Looking Back at 2023

Last year, I started my first yearly review, which gave me a good self-realization. I will continue the same this year and in the years to come.

My Goals of 2023

2023 goals from my notes

1. Fitness

In 2022, I achieved my goal of weighing 75kgs so my goal for 2023 is to stay fit and flexible. My effort to stay fit was moderate since I didn't want to overspend my time on only a specific goal.

Steps

Daily number of steps is one of my basic metrics to stay fit. My daily average goal was 10k steps. I am happy that I achieved an average of 10800 steps per day. There have been months when I missed my monthly goals but I wanted to achieve even my monthly goals this year. I also felt I had the energy and time to add another 1000–2000 steps per day.

Screenshot of author's steps

Walking

My walking distance in 2023 was average compared to 2022. In 2022 my total walking distance was 1297 km but in 2023 I could walk only 582 km. I started well at the start of the year and gradually it dropped mid-year. I tried to maintain an average distance of about 30km per month in the second half of the year but in October and December, I hardly did any walking.

Graph of author's walking distance

Running

I consider running to be my main cardio activity. I am disappointed so much that I did not run much in 2023. Six months of no activity in the middle shows that I was unaware that I hadn't run for a long time. This taught me a lesson that I should periodically check my activities throughout the year.

Graph of author's running distance

Cycling

Cycling has been my preferred fitness activity, but unfortunately, I didn't engage in it at all in 2023. My bicycle, which required repairs in 2022, remains in the same condition. I'm optimistic that in 2024, I'll either be able to fix it or invest in a new one. 😉.

On the whole, I feel I am not in my best form so there is a lot to improve on my fitness. In 2024, I will be much more dedicated to my fitness.

2. Reading

After a bad year of reading in 2022, I started reading some books in 2023. I felt happy that I could complete two books and start with a third one. This year I changed my reading format from Kindle to physical books. The feel of reading physical books is nice and one way to stay away from gadgets. I hope to read more books in 2024 and have bought some books well in advance 😉.

Stats of my book reading

3. Writing Skills

I started writing blogs in 2023 and have published about 27 blogs in medium. This turned out to be my best skill of 2023 and I am greatly satisfied with it. I have also published these articles on my website. I concentrate on various topics like tech, personal finance, and travel. One of my blogs was also attracted by medium curators and boosted further.

Is Coffee Can Investing Your Cup of Coffee? | by Ethiraj Srinivasan | ILLUMINATION | Medium

We often begin our day with a cup of coffee, giving us a much-needed boost and satisfaction. As such...

Fault Tolerance Design Patterns in Distributed Systems | by Ethiraj Srinivasan | Bootcamp

Distributed systems are made up of multiple interconnected components that work together to provide ...

The world of Rate Limit Algorithms | by Ethiraj Srinivasan | Bootcamp

Rate limit algorithm is a mechanism used to control the rate of requests or messages being sent or r...

4. Practice Yoga/ Meditation

I started meditation occasionally a few times this year. I felt difficult while performing meditation but it also gave me a new feel after I did it. But I missed the opportunity to sustain this good feeling. Nevertheless, I will work towards it this year.

Frequency of author's meditation

5. Photography

This year I found my new passion to capture the beautiful moments of animals and birds. I spend numerous weekends wandering around the national parks of Singapore looking to shoot birds and animals. I would spend all my weekdays editing my photographs and then shoot again on weekends. It was a stress burster from a busy life. I created a dedicated Instagram account to share the precious moments that I captured. Some of my best shots are linked below. If you like my shots please follow my Instagram account: https://www.instagram.com/ethiraj_wildlife/

Reel 1: https://www.instagram.com/reel/CylnvdSvsOs

Reel 2: https://www.instagram.com/reel/CxLskoPBnQs

Reel 3: https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cw0ZJ-7RMG7

This completes my review of 2023. I felt good that I had improved my writing and reading skills and found a new passion for wildlife photography. I do need to improve my fitness and practice meditation more. It is time to focus on the goals of 2024. I am determined it will be a more productive year. See you in the next post.