My Word of the Year for 2018 #WOTY

Dr Roshan Radhakrishnan
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2017 exhausted me. That really is as simple as I can put it. 

I found myself carrying the weight of the world on my back. I was constantly grinding my teeth as I read article after article of outright hatred in the media. Yes, these events did not concern me and happened hundreds of miles away but the injustice rankled. 

In my personal life too, it was a year that just had moments of loss, resignation and stress all around with a strain of anger pushing at the edges every day. I was actually winning national contests towards the end but still the anger below the surface refused to die down. That, more than anything else, exhausted me mentally, I realize. Carrying so much anger and outrage was tiring me down even as I lay still in my bed. 

I cannot do that much longer without losing a key essence of what was I once was.

My word of the year is Serenity. It is something I severely lacked last year. But that was 2017, or as I chose to call it, the Year of Trump where logic had no value and you watched in disbelief as events unfolded all around you. 

My choice of the word Serenity comes from the famous Reinhold Niebuhr Serenity prayer that I've seen stuck to our door as a child in Dubai and even growing up in India. You know it well. 

The Serenity Prayer by Reinhold Neibuhr - God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.

I've lacked the wisdom for awhile now and it has critically affected my life in some aspects to the point where even though I've needed to give up on life-long dreams and ambitions, I've been unable to do so. Accepting that fact has been hard. Serenity is the one thing that has been lacking in recent years in my life. And I need to actively inject it in my life. 

Fellow bloggers too have joined in to talk about the words they want their 2018 to be defined by. From Create Peacefully and Savour to Consistent and Thankfulness, it is a world of positivity people have chosen. You can see them the full list here
What about you? What word do you want 2018 to define you by? 

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40Comments

Let me know what you think.

  1. 2017 definitely was the year of Trump. You nailed it Dr.
    With new beginning comes new hope and I can smell it wafting through your post.
    Wishing you 52 weeks of serenity.

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  2. Serenity is a wonderful word and I wish from the bottom of my heart that this year is as serene as possible for you. I hear you, Roshan. I hear the angst and anger. I laboured under it for a good bit of last year until I finally let go. Believe it or not, blogging came to my rescue. Learning Pinterest taught me to be ever present in this moment and spend hardly any time on other social media. It's a boon.

    Wishing you a wonderful 2018 with more accolades and more Serenity.

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    1. Thanks... yes, it was a bad year to be empathic for sure... i need to choose my social media time wisely from here on in

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  3. True.

    .SERENITY is a wonderful thing to wish for in this chaotic world..2017 was a horrible year for me too with the traumatic NEET PG medical exam confusion which made most of the students , including me run around looking for centres as I couldn't find it in my native place which was given in the prospectus and the irritating application process and negative marking which they introduced 5 months back.Thinking what is the purpose of my life by joining medical profession,which I had joined once with great hopes of becoming a good clinician getting inspired by my uncle,mom and cousins (which changed after seeing all violence against doctors now)..Now seeing the bloody exam pattern and family pressure, thinking of giving my dream to become a pathologist too now.. Adding to this,my parents unstable settlement in Oman,which makes them leave the country anytime soon(since they're making stringent law for foreign doctors to practice there with the regular checking by the Omani health officials(sort of OMANISATION ), making them leave there anytime soon, finding it difficult for them to find job in India,with the present NMC rules.. Totally shattered sir����..

    Let's hope for 2018 as a good year for all of us..I pray..Wish you a new year sir..
    Freakedout Dr

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    1. I wish I had any good news to offer in this regard... I myself am absolutely unsure what is coming up next in this field. Let's just hope for miracles for 2018 in the medical sector.

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  4. I have to admit you are a very kind,compassionate,helpful soul and a true empath with the personality of a dove,seeing your description and I really admire that quality of yours...You can feel others pain,even if you don't know that person well and that disturbs you very much,when they go through any problem..Had you been a little bit more socipoathic and aloof,you would've made a good psychiatrist too😉..
    .Just don't take others problem too much into your heart sir,after listening to them and move on.Also dont take troubles of the world too much into your head,at an era where narcissistic world leaders are only not bothered about the chaos in the world..SERENITY is the word for not only this year,but a full lifetime..For me ,it is FAITH and HOPE this year... Continue writing and inspire every body through your creativity..Wish you all the best sir this 2018..

