Life Update + Insights (Version: Jan 2025)

It has been a long long time since I wrote one of these. Life lately has been hectic, for all the (knock on wood) good reasons. So before any updates on what’s going on in my universe lately, wish you a very happy new year.

2024 was incredibly kind to me, and I hope it was the same for you too. Let’s see how this year unfolds for us.

So I ran my first half marathon in November 2024. I had been prepping for it since May. When I signed up for it, I really thought there was no way I could run 21k. It was simply too much for me. However, the race day finally came and I was surprised by the results. Looking back, here’s what I learned:

1. You are always capable of more than what you can imagine. Towards the end, the race started feeling painful and the only question that came to my mind was, “Is this the most painful thing ever?”. The answer was “No” and things got easier.

2. You never appreciate your body enough. Despite all that our bodies do for us, it is in human nature to take it for granted. We have to respect our bodies more.

3. Nothing matters more than people. You MUST have the right people around you who will support you unconditionally. (PS: My mom and sister also ran their first 10k races just a week later.)

Talking about people, it was my boyfriend’s 27th birthday in December and I wrote him a poetry book. I had been planning it for him for a long long time. He has been an inspiration for my poetic writings and for life, so it only made sense to honor the heart he’s been pouring out.

As you can already guess, the poems talk about feelings, moments, and memories we’ve shared. If you’ve started planning for Valentine’s Day, it’s worth taking a look at.

So a few things I’ve learned while writing the book (which are the things I’ve learned from my partner):

1. Happiness is a choice. Your perspective is a choice. Letting go is a choice. And you will make all these choices when you’re ready.

2. The true satisfaction lies in growing and being a good human being.

3. Make yourself a priority. Anything that comes at the cost of losing yourself is not worth it. Only when you can take care of yourself is when you can show up for anyone else.

Lastly, to wrap up 2024 strong, my sister got engaged. She is ready to get married to the love of her life this March. If you have even the slightest idea about Indian weddings, you’d know how crazy (in a good way) it can get. And yes, that’s exactly what my world is right now.

So a few things I’m still learning:

1. Let things be. Resist the urge to control, to make everything perfect, to be everywhere, to do everything. Sometimes, you need to let go and enjoy the natural flow of things.

2. Stick to a ritual. It can be anything that can ground you in all the chaos. But have something simple to hold onto.

3. Ask yourself, “Will it matter in 5 years from now?”, regularly and as often as needed.

I’ll keep you posted if I come across anything else that I find useful. In the meantime, a song recommendation to wrap this.

Thank you for sticking with me and supporting my newsletter! I hope 2025 brings the best for you.

My DMs are always open if you want to chat further.