It’s already 23 days into the new year. How’s 2022 been treating you so far? Are you still sticking with your annual resolution standards or already throwing them out the window?
I admit 2021 hadn’t been entirely kind to me. I was experiencing several uncomfortable mental state situations sporadically throughout the year. So, I’m throwing everything out the window to get a fresh start. Well, almost everything. I promised to take care of myself thoroughly this year, and this includes starting writing every day. The sole purpose is to understand my emotion and in the process, I will publish my writing on this website.
To kick off this promise, I took a look at my previous pieces. And remembering the journey to be who I am today.
A Start, Somewhere.
At the end of 2021, I faced an important interview. And the interviewer asked me what kind of significant changes did I endure and how these changes defined who I am. It seemed simple but I cannot give a straight answer. This set of questions kept swirling in my head. It took a while to understand the journey that I took. As human beings, we are constantly growing and changing, even if sometimes it seems minuscule, who you are today is not the same as yesterday.
Most turning points usually come from happiness or grievance. A newly born baby, a lost loved one, even turning a certain age can change your life for good (read what it meant on turning forty here). But small things can also bring changes to you. Saying yes for a short vacation may end up buying a property in the area. Rejecting a night out with coworkers may lead to team detachment. Saving a few dollars every day may become your base capital for a new business. James Clear, the author of Atomic Habits, tells the importance of changing small things and making them your daily habit. You could accomplish unbelievable goals if you start small.
In Between Comfort Zones and Yes for Change.
Changing is easier said than done. Change will come eventually, but changing means taking control of the direction you want. You will need to fight your comfort zone and the little voice in your head. Not everyone wants to change, and that is okay. Only you who know whether you are truly happy with where you are now, or whether there is a nagging voice and uncomfortable feeling inside. You are your own standards here.
Back to the question from my interviewer, I realised now that most of my growth came by saying yes to something unexpected, and not from major life events. I said yes to becoming a tour leader for a group of strangers, and it helped me learn to communicate with others. I said yes to a crazy 2400km road trip and ended up loving every second of it. I opt for a different major in college and changed my career. I am no longer an introvert but an ambivert now (yes, I have taken the test). Do I feel that I’m changing? Mostly, no. Sometimes I even felt like moving backward. But then I also find it easier to converse with others, read a book faster, or even learn to look at the sky rather than getting frustrated over the traffic.
Mahatma Gandhi’s famous quote sums this up perfectly, that if you change a tiny bit about yourself, then the universe will also change towards you.
Author: Mia
A writer | researcher | lecturer who also a tech-addict and internet-junkie
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