Refresh, Recharge, Rejuvenate ..

The past year has been quite tumultuous for me both professionally and personally. It started off with me getting the dreaded Covid disease, followed by ticket for driving to having my manager leave the organization. Just to give a one-liner, I had never imagined life will turn upside down in the same organization when your manager quits but that will be a longer post to analyze what went right or wrong and how I like to do things differently so that am not in a similar situation in future.

Fast forward December - one of my favorite months when the melody of the Jingle sound and the dazzling Christmas lights in everyone's front-yard brings the much needed cheer to the long, cold, rainy and dark evenings. One of the greatest blessings I have had in the past few years has been the complete shutdown at Christmas time at the work place. I have never understood the meaning of that till I experienced it for the first time in 2018. Just the fact that I did not have to open the laptop to look at an email or respond to a slack notification can be quite exhilarating. I felt the energy and momentum double-up after this break.

So, when the opportunity presented itself with Winter Holiday's at work, I had two choices - to do staycation and focus on learning more ML/AI or take a short break and come back fully or rather doubly recharged to take on studies and work. I chose the later because I have learnt to believe how one's efficacy increases exponentially when someone is recharged.

But unlike previous years when we would plan a very hectic, agenda driven getaway to cover number of spots and areas in the shortest time possible, we went with an open plan. The strategy was to be laid back -  focus on well-being, rest and relaxation. Usually hotel prices hit the roof during this time - so getting good hotels at a reasonable price was a problem. We chose to go to best hotels at lesser known destinations where the price was lowest price covering breakfast. This strategy worked very well, as we got some great hotels, outstanding rooms with views and amenities.   

We would check-in to the hotels early evening (enjoy quite dinner) and go early bedtime. Then wake up lazily to breakfast at the hotel, followed by checking out and visiting one or two spots during the day. We saw sea at Malibu, dazzling city-life at LA, snowy mountain in Big Bear Lake (few miles from San Bernardino), desert and a national park at Palm Springs and finally topped it off with a tram way ride to top of 8500 feet top of San Jacinto mountains. Just as we were leaving the Aerial tramway at Palm Springs to head back home - I saw a poster that read - Refresh, Recharge, Recreate. Such a nice coincidence! I felt rejuvenated and wholesome again as I let go of all the worries and stress that befell me in 2022, wholeheartedly refreshed as I embraced the changing landscape of nature, and doubly recharged as I shared bouts of laughter with my kids. 

Welcome 2023 - you will be the best year ever. A year of opportunity, learning, growth, success and prosperity. I listened to this Sanskrit song by Swami Tejomayananda (of Chinmaya mission) that translated to English reads as follows:

Each and every moment that is fresh and new, may it be beautiful, real and auspicious!

May this new year be the best ever, may it bring you greater success and bigger heights!

Yes, it's an affirmation that this year will be bright, radiant and shiny. I will achieve all my dreams. 

Naba Barsha Suvashaya     

Location: California, USA

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