(Give a read to the profound musings penned down as a beautiful letter by Siddhi to herself.)
Dear Sid,
Because you don’t have a goldfish memory (they can remember things for over 5 months, unlike the famous myth, you? 5 seconds) and despite all the new year resets and setups, you will find yourself later, if not sooner, stuck in the hamster wheel of life. What better than penning a letter to yourself that you can go back to (and share with folks over the internet)?
Chapped dry lips, icy palms, wrestling against bed’s comfortable charm. The weight of deadlines and long to-do lists. The longing of a lover amidst mistletoe branches. Longer nights and missed alarms. Despite the chaos, the real magic is in this moment. It is sometimes too hard to recognise, covered under layers of endless shenanigans. But the moment you realize it against the grandiose universe, it is freeing to leave the heaviness and what-ifs of the past behind, and while the possibilities of the future are enchanting and a tad too freeing, the present is the way through.
When you have those migraine episodes, you realise that even a regular ‘meh’ day is beautiful. We tend to romanticise things more when they exist in the past vs. them existing in the now. (Duh. Very obvious. Very human. I know.) But, the practice of gratitude helps happiness some notch and find tiny sparkles of good. Find something to be grateful for each day (don’t be harsh on yourself on the days you can’t). Document your life and archive it in some way so you can flick through it. Have a eureka journal to pen down your thoughts, rants, and favourite quotes. Take time to create. Feel how alive it makes you feel.
A plunge into the unknown and unheard. Crown your little voice and butterflies in the stomach, launching ideas. Breathe life into your Pinterest life. Have courage, and some days, have more courage than faith. Give 10 minutes every day to your ‘crazy’ idea. Have some curiosity for whatever comes out of it. Start the newsletter you have been contemplating about. Go on that heritage walk that you plant into the perfect future. Go sell the cutest handmade bookmarks and paperweights. So what if you can’t sustain it? So what if things go wrong? Be open to the experience. It’s worth more than success. Invest in yourself at every point in time. Suck at something new. Sharpen your best skills. Surprise yourself sometimes (not by calling that ex you hate or wait, why not).
Life is a lot about plans, and a lot about spontaneity. Life is a lot of free time you don’t know what to do with. Life is too many tests at once and a hectic exam schedule. Here is when a bare-bone routine comes into the picture. Basically, a set of things that you do at specific hours every day that can help you add some sense to life and not feel too lost no matter what is going on. Perhaps light up a fragrant candle and read 10 pages every night. Wake up and sit still for five minutes each day. It can be anything big or small, or an entire thread of to-dos. Ultimately, something simple and easy to follow up with despite the diverse circumstances of life.
Spend some time alone and frequently take time to disconnect from the world, from social media, and to take breaks. Don’t undermine the importance of this process. Take time to slow down and find time for your mental health. You got this.
The numbing crowd spilled around, but a warm hand on your heart and synced long inhale to feel your presence in this world big and round. Look at how you are breathing right now. Don’t try to change its pattern. Now breathe in and out deeply. Close your eyes if you feel like it. Your breathing pattern is one way to tap into your inner self and find a portal that leads to you. Prepare your meals, and get to know your body more. Observe what it likes and how it reacts to certain foods or movements. Remember the quick feel-goods. Every day, move your body in some way. You are a plant, Hooman. Feed yourself some sun. Stretch your cheeks into a smile. Take a shower and dress up in your favourite clothes.
Love and Light,
An evolving sunflower
The Pinnacle Palette 