Jaun & January

January always finds me browsing for New Year Diaries, the ancient ritual of starting a Shiny New Physical diary. This practice likely labels me as one of the few remaining "fossils" who still require the tactile resistance of a fountain pen to truly register a thought. There is a deliberate, slow-motion magic in letting ink marks age on paper before I eventually transfer them to this digital space, a process fueled by a desk covered in yellow sticky notes and a commitment to my seemingly "stupid" yet essential annual "Not-To-Do List." Every Day I make a To-Do List, and every month I make an inverse of it, the Not-To-Do List. My world is shaped by a blend of lived experiences and the rhythmic pulse of poets like Ahmed Faraz, Parveen Shakir, Nida Fazli, Nasir Kazmi, and Gulzar—and while it might be sacrilege to some, I’ve never found space for Ghalib or Meer in my personal top ten. The other constituent part of my persona is the continous never ending study of human emotions. Humans are not rational creatures; we are psycho-logical ones. Modern-day society calls emotional people "irrational," however, I term this an evolutionary "sensible survival." This brings me to the title "Jaun and January," a nod to the legendary Jaun Elia, whose verses introduced me to the haunting, fictional concept of the "Jaana" in my youth, and the month that binds my strange habit of remembering dates with the need to start anew. Today, that journey is distilled into eight specific yellow sticky notes—the important ones—that represent the nectar of 2026 imaginings and intentions.

Some sticky notes from January

Wipe Clean

I was seeing an interview by a famous film director, and he made a point that stayed with me. He said the reason creative people cannot sustain their creativity is that, after success, they bleed their success into the new creation. A new story demands a clean slate, refusing to let the ink of past chapters bleed into the page you are writing today. Every beginning is an opportunity to break the cycle, ensuring the next narrative is fundamentally different from the old one. By adopting a "Day One" approach, you treat every morning as a fresh start untainted by yesterday's shadows. True transformation begins when you stop carrying the weight of the previous volume and commit to the blank page ahead. Your journey is defined not by how the story started, but by the courage to start it over. Thats why a New Diary means a New Slate, Wipe the old Clean, the better you clean, the better the new story will be. We all cannot wipe our emotional slate clean. This is a HUGE handicap. Every January, I think of why I can't wipe clean some moments, some memories, and some mortals. Are we able to wipe clean? No! Human emotions are etched always. The human mind can't defragment the disc. An attempt to start afresh is yet the constant pursuit that I have. Every January i make this sticky note, Wipe Clean! My life is a striking dichotomy; I find my breath in the rich, melancholic depths of Ghazals and vintage cinema, yet I’m drawn to the clarity of a 'Wipe Clean' philosophy. It isn't hypocrisy, though. If Ghazals are a lens for reframing the complexity of human emotion, then clearing the slate is simply the space I need to process them.

While Jaun Aliya is my absolute favourite, this new Poet Haafi is the poet I follow now. Do notice how poetry is the best percolated reflection of the past. 

तू किसी और ही दुनिया में मिली थी मुझसे, तू किसी और ही मंज़र की महक लाई थी !
डर रहा था कि कहीं ज़ख़्म न भर जाएँ मेरे , और तू मुट्ठियाँ भर भर के नमक लाई थी !
तेरी चुप से ही ये महसूस किया था मैं ने, जीत जाएगा किसी रोज़ तेरा ग़म मुझ से !
शहर आवाज़ें लगाता था मगर तू चुप थी, ये ताल्लुक़ मुझे खाता था मगर तू चुप थी !
वही अंजाम था जो इश्क़ का आग़ाज़ से है, तुझ को पाया भी नहीं था कि तुझे खोना था !
चली आती है यही रस्म कई सदियों से, यही होता है, यही होगा, यही होना था !
ख़ैर इस बात को तू छोड़ ये बता कैसी है, तू ने चाहा था जिसे वो तेरे नज़दीक तो है !
कौन से ग़म ने तुझे चाट लिया अंदर से,आज-कल फिर से तू चुप रहती है, सब ठीक तो है !

May I have your attention, please? 

