Thursday, December 31, 2015

Was a Boomshakalaka 2015... Booyah 2016 !!!

This photo best describe Myanmar with
the men-operated Ferris Wheel. You know
the risks, but you get up for a ride of your life
and then you go again. Booyah! 
Another year!! Egad!! Where did all the time go? And wait, once again, lemme dust out these cobwebs from my blog... Very unbecoming of a writer to have cobwebs on her blog page. Tsk. Tsk.

2015 had been another blessed year. It was bang full, packed up to the brim with work, new projects, the Youth Centre, the SoyAi Boys, more work, bang-head-on-wall, lots of training, fight camps, travels, new experiences, a spa venture, ASEAN Impact Challenge, more travels, eCommerce (my biggest yuck of the year), more training, new training programmes, teaching, more teaching, lots of food, more head-banging, new friends and even a Crossfit certification. Was that a boomshakalaka year or what? :D

It may not all have been peachy, bed-of-roses but if I had to count my blessings, I'd say it was yet another awesome year. So many great new experiences, both on the work front and on the personal front. Sometimes, it's funny how when we're going through the shit, and we wanna throw in the towel, but we grit our teeth and bear with it just one more try (and then one more try... Ok, and just one more!!) - much like the pain you get from doing 100 burpees and you say "I can't anymore!!!" But you push till you hit your 100th and you go "Booyah!! I did it!! I. OWN. YOU."
That pretty much sums up 2015 for me. Upon reflection, I've actually learnt much more from going through the shit than I would've, had I brought out the white flag. Plus, I'm not a giver-upper. I may go all yucks on that eComm project, but I ain't gonna quit till it is launched!! Actually, work had been pretty tough this year and the crazy salary increment had created a lot more stress for me which made work life a lot less enjoyable. What do people say about money being evil and all again? But you know what? Just....just one more try!! And I'm still officially a part-time consultant. I've the best job in the world! :)

Moving forwards.... Hello 2016! I think it's safe to say that my plate will continue to be packed full to the brim cos that's how I like it. There'll be a few major changes though... And the first being me stepping down and away from the SoyAi project. As many of you know, the SoyAi Boys were recently in Malaysia participating in the ASEAN Impact Challenge and watching them stand up in front of the judges, competing against financial analysts, investment bankers, tech developers, in English, in a PPT file they prepared. It was definitely the proudest, proudest moment for me. Can you imagine that once upon a time, they didn't even know how to switch on a computer? And their English language was limited to "Hi, how are you, I'm fine, Thank You." Just, booyah again! And I knew then, it's really, really time for me to let go. I've brought them this far, this high. How high they will now fly depends solely on them. They are no longer boys. It will be hard of course. But I cannot always be there to hold their hands and cushion their fall. When they made their moving on plans without me, I was a little saddened. Geez. But it'll be harder I assume, to watch them fall and the only thing to do is pray they'll get up stronger - all by themselves. So good luck Boys!! You can do it!! As the trend goes : "May The Force Be With You." (#notafan :P)

Well, I'm going to take my time looking at the possibility of another project. This time, I'm hoping to empower marginalized women. So we'll see. Meanwhile, life as a lecturer will officially begin for me as I take on a teaching position at one of the colleges for industry professionals here in Yangon. This should be fun! Ten years ago, if someone were to tell me I'd be teaching someday, like my Mama and Papa, I'd be ROFL-ing. !! Who knew right?

Not only am I gonna be teaching advertising and digital marketing, I've also taken on a fitness class at the gym as well. This definitely is a lot more fun and I've already started on this one. Glad that I've yet to kill anyone LOL and the members who come for the class have that "Just.One.More!!!" booyah factor too :) All those time and money invested in my certifications, now is time to earn back them moolahs for it, man! So, coming up in 2016, I will be taking on more fitness classes and help people get lean and mean, like moi :)

I'm not one to make NY Resolutions. This is what happens with them :

2016 Resolutions :
1) Wear more dresses LMAO!! No man. Just no. I'll wear happy anytime.

2) Train less. Sleep more. You've gotta be kidding me, right? Might as well say "be grumpy all da time" :P

3) Be a better wife. Say whaaaat?? I'm already fabulous as a wife :P Duh.

4) Talk softer in the office. My voice is naturally loud. I don't need a mic.

Just scratch all that.

In 2016, I'm gonna work hard, I'm gonna try hard (I will still bitch though, don't get me wrong!) and I'm gonna balance it all out with my passion projects (think fitness, races, empowerment of marginalized groups). And I will live only by one rule :

"When you get, GIVE. When you learn, TEACH." ~ Maya Angelou
(was from that inspirational speech by the mayor of Hawaii)

So, to all my loved ones and friends - may 2016 be as boomshakalaka for all of yous and remember, always #LOOK4THEGOOD :)