Just Keep Swimming

So, all of my four friends have at some point or the other advised me to 'Just Keep Swimming' and I have personally felt that is one of the best pieces of advice I could ever get or receive. There is a lot of conflict in my head about who I am, what I want and where I am going. I realize that I have been looking for answers and they aren't ready to come to me and I have to step forward anyway. And there is so much that I forget along the way. So, I thought of writing down a few guidelines on how I want things to be:

• Got to hustle to get anywhere.
• Have the long term perspctive to see that life doesn't have to be a linear thing. It's okay to take a few detours.
• There will be regrets but well if you don't act now, it will just add to a future big ball of regrets. Remember that these things are like monkey bars. You have to let go of the last one to move to the next one.
• Talking about regrets, people also regret that they've worked too hard. I think that happens when you work for something or someone you don't believe in. Time is the most finite resource you have, watch how you invest it.
• You could make efforts to curate your life perfectly but the passionate person you want to be? That comes from following the bread crumbs. Feel strongly about something? Great! Act on it now. That's how dreaming works - when you give yourself enough time to dream and follow the path that comes to you.
• Don't sell yourself short. Next time something prevents you from doing what you want, ask yourself why. Is it because you think you'll never get it? Maybe you're righ, maybe you're not. Doesn't make sense to worry about what you don't know. Which brings me to..
• Divide worries into i) things you can do something about, ii) things out of your control. Act accordingly. So much time is wasted on assumptions, worries and general randomness.
• Being true to yourself is scary and intimidating but that's how you make things easier for you. Question the why behind things you want to do and settle only when you know you've reached the truth. Break things down. It's never about the extra freelance work or taking an art class. It's prioritizing between money and a hobby because again time won't permit you to do all.
• You will want to learn a gazillion things. Write them down. But pick up just 2 - the ones that came to your mind first. Check once if anything else is more important to you. After you're done, just stick with those 2 only and proceed till you're down.
• When confused, try answering the question of who you want to be rather than what do you want to do. I have a strong feeling that it helps shape your life decisions a lot. In fact, you guide your activities around that person.
• I swear this was going to be on the top of list but I forgot. Like I always do. Cultivate relationships and make room for happiness from it. Make others happy and be kind. You're super replace-able at work and honestly there will always be someone better qualified to do what you're doing. But if there's one gift that's unique, it's the people and the love and the care. As I remember my friend pointing out to me the other day, creating happiness and being kind allows you to sleep at night. It soothed me instantly and made a lot of sense. It deserves more weightage than is given.
• Identify your strengths and weaknesses. Build up on your strengths and work on your weaknesses.
• Meditate 

Also, again, a shout out for all the people who are being with me through this figuring out stage. They make me feel scared. It's been a little more than a week since I left office. It has been an incredibly rewarding experience. Now, the transition phase to the next adventure. Kripya ji is just the sweetest. I got a party because he rememebered about it and he said he liked my being around and to come back to visit 4 times. I have geuinely loved some people over there. (Everybody in my life knows who those people are!)

Have to get used to this sadness of leaving teams, I guess.