This is one of the old expressions and one of my favourites. In my view, in today's time and age, the best gift anyone can give is their "attention". I often notice how 2 people talk at cafes and restaurants. In earlier times, two people spent time making eye contact, listening to each word, reading within lines, and having a real conversation. Notice people these days in any activity. Mobile Phone screens have become a constant distraction, whether checking messages, taking a picture, or finding something. When was the last time you had 8 hours of no screen time, no TV, no media ...just conversations, just some activity? I fear Humans are the new dog, and the screens are the new dog leash. I remember in one of the discourses Osho mentioned that Human beings think of Food every 8 minutes, amusement every 16 mins and sex every 24 mins. I am not sure if that is right, but one thing is true today, human beings think of phone, social media and vanity every 8 mins. Food can wait. In my view, in an era of constant digital distraction, undivided attention has become the most precious gift one can offer.  To truly honor someone today, you must silence the noise and offer your complete presence—the rarest and most meaningful luxury we still possess.

Self-Critical and Reflection (SCAR)

I am sure everyone does it, but I'm not sure if everyone does it as badly as I do. I call this SCAR session with myself. I can think of a topic for minutes to years and find the factors for being self-ritualistic. I then reflect on how it impacted others and me. I write down reflections about that event, but make sure it doesn't become a constant rumination. I am a bad listener and an excessive talker; what's usually not known is that I discuss topics which are "outward" in nature; we all keep some topics of self-criticism and reflection to ourselves. My TO-DO list always has points related to SCAR. 

Niyat (intention) becomes Niyati (destiny)

Intentions eventually become destiny. I have this sticky note for years. Often I try to read in people around me, what's his /her pursuit or whats his/her real chase. I give a lot of emphasis on the intention. If someone shows signs of harming someone to extract a personal benefit, that tells me a lot about their Niyat.

Betrayal is a pattern and rarely an event

Have you analysed why some people betray our trust? Betrayal is rarely a sudden lightning strike; it is usually the final collapse of a structure, a weakened value system by persistent, subtle erosion. It manifests as a series of small, unaddressed dismissals—ignored boundaries or minor dishonesties—that gradually normalize a lack of integrity. By the time a "major" betrayal event occurs, it is simply the conclusion of a long-term shift in priorities away from the relationship. I often focus on the final blow, yet the true damage lies in the quiet, daily choices to choose self-interest over loyalty. Ultimately, an act of betrayal isn't a deviation from the path; it is the final destination of the path that person was already walking. Conclusion: walk away.

Society is the best example of the blind leading the blind

In a world blinded by Vanity and distracted by a social media make-believe world. Have you ever wondered why people pedestalise "successful" people? They don't even know the real them; they are blinded by their "Waqt". People don't judge you by your capabilities, abilities, or talents; they judge you by your time. If you have fortunes on your side, your talent and skills get amplified by the factor of X . Dont try to please the world, it's blinded. Let's dig deeper. Society is simply cognitively lazy. In an attention-deficit world, we use "success" as a mental shortcut—a heuristic to avoid the hard work of actually assessing someone’s character or skill. We don't worship people; we worship their momentum or Waqt. When "fortune" strikes, society retroactively decides you were a genius all along. Your talent hasn't changed, but the "Time" (or Waqt) has finally provided the proof that risk-averse observers demand. Therefore, seeking external validation is a fool's errand because the world isn't watching your ability—it's watching your "fluke. Therefore desire to be loved is the most traumatic desire of all, and seeking validation is an elementary step to the end desire, the desire to be loved. Success is a distraction.

