Personal Archives | Sobouh Rahimi https://sobouhr.com/tag/personal/ Thu, 29 Feb 2024 00:38:21 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.7.2 A five-minute exercise that can transform your life – a word of the year. https://sobouhr.com/2024/a-five-minute-exercise-that-can-transform-your-life-a-word-of-the-year/ https://sobouhr.com/2024/a-five-minute-exercise-that-can-transform-your-life-a-word-of-the-year/#respond Wed, 28 Feb 2024 23:28:54 +0000 https://sobouhr.com/?p=19065 New Year's resolutions are ineffective and a waste of time - it doesn't take a genius to know that. So what can we do to make the change we want to see in ourselves, easily, and without much effort?

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What is a word of the year?

While there are many ideas that I can credit my growth to, there has yet to be one as powerful, simple, and transformative as a “word of the year.”

I learned this idea from one of my mentors, Whitney Johnson, a director for a program where I’d mentored other students at the University of Houston. During an annual planning exercise, she had me pick my first word in 2019 for the upcoming year.

That year, I’d felt absent. My grandmother was ill, my mother was undergoing chemo, and my academics weren’t going well. So naturally, I blurted out “Present” as my word. What happened next, we all know… In 2020, the theme of being present kept me afloat when I needed it the most when the entire world underwent a major collective stress of a pandemic. Being present meant being present for my mother until her last breath, refocusing on my academics, and putting in continued effort. It was transformative.

In 2022, “Intention” helped me land an internship in one of the world’s largest software technology companies, earn a congressional certificate of recognition for energy education advocacy, build my personal brand, and create this blog.

I’m now in my fifth year of doing this exercise… Why? Because IT WORKS.

While reflecting on the prior year, I journaled that in 2023, I needed “to connect with my mind, body, spirit, work.” so I made 2023 the year of “Connection.

2023: Lessons on Connection

Beginning Within:

When selecting my new word, I first reflected on the previous year. I saw what I lacked the most and where I needed to make room for improvement. In 2022, I’d just graduated and entered a fully remote role. My peers, too, had begun their careers or moved away. I’d spent most of my time at home – lacking connection. I had very little of the true, genuine connection you can only experience when you are at arm’s length of someone.

Engaging with Curiosity:

Suddenly, I noticed “connection” popping up everywhere, where I’d never expected. On the covers of books I’d normally pay no attention to, in work meetings, on social media, and in everyday conversation. (Hey Google, what’s the Baader-Meinhof Phenomenon?)

I read books that helped me learn more about my word. A favorite was “Belonging: The Science of Creating Connection and Bridging Divides” where Stanford professor of social psychology Geoffrey L. Cohen, discusses the power of “situation-crafting” and how it can highlight our underlying human connections.

I took up daily meditation and journaling. I experimented with different times and methods of doing so and landed on a routine I now use daily.

I attended events that changed my life, all to connect with my interests and like-minded people. Climate Week NYC, for example – where I attended over 14 panels and conferences and connected with many professionals in my field of interest.

 

At each step of decision-making… When I was presented with two options – I decided based on which afforded me most connection with others, or myself.

And when the right time came, taking a huge leap of faith.

When my brother called and told me that my 96-year-old grandfather was coming to visit him in the Republic of Georgia from Iran, I knew I had to go, too. This was the first time I had a chance to see him in over 16 years. (I could not visit Iran as it is a risk to my life)

This decision wasn’t as easy as it appears now – my company was undergoing organizational restructuring, I couldn’t just pause my life here, it was all so last minute, and very expensive. But I knew what I had to do. It was the best opportunity for me to connect, with myself, my family, and my roots. Then, a teary-eyed moment, four generations of Rahimi all gathered in our ancestral homeland – Georgia… that was a once in a lifetime moment.

On my way to Georgia, I traveled to 8 other countries in Europe, visiting my coworkers in Copenhagen and Barcelona – finally connecting with them beyond the Zoom call chit-chats and coffee hours. (Consider that to be the cherry on top)

Choosing your word of the year:

The word of the year is a guiding pinnacle, a northern star, for your actions in the upcoming year. It is neither a goal nor a resolution. In the best sense of the word, it is vague – it can be applied anywhere. The best part? It’s never too late or early to start. 

