27th May'2024 - The Surprise
"We all have our time machines. Some take us back, we call them memories, some take us forward & we call them dreams" - this message showed up on my FB page when I logged in after a long log time and it really crossed my mind - dear readers, that the main puropose of this personal blogging of mine is to capture the moments of life all around and how can I not write about an extremely important change, infact a professional milestone to cherish!!
With all my fears and happiness people who know Leobond very well, know that my life cannot be like a DC line, it has be a sinosidal wave and if it is not, I invite or land into such challenges. This was exactly my situattio in 2022 Nov , when I was wrapping up a game changer project - raising my hand that the toughest one I would have ever done one, thats when my heart was racing and raising questions in my head what next - a) because with the project was heavliy working with lot of ecosystem partners on innovation and b) wanted to keep myself upgraded with technology while the world of AI & ML was moving to GenAI and GPTs. Back in Amsterdam in 2022, these thoughts never left my mind and after coming back in Dec - I wanted to take a calculated risk. I was rewarded a designation change in November 2022 and the fear of high expectations haunted me if I will be able to upskill myself with new responsibilties - Oh yes, this also came with investment, so was I ready to invest time, energy and money all. With new roles, comes new responsibility and the roles completely in the incubation areas.
Sometimes I wondered, if I would break down and give up the Post Grad. Waking up at 5AM and studying till 7AM and then getting ready for office work was a regular routine from Feb 2023 till Feb 2024 and if in any official meeting, people spoke about weekeds, I had a complete silence in my head with a thought that what did I do to deserve this life.
I may sound cliched that we get something in life we make sacrifices and here I was giving up on everything on personal front. One thing which was constant was my family support and my father kept me on Toes to never give up.
I remember, Diwali all houses were lit by 7 PM and there was fun and frolic all over but I was confined to a single room since saturday and Saunday to run my Codes for project and submitted the project dot 8PM, and then got ready to celebrate one of my favorite festivals.
This was not enough, I had also given up my Yoga classes and put a 6 months hault to clear and settle things.
Trust me friends, life is a never ending race but Leobond has always loved to live life every single bit of it, no matter how tough and challenges it poses to me. I grew as a human, professional and learnt as well. Not to forget, a very close friend of mine also pursued this course with me so its always good to have a study partner and life becomes more easy as you grib, solve ,discuss together and grasp.
As luck would have it, both of us topped the class securing 1& 2 ranks, I know ranks dont matter in today's world but the feeling of Pride and trust me a free sat & sun since March 2024 came as surprise. Suddenly as if something went missing but these times in life are what keeps you going and the certificate below always gives me a sense of achievement.
This was not it, infact in the organisation, we have programs for Women in Tech and that also was a 6 months program - icing on the cake which got over in April end.
As we say, alls well that end well but I think God definitely had something special stored for me. As Leodond has always shared instances of my life with all of you, this is where my lifetimeline stands - April 2024. So with so much study, work and craziness, I wanted to take a break and my earlier post on Kashmir Diaries was the 1st break after a loongggggg time. May as usual I was charged to take up roles which dig deep into technology skills.
Here comes the biggest surprise. While working on projects, my regular Boss was travelling for lot of events and conferences in May for SAP - my bread and butter and I have this habit of always aligning and checking with her on the progress and 24th May, I was constantly asking for a review so she said lets talk on Monday - 27th May.
8:30AM - my mobile rings and it read - BOSS CALLING, I am a bit surprised, something was wrong as such early morning when your boss calls, it means, CALL FOR ACTION. The minute I picked, she said lets address and discuss all issues at 9:30AM, I asked should I set up a call?She said no, I will call.
While my better half was leaving for office, I told him, I somehow feel butterflies in my stomach today, if I call pls answer as I was not ok how things were turing out on the MONDAY.
So, knowing the calendars I still blocked that time as 10AM, I had workshops starting for my current project, btw - I am in another mess, which I will share in another post.
Dot 9:30, when my boss didnt call, I pinged her and said, we need to talk, she said she got something urgent with our super boss and will pull me in 5. I really wondered, I have workshops - which I was prepping and now if there was a new task, completions and timelines will become difficult.
As sharp 9:35AM, my boss pulls me in a call, I join and I see >10 MDs in the video call and I feel as if my world turned upside down. My adrenalin rush and my heartbeat could be heard by me and I hear my boss say, if I could come on Video? I turn on my video and my super boss says that the GenAI models were hallucinating which they wanted to fix and talk in the call and I smiled.
But that was 5 seconds and then came the next words - You have been progressed to a Managing Director Role - I heard and skipped multiple beats - No reeaction but a blush or a smile - I dont recall.
I felt my world had literally stopped!!! I could see people gazing at me and I still remember stating, I am in an awe and literally said - I have never blushed but I today I was, the call lasted for 10 mins.
Gosh, this moment and the goosebumps I had, the anxiety - what just happened, is this real, I had my hands folded and thanked almight but I didnt know what to do.
I didnt know how to concentrate on the workshop at 10AM. I also thought as if it was a dream.
I took a heavy sigh and did a video call with my family and then friends, while everybody was soooo happy but my heartbeat trust me that day went to 137, yes folks 137, can you imagine, while at one hand I was happy on the other hand the responsibilities were huge and such knowledgeable leaders to work - panic striken me spoke to my boss.
My better half with my heart beat check said , he would call by boss and tell her that I am literally not able to digest the Surprise.
Leobond feels, we all have our lows and highs in life but exciting surprises really make us believe that at the end - Hardwork +Luck means Dreams do come True.
While, the next journey is very tough and I will share where I am now but this is for all of us - our goal is to keep challenging us for better and good things and knowledge and sheer knowledge will always be yours and make you live your dreams, so never give up.
Leobond - In the recipe of Life, knowledge is a key ingredient which has the powet to turn bad things/time into good one. It all depends on how we take the situation. So keep growing your knowledge repository in whatever shape and size.
The Next Chapter of surprises in the next post but do read, subscribe & share your life suprises as well, till then stay happy and blessed.
Love
Leobond
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