2019 - Finding Myself

It is really amazing to discover oneself, after years of living under an illusion. I was earning a good amount of money at my job, going on expensive vacations, eating at top restaurants and shopping at big brands. But I was not content. I could not really pinpoint what was wrong but there was something amiss. In 2019. I finally found out what was wrong in my life, when I rediscovered my love for education and knowledge. I wanted to learn more, explore more and do new things. I was not just satisfied with a fat paycheck and wanted to continue with the quest for knowledge. Thus, I worked really hard and gained admission to a top B-school of the country as a Ph.D. scholar.

It's been 6 months since I have begun my doctoral degree and even though my stipend is 2.5 times lesser than my previous salary, I am happy. I look forward to waking up every morning, going to class and learning something. It is an inexplicable feeling of joy; the passion to learn something new! This has been a whirlwind year...starting with Management Entrance Examinations...to writing out Doctoral applications...getting selected in a premier institute...to resigning from my job with elan. I started living in a new city and met wonderful, new friends. The biggest boon I have received in 2019 is finding my love for knowledge acquisition.

However, this decision did impact my personal life. My partner was not exactly excited at the prospect of a 4-year doctoral program, away from him. Our wedding plans were put on hold because I had to leave for college. We fought, we argued...but we stuck through it all. We realized the value we have for each other and how we need to understand each other's dreams. Our relationship went through a really bad patch but we came out stronger, and more in love with each other. Now, we manage long-distance woes really well, we fight lesser and we love each other more. It was a difficult stage, but we managed to sail through.

Overall, 2019 has been a year of self-reflection and finding my true inner peace. The long months of hard work, my final selection, moving to a new city...learning to be far from my loved ones...everything has added to my journey of self-discovery. I have become a much happier person because I have finally understood where I want to go with my life. The glow in my face is unrecognizable. I am a much more confident about myself, than ever before. 2019 has made me fall in love with myself once again and helped me realize my true goal in life.