5 messy years of figuring out life

Pandemic graduation, career confusions and five lessons along the way

Jul 12, 2025

I just realised it’s been 5 years since graduation…

In 2020, I had a clear plan:
Saved ₹50,000 working as a freelance writer during college → backpack across India for 6 months → do a mountaineering course → become a trek leader.

But I graduated smack in the middle of a pandemic. Even a grocery store visit felt risky. Travel was out of the question.

From then on, it has been a lot of trial and error.

2020

Took a job writing legal content.
Because it made sense - paid the bills and used my degree.

End of 2021

I quit.
Solo-travelled to Jaipur, Jaisalmer, Rishikesh.

2022

Moved to Bangalore with a friend because I could.
Got serious about freelance writing as a career.
Started chasing the dream of 6-figures.
Out of nowhere set off on a dream backpacking trip across Southeast Asia—four countries, four and a half months.

2023

Came back broke and burnt out.
Took a full-time copywriting job just to feel secure.
Eight months in, I was miserable.
Joined a course on travel storytelling by my favourite travel creator, Shivya Nath.
Got fired up again to build a career out of travel.
Quit the full-time job.

2024

Started focusing on dance and considered becoming a dancer.
Creator content regularly on two channels (storytelling and dance).
Decided to vacate my apartment and travel full-time again.

2025

Since then, I’ve been slowly building a tiny corner of the internet as a travel storyteller. I’ve worked with kind, values-driven people. Collaborated with an amazing travel company. I still don’t have much in my bank, but I feel rich in purpose.

And here are five lessons I’ve picked up along the way.

1. Trust your gut, especially when it’s inconvenient.

Sometimes, your gut will whisper that something isn’t right. A job, a city, a direction. It’s easy to ignore it in the name of being "practical." I’ve done that, only to learn by experience that my gut was right.

Every time I’ve listened to my gut, I’ve made a decision that changed my life. Every time I’ve ignored it, I’ve felt stuck.

2. It’s okay to walk away. Even when you don’t have a backup plan.

You don’t need to hate something to leave it. Sometimes, you just know you’ve outgrown a role or a lifestyle. And while walking away without a clear next step can be terrifying, it’s also the only way I’ve ever found something better.

Quitting that first job. Saying no to continuing in law. Leaving the parenting app job. Each time, I walked into uncertainty and found clarity along the way.

3. Your values will build your life, if you let them.

I’ve learned this the hard way. Every time I compromised on my values (for money, for stability, for "sense"), it took me further away from the life I wanted. But every time I made a decision rooted in freedom, curiosity, or joy, it moved me closer.

It’s not easy. But your values are a compass. Ignore them too long, and you lose direction.

4. Keep your path open, even if it looks “messy.”

I used to envy people who had clear career goals. But now I realise that not having a rigid plan allowed me to explore. If I had fixated on being a trek leader, I might’ve never discovered I could write stories that moved people. Or help build a meaningful community online. Or collaborate with brands that align with my spirit.

Letting life surprise you doesn’t mean you’re lost. It just means you're open.

5. You don't have to be a “natural” to become good at something.

I wasn’t a writer. I didn’t grow up journaling or reading poetry. I wrote because I had to. And slowly, I started caring about the words. I started enjoying the process.

Five years later, writing feels like a piece of who I am. Not because it came naturally, but because I kept showing up.

I don’t have a five-step blueprint to success. Heck, I’m very far from ‘successful.’

I’m still figuring things out. I still have days when I doubt everything. But if there’s one thing I know now that I didn’t know five years ago, it’s this:

Your life doesn’t have to look impressive for it to feel meaningful.

Maybe the detours are the path. Maybe the heartbreaks, the broke days, and the blurry plans are all part of building something beautiful.

If you're in a season where everything feels uncertain—I'm right there with you. But I promise, the clarity comes. Sometimes, disguised as chaos.

Little Joys

“Joy is always around if only we pause to acknowledge it.”

With life's burdens and big ambitions, it's easy to overlook our everyday joys. Let’s take a moment to acknowledge the small joys from the last week. Here are mine -

Spent an evening with my very cute niece.
Went out for lunch and shopping with family.
I made coffee every day, but this one day, the vanilla coffee was just so perfect!
Had a random call from my client who said it’s okay to take a breather if I’m overwhelmed.

Now your turn!