world is full of friends we haven’t met…. YET. I am happy for your presence here in celebrating gratitude.
Welcome to the December 2018 Gratitude Circle blog hop.
Write your post, grab the badge and add your post link to the linky below.
I appreciate your kindness is linking to my post.
Hi Vidya, it’s been a while since I visited your blog but it’s always a pleasure reading your gratitude posts. You may not know me. But I come across your blog sometimes.
Remembering good things always make us smile and the sad things teach a lesson so that we try to avoid them in future.
Vidya thanks so much for the mention 🙂 You are awesome. I love stopping by for a drink of wisdom every time one of your blog posts goes live.
Congratulations for being nominated as top 10 fitness blog. I wish you all the best. Enjoy your time with your son and happy holidays . My advanced new year wishes to you and your family.
By the way, I too skipped my gratitude list for December and instead wrote a gratitude list for 2018.
Hello Vidya and may the year ahead be filled with joy, peace and wonder. I, u fortunately, got sick a week before Christmas and I am still quite ill. I fell on my butt with blogging and visiting blogs that I love like yours. A year in review show how much you have to be thankful for. Health is always #1 in my book and I achieved all year except now. My year of 2018 started poorly with 3 weeks of hell to be honest…the bathroom pipes busting, my mom dying and my car accident. To reflect, the bathroom is still not done but it will be and it will be done right if my hubby has anything to say about it. My mom is now with my dad and is clear in Mind now..I just wish she would visit me in my dreams. We have a new car..for us new and it’s nice to have despite the loan to get it. I am so thankful to have my hubby in my life, my dear friends and I visited my friend in Vancouver this past year which was great. So…have a beautiful new year filled with love, health and happiness
Hi Vidya its always a pleasure to visit your space and thanks a ton for being my inspiration, I love the way you consistently keep motivating and helping me to reflect deeply. Congratulations for all your achievements. You are so full of positivity and enthusiasm that it becomes infectious. Appreciate you for sharing beautiful stories and this gratitude circle is my favourite. I enjoyed writing this gratitude post, and happy to be part of gratitude circle, as the new year dawns, I wish love, peace, joy, health, wellness and harmony, May 2019 lead you to greater success. Love and hugs.
Hi Vidya,
What an upbeat, inspiring post, my nice friend. Your positivity resonates, as per usual. I’m grateful to know you. I’m honoured for the mention. Thank you for all you do, Vidya.
Like you, I do my best to focus on all that is good. This has been a trying year but I learn from the experience. Wishing you a peaceful, hopeful 2019.
As usual a delightful wrap up of what seems to be a very busy month.Having experiences the failure of hosting a blog hop, I now appreciate how much work it entails . Thanks for hosting gratitude circle unfailingly and with a smile month after month. Wishing you well for 2019 !
[…] would also like to thank Vidya Sury for hosting the #GratitudeCircle and Corinne and Shalini for hosting […]
प्रभावी !!!
शुभकामना
आर्यावर्त
[…] Gratitude Circle hosted by Vidya […]
Stopping by here never disappoints me. In fact, I always leave your space with a smile on my face. I do visit you sometimes when I feel low just so I can smile a little, Vidya. I’m so grateful to have found you in the blogging world and connected with you. May you continue collecting and spreading smiles in the coming years!
Also, congratulations on the accolades. ❤️
Hi Vidya! you inspired me to do the gratitude circle post! I realise that there are so many little things we take for granted, that we actually ought to be thankful for! Loved your heartfelt and warm post! I wish you a happy new year and pray that the new year brings you even more joys to be grateful for!
I’m grateful I have a friend like you who keeps inspiring me to do better in her own quiet way!
[…] with Vidya for her Gratitude […]
I love that you have had so much to be grateful for. I think when you are open to abundance, you will receive. Thanks to you, I ended up venturing into reading about gratitude in positive psychology and this year, applied it and can see the benefits personally. I am glad there was so much good in 2018 for you Vidya! I hope 2019 continues to give you joy <3
[…] I am linking my Gratitude post with Vidya Suri’s Gratitude circle. […]
HI Vidya, this is the first time I am doing a gratitude post. All these months when I came across others’ gratitude posts, I would think they have so much going on in their life and so much to be happy and grateful about. However, I never found anything worth talking about in my life. And then in the month of december, all of a sudden I realised that how can I write off an entire year as if nothing had happened, so much had happened in this year that I am grateful for. And that prompted me to write a gratitude post. Thanks for hosting this linky.
