The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why.

Mark Twain

Back when I was a twelve year old with no clue about what the road ahead meant, life was simple.

Go to school, get good grades ,watch TV- Repeat.

But there was one thing I loved doing, something that brought a sparkle in my eyes and made me feel alive. It was, as you’d probably guess – writing; Writing in journals about the little things that brought me joy- like getting matching pink hairclips for a beloved poofy dress or about things that scared me – like the giant arachnids that so often crept up on bathroom walls unannounced. There was always this fascination with words and the magic they held – how they could transport you into an entirely different world and offer you wise counsel as if some scholar who lived a hundred years back was your friend. There was this dream I had brewing and bubbling  inside of me-to become a writer.

Years before I had a notion of the “Shoulds” in life, I was free to dream up dreams of what would make me happy.

All of us probably remember something like this back from when we were still kids; Perhaps its how much you loved painting with watercolours or singing in music class or making pretty greeting cards for your friends on their birthdays. There is undeniably some activity, some pastime that meant a whole lot more to you than you’d like to accept. Something that brought you joy by the mere process of just doing it;

Something that made you feel like you came alive with enthusiasm and spirit.

Fast forward a decade or two and here we all are- living the exact same life as everybody else around us.

Working a job that doesn’t engage your spirit and spending the rest of time scrolling mindlessly through reel after reel on Instagram, watching Netflix’s latest series and planning to take a trip to Maui once you’ve saved up enough money.

Even though each of us is so uniquely different from the other, all of us lead the same blueprint of a life. We live the same day over and over ,keeping ourselves busy with distractions and responsibilities and “shoulds”.

If you believe that you have something special inside of you, and its about time you gave it a shot, honor that calling in some small way today. If you feel a knot in your stomach because you can see the enormous distance between your dreams and daily reality, do one thing to tighten your grip on what you want- Today.

-Elle Luna (The Crossroads of Should and Must)

Do we really do the things we love?

Do we try to find out that something we thought we’ve lost long back?

Do we dare to look inside even if we’re scared that we might find something that might change life as we know it?

Or do we keep numbing ourselves with reels and funny cat videos and a trip to get your mind off of how boring our lives really are?

I am not suggesting that you give up the day job that sustains your livelihood and embark on some whimsical adventure trying to make it as a wildlife photographer. I guess what I am saying is, life is too short and too precious to be lived mindlessly. It is not necessary that you already know what thing(s) ignite your soul.

Maybe its okay to dabble in a whole lot of different things-be it pottery or swimming or embroidery.

Maybe its not selfish to do something that makes the child inside you laugh again.

Maybe it is still worthwhile to do some things even if they don’t make you any money or earn you recognition.

In a world constantly trying to hijack your attention with endless notifications and useless info, it is all the more essential that you reclaim your life.

And start doing things that make you experience the awe and wonder that the universe has to offer.

In the wake of this enlightenment ,I have been off digital entertainment for a week now. In this attempt to regain focus and spend more time creating the life I want to be living (rather than some automated version), I am starting to feel a sense of calm and control over how I live every day.

And I want to hold it close.

Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.

Howard Thurman, Philosopher

P.S – I’d recommend these books if you’d like to own your time and get back to who you really are!