Category: Myself

Food For Thought, Myself

Few Moments

Sanjay Sabarwal

76717-Winnie+pooh+quotes+saying+goodEach morning, I wake up and for a few seconds while I am still in bed, I express gratitude for my life, for the people in it and my existence. Those few moments matter to me because so much could change. It has in the past. New people, problems, ideas and things happen. Then there is the inevitable loss. It surprises me still how I respond when death occurs. It is as if I continually forget how that is also life’s deal. You come in one day, and you leave. Most of the time, you never know when, but you know what even if you do, it has become important for me to love my life and the people in it the way I was meant to.

This means connecting with loved ones, telling them how I feel, letting them know they matter to me, and how much. I forget sometimes, but lately those few seconds, I send out gratitude.  I used to feel silly , but no longer.  Life is too important to be lost in regrets. That’s not to say, I don’t say it to them, just that those moments have become important because sometimes words are enough.

I say again and again in those moments and now. Thank you for being in my life. Thank you for allowing me to see your light. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Simple words, important. I no longer need to have to see all my loved ones (although I wish I could), but if nothing else I hope and pray these thoughts reach them in their moment of need.

Family, Food For Thought, Myself, Preeti

Reflections on 2015: Love More, Live More & Give More

Sanjay Sabarwal

So the last two days have been eventful in my life. Actually, if I was honest, I would say this past month and the whole year has been. But yesterday, I spent most of the day at the ER for a headache that wouldn’t go away. Last time, that happened, I had a subdural hematoma (a bleed in the brain) so it’s frightening. Luckily, it turned out to be migraine caused by heavy congestion. Then, this morning around 5am, someone tried to break into our garage. Our brave  seven pound Maltipoo alerted us with her bark, and we called the police who confirmed that someone had kicked the door in.  They didn’t get anything, although they were welcome to the 2 broken bikes, poker table, and 4 tires that were in there. I almost wished it was a homeless person that we could have given money to spend the night someone since it was so cold out.

The lessons I took from these events is that 2016 is the year I work on improving the foundation of my home to taking my health to the next level. I have had too many scares to not take it seriously.  Yet, I also got a chance to reflect on how many amazing things happened this year.  I learned that I focus too much on what I didn’t get done, and while that works on motivation, it devalues me in a way. So while it may sound like bragging, it’s more of a testament of just acknowledging myself that I am on the right path,

This year, I completed a Spartan Trifecta, wrote a novel, and 4 other personal essays, completed a leadership program, did lots of community service, started practicing law, deadlifted 305 pounds, worked out regularly, raised and donated money, became a Artesia chamber member, connected with loved ones, acknowledged my failures in trust with key people, and learned much more than I thought possible.

Now 2016 comes, and I now know that I need to travel more, do more fun stuff with Preeti, and of course learn more. So the last two days are a reminder of what more I get to work on, and as part of what I learned from Four Agreements is to accept it all and not take it personal.

So Happy New Year to all my loved ones.  I hope you take a chance to reflect on your year as I did. It is a great way to build a foundation for the future!

Myself

Still Learning

Sanjay Sabarwal

quote-pride-makes-us-artificial-and-humility-makes-us-real-thomas-merton-126335Another exciting filled weekend filled with great friends, my beautiful wife and dog, and life lessons. Bella turned 7 this year, and it astonishes me how a 9 pound animal with four legs can bring so much joy to us. From the mornings where she hops and follows my every move till I take her to a walk to her running around like a crazed sheep in circles for a few minutes then sleep all day, Bella is one of those let’s just “well rested” animals. I am grateful for who she is though. I never thought she would provide me so many lessons on taking care of someone.

