What kind of legacy do you want to leave behind?

This question has been haunting me since a long time. After spending months at home, being forced to confront my own thoughts has led me to a few realizations. The multiple covid lockdowns made me realize how everything around us is temporary. It got me thinking that with the maximum amount of time that I do get around this beautiful planet, what it is that I want to leave behind, what do I want the world to remember me by? Which also makes me realize that for me to leave something behind, I need to take actions to actually create a legacy.

India recently lost one of its iconic singers, KK. All of us 90s kids have expressed love, been heart-broken, celebrated friendships through his songs. He had a poetic death where he passed away after performing for a concert, he literally died doing what he loved. I’ve always felt that there’s a missing piece in my life even if everything seems to be going great. It is this missing part of the puzzle that sends me searching out for something more. I once saw a movie where the actor is asked – “You are doing this job to live the life you are living now, but what do you do for yourself?” To which the actor replies, “I write.” There are things you do in life which fulfil a practical purpose but we also tend to seek things that fulfil our souls.

Legacy can be anything, for some it is the wealth they earn, for some it’s their kids, for some it’s their work. I feel legacy is all about what YOU want to be remembered by and then working towards that purpose. For some it may take a shorter time, for some it might be a longer wait. However, it is all worth it to see the day you feel the contentment in your heart, knowing that this is the missing piece of my life I’ve searched for all along!

I believe that legacy also lies in how you are remembered by as a person. I still love how my loving Grandma is remembered by everyone in her town as one of the kindest souls they had come across. She also planted a few mango trees during her time and now we are able to relish their fruits even today. This inspires me to take actions today that I know would benefit not only my time on this planet, but would benefit generations to come. I still haven’t figured out HOW I plan to do it. But that’s what life is for, to search for things that brighten up your soul and keep working on them till you can!

PS: Thanks for reading through this post. It has been a long time since I wrote. But I know I’ll always make a comeback. What legacy do you envision to leave behind? Would absolutely love to read your thoughts on it!

Take time to heal what’s broken

I absolutely love the outdoors and even a small walk outside makes me escape the monotony of life, allowing me to get lost in the beauty of the outside world. Sometimes, the outside noise you hear when walking through the streets of a busy city seems to quieten the train of thoughts that flood your mind. When you are a person who just can’t sit idle for a long time in the confines of your home, life sure does seem difficult when you are stuck at home for a long period. Hence, being able to step out of my apartment after almost a month due to a leg injury surely felt like a huge deal!

However, it has led me to tell myself that it’s okay to let life change gears and set it on “cruise control” mode for a while. Generally, when a driver feels exhausted, they can set the car on cruise mode which controls the speed of the car and maintains a constant speed. Whatever you want to do in this life and whatever you are currently doing, gets affected if you don’t focus on your health first. Being sick takes a toll on you physically and mentally. January being the start of a new year, just like the majority of people out there, I was pumped up to begin this year with a bang. Life seemed to have other plans for me. However, I took this time to focus on healing my injured leg so that it heals faster and catching up on some tv shows I had been meaning to watch.

With one of my goals for this year being getting healthier, I haven’t been able to exercise right from the second day of this year. Life has been slower. But the only option for me was to rest and let my leg heal, so that I would be up and running soon. Jumping into the 2nd month of this year (not literally :P), all I can say is, if any of you are having a rough start like me, we still have the rest of the year to hustle. Whatever you’re going through, it’s okay to take some time off to heal from it. I am not just talking physical injuries, but mental trauma too. Our mind and body need time to process the curveballs life throws at us. Get some rest, relax for a while, get back on your feet and chase your goals with all you’ve got.

New year, Better me

I am one of those people who rarely go out to celebrate New Year’s eve. Most of my life, I’ve fallen asleep even before the clock struck midnight. But after entering the somewhat grown up phase of life, I began to see it is for what it is – a reason to celebrate the start of something new. It is also a great way to assess what you did last year, look for growth opportunities, let go of the bad habits or cutback on them and have a rough draft of how you want the upcoming year to look like. The beginning of a new year gives you an opportunity to have something to look forward to for the rest of the year. Well, I may be late to the party, but here I am!

Ditching the new year clichés like ‘New year, new me’, I now look forward to ‘New year, better me’. This entails that with the start of a new year, I don’t need to change into a completely different version of myself. A lot of us don’t really want to turn into a whole different person. I would rather do things that would turn me into a better version of myself and even if you like where you are at right now, there’s always an opportunity to learn, to grow.

Previously, a new year meant creating multiple resolutions that I generally lost track of in the first two weeks itself. Most of the times, I didn’t even bother to get back to them fearing it was already too late to begin. As I had mentioned in one of my previous posts, this blog itself had lost track because I had failed to follow-through on my yearly resolutions to write more. However, a few years later, I realized that all I needed was a start. Even if it wasn’t on the first day of the year, what mattered was to write, to finish an article and post it. Once I got into the rhythm of it, the next step was consistency.

