For the last few years, I’ve selected a theme for each new year based on where I am in life. 2021 was about relief and play, coming after an extremely challenging 2020 dominated by the pandemic, a loved one’s battle with cancer, and an extremely demanding and stressful job.

In 2021, the vaccines showed us that life with the pandemic could be managed. The loved one finished her treatment with incredible results. I changed my job after 3.5 long, grueling years. It was a year to celebrate.

For 2022, the theme is to work hard with all the energy and positivity I’ve accumulated in 2021, and focus on areas I want to grow. To help with this, my “resolutions” are to continue what served me in 2021.

Last year, I felt most rewarded, connected and alive when I was able to do things for other people, bring them a little joy, and make them feel appreciated or celebrated. Flowers to mom from overseas. Small gifts to friends from trips, or evenings committed to just catching up and listening. Surprising the boyfriend with his favorite meal. A box of macarons for the doormen.

Of course, giving doesn’t have to be material. It’s also about reaching out to that person you haven’t talked to in a while and saying hey. Actually going ahead and scheduling the time to hang out.

My best memories, and the times I’ve been happiest with myself (as someone who suffers from low self-esteem) were the times when I took that extra step to show appreciation and love, regardless of how lazy I felt or consumed with the day-to-day.

On a practical level: I will find opportunities to give and go the extra mile for the ones I love, and I will not be lazy about this. I will commit to three such acts every week.

Over the years, my ashtanga yoga practice has made me comfortable with physical challenge. I can work my way through a complicated and vigorous series of postures, tensing and stretching my muscles past the level of discomfort, and learning to stay there for five breaths (and all this early in the morning). But when it comes to things that present the equivalent of a mental ashtanga yoga practice, I’ve become comfortable simply sticking to sun salutations or poses that I know.

When I picked up a video game last year, it really showed how much I could benefit from more systematic thinking, learning to gather information to make quicker decisions, and staying focused to solve problems for longer periods of time.

Same with learning about my industry, crypto. There have been times when I felt simply overwhelmed by the amount of knowledge I needed to consume, or afraid to take an action to experiment because I had not invested in setting the right context for myself. Simply reading about stuff is not enough to learn crypto. Just like in a game, you need to gather information, act on it, pivot, gather more knowledge, and improve.

This year, I will grow my “mental” ashtanga practice.

On a practical level: I will carve out half an hour to an hour every day for crypto deeper dives, focusing on completing one action or understanding one idea at a time. I will invest two hours on a weekend to advance in a video game. And I will commit to publishing one piece of content per week.

I’ve been quiet most of my life.

In social settings, I’m always happier listening than talking. I am genuinely curious about others, and prefer getting to know them instead of talking about myself.

Work settings are different. There are times when it’s literally my job to own a situation, and communicate with authority, clarity, and confidence.

Here is the thing about confidence though. Before diving into an endless stream of “trust in yourself,” advice, one needs to ask oneself (as two favorite mentors of mine once suggested): is it a confidence issue, or is it a subject matter issue?

For me, presenting “confidence” or speaking up in the workplace is a matter of being airtight on the following:

• Do I have all the information or evidence I need/could gather to make a well thought-out recommendation?

• Are these ideas presented in a way that will resonate with the intended audience?

• What are the 1-2 things that I NEED to get across in this presentation/conversation?

• If it’s a big presentation, have a prepared/rehearsed enough to make myself feel more comfortable?

On a practical level: Instead of trying to tackle the elusive goal of “confidence” (we can all have more of it), I will focus on these underlying questions.

I’m under no illusions that I can consistently create time for learning, preparation, and quality work with discipline and willpower alone. So, in 2022, I will stay focused on the essential, on what gives me the most joy and makes it easy to stay focused on what I need to accomplish, and be okay letting go of the rest.

I have a small space. I will keep it tidy and organized, conducive to collecting my thoughts and recharging. I will not create clutter or extra work for myself by keeping it filled with piles of stuff. I will be disciplined about donating or giving away what I don’t need.

I will be focused on the essential in what I purchase or consume, whether it’s limiting what I buy, or how I interact with social and digital media. Minimalism applies to digital media, too. Sure I would like to be as informed as possible on every topic that interests me, but no one has the time. Newsletters that don’t get read day-of will be chucked. Tomorrow is another barrage of news anyway, and seriously, how much of it am I retaining anyway? I will be disciplined about what I’m reading or browsing through, and ask myself why. If I have half an hour, do I spend it browsing aimlessly on Instagram or bridging my assets cross-chain for DeFi experimentation?

On a practical level: I will spend 15 minutes to half an hour every day tidying up and getting rid of clutter, to start every day fresh in a clean and organized home ...

and a clean and organized inbox. Any newsletters that haven’t been read day-of will be chucked. There is no later. Tomorrow is a new news cycle.

Building on the idea that goals can’t be accomplished with sheer willpower day in and day out, investing in an activity that keeps me positive, energized, and motivated is essential.

After years of practicing yoga alone, I discovered weight training for the first time In late 2021. And nothing — and I mean, NOTHING — has given me the physical and mental GAINZ of weight training. There is something incredibly satisfying on a primal level about lifting heavy objects and feeling stronger.

In 2021, my goal is to stick with this. When I feel tired, depleted, stuck in negative thought patterns, but make it to the gym anyway — my world changes.

On a practical level: I will continue to make working out regularly one of my non-negotiables.

Just like this blog. It doesn’t need to be perfect, it needs to be done. Consistent, a little every day, done is better than perfect.

On a practical level: I will commit to more “done”s, less “idea”s or “almost done”s. It’s not done until you hit publish.

