For the first 22 years of my life I knew exactly who I was. What I wanted out of life. How was I to get there. And what my choices were in life.
For the first 22 years of my life, I lived life on my opinions, my beliefs, my values. Rarely questioning them. Blindly following them. And unfortunately, abhoring those that didn’t fall into the same world view. Stereotyping them. Judging.
People who drink are bad
Those that party in clubs don’t have purpose
Those that took commerce were losers
Those who didn’t believe in aliens were living in an illusion
Those with money were all spoilt
Those against my world views were not going to go anywhere in life!
I was so wrong!
The US changed me. It opened up different dimensions. This exposing sides of me I didn’t know existed.
I threw myself into situations that made me uncomfortable.
I questioned myself – why do I stop myself from doing something.
By the time I was back – I didn’t know who I was anymore.
And I didn’t care.
The feeling of not knowing who you truly are, is liberating.
It allows you to discover new aspects and experiences.
It makes you inclusive.
It brings you closer to the person you could have always been. Should have always been.
I don’t say no to anything anymore.
In the process I say yes to Ankur Warikoo – the person I am trying to know.
This process of self realization happened with me and few others I know. We realize how small our POV is and how irrelevant it is. How only actions substantiate to any credible thought that we behold.
Stereotyping is a way for us to learn about the world and understand other people. Our brain remembers things mostly when we have a reference point. For most of the cases, that reference point is us. So we relate every person who is better than us and who is not. That is how we identify our mentors in life.
Then comes a point, when we have learnt enough and decide to let things be. It is when we have realized what we are on the right path, we try to cut off that extra thoughts and just focus on what WE enjoy!