BECAUSE LIFE BEGINS AT 25

Last year January, I turned 24.

I had friends contacting me on different channels, and some of them making up some plans. But, what did I do? I stayed holed up in my room all day, accompanied by a bottle of Milk, and a pack or more of Peanuts.

And what was the thought that kept me in that morbid state the whole day, detached from everyone I know? The fact that I was only one year away from turning 25!

Here I was, living up my life, in the prime of my life, and the number 25 loomed rather heavily over me. It was meant to be, I told myself. But, I also told myself immediately – it was earlier than I thought! I felt like my life had barely begun, and I was becoming old already. I had not bungee-jumped, I didn't do a skydive yet, I didn't do an open-water dive yet. Hell, I couldn't even thread in water properly! And here I was, just one year away from the dreaded 26.

Of all the things that I had done that day, I had taken a stock of my life. Not for the pathetic prelude of a dreaded number, but to see how prepared I was for it. And for the first time ever, I tried to make birthday resolutions, and stick to them.

Today, I AM 25!

As the midnight hour approached on the 13th,I was at Room. Alone. I have not replied to all those good friends wishing me a happy birthday. And have been holed up at home, and then at the office.

All I wanted to do, was be alone. Reflect. Recompose. Remonstrate. Reconcile my inner differences.

And having reached that dreaded number of 25, I want to revisit those resolutions I made the last year, and see where I stand. 

1)      Health

I had lived a rather healthy life till the end of my college days. But after Self employment, life made me a different man; a Business spoilt me in the mornings and money spoilt me in the evenings. I was having fun, I was content. Which meant that I was drinking and eating like someone who was prosperous enough to afford it. But I was also out-of-shape. On my 24th birthday, I had weighed in around 71 kilos. 

Resolution: Get healthy. Don’t go into your 26’s with a beer belly like a man of reason would.

Current status: Since the last birthday, I’ve been working out religiously, at least 4 times a week. And it shows. As of today, I stand at 68 KG, a clean 3 kg drop from previous year. I am eating very healthy now, I know what an Atkins diet is, I know what my nutritional requirements are, and what proteins and complex carbs I need for my daily sustenance. My fat % dropped from 24% to 13%, and is further going down. I can backpack Spain for 10 days straight, or bicycle around Jeju for 3 days and not feel tired. I actually feel younger.

Remind me to revisit this resolution after a year.

2)      Travel

I fell in love with travel, and particularly travel photography, about 4 years ago. But then, it was all about official travel. There is nothing better than getting to see different countries, and knowing that you are not paying a penny for a thing!

But then, I never planned for any of those trips. And I was restricted to the countries I could visit, and the places I could go. I was restricted to what I could do during a trip. In effect, I slowly realized the difference between a traveller and business tourist. And until last year, I was mostly the latter.

Resolution: Travel the world. Not on business visa. And travel to places that you have never heard of. Live the budget traveller lifestyle.

Status: I think I trumped this section of my resolution. 4 countries visited in the last 12 months. At least one trip every 2 months. I maybe broke like an old table, but I have memories to show for it. And pictures in thousands.

3)      Career

I have been a very ambitious kid since my early 20’s, climbing up the corporate ladder quickly. I worked hard, put in late hours, managed to sacrifice a lot on my personal life. But I managed to grow. And then came a point a couple of years ago, when my youth started subsiding, and my experience started gaining the higher ground.

Resolution: Give your 100% at work. But stop at 100. Don’t go the extra mile everyday. Don’t put in late hours, or work weekends, or promise unreasonable project timelines. In short, play by the god-damn book, and stop trying to write your own.

Status: Sense of super-accomplishment! Took up projects, whined about short timelines, maintained project budgets. Yeah, its all good.

A good friend once told me – when I was 21 and he was 30 – that life begins at 30. I know our perspectives were different, but I can’t agree more with him at this pivotal junction of my life. I know what I plan to do in my 30’s. The countries that I will visit. The number of times I will hit the gym, working towards that elusive single digit body fat%. The stupid career mistakes that I will make.

The life I will live.

And that life will be good. Because life begins at 2, people.