For the last few years, I’ve selected a theme for each new year based on where I am in life. 2021 was about relief and play, coming after an extremely challenging 2020 dominated by the pandemic, a loved one’s battle with cancer, and an extremely demanding and stressful job.

In 2021, the vaccines showed us that life with the pandemic could be managed. The loved one finished her treatment with incredible results. I changed my job after 3.5 long, grueling years. It was a year to celebrate.

For 2022, the theme is to work hard with all the energy and positivity I’ve accumulated in 2021, and focus on areas I want to grow. To help with this, my “resolutions” are to continue what served me in 2021.

Last year, I felt most rewarded, connected and alive when I was able to do things for other people, bring them a little joy, and make them feel appreciated or celebrated. Flowers to mom from overseas. Small gifts to friends from trips, or evenings committed to just catching up and listening. Surprising the boyfriend with his favorite meal. A box of macarons for the doormen.

Of course, giving doesn’t have to be material. It’s also about reaching out to that person you haven’t talked to in a while and saying hey. Actually going ahead and scheduling the time to hang out.

My best memories, and the times I’ve been happiest with myself (as someone who suffers from low self-esteem) were the times when I took that extra step to show appreciation and love, regardless of how lazy I felt or consumed with the day-to-day.

On a practical level: I will find opportunities to give and go the extra mile for the ones I love, and I will not be lazy about this. I will commit to three such acts every week.

Over the years, my ashtanga yoga practice has made me comfortable with physical challenge. I can work my way through a complicated and vigorous series of postures, tensing and stretching my muscles past the level of discomfort, and learning to stay there for five breaths (and all this early in the morning). But when it comes to things that present the equivalent of a mental ashtanga yoga practice, I’ve become comfortable simply sticking to sun salutations or poses that I know.

When I picked up a video game last year, it really showed how much I could benefit from more systematic thinking, learning to gather information to make quicker decisions, and staying focused to solve problems for longer periods of time.

Same with learning about my industry, crypto. There have been times when I felt simply overwhelmed by the amount of knowledge I needed to consume, or afraid to take an action to experiment because I had not invested in setting the right context for myself. Simply reading about stuff is not enough to learn crypto. Just like in a game, you need to gather information, act on it, pivot, gather more knowledge, and improve.

This year, I will grow my “mental” ashtanga practice.

On a practical level: I will carve out half an hour to an hour every day for crypto deeper dives, focusing on completing one action or understanding one idea at a time. I will invest two hours on a weekend to advance in a video game. And I will commit to publishing one piece of content per week.

I’ve been quiet most of my life.

In social settings, I’m always happier listening than talking. I am genuinely curious about others, and prefer getting to know them instead of talking about myself.

Work settings are different. There are times when it’s literally my job to own a situation, and communicate with authority, clarity, and confidence.

Here is the thing about confidence though. Before diving into an endless stream of “trust in yourself,” advice, one needs to ask oneself (as two favorite mentors of mine once suggested): is it a confidence issue, or is it a subject matter issue?

For me, presenting “confidence” or speaking up in the workplace is a matter of being airtight on the following:

• Do I have all the information or evidence I need/could gather to make a well thought-out recommendation?

• Are these ideas presented in a way that will resonate with the intended audience?

• What are the 1-2 things that I NEED to get across in this presentation/conversation?

• If it’s a big presentation, have a prepared/rehearsed enough to make myself feel more comfortable?

On a practical level: Instead of trying to tackle the elusive goal of “confidence” (we can all have more of it), I will focus on these underlying questions.

I’m under no illusions that I can consistently create time for learning, preparation, and quality work with discipline and willpower alone. So, in 2022, I will stay focused on the essential, on what gives me the most joy and makes it easy to stay focused on what I need to accomplish, and be okay letting go of the rest.

I have a small space. I will keep it tidy and organized, conducive to collecting my thoughts and recharging. I will not create clutter or extra work for myself by keeping it filled with piles of stuff. I will be disciplined about donating or giving away what I don’t need.

I will be focused on the essential in what I purchase or consume, whether it’s limiting what I buy, or how I interact with social and digital media. Minimalism applies to digital media, too. Sure I would like to be as informed as possible on every topic that interests me, but no one has the time. Newsletters that don’t get read day-of will be chucked. Tomorrow is another barrage of news anyway, and seriously, how much of it am I retaining anyway? I will be disciplined about what I’m reading or browsing through, and ask myself why. If I have half an hour, do I spend it browsing aimlessly on Instagram or bridging my assets cross-chain for DeFi experimentation?

On a practical level: I will spend 15 minutes to half an hour every day tidying up and getting rid of clutter, to start every day fresh in a clean and organized home ...

and a clean and organized inbox. Any newsletters that haven’t been read day-of will be chucked. There is no later. Tomorrow is a new news cycle.

Building on the idea that goals can’t be accomplished with sheer willpower day in and day out, investing in an activity that keeps me positive, energized, and motivated is essential.

After years of practicing yoga alone, I discovered weight training for the first time In late 2021. And nothing — and I mean, NOTHING — has given me the physical and mental GAINZ of weight training. There is something incredibly satisfying on a primal level about lifting heavy objects and feeling stronger.

In 2021, my goal is to stick with this. When I feel tired, depleted, stuck in negative thought patterns, but make it to the gym anyway — my world changes.

On a practical level: I will continue to make working out regularly one of my non-negotiables.

Just like this blog. It doesn’t need to be perfect, it needs to be done. Consistent, a little every day, done is better than perfect.

On a practical level: I will commit to more “done”s, less “idea”s or “almost done”s. It’s not done until you hit publish.