I’ve been noticing a quiet shift in me lately. I’m more mindful now about creating a holistic life — not one that revolves only around work.

I’m not married at 34. For the longest time, I believed life would begin after marriage. Until then, the plan was simple: work hard, reach the top, then live. But the thing about chasing the “top” is that the goalpost keeps moving. There’s always another milestone. Another version of later.

I’ve always wanted to do a lot more. For years, that meant starting many things but not fully committing to any. And yet, when I look back now — especially at who I was five years ago, in 2021 — the difference is unmistakable. I was naïve. A little clueless. More ambitious. Very reserved. Very sincere. Maybe even stupid.
But perhaps that’s true for everyone when they look back at an older version of themselves.

For a long time, I had reserved a part of my life for dating — not just time, but emotional energy.
Dating in India, particularly as a woman over 30, can be mentally consuming. It asks you to stay open, hopeful, and resilient all at once.
Eventually, I realized how much of myself it was taking. And so, without a big announcement, I stepped back.

In the meantime, life was still happening.

I painted in 2020.
I started traveling solo in 2022.
I focused on physical fitness, little by little.
I learned to swim.
Played badminton.
Went on long walks.
Journaled.
Upskilled.
Learned to be calmer.
Took dance classes in between.
Went out to fancy cafés and tried different cuisines.
I didn’t do everything on my to-do list, but slowly, I did some things.

It wasn’t linear. It wasn’t planned. But it was growth.

I still have a long way to go. But today, when I pause and really look at myself, I can see that I’ve evolved. And that feels… good.

I’m not entirely sure what the purpose of this post is. Maybe it’s just this: we keep evolving. And every time we look back, we should be able to say that today’s version is in a better place — or at least a gentler, happier, more present one.

And if nothing else, I hope I continue enjoying life along the way.