These nine months of 2024 have been full of Serendipity for me. Whatever I have experienced, or stumbled into, has only made me happier - even though it felt upsetting at first.
I have always loved to shop for stuff - gifts for family, clothes for myself and stuff to add to the aesthetics for my home. But ever since I quit my job, saving has been a way of life. Books form most of my gifts as it does justice to my newly attained honour of being a published author. Instead of lavish gifts, I prefer to spend more time with people - as it is far more cherished in the long run after all. This has been over WhatsApp and LinkedIn messages, as well as in-person meetups over coffee or walks.
As for home decor, my focus has been more on decluttering, cleaning and simplifying, rather than accumulating more stuff. This has made life so much easier and fulfilling! I have hardly bought any new outfits. Because of the self-care I have been putting into my health and passion pursuits, as well as spiritual ascension (no expectations, minimal socialising, more ME time), my physical looks have benefited. This means that even if I repeat an outfit, the overall effect is applauded more than when the outfit was new! The learning was that if we focus on inner beauty, the outer one will follow irrespective of external embellishments. Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication!
I wanted to write full-time, basically pivot my career. A friend just happened to forward me a post about a Writer's Retreat. I registered and travelled solo with strangers for the first time. The experience was extremely enriching. It also taught me that I do not need the crutch of being employed - my skill of writing was enough. A friend recommended a book coach based on an Instagram post, while another introduced me to a script writing workshop. Someone suggested having an author platform, and yet another suggested starting a Substack newsletter, to promote my book. I have created both now; and have learned many tools along the way. I kept running into other writers through family introductions, neighbours as well as book clubs. My Instagram and LinkedIn feeds mysteriously showed me posts that would pique my interest and whet my appetite further - it was almost as if their AI algorithm could read my thoughts! I have learned so much about writing as a branding tool, as a profession, and also how it can be turned into a lucrative occupation. I have participated in interesting discussions about books and movies with eclectic folks whose thinking is very different from mine. It opened my mind to new imaginations and taught me to view the world through a different lens. I also learned consistency through participating in a writing challenge that came my way purely by chance. It felt great to be a student again and exploring a new world on my own!
I often wonder at how these joyful coincidences kept cropping up without me actively seeking them. A neighbour from my building turned out to be my book club member! A professional connection turned out to be my spouse's ex-colleague, a person I freelanced for turned out to be my book club member's client, and a distant family member is an enthusiastic consumer of my writing! I assumed that this was Serendipity; or my Destiny mysteriously paving the way for me.
But could it be because I had changed my inner landscape, due to which my external reality (that of being a busy and privileged IT employee in a renowned MNC) changed to being a self-employed upcoming 'Authpreneur'? Perhaps, others view me in a more acceptable light now that they do not feel threatened by my outward success and witness me work at the entry level in this new field. Or they perceive me as much more available now that they do not have to wait for my undivided attention. Maybe, just maybe, I had read them wrong before, and now I finally knew them better? It could be that now that I am moving slowly (no longer rushing), my steps are finally in sync with theirs? Or... the world is now a Happy place to me just because I am happy unconditionally.
It’s a mystery - perhaps its a combination of all of the above. But I am truly blissful with the way my life has shaped up these last few months. May this trend continue!
It’s a mystery - perhaps its a combination of all of the above. But I am truly blissful with the way my life has shaped up these last few months. May this trend continue!
