While it’s no surprise that my plans for 2020 went up in smoke, the only one thing I wished to do during the year happened. I was able to go home for my birthday. Spent time in Africa and most importantly I was able to head around my home town of Durban. Partying, crashing other parties, going for morning swims and walks along the beach. I really do miss home.
The theme for 2021 was health. It was impossible to hide that I had gained way too many kilos to be healthy and decided enough was enough. I spent my holidays eating my way through India, Malawi and SA. I don’t regret it, especially with Mumbai street food. I didn’t follow some keto, 5/2, Intermitted Fasting. I just cut out excess sugar, including most fruit, gave up carbs and made sure to eat at home as much as possible. It worked, but it’s not sustainable. Eventually six months in, I started to eat carbs that I made myself to stop in pulse eating and started to drink spirits again. Being a teetotal in England (especially since I’ve never enjoyed cool/soft drinks) isn’t exactly easy. Thanks to Covid, it was totally possible without a hitch. Now I’m eating like before the diet, just far more conscious about what, when and how much I’m eating. It’s definitely far healthy and what I would recommend to others. It’s slower, but it’s marathon and not a race. Living with Ba though, it’s tough not to have sweets around the house when she will call a dadam (pomegranate) a bitter fruit.
So with 2021, looming in what do I want for the future year? I hear that people are going to be Jim Carrey and in Yes Man and say yes to all the experiences life has to offer and be grateful for the future ahead. It’s not a bad plan, but I think it’s slightly flawed, though the film itself has the answer. It’s not to say no to things you actually want to do and go see. My constant struggle is to not to try and do everything I can. It’s quite funny as the theme for most of my Christmas cards was about not pickling life which can be seen as enjoying this as they are fresh. All I am going to say to those who did receive a card to be warned that this was not the case. It was to make sure that you enjoyed things in the present as the future is uncertain. Waiting is a fools game, unless it’s your pension stocks. Following that brief turn away from doing stuff just remember that specialisation is for ants and I don’t plan on ever being one it’s tough area to balance without diving into an abyss of events and then going to the overwhelming stage and then shutting oneself off from the pressure.
The theme for the year ahead is business. I have a couple of projects in mind in the health and wellness sector, I think that my writing is enjoyable to read so getting published in something not Spurs related would be good and being open to ventures that I’m not the brains of would do me fine. I would also like to go back home at some point to give Mum and Dad a hug. Probably would have given them a longer hug at the airport if I thought that was the last time I was going to see them in over 9 months.
Stay safe and remember there’s always opportunities in chaos.
HP KOTECHA 