This is a slightly different five for Friday post, one I wrote for making up for lost time! I am back now, though plan to take things a little different this year, except during the challenge months (UBC every quarter, NaPoWriMo, and maybe NaNoWriMo this year!). I was away on the east coast of the USA, in Miami, visiting close family friends and also the beautiful parks and beaches there. Everglades National Park is a natural wonder (as is Biscayne – we only saw the 5% of it that is on land!).

Anyways, my way of making up for lost time is writing a little section for each of the first five days of this first week of 2024. And before I forget, a Very Happy New Year to all of you (still within week one, so it is totally fine to do so)!!

Making Up for Lost Time

What is your tip for making up for lost time? I know we cannot get it back but we can certainly try to become more efficient and effective going forward so we can redeem ourselves in some way, can’t we?

Motivation Monday (January 1, 2024):

🎉 New Year, New Beginnings 🎉

As the clock struck midnight on the 1st, I couldn’t help but feel the excitement of a fresh start despite deciding I am done with resolutions. Here’s to a year full of growth, new opportunities, and meaningful moments.

Instead of resolutions, I picked words, and hope to keep at the 13 tiny habits I wrote about last year and build upon them, expand them to more tiny habits as well as a couple important, bigger ones too. Maybe I will follow Gretchen Rubin’s example and do a list of 24 for 24. Since it can be anything, I will include those 13 habits I already have and add 11 other random things.

My 2024 words are cheerfulness, consistency, courage, and curiosity. I hope to develop my curiosity so I can learn new (and old) things – including things I want to and need to (but have avoided for various reasons, the top being, if I am honest, laziness regarding learning for those things). And I hope to be consistent in these things – in being curious, in learning, and in applying the learning. I hope to have the courage to step out of my comfort zone (the one I have been nestled in for far too long) and throughout it all, be cheerful.

What about you? Do you have a word(s) for the year? Do share them in the comments and here is wishing everyone a wonderful #NewYearNewBeginnings!

Tuesday (January 2, 2024):

🔍 Tech Trends in 2024 🔍

Tech trends are around us, everywhere, but there are a couple that I am most excited about! Personally, I can’t wait to explore generative AI as well as sustainable technology.

Generative AI is scary yes, like all new technology can be, but it is also full of potential and if used right, it can help. Given I love to write, I do not want to use it for writing itself but definitely will and have used it for helping remove writer’s block, to give me ideas on topics, and definitely to help create blog post titles recently. You see, after writing a post, I have often ended up spending way too much time with the title. And I want to stop that so now I use AI to help me generate title ideas and then tweak them with my voice. Though I still use titles I come up with more often than not.

What tech advancements are you eager to explore this year? Share your thoughts! 🚀 #TechTrends2024

Wednesday Wisdom (January 3, 2024):

🌿 Words of Wisdom 🌿

“We spend January 1st walking through our lives, room by room, drawing up a list of work to be done, cracks to be patched. Maybe this year, to balance the list, we ought to walk through the rooms of our lives…not looking for flaws, but for potential.” ― Ellen Goodman

“I hope you realize that every day is a fresh start for you. That every sunrise is a new chapter in your life waiting to be written.”― Juansen Dizon, Confessions of a Wallflower

“Write it on your heart that every day is the best day of the year.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

And below are these words of wisdom from the wonderful Neil Gaiman for the New Year and every day of your life too… Read many more here on his journal.

“I hope you make something in the year to come you’ve always dreamed of making, and didn’t know if you could or not. But I bet you can. And I’m sure you will.” – Neil Gaiman

Thursday (January 4, 2024):

🕰️ Throwback Thursday: New Year’s Edition 🕰️

Throwing it back to New Year’s celebrations that hold a special place in my heart. I just realized that we did not watch the ball drop in Times Square this year – for the first time in many years (more than two decades, actually). We did not even stay up till midnight to welcome the New Year! Our day trip to the Everglades National Park (one part of it) meant we ended up sleeping earlier (by 11 pm).

But coming back to the Throwback Thursday New Year edition, one of my fondest memories in recent years is one from we just got out of the pandemic. We – the whole family – attended two parties back to back at friends’ places (given we are normally home for the New Year) and had tons of fun, food, games, and conversation! And if I go back years ago, then it was one during my college years when my friends came home for a NY’s eve party. As always, mom made a whole bunch of items to feed the troop, and given the pleasant Bangalore weather, we could host it on our terrace. Fond memories indeed.

And then, the first time I watched the ball drop after moving to the US was wonderful too.

What about you? Share your cherished New Year’s moments and memories in the comments! 🎇 #ThrowbackThursday #NewYearsMemories

Friday (January 5, 2024):

🌎 Fun Fact Friday: New Year Around the World 🌍

For Friday, I do have the #fiveforfriday (this post) but also a fun fact for you. It is always fun and informative and so very eye-opening to read about traditions around the world. One New Year tradition that caught my eye is this one: People in many European countries watch this 18 minute comedy sketch called Dinner for One from the 70s on New Year’s Eve. You can read more about this tradition here. And watch the sketch that has captured the attention of many over the years thus making its way into the Guinness Book of World Records as the most frequently repeated program in television history!

What’s a New Year’s tradition that resonates with you or one you’d love to try? Do share in the comments! 🌟 #FunFactFriday #NewYearTraditions

And Now, the End of This Post

Dear reader, what are your plans for this year? Goals/resolutions made? Word(s) of the year chosen? Favorite memories from last year? Plans/dreams for this year?