Hitting 32; The Drive Is Still There
This year marks the 5th anniversary of writing about my experiences of the past year on my birthday, and here goes the list for this year:
1. Don’t listen to boss babes. Not all women want it. For those inherently motivated to achieve the status, more power to them. But, unfortunately the boss babe life was also sold to millennial women who actually aspired to have a traditional family and now they are at crossroads. As someone who believes in equality and empowerment, it was a struggle to accept this statistic.
2. When it comes to substance deaddiction advice, pay heed to people who ask you to taper and speak about relapses.
3.Never hesitate to voice your concern to your wedding photographer.
4. Grief isn’t a problem; the person asking you not to grieve is the problem.
5. Send your mother random images and videos. It is my new found way to communicate with her.
6. More people are going for therapy, but only a few are taking action. Some are even stuck in their diagnosis and are even using it as a crutch to play the victim.
7. Tv remote without mute button is bad design.
8. You’ll tend to tone down on preaching your ways once you realize what motivates you may cripple another person. If I can do it, no, you cannot do it too.
9. Never stop looking for the right barber.
10. You don’t need to heal completely before entering a relationship. Just be aware your personal insecurities will mess you up, and your partner shouldn’t bear the brunt of having to provide medication for wounds that existed before.
11. Gyms have become a shrine for love victims. It isn’t a lifestyle anymore.
12. “Lack of communication is lack of performance” is the most thrown around corporate phrase.
13. As an advocate of calmness and cool headedness, it was also important for me to realize some events in life demand your voice, aggression, and your ability to just create a scene.
14. As you grow older, you have a shift from “save the world” to “survive”. Remorseful incidents in the society no longer move you and you staying away from the news becomes the best option.
15. Don’t look down on the younger generation, you were annoying too.
16. Buy your dad gifts. When I usually return from a trip, an item for the kitchen, which would essentially come to everyone in the house is usually bought, and it is an item for my mother. I would always think there is no need to explicitly get something for my father as they don’t expect anything. Which may be true, but they secretly hope for such gifts. Had a lifetime of an experience this time when I got my father a souvenir.
17. So much talk about green and red flags. We are essentially flag posts ready to hoist a flag that suits the situation and commands admiration.
18. People who choose not to have children have given the idea of having children far more thoughtful consideration than most people who do have them. And, it is pure evil to watch both parties argue about the same.
19. You’ll see people married for 80 years and you don’t need to wish this upon yourself.
20. The world is getting crowded and way too many people travel for insta memories. Be selfish and gatekeep.
21. Never underestimate your value after a NO and overestimate it post a YES.
22. If you’ve prided on being brutally honest, take a moment and ask yourself, what gives you the thrill? Being honest or brutal?
23. Sometimes we forget it is our parents first time at life too.
24. Pop psychology got us all messed up in understanding what actual mental illness is. A momentary discomfort isn’t depression.
25. You will no longer have a year without finding out somebody close to you passed away. Not just folks who are ageing, but people your age too.
26. It is never about the kit, but it is the skills. But, if you can afford the kit, never feel guilty. Success is build on privileges and networks, and nothing should stop you from addressing the skill deficit.
27. In bed, never say “I’m so close”; always go with “just like that”.
28. We live in an easy society, yet we are miserable. Probably, more comfort isn’t the answer.
29. This may come across as promoting mediocrity, but sometimes we don’t need to swim the valley of despair when trying something new. It is okay to accept your temporary incompetence. You actually do SUCK. This acceptance is the boat to cross the valley of despair.
30. Institutions we grew up to think sacred are nothing but propaganda mills. We have an International Court of Justice and yet so many countries are at war. Probably, peace is never an option, and the universe does thrive on this chaos.
31. Petrol heads shaming people who prefer electric vehicles and want an automatic transmission are not bringing any glory to the fraternity.
32. The realization you are the biggest fraud is actually comforting. Nobody can handle anyone’s authentic self, and even with people we claim to be intimately close, we are bound to stir the pot if we are 100% authentic. This realization coexists with the universal fact of why some successful folks tend to have a tunnel vision and don’t have time for others in their lives. Sometimes, it isn’t about you not wanting to socialize, but people just can’t handle your true self.
