#21 – Personal Annual Review 2022

Last year this time, my family and I were settling back into our lives in Hyderabad after a trip to our native city of Kolkata. It was hectic, but we were excited to be back and ready to tackle the new year.

Our office reopened in a hybrid mode in the early months of 2022 as we navigated the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. It was a new experience for all of us, and it was exciting to meet my colleagues in person after so much time apart.

The biggest event of the year for my family and me was the arrival of our newborn son in July. Life became even more busy and full of new challenges and responsibilities, but we were overjoyed to welcome him into our lives. To help us with the new addition to the family, my parents moved in with us to offer their support and assistance.

In my job, I was allowed to lead a larger team, which came with its own set of challenges. It was particularly difficult to manage employee turnover during a wave of resignations, but we were able to navigate through it and establish new processes to help us move forward.

This year I also gained valuable skills and insights into my career. One of the most significant things I learned was how to lead a bigger team remotely, which was a new challenge for me. I learned the importance of clear communication, setting expectations, and finding ways to stay connected with my team despite being physically apart. I discovered that by being reliable and consistent in my work, I can earn the trust and respect of my colleagues and superiors.

I learned the importance of finding a balance between being thorough and being overly meticulous. I learned that it is important to set clear definitions of success for each work and to focus on the things that are within my control, rather than becoming overly invested in things that are outside of my control. This has helped me to work more efficiently and effectively, while still maintaining a good work-life balance.

As I look back on the past year, there are a few things that stand out to me as significant moments of personal growth and learning. One of the biggest things I changed my mind during this year was my perspective on life and the importance of family. After being hospitalized with COVID-19 and facing a difficult recovery, I realized the importance of cherishing every day with my loved ones and prioritizing my relationships with them.

I also learned the importance of taking care of my energy and well-being. I started tracking my activities and noticing which ones were highly positive or negative for my energy levels. I found that creative writing, and spending time with family were some of the things that boosted my energy while listening to negative news and staying active on social media drained my energy. Consequently, I made some changes to my daily habits, such as deleting social media apps from my phone and finding more positive news and information sources.

One thing I didn’t do this year because of fear was driving. I was involved in an accident in the past and have struggled with anxiety behind the wheel since then. I am determined to overcome this fear in the coming year and work with a driving instructor to rebuild my confidence and skills.

In terms of my greatest hits and worst misses this year, I am most proud of my consistency in writing and ability to lead in my job. However, I did miss some personal goals, such as completing my ukulele lessons and maintaining a consistent exercise routine. I also missed my investment goal and struggled with increased spending due to various circumstances, including an increase in rent and the added expenses of a newborn.

Overall, this has been a year of personal growth and learning for me. I have gained new leadership skills and confidence in my career. I have learned the importance of prioritizing my well-being and my relationships with loved ones. As the year comes to a close, I am looking forward to seizing control of my life and embracing growth and learning in the new year.