Over the weekend, I had some great friends come over. It hit me that I have known them for decades, and it brings me great joy to know that we are still in touch, still connecting, and I am still a big mouth. This is an old habit of mine where I get too comfortable, and share too much details that no one’s business. It’s a lesson I am still learning. I share too much, and even though I’d like to think my intentions are clear, there is a part of me that knows that I am being judgement. Being “holier than thou”, and it has no place in my life as I myself am deeply flawed.  Who am I to judge? (paraphrasing the Pope here). So with deep humility, I apologized. Before pride would me defensive, and all the reasons would come up why what I did was OK, but, to me, it was clear. If I hurt someone’s feelings then I need to make right. It is something that I am still learning.

Myself

Roadtrip

Sanjay Sabarwal

downloadA last-minute road trip to visit our location in Daly City. At first, annoyance. Why me?  But then it hit me, and my excitement grew. I love long drives. That feeling of floating by places and buildings as you get to a new destination. Ok new is an exaggeration, but it has been several years since I have gone up north. Which is sad really since its only 400 miles away, and it hits me that I love travel. Love the excitement of meeting old friends and gaining new experiences.  Yet it has not happened in a while.

The other strange thing is the excitement I feel to be away from all the daily distractions, just listening to music or Ted talks and just cruising. Just thinking, feeling, breaking down what’s been going on. That floating feeling, knowing I know my destination. In the last few years, I have felt lost and wondered where the hell I was headed to. But a road trips allows me that space to know in comfort that there is an end point. Just like life. There is a point to it all. All this from a the simple idea of road trip. Who knew?

Food For Thought, Myself

Gratitude

Sanjay Sabarwal

images (1)I admit that for a few moments last week (ok more than few), I had a difficult time finding reasons to be grateful. Attending a funeral for a friend’s father and watching helplessly as they broke down took an emotional toll. It made me wonder how quickly things can shift. In those moments, nothing else mattered. All the problems I thought I had, faded into noise . They meant nothing. So much of my time wasted on things that really didn’t matter in the long run.

Death is a reminder that we are not here to stay. I believe most of us will never know when we will go. All we have is the present moment. It’s not easy. Too often, I let the negative thoughts in my head take over, and then all I do is worry about the past and future. It’s a tough cycle to break. What good is it to waste so much time on things you cannot control? Yet, I seem hardwired to do it.

It is not a coincidence that a family friend and others started a gratitude chain few weeks ago. It is as if the universe conspired to forcefully remind me to count my blessings, love the ones that are in my life, and connect with all the ones and things that truly matter. It is not easy, but it is also yet another reason to not take myself and my life so seriously. There are more important things to do like take a moment, breath in, and be grateful for what I have.

Myself

Shifting

Sanjay Sabarwal

I strugglechurchill2 daily dealing with the feeling of failure. Most times, I see it too late what I could have done differently.  I admit, more times than not I go into victim mode, feeling sorry for myself or helpless. I believe what I think others make me out to be. I become the Sanjay who disappoints, who fails, who is selfish, uncaring, who only sees his own pain. Yet all that is my interpretation. It is also easy to do. It is easy to just feel sorry for myself, to blame myself, to say so many negative things to myself. The truth is that no one can say anything worse that I don’t say to myself. I am my own worse critic. Sometimes, it is ok, but more often than not, it can choke me into inaction and uncertainty.

The thing about leaping into many things is the constant self-doubt. I also tend to cocoon myself and not talk to my loved ones. I don’t tell my wife why something is important or what I am thinking. I take it all in, and just act as if nothing bothers me while inside I am suffocating.  Yet I fail to do the simplest thing which is get grounded, remember that I am fallible, that I am loveable, that I am full of promises and capable of good and bad. It’s all a package. I could wallow, and while it can feel good in a sick way, it does nothing to solve what needs to change.

So I get to shift, leave those thoughts behind. Know I have this moment, and only this moment and what I choose to do in it is up to me. I could wallow or I could shift. So I shift. And shift, and shift until the Sanjay I beat up on is left behind, and the one standing in front is the courageous one, the one who finishes. The one who shifts into possibility and responsibility.