When I surrender myself to the flow of life, surprisingly, I watch my train of thoughts change like the silent waves coming back and forth to the seashore. As I pause, my perspectives change. I trace the transformation in me – slowly, surrendering myself to the path of change and then, welcoming the new version of me that is calmer and wiser.

And then I realize, the more I embrace simple living, the more I experience the change in me. At first, I thought, simple living is easy. But now, I don’t find it easy at all. The more I want to be simple, the more the world shows me how tough it is to live simply. In a world where your intelligence is the only weapon to protect you from evil, and your perseverance paves the way to walk on the path of adversity, being simple is taxing, even sometimes, you have to leave the last footprint of innocence in you behind the door that welcomes you to the new light.

Keeping an unwavering faith in the universe, trying hard not to react when your lifestyle, your success, and your failures are compared to others, keeping aside all the negative vibes that pull you down, and despite these all things around you, trying to embrace stillness within – neither seems nor sounds easy and simple. However, the gateway to bliss is in the simplicity that unlocks the truth in your life.

And thus I realize, simple living is blissful.

Somehow, I have gathered my courage to pursue simplicity as the tool for my peace. Nowadays, I keep chanting my mantra of peace in my head – do your own thing. When I see someone questioning my abilities (most of the time, inabilities), I don’t respond to them anymore. Instead, I smile, chant my mantra of peace in my head – Do your own thing. I keep chanting them and walk away. When I hear someone advising my mom about my marriage and age (for a woman, both complement each other), I don’t react. I smile, and hear my heart chanting my mantra of peace – Do your own thing.

When I am compared to the girl who grabbed a job in her early twenties and neighbors are giving me career advice – I chant in my head, “Do your own thing.” When an aunty stops in front of my house while I am walking in the courtyard, and gives me advice to get married soon and settle down to make my parents free from the burden, I chant in my head, “Do your own thing.” When I see an aged grandfather of the colony having his evening stroll in front of our house and I go to greet him and know about his health, and he gives me advice on what should I do to be more social and why and how should I socialize to stay on the top of my game, I chant in my head, “Do your own thing. Don’t freak. Keep calm, and do your own thing.”

Surprisingly, since I started practicing this ritual, I have become calmer. Now, I am more into accepting things as they are. I don’t compare (most of the time I did it for peer pressure). I don’t regret the things I don’t have or could have received but didn’t receive. I don’t question the universe “Why me?” Rather, I thank my universe for choosing me, and I keep doing my own thing to whatever extent I can do with my all.

Also, since I started chanting this mantra, I can feel a stillness within that helps me to heal. With the utmost faith in my inner universe, I embrace the stillness of here and now, and surrender myself to that stillness, only to come out calmer and wiser for I am in absolute bliss.

Maybe amidst the chaos of the cities, constantly living life according to our dear ones’ expectations, and defining our success with the definition set by society and the system, somewhere, we forget to do our own thing. Maybe, sometimes doing our own thing is the best way to practice simple living, for in simple living, no matter what the world may be busy with, we will never forget doing our own thing, our very own thing that defines our inner peace.

When you will be entirely devoted to doing your own thing, amidst that process, you will surrender yourself to inner peace, and you will realize, slowly, and silently, you are becoming more conscious about the transformation within.

For in stillness, there is a reflection of yourself that shows where the floating river is taking you along. Staying afloat is the best gift for you will see the glow of gratitude, gently surrounding the path, unfurling the blissful self of you.

(This post is a part of Blogchatter Half Marathon 2023.)