While some in the top percentile have great success with resolutions, a significant majority forget about them far too soon. Just look at how many “Days” are devoted to forgetting resolutions in January and February… (Think: “Jan 17: National Ditch Your Resolutions Day”, “Feb 14: Quitters Day”, and if you’re still hanging on, there’s “Feb 28: Discouragement Day”)

Conversely, it is not a replacement for specific and measurable goals. While those are inarguably more important, they require greater commitment and planning. For some, a word of the year encapsulates their goals in a digestible way – acting as a simple and clear reminder to help you stay on course.

Take a moment to think and jot down where you want to be and what you wish you could improve upon in the next year. The word will jump at you as you write or think to yourself – and done! At each step of the way, consider how your actions can guide you closer to achieving your word, and by extension, your goals!

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2022: An Intentional Sail on Rocky waters. https://sobouhr.com/2022/the-2022-rebrand-explained/ https://sobouhr.com/2022/the-2022-rebrand-explained/#respond Fri, 01 Apr 2022 19:09:02 +0000 https://sobouhr.com/?p=18181 A note to the reader : I publish this piece in the beginning of april, though the majority of the writing was done in my personal journal closer to January. As I finished the initial frameworks of this website, I felt the need to be vulnerable and share the more personal aspects of my life. […]

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A note to the reader :

I publish this piece in the beginning of april, though the majority of the writing was done in my personal journal closer to January. As I finished the initial frameworks of this website, I felt the need to be vulnerable and share the more personal aspects of my life.

Inspirations for the yearly rebuild.

I draw many inspirations for this annual project. 

I’m inspired by one of my longtime mentors, Whitney Johnson, who instilled in me the value of annual reflection and goalsetting. She, during our team meetings, had us pick our word of the year. Over many teary-eyed meetings with her, we set goals together, and reflected on my past.

I’m inspired by the University of Houston’s chapter of the American Marketing Association. An organization that rebrands itself with each new officer team. Their rebrands, sometimes hits, sometimes misses, provide a valuable lesson on design and self-improvement. Regardless of its success.

I’m inspired by the several rebranding efforts I’ve led. Rebrands that had me reflect on the core purpose and mission of the organization. 

I’m inspired by my friends and colleagues who, despite the coronavirus pandemic, rose from the ashes of uncertainty and rebuilt themselves. This rebuild made us all tougher. 

By rebuilding myself every year, I’m using this opportunity to reflect on the previous year, close that chapter, and open the door to the new year. 

The Word of the Year.

In one of Whitney’s group meetings in December 2019, we were tasked with choosing the word of the year for 2020. A panic intensified within me as my turn drew closer. I could not think of a word. Then, when it came my time to speak, I blurted “present.” 

That year, I’d felt absent. My mother was undergoing chemotherapy, my grandmother was ill. I felt disconnected from my father, and my academic performance wasn’t as good as I knew it could have been. 

What happened next, we all know. Throughout 2020, I carried that word with me. Being present meant being there for my mother until her last breath. Being present meant taking my academics seriously, and putting in effort to continue my connections with friends. Being present meant being there when I was needed the most. 

I did not have a word for 2021. Perhaps if I had one, in reflection, it would have been something like “respite” or “restore.” 

That year, I was off-balance. I’d developed an eating disorder and spent the majority of my time feeling guilt for many of the wrongs in my life.

This year, my word is:

Intention.

What being intentional means :

Until now, I’ve lived sporadically. I joined organizations because they were free to join, not because they interested me. I did things that were not self-serving.

     I just went with the flow.

Don’t get me wrong, going with the flow is great. Going with the flow is fantastic, until the currents get rough. Until you’re up to the edge of a waterfall and see that the flow only goes into a sharp, deadly descent. 

Going with the flow is great until the flow no longer flows as smoothly as it had before. 

The flow of water is life. We’re all on it. Some of us, on yachts, others hanging on to floating logs. Tenacity keeps us floating. We’re all technically going with the flow here. (think: covid) This year, however, I’m adding a sail to my raft. The sail gives me direction. The sail is intention.

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