Sometimes, it's just not your season

Are you being kind to yourself through it?

It’s officially my longest time on the road yet.

I’ve crossed the 4.5-month mark—longer than any trip before this. And what’s surprising? I don’t feel done. If anything, I feel like I’m just getting started.

Since the moment I first heard the term digital nomad, I wanted to see how long I could be one. I tried, more than once.

And, to be honest, I ‘failed’ more than once too.

The first couple of attempts were in 2021. I barely lasted a month each time. The first time, a family emergency pulled me back home.

The second time, there was no excuse—just a moment of raw, unfiltered doubt. I still remember that tiny hotel room, somewhere on the way to a remote village in Uttarakhand. The way my chest tightened, the way the loneliness settled in my bones. I called a friend, weeping. I don’t think I can do this. I feel so alone.

Looking back, I wonder—what if I had just held on a little longer? What if I had made it to the village? Would I have found my footing? Maybe. But at that moment, I just couldn’t. I booked the next flight home.

The longest trip I had managed before now was 4.5 months, and even that wasn’t as dreamy as it sounds. Sure, we travelled across three countries in Southeast Asia and exited from a fourth, but beneath the excitement was exhaustion. My mental health wobbled, my finances stretched thin. I had to keep reminding myself, You wanted this, remember? But by the time I reached the end, I was drained. I almost convinced myself—maybe this life isn’t for me.

And yet—here I am now, on the verge of five months, and something feels different. Lighter. Easier. I’ve been in such a good headspace that even back-to-back health issues haven’t fazed me.

Painful periods? Nothing I haven’t handled before.

A bad cold? Just an excuse for extra naps.

A neck spasm that won’t let me turn my head? A new angle for my jokes.

It’s funny—I’ve run home for much less before. The slightest discomfort used to send me packing. I’ve never been great at being sick away from home. But this time, I stayed. And I think I know why.

I never boxed myself in. I never told myself, See? You failed. You’re not cut out for this. Instead, I just said, Maybe next time. And because of that, I kept finding my way back.

I let myself return home when I wasn’t ready to face the road’s challenges. I let myself try again when I was. And with each attempt, I tweaked the approach, learning myself a little better each time. This time, I slowed down—three months in one place instead of three countries in three months—because I finally admitted that I needed stillness to thrive.

And I’m so grateful to myself for that. For not forcing. For not labelling. For not demanding that I be the same in every season. Because some seasons make even the smallest struggles feel impossible. And others? They make the biggest challenges feel like nothing at all.

I’m glad I waited for my high tide.

Because right now? The waves feel just right.

How about you? What season are you in now? And are you being kind to yourself through it?

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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 -

• I saw four freaking rainbows!

• I spent an evening on an art piece that I had saved an Instagram reel for over a year ago! And it turned out beautiful.

• Joined the gym and realised that my fitness is still good after one month of inactivity!

• Started writing new scripts for my Instagram after a long time.