Life Update + Insights (Version: October 2024)

It has been a long long time since I’ve done one of these! But now that I’ve taken the break I needed, let’s dive into a few things that happened in the last month.

I ran my first official 10k race and it was much better than I could’ve imagined. Honestly, after I finished high school, I never thought I’d participate in a “race” again. I ran a bit for fun but never got to enjoy the same energy of running with people.

So, a couple of things I took away from my recent “race”:

• Pain is a part of the process! Whether it is running or life in general, it is okay for things to get difficult. It just makes the ending even more fun!
  

• You won’t know unless you take the chance. Honestly, I never thought I had it in me to run a 10k in 01:05:04 but I wouldn’t have known if I didn’t push myself. Similarly, no matter what it is, you can either take the risk of having the regrets of not trying or losing. I personally try to avoid regrets so failing feels like a better bet to make.
  

• You can’t do it alone! No matter what Instagram quotes tell you, you need people to support you. I could maintain the pace because I ran it alongside my to-be brother-in-law and we were chatting constantly. Last one kilometer, I wanted to slow down so badly but it was only because of the music and people cheering that I didn’t. Even if you walk the road not taken, you still need someone to hear you from a distance. Nothing matters more than people.

Talking about loved ones, I traveled to Kyrgyzstan with my boyfriend recently. And it is easily one of the best trips I’ve ever had. I’ve heard things like “Where on the map does this place even exist?” or “What’s that?” from people and I’m so glad that not enough people know about it.

The country is still relatively untouched by tourism and exploitations caused by capitalism. The country is so safe that a woman drove the cab I sat in for the first time in my entire life. The toddlers ran around by themselves on the roads, strangers trusted strangers for hitchhiking, and the horses and sheep roamed freely in vast green patches.

I also saw the first snow of my life and the highest mountains I’ve ever seen. The rivers and lakes were so “picturesque” with hardly any people in sight that I forgot we weren’t fairies in the heavens. Honestly, the country will inevitably become a popular tourist destination in the next decade if things continue at the same pace. It makes me a little sad because I don’t want it to get ruined.

But apart from all the healing and memories, some other things I’ll carry with me are:

• Nature has provided us enough with everyone to be fed and taken care of. There are plenty of plants and cattle to feed yourself. The sky is wide enough for anyone to sleep under the stars. There are enough lakes and rivers to bathe in. There are enough people to share your happiness with.
  

• Your perspective and ability to choose how you want to feel is the biggest determinant of how happy you can be. Nothing is stopping you from making a stupid joke and laughing carelessly.
  

• Human emotions are universal. While we’re all individuals with varying personalities and identities, at the core of it, we all feel the same happiness, love, fear, and pain. And that’s what unites us; being able to feel and experience our humanity!
  

• It’s always a good idea to pack light! Don’t ask me why, just believe me on this one. :p

Another thing that really stood out to me was the Kyrgyz radio channels. It played better music than most DJs these days. There’s no way you’d sit in a cab in Bishkek and not feel like heading to a club.

To end this on a good note, here’s a song recommendation that compliments this post perfectly:

I hope the song makes you smile. My DMs are open if you want to chat more!