Even today, procrastination gets the better of me on a lot of days. But let me tell you a secret, sometimes, all that matters is showing up. Build little by little. Because at the end of the day, even a small step means you’re improving, going ahead rather than being stagnant. I still dream of posting at least one blog every day. Even though I haven’t gotten there, I have also realized it’s okay to take small breaks or even long ones. What matters is, not letting go of the things that you really want in life. Which is why, here I am again, hoping to write more this year!

Here’s to looking forward to a healthier (COVID-free), happier (inside-out) and flourishing year ahead!

Life of a dreamer

A friend of mine sent me a slam book entry I had written in her book which read, “Life goal: To become a computer engineer”. I had written down this goal probably when I was in the 5th grade. Back then, computers were the new thing and I was fascinated by them. The only related job I knew back then was becoming a computer engineer. My friend also pointed out, how that dream of mine eventually did come true!

Pondering over it made me realize I did manage to achieve my dream without even acknowledging it. I have been a huge nerd my whole life. Though there was a moment in my life, where I stopped running behind grades (the nerd in me still exists!). Today, it reminds me about the amount of efforts I used to put in, the sleepless nights, the influx on information, the drive to study as much as I can to get my degree. I slogged really hard and seeing your hard work being reflected on report cards gave me a great feeling back then.

It also made me realize that with the same attitude, if I really put in all my honest work into achieving my other dreams, I can achieve them as well. Because I am that hard working kid. I had the headstrong determination and drive to become a computer engineer. Now, that same kid has different goals, but the sheer thrill of going after my goals still excites me. Life doesn’t need to be limited by a single dream. This was a beautiful reminder that when you start manifesting your dreams and do all the groundwork, even though it may take some time or even longer, but one day, you will get there. Keep going!

Choose yourself. Over and over.

We often talk about how we love a fictional character from a movie or a show. Have you ever wondered how easy it is to love every other thing in this world and yet, so difficult to love ourselves. We try to find meaning in the outside world, to search the light that will guide our way and give us a reason to live, something that will make us happy and feel good about ourselves. But, how often do we sit with ourselves and try to make sense of what we are.

You try to find the “good” side of all characters in movies, friendships and even relationships. And yet, you’re so cruel to yourself. To think that you’re unworthy of any good thing in this world. That you will never be as cool as the other person is. And yes, you can try to be that person, but you can’t escape who you are and what lies within you.

It takes a lot of strength to face your own demons – your insecurities, your weaknesses, your pain, your failures. And trust me, it takes an insane amount of courage to acknowledge all these things that make you vulnerable. If you can be kind to strangers and even stray animals, why not show some kindness to yourself? The first step to self love starts with accepting yourself. The good, the bad, all of it. These are the things that make you, YOU.

Accepting yourself empowers you to grow past your weaknesses. You need to tell yourself insane amount of times that “I am not just a product of my insecurities. Rather, these are just things that make me human”. What really matters is how you choose to get past it and focus on things that do bring the best out of you.

Honestly, the world is always going to have something to say about you – sometimes good, sometimes bad. Don’t let them define you or just blindly adhere to the world’s perception of you. You have the choice to live a life built on your own beliefs and choices. Just work on yourself. Believe in yourself. Choose yourself. Over and over. ✨

New Year, Upgraded Me.

The start of a new year acts as a cue to hit the reset button in our lives. We see this as an opportunity to reassess our lives and find things we would want to get done in the upcoming year. However, rather than the cliched “New Year, New Me”, I’m more of a “New Year, Upgraded Me” kind of a person. I feel that you don’t need to uproot your whole life right away in the name of change. But what we can do, is choose to focus on things we’ve been wanting to achieve since so long and tackle it one day at a time.

Also, I believe it’s important for these “resolutions” we set to be realistic as well. I remember when I used to try to quantify these resolutions just to feel like I’m achieving something. And a week later into the new year, I used to forget about them because they felt far-fetched. However, I feel it’s more helpful if you choose a niche you really wanna improve at and give it your honest try. Change takes time. For example, instead of directly trying to cut out sugar from your diet, why not focus on being healthy first? Find a diet plan that’s going to help you stay fit and gradually decrease your sugar consumption .

This blog, too, was a part of my last year’s goals. And well, here I am! Finally after years of convincing myself that I need to start writing again rather than just talking about it, I finally did find the strength to do it. During previous years, I had set a goal of writing one blog post a day and I failed in doing so. So instead, now I chose to focus on getting into the habit of writing first. I can now choose the frequency of my posts because I can anticipate the amount of time and efforts it takes to finish up everything.

So, whatever you are working on or want to, keep going. You don’t have to take the giant leap of faith every time. Sometimes, even one baby step towards your goal is all you need to get going. It’s only the first month of this year. So, even if everything is not going according to your plans, you still have the rest of the year ahead of you. Don’t give up now thinking it’s already the end of January, rather, focus on utilizing the remainder of your time. Trust me, it’s never too late to start something. Just go for it!

Being okay.

Throughout life, we often tend to train our mind into being okay. It is a good thing you know, but only when there are no options left. But when you do have options and you still choose to give up on things you’ve strived for and loved for so long, would you really be okay? Did you really work your ass off all this while to give up when it counts the most? To leave the person, who till date meant the world to you? To give up on your lifelong dreams just because the timing isn’t right? Do you really wanna be that person who’ll just be okay with what comes next?

