So I knew yesterday was the last day of August but it did not dawn upon me that the month had come to end. I opened my drafts to fine tune a travel post and then realized that this post would go live in September. It was funny how I finally ‘got’ that a new month has already started.
August was good. Simple, busy and easy. Two national holidays made two weeks of the month relaxed. Rains continued to lash Bangalore. When things became bad in Kerala and Kodagu, we were all hit by sadness for the loss of life and property.
Two things this month were on self-awareness and I can’t tell you how excited I was to know myself better. As I type this, I think I should write separate blog posts to share more. But I won’t leave you readers guessing. In my little happy moments below, you will be able to spot these two things that led to better self-awareness.
In no particular order, below are a few things that made me happy and grateful this month:
♥ My phone is finally repaired and back. I am grateful to RG who got it fixed miles away from home. To be honest, I was unsure about asking for help but I am glad I did and it worked out well.
♥ Have you watched ‘We bought a zoo’? This is one movie like Pursuit of Happyness that I can watch again and again. It is a simple but inspiring movie and will leave you think about 20 seconds of courage that can change life.
♥ Licious. If you eat meat and you haven’t tried Licious, you should. They deliver marinated chicken and fish and this month, I ordered four times. Everytime they deliver, I thank the company for making meat shopping so simple and easy.
♥ We bought life insurances this month and VT has to undergo a lot of tests. Family history, stats etc. and he had to go give his samples multiple times for a lot of tests. I am grateful that all came out well.
♥ I haven’t been doing very well on blogging but two weeks this month, I was able to schedule posts. Workload and then the long commute to work takes up a lot of time. When I reach home, I am exhausted and writing is the last thing on my mind. If there are no calls, I can still manage but it’s never easy. I am grateful that I know the problem. The solution is not far, when one has identified what’s not working.
♥ Friends continue to be my lifeline. SM’s call from Chicago and her advice, RJ came home, chai with SN and weekend drives to see MK and meet GK. For Rakhi, SK and DG came over with little I and we had a good time.
♥ Tea and how that is my fuel on most mornings. I don’t drink a lot but I think of drinking tea a lot. Chai point, Tata Cha, tea at home, lemon tea at work, kashaya in my bag and all that I do have a cuppa.
♥ I started waking up an hour early. Earlier I was always running to finish yoga and then rush out to work. While that was efficient, I was in this constant pressure of running with time. Waking up an hour early and taking up the 6am yoga class has now freed up an hour in the morning for me. I am able to relax a bit at home, have breakfast and leave for work in peace. I have tried this for 5 days but it seems so much more energizing. Sleeping early is one thing I will have to work towards.
♥ Work and like you know, I love what I do. This month, I worked on taking things more thoughtfully. Sometimes in the speed to execute and close things, I get stressed. Also if I can give myself the time to absorb and reflect, I will be able to cover better bases. AK at work guides and points me in the right direction. Work becomes better with good people around. I am grateful to have such people who support me.
♥ We watched Ghoul and are now on Designated Survivor. An episode or two a day, is fun and good form of entertainment. Do we really need a TV now? A screen to stream content is enough when news over social media faster. Have you given that thought?
♥ At work one Friday, we sat in a day long session to know ourselves better. We had taken the MBTI earlier and I am an INFP. Things that I do and how I think, the way I process information and see the world, this was one of the best sessions I attended in a long time. Self awareness goes a long way in doing things effectively. I am grateful I was able to spend a day on self-development.
♥ VT’s silly jokes that brighten my day. Like chalk and cheese, we are so different yet that MBTI exercise told me, we are also very similar. I am grateful to have a friend like VT.
Working out now is as important a part of life as work is. I stayed on track this month. Walked and practiced yoga and also tried to dine early. This month the viral bug caught me and I was out of action. A few pills and two days of over 15 hours of sleep made me better. I was looking forward to our Munnar trip but God had different plans. This August we also completed a year of having been to Ladakh and we kept talking about our trip. Some travel tales are not forgotten.
I finished one book this month and I need to pick up reading in September. We are planning a short trip in September but let’s see if that happens. Like I said before, this month had a lot of things.
How was your August? Tell me that one thing you are grateful for.
Joining Vidya Sury’s Gratitude Circle for August 2018.
happiness and food 
Lovely list Parul. So many things to be grateful for. Can’t remember what I am- time to take the MBTI again and go on a journey of self discovery.
Love reading your posts. I’ve been off the blogging scene for a while, hoping to return soon and link up with your linky.
Love and loads of cheer this September and may the wanderlust bug be by your side this month.
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Thank you Natasha! Appreciate your kind words. Let me know what your MBTI comes out. I would be curious. Though the HR in me is already guessing 😉
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Glad to hear you had so much to be grateful for in August Parul. It’s such a lovely list. I’m with you in not watching TV much at all these days – it’s either Netflix or I just listen to music while I write. Good on you for going to yoga consistently. I’d done the MBTI years ago and recently did one online — it’s interesting to see how I’ve changed. I used to be INTJ and now I am INFJ. I hope September is an amazing month for you!
