A Memoir - This Month Last Year - Dec 2017 www.thelifesway.com #TheLifesWay

Hi Friends, 

December is the month of festival celebrations and Summer holidays in South Africa and every year I also take some time off to define my goals for the next year. It not only gives you energy to venture into the unknown with full rigor but also relaxes your mind to let go of many of the tensions that gets build up during the year because of unfulfilled promises and expectations of self and others. 

This year in December, I didn't do any of the blog posts as my focus was to clean - junk emails/archiving Instagram posts/old magazines and data from laptop and hard disks along with having a good time with family and friends. Though I didn't felt very happy to part with my blog but it was a necessity and I did it intentionally. This being the 6th anniversary of my blog www.thelifesway.com I felt that I shall no longer post the press releases on my blog as many of the companies just stop responding, if I ask them for sponsored posts or gadgets or media drops etc. Why waste time on someone who doesn't care about you? 

The biggest decision I took was to start my Youtube channel and learn about the process of video making. As I am trying out shooting video's I am finding so many challenges which I need to overcome to finally launch my first video. But sooner than later, the link is coming on all my social media platforms.

1.  A Memoir - This Month Last Year - Dec 2016 www.thelifesway.com #TheLifesWay #1350Post - http://www.thelifesway.com/2017/12/a-memoir-this-month-last-year-dec-2016.html - It was 1350th post on my blog and now this year I am writing this 1674th post when I publish the same. It's hectic amount of work each year to post around 300+ posts even though most of them will be press releases. But I am thankful to my family for not shouting at me when I was busy doing stuff for free but now it has changed. My wife is constantly nagging to take care of our younger one who will turn 1 at the end of this month and she sees no value coming out of doing all this for free. 

2. The rest of the posts that I did in December was towards the celebration of 5th anniversary of my blog as I started a countdown posts from the 30th day to 27th December. I really loved writing these posts and this year I felt the lack of the same but you can read the ones from last year - 

http://www.thelifesway.com/2017/12/18-days-to-wwwthelifeswaycom-5th.html 

http://www.thelifesway.com/2017/12/19-days-to-wwwthelifeswaycom-5th.html 

http://www.thelifesway.com/2017/12/20-days-to-wwwthelifeswaycom-5th.html 

http://www.thelifesway.com/2017/12/21-days-to-wwwthelifeswaycom-5th.html 

http://www.thelifesway.com/2017/12/22-days-to-wwwthelifeswaycom-5th.html 

http://www.thelifesway.com/2017/12/23-days-to-wwwthelifeswaycom-5th.html 

http://www.thelifesway.com/2017/12/24-days-to-wwwthelifeswaycom-5th.html 

http://www.thelifesway.com/2017/12/25-days-to-wwwthelifeswaycom-5th.html 

http://www.thelifesway.com/2017/12/26-days-to-wwwthelifeswaycom-5th.html 

http://www.thelifesway.com/2017/11/27-days-to-wwwthelifeswaycom-5th.html 

http://www.thelifesway.com/2017/11/28-days-to-wwwthelifeswaycom-5th.html 

http://www.thelifesway.com/2017/11/29-days-to-wwwthelifeswaycom-5th.html 

http://www.thelifesway.com/2017/11/30-days-to-wwwthelifeswaycom-5th.html 

Aashish Rai in Durban, South Africa

3. Are You #CyberSmart and #CyberSure in Digital World? - http://www.thelifesway.com/2017/12/are-you-cybersmart-and-cybersure-in.html - This was one of the posts I did for Webfluential clients and got paid. This year I didn't got any assignment from them so my money making capability was very much limited. 

4. Breathe: An Inspiring #LoveStory Of Hope and Determination @BreatheMov @SterEnt #5YearsofTheLifesWay - http://www.thelifesway.com/2017/12/breathe-inspiring-lovestory-of-hope-and.html - I have not watched the movie still as I completely forgot about the same. This year I have started using many mobile apps to chromecast the same on my smart TV. People have been fans of Netflix and they have produced some great shows and movies. I am waiting for Game of Thrones and Avengers - End Games. In terms from Netflix, I am waiting for Sacred Games Season 2 if that gets released this year. During these summer holidays while I was working but watched a movie every night and saw many of the movies and really laughed a lot while watching Johnny English Strikes Again (2018). 

5. @Jhbproperty Wins Best International Public Services Development Award #GlobalIPA2017 #London - http://www.thelifesway.com/2017/12/jhbproperty-wins-best-international.html - I have done several posts for this property company all for free and I don't think there will be any more such posts going forward. 

Companies makes you fool, you try to make them fool that the way of life but it gives a lot of pain and suffering in the end. Rather than doing that, you should set the expectations in the beginning and whether that goes as planned or not will be fate. I wish the same for myself atleast and let's start the youtube channel! 

Cheers!!!

Contact me at thelifesway@gmail.com to collaborate on your products, events, and services. #TheLifesWay #PhotoYatra!

A Memoir - This Month Last Year - Dec 2014

Hi Guys,

December is the time to create new goals for the coming year and festival season this Christmas. This year was great in all the ways as I won the Mission Samsung Challenge and also my blog crossed more than 625,000 pageviews this year in 2015. The followers across all social media channels also increased and I was able to do some sponsored posts to buy myself Nikon flash SB-910 from all the earnings. This month will see some of the blog posts which I always wanted to do and couldn't do in this year. I hope I am able to catch up on the promises I made to people this year.

I plan to create regular content in 2016 and change the way I do the blog posts. I am unlearning and relearning everything about the social media skills via books and online communities. This is the most important decisions I have taken because in day to day life, you don't have much time left to blog and when you are blogging and people making use of your time and resources to give you nothing in return than it hurts. I have decided that I will say it very clearly to all the brands that I won't work for free anymore unless I want and this want will be based on desires fulfilled by the brands. 

Last year, December was more about movie reviews as I was catching up on all the movies I saw. I did participated in Indiblogger contests but during 2015 I didn't win any Indiblogger contest at all but was able to get #HappyHours gift vouchers enabling me to buy the Nikon flash. Also, I got sponsored by HTC for HTC ONE M8 but I really loved the HTC ONE M9 a lot which I am using these days for my posts on Instagram.

1. Melbourne - The Most Livable City in the World @Indiblogger Contest - http://www.thelifesway.com/2014/12/melbourne-most-livable-city-in-world.html

Australia is one of the most sought after travel destination and is really awesome to visit. My parents visited the same this year and loved the city a lot.

2. Movie Reviews - http://www.thelifesway.com/2014_12_01_archive.html
It was time to finish some of the movies I watched last year and among the same, I really loved watching Big Hero 6, Instructions not included etc.

December this year is more about creating some rules and goals for The Life's Way in next year. I am still gauging as to what to commit to and what goal or dream will keep me awake towards the same. Will be sharing the same soon...

Cheers!!!


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