I have been trying to start writing again and it’s so hard to hit the publish button. I go through a cycle of writing-improving-finding it not-good-enough to end up deleting. But, on the other hand, I’ve been busy with other roles; job, setting up my own place, touch typing—yes, I finally am learning to write faster.
It might be an ugh what’s the big deal about it for many of you. Most people learn how to type without looking at the keyboard as soon as they start to type. Not me! I have a reasonably good speed in writing but not the pro level. And, I always wondered how people took notes on laptops while attending classes. For me and my classmates till college, it was still pen and paper. We then converted it into images or pdfs to share on Facebook groups. OMG, I feel like a grandma for saying this!
But, now it is more important for me to write faster and basically just write out things. For one, that's my full-time job now; to write things for a major crypto-business in India, and two; I love writing. I express myself the best in writing and so, this is my refuge in most cases. To share stories, word out my imaginations, and sometimes to romanticize anger which I might not express in real life; it’s a long list but I won't bore you with that.
Coming back to my blogs, I started to share travel stories, lifestyle changes—I was trying to change my life inside a research lab to a digital nomad, and Food; ahh The Food!!!
Before the pandemic and lockdowns, I planned to travel from the south of India to the northeast. It was also a test if I can do it—travel and work together. Adventurously enough, I also started to freelance during this time to fund myself for this. It went well. I mean, it went very well until it wasn’t, for many reasons. To start with, some clients turned out not to pay even after the completion of the work. Some of them delayed the decisions for months. However, I learned many great life lessons from all of that. How to manage time on the move, struggles in starting on your own, trust, and much more. Most of them I didn't learn from my formal education.
Soon after that adventure, the world changed a lot with the pandemic. There was(is) no free travel anymore. But, my little adventure taught me a lot about myself. How I want to travel and most importantly how I DON’T want to travel. I got to know I like some sort of stability; to have a place of my own at the end of the day, to make my own food though I'm a terrible cook... You see, it’s definitely a good thing to go out of your comfort zone. But it also feels good having some degree of comfort while trying many new things. More importantly, it's more productive when I don't have to keep track of the frequent moves. So, this time I decided to go slow and plan ahead while accepting come what may in many life situations.
Fast forward, I left home in November 2020. Started a 9 to 5 job in the crypto industry while keeping my freelance options. Then going completely with the full-time job—it takes most of my time now. I’m still trying to get used to the work-life balance scene, which really doesn’t exist. But, one has to try their best, right! I was looking to find work in the crypto industry and I’m glad I ended up where I am now.
Another big change is renting out my own place. Again, for most people, it might not sound like a big deal but it is huge for me. I always had accommodation options with pre-done formalities by someone else. I just had to move in with my stuff. In 2021, I wrote my first agreement. Well, it is still pending to get stamped with the lockdown here. Set up the house from scratch and made it my home. Got my first plant. Definitely great experiences I wanted to have.
For travel, I’m sure I am not going anywhere for a long time. In the last couple of months, most people I know have tested positive for the you-know-who virus including my mother. It had been a tough time hearing all the stories. Feeling helpless in this situation is a really big emotional challenge. But, let’s hope things get better soon. So, traveling anywhere now is both risky and impossible. The days go with a morning walk and endless desk time in front of a system (well, two systems). I can see many sci-fi movie scenes coming true if not already has happened in many parts of the world.
Okay, this has been a really long rant. But, that’s what I love about writing my blog or making a video on my channel. There’s no SEO-keyword pressure, niche topics, or approvals to go make them live. However, being your own boss comes with huge responsibilities. I always wanted to document and share my transition to a digital nomad alongside the travel and food stories. I hope to make the upcoming content pieces as resourceful as I can on these topics.
With all that being said, Let me hit Publish before I rethink and delete this. I hope you are staying safe, strong and healthy!