death

Death Reminds Us to Live Better – Despite the Contradiction

  • Reading time:7 mins read

Death

Everything that happens in life is a lesson, even death. I truly believe in this adage. Everything that is happening, from the tiniest of things, to the biggest of things, is a lesson that we need to learn at that moment in time.

I am in India visiting relatives, taking my parents around, and I am seeing a lot of poverty. And also a lot of joy.

The biggest lesson that is served to anyone is to remember to appreciate life. Appreciate that you are here, and that you are alive. Appreciate that you can move your limbs, and make a noise, and eat some food, and talk to friends and family.

Without all of this appreciation, we are dead. Zombies moving through the world, pretending to be alive, but not.

My mother’s sister’s husband died while we were in India. It’s not a big deal. There are billions of people on this planet. And one more dying shouldn’t be a big deal. But of course, it is to us. He was a quiet, smiling man, who lived his life to the max, and died in his 80s.

The lesson is here for us to take, if we wish to.

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Risk Makes Life More Fulfilling, Richer, And More Alive

  • Reading time:11 mins read

The year 2016 has become a year of transformation and risk for me. I have taken more risks in this year than I have in a last long while. Why is that? Because my definition of risk has changed. I have started looking at risk in a completely different manner. Risk is a mandatory item in my daily arsenal now. I know that it is necessary for my growth and improvement. I know it is an absolute must so I take on risk every single day as who I am.

It began with that huge step. Quitting my 9-5 job to finally become an entrepreneur, and an online business owner. Did I know where it would go from there? Would I ever make money from it? Did I know what I was doing with my life? No to all. I was completely lost and clueless. That’s how I lived for a few months after quitting my job.

My Risky Journey In 2016 Outlined In 3 Paragraphs

I had no idea that that one risk would completely tumble my life upside down. From that one risk, my self-esteem improved, and my risk-averse personality faded a bit. I realized risks actually enhanced a person’s life, and allowed them to live more freely and authentically. That one risk caused another major risk to come into my life – I moved to Chiang Mai to live for six months. Something I had been dreaming about doing for years now, but never got down to it. So many un-lived dreams inside of me.

The move to Chiang Mai bought with it other risks that I would never have attempted as the old Shikha. I went to an improv workshop (freaking out the whole time), I rode a motorbike on the streets of Chiang Mai (terrified absolutely the whole time), I bought a ukulele (learning how to play it) and I took a watercolour lesson which I absolutely addicted to right now.

All of these steps might be minor to some, major to others. To me, they encompass that life where I’m bold, brave, and beautiful. They represent to me that Shikha who is the Shikha I want to be – the one who is bright, shiny, admired, loved, brave, bold, and forever filled with love. (more…)

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