Make a 'Good Times List' as the year ends #UnwrapChristmas

‘I am celebrating the spirit of Christmas with the #UnwrapChristmas blogpost chain.

I am thankful to Kala Ravi for passing on the baton of spreading Christmas joy and spirit to me.’

One of the unique aspects of the concept of Santa Claus is how he keeps track of whether you've been naughty or nice. The idea behind the tale is obvious - to motivate (trick?) the young ones into being nice little boys and girls if they want to be in Santa's good books. As the year winds down, kids write letters to Santa asking for what they want while also sending a 'good times list', reminding him of the good stuff they've done and why they deserve gifts. That habit ends once we stop believing in Santa and grow up which is sad in many ways. 

For me, it has been a long year. Emotionally, professionally, personally - at all levels, it has been tiring. I have had to try hard to motivate myself to keep going on many an occasion. As it always is, during the bad times, you tend to downplay the good things that happen around you as your eyes focus exclusively on all the things burning around you.

In this scenario, I feel making a "good times list" like we used to for Santa as a child can make a significant difference in our outlook. Instead of the good deeds, we look back on the good moments that brought us joy this year - a reminder to ourselves instead of Santa that good has touched us.

I look back this year and see that there are moments that really brought a smile to my face too, many of which I did not even gloat about on the blog (as I would normally do, considering my elephantine ego). Pain does that. But there is a time when you need to enjoy the gifts that you receive. And Christmas is that time every year. 

For me, the gifts that 2017 gave me included:

• Trips across the country and unwinding with friends.
• My Heroes of Kindness and Compassion blog series, which gave me hope that there are still plenty of good humans around, even during these dark times.
• My first houseboat experience was truly memorable - fun, games, food, drink and merry.
• I got to speak in front of a huge audience of young minds at Chat Jaipur youth summit and talk of thinking beyond the normal ways of life, one of the guest speakers alongside actress Raveena Tandon, politician Sachin Pilot, magicians, dancers et al.

• I pretty much willed this into happening - Having been a winner of Write India Season 1, I really wanted to be a part of Season 2 as well to prove it was not just a fluke. After trying and missing for the first few months of the competition, I finally succeeded last month, being the runner up for judge Sudha Murthy.
• I rekindled friendships I had lost along the way.
• I attended my fifth book launch as an author - this time for Have a Safe Journey, the world's first anthology on road safety. 

Christmas may be ending but it is never too late to take stock of your year. Make this list every year and save it somewhere safe, a present/reminder to yourself during your worst moments that there is good in your life too.

Take a moment and tell me in the comments section your 'Good Times List' of 2017 - what were your best memories of this year? You will find just writing about it brings a smile on your face.

I now invite Anagha Yatin to carry forth the Christmas cheer.

Have a wonderful end to this year and a beautiful 2018.

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