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    1. Thank you so much for this... I have taken too much to heart this last year. I need to dial back. Have a great new year :)

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  5. Thats a favourite quote and it was stuck to my PG hostel room mirror.Serenity is much needed #WOTY2018

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    1. It is a lovely quote to have when young... and one that actually assumes more significance as we grow older

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  6. Wishing you Serenity and all good things 2018 and always, Doc. Here's wishing 2018 turns out to be the start of many wonderful years to follow!

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    1. Thank you. Wishing you an awesome new year ahead too.

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  7. That is a good word and I find it very helpful as well. The quote has been ingrained in my mind too by my mother as well.

    Another one I like to quote often when things get out of hand is, "Not my circus, not my monkeys." :D gets a laugh as well.

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    1. I actually forgot about that one... I used to say it too once upon a time... totally forgot about it.

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  8. Serenity is a wonderful word! I must admit, I have had to refrain from following the news and sometimes even social media because injustice irks me no end. Trump, misogynists, and plain arseholes all get my goat but it was stressing me out. I consciously made an effort to disconnect from that because I couldn't do anything about it. I still try and fight against injustice if I encounter it but I'm not going looking for it if that makes sense.

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    1. I think that last sentence defines me... or it did. I don't know if I even want to delve into fighting against injustice presently

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  9. That's a great choice - one that we all need to make - to remain serene through all that's happening around us. In fact tat quote says it all. Good luck for 2018 Roshan, hope it brings you all the you wish for.

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  10. Serenity? And here I was thinking your word would be 'Eat' and I'll get some fantabulous recipes and images to see!

    On a serious note, looks like 2017 exhausted everyone! I drained every ounce of my strength and patience. 2018 is going to be year of survival for me. I hope 2018 turns out to be a serene year for you with many more writing accolades. We all know how much you deserve it!

    Happy New Year, Doc!

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    1. perhaps the easiest way to serenity will be via food :D

      Happy new Year to you too.

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  11. Wow! What a wonderful thought. Things happened last year are startling and I'm sure more is to come going fwd as well. All. We need to do is just accept 😊

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  12. Serenity, the word oozes that element of calmness, and for some odd reason thats what I crave for in the year ahead :)

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  13. As I said, this is what we all need, Roshan. Serenity - to accept life and people, to live the way we want to, to accept ourselves and everything about us and be happy with the way we have been created.
    I truly hope 2018 brings with it a lot of serenity in your life. I hope you find it in yourself to just accept it all peacefully and let go of all that you can't.
    Best wishes, Roshan, for a serene 2018!

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  14. Serenity is needed always...#WOTY2018
    Thanks for sharing this Doc. Sharing on twitter rightaway.
    Cheers!!

    UK
    http://fashionablefoodz.com

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  15. Serenity is such a beautiful word. It has peace and calmness oozing out of it.
    Negative things will keep happening every year. It is our attitude that matters. With serenity, I hope you leave the angst behind and have a great year 2018.

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  16. Serenity is a great word and we all have high and low moments when we need God to guide us and hold our hands. May you have a wonderful 2018. Happy new year, Doc.

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  17. Serenity is undermined but your nailed it when you wrote sometimes we lack the wisdom to understand the difference and make the changes needed. Hoping you have a serene year ahead.

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  18. Yes. It was a roller-coaster year for me as well. Just as things were going good, I broke my leg in the last quarter of the year and the journey from there till now is truly painful. Serenity is the need of 2018. Thanks for giving me a space to share my heart.

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    1. Damn... that is horrible. Sorry to hear that. Wishing you have an awesome 2018

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  19. Congratulations on completing a successful year. Though Serenity is part of life. But you really make all of us proud.

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  20. I loved that quote and 'Serenity' is what we all need. Sorry to hear how 2017 drained you and your energies. For me 2017 had both the good and the ugly. I haven't picked a WOTY and I never do but if I think of it, it has to be something positive :)
    wishing you a serene 2018, Roshan! Stay blessed.

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