"You've been smiling the entire morning," I heard today from my partner. As I thought about it later, I realised I have been dancing much more the past week, something that I have not done for so long, and yet it was always such an essential part of my very early life.
For the past many years, I have been living in the city. The reasons were many; it was a hub for my research work, positive for my career and networking in my field. It got me ahead and made me focus on one thing only: work. Anytime off my work was considered unproductive; I became unsocial and isolated like never before. I got rid of all social networks and focused on science. And then I got exhausted.
One week ago, I moved out of the city towards the countryside. I am still close to all those places that I need for my work; however, now I am surrounded by nature. And here I am smiling and dancing, and surprisingly my work - unforced - is flowing more smoothly. I feel happy like I haven't been in years. I feel alive, and I feel like I am a part of what surrounds me once again.
So if you are going through a rough patch, and you feel like you have hit rock bottom, make sure that you find yourself a happy place and give yourself time to recover. Do not ask for a permission, do not ask for an advice, you yourself know the best what you need. Go and do what makes you happy. Find that place of peace. We all have a right to do what is best for us. Because only when we are content, we can contribute something genuinely positive.
