Hi friends,
This week I thought of doing something different and fun.
This post is all about me ;) I thought of introducing myself to my new subscribers and reveal “10 lesser known facts about me” to my current readers.
So let’s go.
I’m an engineer turned writer and Youtuber. I worked in corporate for 10 years and resigned with no backup in my mind. I don’t advise this to anyone. I was lucky, we are financially stable and my husband has a full-time income.
My past job entitled me to a decent salary and great exposure in terms of growth but I was never content though. I couldn’t relate to the work I was doing, slogging as a software engineer, often 12 hours a day. What it did help me with was a reasonable stash of savings to fall back to.
Today I make less money but I am blessed with sustained contentment. I have never been this inquisitive with things around me in my entire life. I love my flex-schedule, I feel privileged to continue doing what I love. Thanks to my husband.
Here are 10 other lesser-known facts about me.
1. Borderline finicky
I’m a sucker for cleanliness. Uncluttered spaces, spick and span rooms and crisp clothing hits my list. I clean the kitchen slab 5 times a day.
2. Brit, in my past life
I love splurging my money on high teas, cafes and museums. While the first two seem innate, the third has been developed recently.
I love donning a hat, sitting in lavish spaces and enjoying high tea with a three-tiered stand. I must have been a Brit in my past life. Food barring, I adore their clothing and accent.
Visiting museums has been a recent addition. Since I write widely about art history, it supplements my writing and adds sundry creative ideas.
My recent visit to Michelangelo’s virtual Sistine Chapel exhibition in Vancouver was fascinating.
3. Avid traveler
I got an opportunity to travel to the UK when I was 25. I exploited this to the fullest and visited 10 countries in Europe.
That was the most memorable phase of my life.
I lived a carefree life, spent extravagantly and learnt a lot about different cultures and cuisines.
Someday, I’d love to revisit London, Paris and Amsterdam with my husband.
4. Started reading novels when I was 29
This might sound stupid but I started reading novels in their entirety when I was 29.
Being married to a man who was a voracious reader and self-published 2 books, I felt embarrassed when we were dating.
So I gave it a try.
My husband recommended books by Haruki Murakami and Chuck Palahniuk, which honestly went over my head.
So I started with some simpler ones. Since then, I haven’t looked back. I read 15 books a year and keep track of all of them.
Educated by Tara Westover is my latest read, and boy, this is one of the most compelling and gripping narratives I have read. Highly recommend it to you all.
5. Attracted to highly intelligent people
My goal in life is to be an intellectual. Earlier, I wanted to sound smart, but now I love grasping new information and keeping my mouth shut.
I’m a huge fan of Naval Ravikant and Balaji Srinivasan — entrepreneurs, modern polymaths and philosophers.
6. Big Believer in these 3 ideologies
Stoicism: “Interfere with all the things you can control. Do not let what is out of your control.”
Connecting dots: “You can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards.”
Resilience: “You are not born with a fixed amount of resilience. Like a muscle, you can build it up, draw on it when you need it.”
7. Fashion freak
I love fashion and fine jewelry. But I am very particular about my choices. That being said, online shopping or mall strolling is not my cup of tea.
90% of the time, I know what I want to buy and when I’m unsure, I don’t buy.
This means that I have limited clothing, but it’s like a “limited edition.”
My clothes could vary in price range, but I’m cautious about the material, aesthetics, and style I choose.
I have given up on synthetic clothing for around 3 years. I have some old clothes, but I don’t buy new ones. I wear only cotton clothes at home.
Other than that, I’d not like to buy any luxury brands, even when it's not about money.
8. Aesthetic lover and advocate of sustainable materials
I love plants, antiques and wall art. I think that is sufficient for a home to look beautiful. And yes, books!
I’m an advocate of sustainable materials too. Recently, when I did my kitchen setup, I abandoned plastic as much as possible.
My next passion project will be my dream wall in our own home.
I’d love to decorate 30–50 paintings on a single big wall.
9. Conscious of my energy
Lately, I have been highly conscious of my energy. The social accounts to follow, the kind of books to read and the people surrounding me help me lead a content life.
I’m also learning the art of saying “No” to things and company I don’t enjoy.
10. No food wastage
Coming from a country like India, where we were raised with limited resources, food is considered Annapurna (goddess).
So it has been a strict part of my upbringing not to waste food.
Even though we have lived in America and Canada for over 4 years, I don’t eat packaged goods, make fresh meals twice a day and believe in sustainable cooking.
Yoga and meditation are my go-to tools and I don’t follow fad diets.
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So nice to get to know you better via this post. Thank you for sharing! Give Murakami another shot sometime. I’ve really enjoyed reading him. The Elephant Vanishes are short stories that may be more accessible.