New Year Gives Us A Blank Slate To Fill

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New Year Gives Us A Blank Slate To Fill

We all enter into the New Year with brand new hopes and resolutions. I am sure it’s the same this year too for most of us. Hope the tempo is kept high and not allowed to dim with the passing days and months. Our collective hopes in the hospitality sector will be for better business and wellbeing of all. As we have seen one of the lowest low of our times. We have sat at home and experienced WFH for the first time in our careers, for some it’s been once in 3 decades. Hotels have remained empty or very low on occupancies.  They were used as quarantine centres, with business being really low for hospitality, tourism and many other verticals of the industry were hit hard owing to the multiplier effect. Some of the partners had no business at all and some preferred to remain shut. Gradually the industry learnt new ways to work and deliver services. It’s been almost 2 years and we are into a new reality. The way the industry worked has changed don’t know whether for good or for worse but then there is a new reality and coping mechanism is on. Coping mechanism needs to be converted to the winning edge. For that we need to look back and see where we have reached and where are we heading from here on.

It is said that the darker the night, the more it brings forth the brightness of the stars.It is only during the tough times that we become aware of our true potential and the many blessings that we have. It brings forth the opportunity to look beyond the mask and see things from a different perspective. All it requires is a change of perspective and clear focus. It’s when we shift our focus from the negative and look beyond the situation we start to realise the true value in it. This is what leads to growth.

Another aspect that makes things happen is doing and not trying. As trying is not enough; only doing is all that counts. At times trying can be worse than doing nothing at all. When you are trying; you are under the illusion that you are actually doing something so you may not put enough efforts to take you beyond. Trying is actually an action taken without much commitment. You might try on a particular day but there’s no guarantee that it will continue the following day. While doing something translates that you are committed to taking action till you have accomplished what you desired to do. Accomplishment comes through doing with focus and effectiveness. Thus you bring into focus the energy needed to succeed. As it is rightly said that; trying will get you trials while doing will get you the results. Result is all that matters at the end of the day.

New year gave us all blank pages of a 365 page life book. What are your focus areas this year? My ten action points for this year are:

  • Always keep moving forward; let the day be action packed and be smart enough to handle emotions better.
  • Block time each day to complete the planned work.
  • Avoid blame game or criticism on the personal and professional fronts.
  • Stay focused and do what you love.
  • Improve on the technology quotient.
  • Always keep your mind engaged -be efficient and effective.
  • Travel whenever possible.
  • Do community/ social work.
  • Promise less and deliver more.
  • Stay in the present; practice mindfulness.

Wishing everyone an action packed, happy and fruitful New Year!

PS: This article first appeared in ET Hospitality World – Top Talk by Laxmi Todiwan.

Pictures are taken from google with due credits.

Dr. Laxmi Todiwan
Dr. Laxmi Todiwan
Founder Indian Women in Hospitality. She is a Professor, Corporate Trainer, Motivational Speaker and a Blogger. A multiple award winning hospitality professional with a career spanning over two decades; people engagement, training and development are close to her heart. She writes for hospitality journals, online platforms and columns in the local newspapers. Married to a Master Mariner she loves to write on the maritime industry as well as the lives and relationships of the fraternity. She expresses her thoughts on her blog and website, www.theiwh.com

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