The year gone by has reinforced the importance of self-care and a sense of community. Looking back at the challenging year, a few celebrities from Delhi-NCR share what they hope to achieve in 2022.
Supriya Paul, co-founder, Josh Talks
“We live in a fast-paced world and everyone around us is usually on the go. The pandemic taught me that sometimes, taking things slow can actually help you speed up. In 2022, I am looking forward to being more mindful of the way I spend my time. As we enter another year of unknowns, being intentional and grateful for how we spend our time and who we spend it with will help us all become more resilient.”
Anahita Dhondy, chef and author, The Parsi Kitchen
“I do not make resolutions. I try to keep an overall outlook for the year—stay focused, work hard, and build up to a bigger purpose. The pandemic has made me more mindful and grateful. I plan on growing, learning, and cooking more in the coming year, and share that through my social media. A chef’s journey is constantly evolving and we are learning on the go... I plan to do that and hopefully open something new.”
Neharika Gupta, author
“Resolutions do not work for me. My resolve is never as strong as my habits. So I have given up on resolutions and in the past few months, worked on creating habits. My biggest learning last year would be the power of stillness. It just frees you up from within and gives you the deepest clarity. Whether I find it in an early morning cup of coffee, a lengthy walk, or a deep meditation, some solitude really helps the metaphorical muck in the lake to settle so that the water gets crystal clear.”
Aditi Mangaldas, Kathak dancer and choreographer
“The pandemic has brought into sharp focus the fragility of life and how one needs to live in the moment—with humility, humanity, mindfulness, and gratitude. My 2022 resolution is to bow my head in gratitude, count my blessings while continuing to find creative expressions, to share with love and hope such that it invokes in all of us a sense of beauty of life.”
Manish Tyagi, stand-up comedian and corporate trainer
Pandemic has taught us a hard lesson. With the year gone by in mind, I would like to keep it simple; pay attention to what your loved ones have to say, spend quality time with them as and when possible, find a work-life balance, stop hoarding and get rid of stuff you have not used in years, make space for new, be kind to the needy, pick your battles wisely, block and delete toxic folks from your life, talk more often to your friends, follow a passion, and above all, avoid getting influenced by anyone’s ideologies on social media. Social Media is mostly misleading, hence, make your own ground rules and try to lead a stress-free life.
Nishant Suri, stand-up comedian
“Considering that I just had my phone stolen, my resolution for the new year is to not get my phone stolen. This does not mean that I am okay with my car getting stolen. Whoever is reading this, please do not steal my car. In fact, please do not steal anything from anyone. Let that be your New Year’s resolution. As long as you stick to yours, it will be easy for me to stick to mine, and together we will eliminate stealing from the world. Remember, united we stand, and divided we stand a little further apart because we are afraid someone will steal our wallets.”
Swami Prem Parivartan (Peepal Baba), environmentalist
“My 2022 resolution is to plant six lakh indigenous saplings across districts of North India with a focus on Rajasthan. Increasing biodiversity and conservation is key to our health and survival. Wellness is not about just exercise and organic food, it is about our entire connection with air, water, and soil. In 2022, we will do our best to make education on these issues ‘viral’. We will give a huge push to the planting of our much neglected national tree, the Banyan.”
Roshini Vadehra, director, Vadehra Art Gallery
“We have all missed experiences that we earlier took for granted. Those experiences give us the level of fulfilment that one cannot experience in isolation. If COVID-19 has taught us anything, it is about ‘seizing the moment’. I hope I am able to make the most of the new year—both at work and at play, and strike the right balance between the two. I feel an extreme amount of gratitude, both at work and at a personal level, towards the kindness and commitment I see in the people I am surrounded by. I hope I am able to return some of that kindness and be committed to delivering my best in all that I do.”
Dhruv Visvanath, singer & songwriter
“I have not really written new songs over the last two years so my biggest goal this year is to write and just make new songs. I think I would like to write another album’s worth of songs. I also want to learn to cook things other than biryani!”
Tanushree Podder, author
“Like many, the pandemic has made me realise the ephemeral nature of success and the value of good health. It has also taught me that material possessions matter very little when one is not healthy. I would like to believe it has turned me into a better and more caring human. So, I have taken a resolution to accord prime priority to health and to devote my time and energy to a social cause. I have been a part of HelpAge India for more than a decade and would like to do more for the elderly who are neglected by society.”
Shilpi Marwaha, actor and theatre practitioner
“Theatre is going through a very difficult time, which is why a lot of people are
giving up on it. Every field is shifting to work from home but there are apprehensions around theatre and how one can practise it from home. Therefore, my resolution for 2022 is to ensure that the field of theatre survives. I would also hope that everyone from the theatre fraternity takes up the same resolution.”
Rina Dhaka, fashion designer
“With the year gone by, I have once again learnt that we can go on despite all that we have lost (I lost my mother-in-law to COVID-19). 2021 was also when I realised that even though money is important, life is very good with less of it. My resolution would be to have gratitude for each day we have.”
Sanjeeta Bhattacharya, singer and songwriter
“My resolution for 2022 is to make my dreams come true as soon as possible because life will not wait and anything can happen tomorrow. The pandemic has taught me that life is very unpredictable. I am going to strike that perfect balance between work and vacation. I am going to take care of myself, make sure my health is my top priority, and just work towards my dreams.”
As told to Anjani Chadha and Dyuti Roy