I read your post and am so glad that you have so much to be grateful for. I don’t know you, but it shouldn’t stop one person to be happy about another person. I wish you a new year full of hope, motivation and accolades!!
Wonderful post. Loved reading. Wishing you more success ahead and a happy new year.
Thank you for teaching me a lesson in gratitude. So happy to know your 2018 through this post. It is full of positive vibes and when we are open to abundance, there is a lot to soak in. I wish you a beautiful 2019 to you and all your loved ones. Love and hugs!
HI Vidya, It always gives me a nice feeling whenever I visit your blog. The positive vibes. You are the one who inspired me to start the gratitude journal and the monthly post. How much ever busy I am or how much ever crap I am dealing with I am glad that my monthly gratitude posts are up on my blog. All thanks to you. Keep inspiring us with your writings. Happy new year!
Congrats for being nominated Vidya- not surprising as you are a very accomplished blogger and wish you all the best for this.
Your post as always is uplifting and calm – love your gratitude circle and am very grateful to you for being the encouragement for me to write for it too! Its my one go-to every month and I know what it does for me. So thank you from the bottom of my heart for it.
Wish you a very blissful 2019 and waiting to read next on Wisdom Wednesday!!! 🙂
Vidya, you’re AMAZING! Happy New Year!!! Also. I VOTED FOR YOU!!!! 😀 Congratulations!!!
Congrats for the nomination – Hope you gets a deserved position in the finale,
Once a supporter and always
Your gratitude circle posts always make me so happy and teach me so much! Open to abundance is such a beautiful and meaningful phrase. No one but you could have done justice to it.
Happy new year, Hottie! May this year be the best one of your life <3
Love you loads!
It’s been a good year Vidya – but then you do know how to make lemonade out of lemons. That’s something I find inspiring and that is what has made me do my gratitude posts every month this whole year.
Glad your son is home. I can only imagine how wonderful it must feel to have him around.
I love that you make so many offline connections. I’ve come to realise that they’re really really important to help one keep a sound head.
Congratulations on the awards and the nomination. Lots of love and luck for the New Year.
[…] Linking up with Vidya Sury, Collecting Smiles […]
[…] linking up with the kind-hearted, Vidya Sury’s, Gratitude […]
I love you share your gratitude yes such abundance and i love how yo share , smile and contribute- so uplifting my friend xxoo
Congratulations on your Asian Fitness and Wellness Blogs 2018 Awards and all the other great work that you are doing. You have so many gifts that you are giving to the world, Vidya. Wonderful that your son is home and that you have so much gratitude. I always enjoy visiting your website and seeing what you are up to.
Thanks for sharing this nd letting us glimpse into your life. I also find the little joys in every day. Sure, there are aggravations and disappointments. Those demand our attention all by themselves. We have to look for the little joys. They are always there. Like you, I have a “working relationship” with technology. Thank goodness for Vanita!
[…] linking this post to Gratitude Circle Blog Hop hosted by Vidya […]
I’m so happy for your awards Vidya. So well deserved. And as always I love reading about the things that are happening in your world. Feeling grateful is such an incredible value energy for health and abundance in every area of life. And like you, I see so much to be gratful for every day. Life is beautiful indeed.
Thank you Elle! The award is still a step away–we’re at the nomination stage. That’s why I am requesting my people to vote! Practicing gratitude is the best thing ever! Hugs!
Hey Vidya, How fun it is to read about all the things in your life you are grateful for. Somehow gratitude always gets me all warm and fuzzy 🙂 I’m a morning walker too…right now its cold early morning brrr..walks 🙂
I might actually hop in the next time you have a gratitude blog hop.
xoxo, Z~
Thank you Zeenat! Yes, Gratitude IS a warm feeling! Do join in!
Your positive attitude is always so inspiring! Sounds like it’s been a good year for you. I’m glad. I hear you about technology! I waited till December to address many of my lingering technological glitches, and I’m so glad it finally got done. Wishing you a beautiful 2019.
Thank you so much Sandra! Glad to hear your technology glitches are a thing of the past! Me, I live in amused fear of my desktop computer. I’ve learned to work with the laptop most of the time. I’ve also reduced screen time, which has made things way pleasanter! Happy 2019 to you too!