Stay Clear of "Constant Victims

This is a small note, I do watch carefully people's narratives where they love to play victims. They treat life like a rigged game where they are the only ones losing. This mindset isn't just a personality quirk; it is a strategy.  Watch out for these three narratives, three kinds. Past Victim card - You have no idea how my childhood was, or my previous relationship was. The second one is the Circumstance Victim Card - always blaming lack of action on circumstances, and the third one is playing the Luck Victim card - Fate is not everything. I believe in Fate, too, but I guess people often don't understand how Karma and Fate work.  How Sanchit Karma, Prarabdh Karma, and Kriyaman Karma work. The interplay between these three forms of karma explains fate as a dynamic balance between destiny and choice. Sanchit Karma acts as the vast, dormant reservoir of every action you’ve ever performed; it is the "total debt" that defines your soul's journey but remains mostly in the background. Prarabdh Karma is the specific portion of that debt that has matured for your current life, acting as the "fate" that determines your birth, inherent tendencies, and major milestones—essentially the unchangeable script of your current incarnation. However, fate is not a closed loop because of Kriyaman Karma, which represents your present free will. While Prarabdh sets the stage and the challenges you face, Kriyaman is how you react to them in the moment. By making conscious, positive choices now, you can mitigate the impact of past "debts" and ensure that the future Sanchit reservoir is filled with merit rather than struggle. People who play victims of any kind primarily don't comprehend how Karma works. 

Ceaseless Kshatriya

I was born in a Punjabi Kshatriya family. My journey of self-discovery of my lineage and identity led me to dive deep into Kshatriya traits and life pursuits. I was anchored by a quote that my Nanajee told me at thirteen, Its better to be a warrior in a garden than a gardener in a war. It took time to realise that. Life is a continuous battle, and peace is an outcome of deterrence. In the Kshatriya tradition, a person who cannot defend themselves or others isn't "peaceful"—they are simply "harmless." There is no virtue in being a sheep that doesn't bite; virtue only exists when the lion has the teeth to tear, but the discipline to keep them sheathed. Strength is a Prerequisite for Mercy. You cannot truly grant mercy if you don't have the power to punish. For a Kshatriya, "skill at war" is the foundation that makes their "peace" meaningful. Without the skill, peace is just a survival strategy. In everyday life, our battles are with the environment around us and within us. The "war" isn't just external. The Kshatriya nature involves a constant internal battle to master one's own ego, fear, and anger. If you haven't won the war inside, you aren't fit to maintain the peace outside. Ultimately, one must conquer the war within to be fit to maintain the peace without, proving that a true Kshatriya’s identity is forged in the discipline of their actions.

At Amazon, I used to train on their Leadership Priciples however, I feel that some ancient leadership principles are universally applicable to all aspects of life. I have a sticky note on the  Ten traits of a kshatriya, or my (Manishism) eternal 10 Leadership principles. They are -

Abhaya (Fearlessness) - This isn't the absence of fear, but the refusal to be governed by it.
Shaurya (Valor) - In Today's life: the guts to hold an unpopular opinion.
Vrat (Vows/Commitment) - In Today's age, it's about keeping your word even when it hurts.
Dhriti - (Steadfastness/ Endurance) - The ability to remain unshaken during a crisis.
Daksh ( Competence) - Sharpen your craft , keep getting better at what you do .
Tejas (Radiant Vitality) - Kshatriya must be effervescent with Optimism and determination
Daan (Generosity)- Daan isnt Charity or donation, it's offering your time to offer your resources.
Kshama (Forgiveness) - Stay your hand when you can crush your opponent with your strength
Tyaga (The Spirit of Sacrifice) - A leader eats last. Practice of being sacrificial of your ego.
Ishwara Bhava (Leadership Instinct) - Take Responsibility, lead from the front - Say I got this. The battle stops the day I stop breathing.
These sticky notes are as random as newspaper news listings are, I have always beleived its something someone will relate to someday. 

My room constantly plays ghazals, and this one is an absolute gem 

काँटों की चुभन पाई फूलों का मज़ा भी, दिल दर्द के मौसम में रोया भी हँसा भी !

आने का सबब याद न जाने की ख़बर है, वो दिल में रहा और उसे तोड़ गया भी ! 

हर एक से मंज़िल का पता पूछ रहा है, गुमराह मेरे साथ हुआ रहनुमा भी ! 

'गुमनाम' कभी अपनों से जो ग़म हुए हासिल, कुछ याद रहे उनमें, तो कुछ भूल गया भी !

गुमनाम सुरिंदर मलिक