Review of the year 2009

We just arrived from our Christmas holiday on the eve of 2009. Although Ireland is normally considered as a cold Island, it was a shadow compared to subzero temperatures we had left behind in Brussels.

After turning the key on our main door key-hole, we were met with unpleasant surprise. The house was freezing cold. This was understandable since nobody was there for two weeks.

However, we were shocked when we switched the central heating system and it did not work. To make the long story short, we had to stay in freezing cold house until the new Year’s celebrations were over to get it repaired.

This tells you that my 2009 started in a very low tone.

The year 2009 has been a roller coaster for me, with some of the very exciting and memorable moments and some that I wish never to remember.

The first three months, I was under counseling to overcome depression. This was a carry over from previous year, 2008 August.

I had always associated depression and counseling with a lot of stigma. I thought depression and counseling is a disease for the Joe on the street, not me. I have so far changed this outdated way of thinking.

It is important to seek help if you feel your life is driving you crazy. It is not a weakness to seek help.  It was my choice to get helped rather than live in denial. You also have a choice, either live in denial or seek help.

Most memorable moment in 2009

The most unforgettable moment in 2009 was on 24th July sitting in the delivery ward watching and witnessing the birth of our son, Victor. His first unique cry still rings in my mind.

I cannot explain the feeling of delight as a man sitting in a delivery ward seeing exactly what goes on in there. It is an eye opener.

I would recommend all fathers to accompany their wives to the delivery ward. In addition to offering her emotional support, you will create irrevocable bond with her and your baby.

Change Your T Website

I have always incubated an idea of building a personal website. This year in September I decided to launch this website- Change your T.

To me, it is a great success. It offers me an avenue to share my experiences and lessons that I learn in life with others.

It also offers me a point to meet readers like you.

Precisely, I launched Change your T on 09-09-09. Currently it has 65 subscribers, and still counting. I have posted 39 articles and 1 guest article by Uplifting-lives. The articles have attracted over 400 comments.

At the moment, I do not make any money from Change Your T website and I am not planning to add any advertisements to make money.

This website is purely to share any beneficial information that I learn in life with the readers. However, if readers feel what I write positively impacts their lives, they are always welcome to offer any kind of support they wish.

Top 5 popular articles in Change your T for the last 3 months

• My life in pictures
• Jesus heals a Man with Leprosy
• True Love
• A Gadget that transformed my life
• 8 Powerful motivational videos

Academic achievement in 2009

Nominated as the best PhD student to represent Ireland in Europe during a conference organized by European Federation of Chemical Engineers (EFCE). The conference was held in Naples, Italy.

On 7^th December 2009, I graduated with a PhD Degree in Food Science. This is a milestone towards achieving my child-hood dream.

Simple, yet powerful financial decision that I made in 2009

At the start of 2009, I decided to save 2 euros (approximately Kshs 200) every day. This was the amount I used to spend to buy a cup of cheap coffee and doughnut for 10 O’clock tea break. Instead of  buying coffee, I started making coffee by boiling water in office. In addition to saving 2 Euros, I decided to put aside another 1 Euro (Kshs 100) everyday. The 1 Euro was intended to take care of my expenses whenever I go to Kenya for holidays (I come from Kenya). For your information, this is not an investment, it is just a good habit.

This amount is 1095 Euros (Kshs 109,500) now. This is enough money to take my family for a holiday in Zanzibar for 2 weeks.

It is therefore very possible to accumulate a huge sum of money from mall savings. Cumulatively these small savings can help you achieve what you might have considered as a dream. I am planning to keep this habit to cater for my holiday expenses every year.

Looking forward to 2010

More writing

I will keep writing in 2010. I will improve my writing skills and quality of articles to ensure I will shake my readers from their comfort zones as well as offering solutions to the most chronic life issues.

I am toying with an idea of writing a book. I will keep updating you on this one.

Launch two more websites.

I have two websites running at the moment, Change your T.com and Joshuaarimi.com. I will add the following websites.

1. Arimi foods.com. I will use this website to write all articles related to healthy benefits and hazards associated with eating habits. It will have all articles concerning ‘what am I eating that is making me sick/health’.

2. Ask Arimi. As the name suggests, this website will be designed in the format of questions and answers. I will be taking questions from readers and post the answers in this website.

3. Joshuaarimi.com. This website is up and running. However, I have not been updating it as frequently as I should. In 2010, I will use this website to post all scholarship opportunities that I come across from all over the world.

I will use this website to share techniques and steps that students especially those in Kenya can employ to enjoy their school-life and successfully pass their exams. This will mainly involve information that is applicable to High School, Colleges and University students. Invite students that you know to subscribe to it.

Family

Improve my listening skills. As a husband and a father, it is very important to raise my standards on listening skills. As it is a habit with every man, instead of listening attentively and actively, I have been listening while formulating what to say next or imagining the best solution to what I am hearing. I have several books and blogs to read to help me on this.

Personal Development

1. Overcome procrastination. This is one my biggest problems. I used to procrastinate due to fear of failure. I have worked on fear of failure really seriously and I am noticing some remarkable improvements. I have several books and audio tapes on Getting Things Done, to help me on procrastination.

2.  Overcome being judgmental. I am a disaster in this one.

3. Take action on my Ideas. I have several ideas rotting in my head. I need to get them out and put them into action. Like making an automated Ugali cooking appliance.

Career

I am still in a transition. I would like to be self-employed eventually. But at the moment, I have to take commands.

Thank You

I have to thank some people who have helped me to keep going despite clear and imminent obstacles.

1. God. I know God is not a person. But as a Christian, I thank God for making all my dreams and wishes come true. I do not take my good health, sound mind, two hands, two legs, two eyes, two ears and many more for granted. Thank you God.

2. Subscribers of Change Your T. I take this chance to thank you the subscriber of Change your T. Let me make a humble request, invite just 3 of your friends to subscribe. Pester them until they subscribe.

3. Readers of Change your T. If you are reading this, you are a reader of my website. Thank you for reading. It would not make sense for me to write if there were no readers. You are the most important person.

Please leave a comment of what you think below. If you are reading this in facebook and you like it, click on Change your T and subscribe to receive similar articles in your email inbox.

I wish you a Happy 2o10.

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