In Elena Ferranteâs words: âExistence is this, I thought, a start of joy, a stab of pain, an intense pleasure, veins that pulse under the skin, there is no other truth to tell.â
When youâre surrounded by people who matter the most on your birthday, you feel strongly about your existence. This year, my birthday was all about no frills, no thrills. Just a nice, long dinner with my family. And lots of sweets.
So, whatâs this post about?
Just really, really random thoughts that may or may not be related to birthdays.
i. Most books you read will not leave a dent in your life. 99.5 per cent of them donât.
ii. The ability to say ânoâ is a superpower. (We should say no more often!)
iii. I donât think I want to do bungee jumping or any other such activities anymore. These things are going off my bucket list right away.
iv. If youâre a creator, write down all your thoughts. Wake up in the middle of the night to write illegible thoughts in your Google Notes. Write everything that you find remotely interesting. Even if they donât make sense today, youâll find them infinitely fun years later.
v. I always thought I should separate my personal life from my work life, but I struggle to do so. But now I think itâs crucial, and the more I force myself to split it, the tougher it gets.
vi. Having a swanky job title is great. People might think youâre doing so well in life. But doing well in life has nothing to do with that title. Itâs about how that job contributes to the next 10 years of your career, the people it introduces you to, the skills youâll pick, and, of course, the money (Iâm not going to say this is unimportant and superficial!) you make. And you get to decide these things. Your team and the people you see at work every day also matter.
vii. Iâd pick these over a Series A startup that pivots every time someone coughs. Or one that has no rules and boundaries. But I also respect ones that contribute to your growth and operate with clarity (whether that works or not). I lurk a lot on Reddit, and every time I see someone share my Little Black Book (LBB, Hyderabad) posts to recommend things to do in Hyderabad, I feel ecstatic. After all these years?
viii. Growing away and apart from friends or family members is (sort of) like a rite of passage. People change, life takes them in different directions, and what once felt unbreakable fades. It's painful, but you canât control it.
ix. But invest heavily in relationships that matter. Pour every ounce of your energy into people who make you feel genuinely good about yourself. And we know who these people are, right? We take every chance to meet or talk to them, we donât make excuses to avoid them, or hesitate to message them.
x. Quality over quantity may sound just like a saying. But then, you feel it, right? You probably have a friend who lives in a different country, and you meet them just once a year, but an afternoon with them will be far more beautiful. But quality isnât just about meeting â it could be just a conversation over the phone.
xi. Donât put in too much effort into things that offer very little returns â people, things, and investments.
xii. There are rules to treating yourself to good stuff. The most basic one is: donât go broke.
xiii. Trends fade, and thank god, I didnât buy a Labubu.
xiv. Iâm a little late to the K-drama and C-drama party, but now that Iâm here, there is no going back. Itâs like going through a slow life phase with less dramatic actors and beautiful stories. What took me so long to get here?
xv. It sucks that I have many role models but no mentors.
xvi. What I found boring in my 20s is definitely not boring in my 30s. Stability isnât boring. Doing the same thing every day isnât boring. Writing in the same spot every day isnât.
xvii. My mother always said I was a hard worker. You know, I hated it â I always wanted to be someone who waltzed through things. A smart worker who wouldnât sweat to get things done. My mother argued that hard work always pays. Now, I get it.
xviii. We all get our one true loves â wealth, human beings, pets, cars, work, whey protein (basically whatever floats your boat!). And they can change as we navigate life.
xix. Whatâs life without great food? Major props to all the restaurants and people who fed me well this year.
xx. Nothing to add. Just wanted to end it with xx (omg, I can still use Roman numbers!)
Thatâs all from me! Iâll be back with a fun story soon. Byeeee!
Tune of the day đ