And yes, you can be okay with a lot of things and still live a happy life. But that moment when you’ll be breathing your last, your brain will be scanning through your memories before it goes blank and it’ll stop at the things you gave up on which meant everything to you. And most probably you’ll carry that guilt even after the end. Wishing then that what could’ve been only if you wouldn’t have given up when you had the time. You will find the strength to live, we all do, but do you have the courage to go after what you want?

We’ve got this one and only life. And if you don’t go all out for what you want, there’s a chance you’ll be stuck in the rut of a mediocre life that you chose to settle for. It won’t be so bad after all you know. But that’s what, that’s how it’ll be, not bad, okayish, liveable. Instead, why not make it an incredible, large, living-the-dream kinda life? ✨

How far would you go?

How far would you go?
For those dreams that keep you awake at night
And the ones that enlighten your soul during the day

Tell me, what would you do?
When you see your dreams lying right ahead of you, waiting for you to claim them
Would you simply walk or run towards them with all you’ve got?
Or would you turn your back and walk away in the abyss?

You spent all these years weaving the tapestry of your dreams that has comforted you when no one else did
You carried them in your heart, which glowed with pride all this while
Would you just cast them away as dead weight
Or would you travel through space and time just to make them come true?

You could walk away at the first sight of failure and join the herd as they say,
But your real strength lies in how far you’re willing to go because your dreams are what separate you from rest of the world

So, tell me now, how far would you really go?✨

PS: Hope everyone’s having a great start to the year. Even if you’re not, stay put and believe that better things are coming your way soon! It all does work out, sooner or later, but it does. ❤

This picture was taken while flying off from snowy New York to sunny Florida in Dec, 2020!

Chasing sunsets.

We were literally chasing after this sunset during our drive through the Florida Keys. Our phones showed that the sunset was in 10 minutes and so we started running towards the point where we could see the sun going down. Later, I just sat on one of the stones nearby watching the beauty unfold. I couldn’t help but think about the magic of this universe and how it just naturally paints the whole sky with all these vivid colors. I purposely chose not to add any filters to this picture because the twilight sky did a pretty good job here!

With the start of a new year, I hope you all too, chase after real happiness, run towards things that brighten up your life and run away from those that suck the light out of you. I hope you find work that motivates you and takes you one step further towards your life’s purpose. And most importantly, I hope you’re surrounded by people who bring out the best colors in you and genuinely make a conscious effort to be a part of your life. Choose people who choose you and hug them a little harder next time!

This past year was really a roller-coaster ride of events and emotions. But, it also helped me to re-evaluate things I never really had time to ponder over. Mostly importantly, it has taught me that happiness is a choice. So when things go awry, if we begin to focus on the positive things in life and let go of all the things beyond our control, life does seem simple and less complicated. And whatever you’re chasing towards, don’t forget to cherish the little joys of life! 💫

PS: I’m finally back to blogging after a two-week break in Florida. This picture was taken at the Bahia Honda Key in Florida Keys. I already miss the Southern warmth in this New York cold. Looking forward to creating and writing more this year. ✨
Happy New Year folks! 🎈

We all have history, darling!

Someone said this to me a few days ago and I simply couldn’t stop thinking about it. Isn’t that true, though? You, me, all of us. We all have been through different things in our life. And that lady didn’t refer to it as some sort of a bad experience. What she meant was, we all have had brief or enduring chapters in our lives which have had a significant impact in our lives. This history that you’ve had has probably led you to become the person you are today.

Remember, how you used to sit for history lectures and listen to your Professor talk about these astounding people who fought battles, who created change, even led revolutions, fought for independence? And we learnt about these men and women because they were brave enough to do something significant that it lives on even after they’re gone. We, too, are modern day heroes writing our own chapters. Some have to fight battles with outsiders who come to rob the love that resides in our hearts, while some have to fight their own vicious mind and achieve control over it.

The scars that these battles leave, might hurt you out of the blue. A sting that hurts you so bad, you lay writhing in pain. But let these very scars remind you, that you fought the battles that have brought you here, you showed up on the battlefield! And though you might have lost some battles, don’t forget what they taught you. You always learn from your failures. And darling, you don’t have to carve out tombstones for the love that died or the people that left or your failures. You don’t need to build a memorial park where once stood a fierce warrior who fought back. But rather build an empire, that thrives with people, who uplift you and who would fight these battles with you. Build an army that would be ready to fight for you, roaring with the battle cries of hope and wearing shields of love as armor.

We are all modern-day warriors. Today, we fight. We fight against injustice, inequality, patriarchy. We fight for the things that our hearts want and we stand our guard against people who try to break down the walls of our mental peace. We are the unsung heroes, that fight bravely everyday. Because if you are going to create history, why not make it a glorious one! A history which doesn’t end up in ruins, but an empire that still stands mightily after fighting hundreds of battles. And one fine day when you will look back, you will think about the braveheart that fought through it all.

PS: This picture was taken at Lakshmi Vilas Palace, Gujarat, India in Dec 2019.