Mashup March

 “Traveling—it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller.” – Ibn Battuta

Life is a collection of stories. We all are striving hard to make it eventful and memorable. Everyone creates their own stories and is proud of it. Same story when re-told  by different people would often end up getting different perspective. We tend to have a newer version of every story we narrate based on the audience lingering between getting the listener sympathise to wonder at ease. The distance to an exaggeration to the latest enhanced narration is considered to be non-existent. 

If we ever sit down to write our life story, we would realise that we are not able to find a meaning for this life to express to the reader. Someone who can effortlessly write an autobiography and make it gripping really needs to given a standing ovation. We often overstate the incidents in our life glorifying it, but life altogether is bundled as non-eventful in most cases when we try to paint it on paper. Many philosophers and spiritual gurus tend to drive us into this path saying there is a meaning to life and the actual reason for this life is to continue the journey to find that meaning. Some to crazy and few get lost in this journey of finding the meaning. A select few, finds a purpose while actually looking for a meaning which never gets clear. In the belief of this purpose bringing clarity to the journey we continue until we lose purpose or life whichever comes first. 

For all you know, we might be over estimating life and its meaning. Maybe everyone here is not supposed to find it or maybe everyone may not have a purpose or meaning. Sometimes what we search might be right with us and around us but we search until we lose hope and age. Whatever is your purpose and however you are trying to find meaning doesn’t matter if you are eventually adding just wasteful weight of meat to the planet. Even leading a materialistic life would give purpose and meaning to many and makes life worthwhile. 

Intrinsically we are told it is a game of hormones and bacteria. We perform certain things actions and do certain things, the combination of the billions of bacteria and hormones changes which either benefits us or affects us. Man have now found how to keep the positive culture growing by hacks and how to manage your mind, body and soul. A healthy body is a short cut to create a healthier mind which is the life jacket required when you start your soul searching in the ocean of spirituality. 

Man had already found that movement is the mother of all exercises and walking is the easiest form of it. The more you start moving your body, the more you have a possibility to attempt on having a better body. We all love to lie motionless in our bed for longest possible time. Even though I would love to agree on the benefits of lying straight for longer hours having the phone on your hand negates the positives, it could ever add.

Travelling is the easiest way to fix all the problems stated above. We all agree it has its own challenges of disrupting our circadian rhythm, hormonal(cortisol, melatonin, estrogen, progesterone, thyroid) cycles, sleep patterns, stress levels and mood swings. However if we could successfully plan and execute trips throughout the year, it might change the way we look at life and can bring greater benefits to life than disruptions. There is no best practice when it comes to this topic but let me try to share some guidelines. 

Everyone must have a minimum of one long trip a year which is minimum of 10Days.  Do it with family & friends or whoever you could tolerate easily for 10 continuous days. This is not to be done with people you can’t stand as this can have adverse effect on our mind if executed incorrectly. Put significant effort on planning this trip and I am sure you would end up putting few weekends just for planning this. Have a shorter 3 days trip every quarter which is different than the long one. Try to make it either with a different large group more than 5 or max two people. Make sure to alternate it as you execute with group or smallest group. Spend enough time with yourself alone, knowing you, asking the deeper questions and solving the challenges in life, as often as every weekend. This is not the time you watch your mobile alone but a time to reflect and learn without judgement. Even though you have least control on your weekend, do find time for yourself to clear the clutter in your head and look for your next travel or materialistic purchase or event or adventure or challenge. Whatever keeps you going and growing at the same time is required for life. 

Be strict on what you eat but ensure you enjoy what you are eating. Today’s world emphasise a lot of healthy eating and routines but often forgets the benefits of healthy eating is quadrupled if you enjoy what you eat else it is just chemistry with no hormonal support and celebration by gut bacteria. 

Even though we spoke about travelling, the journey I am discussing here is just one lap of your soul which is current life. Think about the longer journey which is your soul’s journey and work on creating enough stories for it to collect and enough learnings for it to reflect. Understand that just focusing on materialistic growth might make you happy today but eventually it has no impact on your personal growth. Therefore keeping your wants in check & needs to minimal might help us fast track. Remember we are in this world by chance and it is no race that we are in that constantly we have to prove to others who we are and what we want to achieve. 

Live simple and stay humble. 

Let life enjoy its journey without taking a toll from our thoughts and greed.