🎊 45 days to 2021
Sunday Scoop #18 - With exactly 1 month and a half to go, let's rethink our default practice of celebrating markers on arbitrary calendar dates and how to get a head start on the year ahead.
Hey friends,
Yesterday, I published my most detailed article yet on the website about my favorite iPad apps that help me optimize for productivity and general life management.
It is a pretty lengthy write up but I’ve included a Table of Content so feel free to just skip around to the apps that interest you. Even if you don’t yet own an iPad, I’m hoping this article might just push you over the edge to get one! 😉
As 2020 approaches its final months, I’m having mixed feelings about it. Is it a blessing or a curse? What do I make of this year? Has the events of 2020 left a universal impact or is it an individual experience?
In the midst of these thoughts, I came across an article from Derek Sivers. It’s quite a refreshing thought and resulted in the piece occupying my thoughts for the better part of the past week. I’ll include the entire article below for your convenience.
💿 Derek Sivers: Time is personal
A new day begins when I wake up, not at midnight. Midnight means nothing to me. It’s not a turning point. Nothing changes at that moment.
A new year begins when there’s a memorable change in my life. Not January 1st. Nothing changes on January 1st.
I can understand using moments like midnight and January 1st as coordinators, so cultures and computers can agree on how to reference time. But shouldn’t our personal markers and celebrations happen at personally meaningful times?
Your year really begins when you move to a new home, start school, quit a job, have a big breakup, have a baby, quit a bad habit, start a new project, or whatever else. Those are the real memorable turning points — where one day is very different than the day before. Those are the meaningful markers of time. That’s your “new year”.
This isn’t selfish. You know your friends and family well enough to acknowledge these special days for them, too. The day that I most want to celebrate someone’s life has nothing to do with the calendar day that they were born.
The fourth Thursday in November is not when I feel most thankful. February 14th is not when I celebrate romance. To force these celebrations on universal dates disconnects them from the meaning they’re supposed to celebrate. It’s thoughtless.
Celebrate personally meaningful markers. Ignore arbitrary calendar dates.
When did this year really begin for you?
Orginal Article Link: sive.rs/mny
💭 Thoughts
I appreciate the general sentiment of Derek’s article and at the same time, understand why society 'forces' these celebrations on universal dates. I wouldn’t go so far as to claim that it is 'thoughtless' on society’s part and be so fatalistic as to 'ignore arbitrary calendar dates'.
However, what Derek wrote about had a lot of truth to it. We should practice celebrating personally meaningful markers. We should not fall into the illusion of starting January 1st with a long list of 'New Year' resolutions just to fall back into our old ways. Most importantly, we should never, never wait for a fixed calendar date to do something we’ve been meaning to do.
Why wait for Mother’s Day to show appreciation? Why wait for the next month to begin your diet? Every moment is incredibly fleeting. If a 'nice date' is the only thing holding you back, I would recommend you to take action right now.
The coming Monday marks the last 45 days of 2020. What are you going to achieve before then? Are you going to get a head start and get your year going before anyone else?
Keep in mind that a meaningful marker doesn’t mean publishing a new blog or running a new business. It could mean the start of your healing process from a toxic relationship, or the beginning of your recovery from a burnout period. If we get down to it, we’ll realize that true change often originates from the deceptively small things.
With that said, I hope that your last 45 days of 2021 would be productive and fulfilling, and starting 'your year' before anyone else does would add some value to your life in some shape, way, or form.
Have a great week ahead and see you in the next issue of Sunday Scoop!
Jia Shing.
Link
🎧 Podcast - After lunch today, I was listening to an episode of the College Tales podcast featuring one of my closest friends from high school, Prabal. While it was quite a relaxing listen (i.e. most people will be able to multitask with it), the episode also opened my eye to what a Malaysian student may experience when studying abroad and even sparked a cheeky little reflection about what I truly want in life. Looking forward to more future episodes!
💬 Quote - One of my favorite quotes from Mitch Albom. Definitely check out 'Tuesdays with Morrie' and 'The Time Keeper' too, if this seems up your street.
Question
Has your year started yet?
Article of the Week
With the lockdown extension, many students took the plunge to purchase the iPad Air 4. In hopes of saving you some time, I've compiled and curated the best iPad apps out there for you. This way, you can put your new iPad through its paces soon enough and get some #productive work done.
P.S. - Even if you don’t have an iPad, this might just push you over the edge to get one! 😉
Tweet of the Week
This is a story on how I convinced @AliAbdaal, a popular productivity YouTuber, to "give" me $749. You'll find lessons on getting what you want, taking risks and how to send a good cold email. A THREAD 🧵👇Real-life example on why it is always important to provide more value than you’re asking for. Something I truly believe in and try to practice daily.
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