23 March 2019

23rd March is the Pakistan Day or Pakistan Resolution Day, also our Republic Day, a national holiday in Pakistan commemorating the Lahore Resolution passed on 23 March 1940. Today after a long time, I have truly felt celebrating Pakistan Day- amazing parade by our esteemed armed forces, rangers, police, also participated by our distinguished friends and guests. 

A warm welcome to Malaysian Prime Minister Mr. Mahatir Bin Mohamad on his visit to Pakistan.

Congratulations and best of wishes to our Prime Minister Mr. Imran Khan, his team and our President for all their efforts and hard work.

I am extremely grateful to Muhammad Ali Jinnah and all the great leaders who gave us the Gift of Pakistan, so we all can live with  dignity and breathe the air of independence. 

Pakistan Zindabad!    

Around December 2008 I started writing this blog, I could have never imagined that I would last writing it the next year yet I continued year after year. Initially it was a channel to vent out, like a daily diary / journal but then this blog grew into something beyond my daily blabbering. My words somehow connected with many of you, in some strange cosmic way we all got attached. 

Today in 2019, I am extremely grateful to the Almighty that He has not only kept me alive but has blessed my life in so many different ways. I am also grateful for all the lovely emails, comments, messages and words of kindness and encouragement which all of my beautiful readers have sent my way. I am truly humbled and honored.

However, for the last couple of years I have not been writing as much as I wanted to but then I ask myself if I am the one who is writing this blog. Some of my friends, with all their good intentions, have inquired if I, that is Sonya Syed, is the real writer or there is someone else working behind the scene. To all of them I would say, and I shall speak only the truth- that I am merely the person or most appropriately, the channel/ medium, through which these posts are written. And yes, there is some unnamed energy which enters my mind, moves my thought, use my intellect and writing ability to share ITS message with you. And I am merely the channel/ medium.

Whenever my mind is free of the burdens of life, chaotic emotions, free of the madness to submit my doctoral thesis and fulfilling the nitty gritty of my work this subtle energy whispers in my heart and somehow finds its way to my computer.

Lately, I am not feeling up to the mark and the exertion that I am feeling has been with me for the last 4 months. Soon after, as I was enjoying my mental freedom from completing and submitting my research work I came to know that the Real Party has just started. There were hundred new deadlines to meet and million paths to cover before I can actually enjoy my new privileges.

So these days I am exhausted beyond any comprehension, emotions are going wild with anxiety and a bit of depression. The recent violence in New Zealand is also contributing to the sadness and also the inclination to pray more for the peace of the departed souls and their loved ones. I hope that this world should never have to witness any such incidents ever again. So I pray.

On the brighter note, this year I have realized that until now I have living my life in not a very discipline or organized manner. Important notes, urgent to dos, class work, personal work are all scattered everywhere in my 100 notebooks and I still keep on overlooking important occasions/ dates. So in search of my sanity and structure I went to seek advice of my best friend, philosopher and guide Mr. Google and like always he lead me to some very interesting things like keeping a planner.

The first thought about having a planner was its use for me. I mean what have I got do with planning….Sonya never plans she is always on an autopilot. Where ever the life drags Sonya she just flies to that point with absolutely no aim or goal or structure, let alone a plan. For me planner was a word from French vocabulary.  

If I remember correctly our teacher in class 4 or 5 asked us to keep a diary which would have a schedule something like this:

Breakfast- 7 to 7.15 am

Home to School: 7.30 to 7.40 am

School- 8 am to 1 pm

School to home: 1 to 1.25 pm

Lunch- 2 pm to 2.30 pm

Afternoon nap- 3 pm to 3.30 pm

And so on.

For me this was planning, and to be very honest it never ever worked for me. I failed on every attempt of keeping a diary. And that’s where I was totally off line. As I dug deep, I started to realize the real purpose of having some organized plan and a structure in life is the key to living stress-free and viable life.

After a lot of research I found some amazing planners online and the ones best suited for my work and daily routine. Now I have not one but four planners which I use on daily basis and I tell you they are so beautiful to look at, hold and work on that it makes planning an enriching activity.

Now planners come in 3 main formats monthly, weekly and daily. Monthly planners are most suitable for people who would like to have an overall view of their month, like appointments, important school days, meetings schedule.

Weekly planners are best for the ones who plan their weeks ahead of time like if they have to make presentations, tests/ meetings to prepare, case to maintain, house work that needs to be done on weekly basis.

Whereas daily planners could be used by individuals who have to have their entire day planned out, along with daily appointments, things to do, house or office work that needs to do be remembered or done in a day.

I was surprised to see how many of the stay-at-home moms are using these planners to manage not only their own but their children’s lives as well. As for working individuals, teachers and students they are highly beneficial as well. It is such a blessing for people like me who are famous for missing out important dates like birthdays, anniversaries of friends and family. I am sharing the pictures of my planners along with their links just in case if anyone wants to check these out, but remember there are hundreds of other planner options available at your nearby stationary stores, just see your needs.

Have a wonderful weekend.

Sonya Syed. (Day 578)

Day Designer planner for daily planning

Erin Condren- Weekly planning

Schedule Pad- Erin Condren- a go between my daily and weekly planner

This one below is also I love but I haven’t used it yet, maybe next year ….

Emily Ley