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Thank you Sanch! I think I have been an INFP for as long as I know. The first time I did, I was confused about the J or P but this time, I had no doubt. How have you been?
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What a lovely month Parul- self awareness and the bliss it brings is just priceless. I had a vacation full of such moments and have declittered so much from m y mind.
Your Ladakh trip was awesome woman, esp the way you did a blog commentary on it. I lov your travel posts and am sorry to hear your Munnar trip got canned.
Blogging has been in an off mode for me too since a few months, not really stressed by it. So I say write when you feel like it
Hope the ill health is at bay, wish you a fabulous September.
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Thank you Shalini! Just yesterday I was talking to Soumya and I was telling her how much genuine I find you. ❤️ thank you for always being so encouraging and kind. Good people like you are hard to find.
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A perfect month, with food , friends and oodles of Netflix I must say. I have started on Ghoul.. yet to make substantial progress though. On my August front, fitness was a sore point as I had to do a bit of travelling. Planning to be more disciplined this month. though August saw me reading quite a bit. Happy abt it.
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Reading is so good. I also need to get back to reading. Travel hurts my fitness plans too but this time, I’m planning to keep up at atleast walking So that I Don’t Just eat all the yummy festive food but burn it too. 🙂
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Looking forward to your new Gratitude list for September 18 . Good that you get calls from Chicago too .
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So glad you had an amazing August. Your mention about getting your phone repaired reminded me of how important it is ‘to ask’ at times. It just makes life so much simpler. I have mostly been off the blogging radar. Your wonderful list has given me the needed push to get back. You sure had an eventful month. Kudos to you on starting to wake an hour early and doing regular yoga (something I am working on this month).
Keep rocking, Parul!
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so nice to read this post at the end of the day, just before sleep:) I am smiling and feeling good to know so many positive things you are grateful for, I remember doing the MBTI in the early days of my career, it was fun and am sure if i do that now, I would see the way I have changed for the better:) Yoga and reading is something that I too do keep both physically and mentally fit…thanks for sharing and inspiring me now.
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Self awareness is great. About TV absolutely. Have up my TATA sky connection in Dec last year. With streaming sites nothing to really worry. Watched both the Seasons of Designated Survivor. Engrossing though felt unrealistic at times. Netflix is so good, right! These days I am watching Grey’s Anatomy on Hotstar.
Happy to hear about your August Parul. Wish you a very Happy September!
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I like that you find gratitude in the everyday things in your life. Indeed I often feel that there is nothing really to be ‘grateful’ for but when I begin to list it down, there’s really lots!
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Almost one thing or other for every day of the month to be grateful for..Wow! Life is all about counting the blessings and finding joy in itsy-bitsy things.
Wishing you “Bon Voyage” for your planned trip in September, Parul
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That’s a long and beautiful list of things to be grateful for. And yes I’ve watched We Bought a Zoo, and love it.
I have a long list of things to be grateful for this month—but I’m too shy to share them outside my gratitude journal 🙂
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I also have a few things every month that make me super happy and those few remain in my journal. So I get where you are coming from. As long you let the universe know you are grateful, it’s good. 🙂 thank you Damyanti. Glad you stopped by!
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Beautiful list of things to be grateful for, Parul. I’m in awe of you the way you manage work, yoga, blogging, managing house and everything else. Hope you have a wonderful September! ❤️
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You are very kind Vinitha. Nothing in front of what you do as a Mum of two. ❤️
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This is such a heartwarming post. There are so many things to be grateful for yet we take them for granted . I started writing my August gratitude post because the month had been really kind but I felt like it was too personal to share it with the world.
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I am grateful for people who still remember how to FIND my blog. 😉 I am grateful for coffee, for the health and happiness of family, for a job I love, for the ability to send my kids to college even though I miss them, for a roof over my head and food on my table – oh,so many things and people I am grateful for, I won’t list them all here.
I am INTP/J (I have a floppy J, mostly it’s J in election years, and P in my “kinder, gentler moments.”) I’m also Dc, PDig, and probably slightly crazy. 😉
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Ghoul is so amazing. Loved watching Radhika Apte.
Glad you are feeling well now and are able to continue your Yoga practice. Loved the way you write about VT. It’s wonderful to have a partner who can make you laugh 😀
Have a fabulous September.
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Your August looks so awesome! I’m glad the phone is up and running now. We don’t need a TV at all these days, seriously. Netflix and Prime have some really good content now. Ghoul was okayish, didn’t enjoy it much. Sacred Games was awesome. Will catch up on Designated Survivor soon.
Next time you make meat at home, call me, will you? 😀
You and VT are the cutest.
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Wonderful list and I learnt two new things from your post. Licious – Definitely will try and MBTI – I did it online soon after reading your post and I am ESFJ-A.
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Your post is always such a pleasant read, Parul. What a lovely month! The self-awareness exercise: isn’t it great to know yourself better? Hugs! Glad you are on track with your fitness! Friends are always one of our biggest blessings. While there are so many sources of entertainment, I admit I am still hooked to Comedy Central on TV. Nice in the background while I work or do other stuff. I remember watching We Bought A Zoo, and I really loved it. Take care Parul! Thank you for being part of the Gratitude Circle.
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