Frustrata

'He who angers you conquers you.'

-Elizabeth Kenny

Wise words, and words that I often repeat to myself in the hopes that they'll finally start to make sense. However, sometimes my mind just doesn't want to listen. See, I have a fatal flaw. When I encounter dogmatism, I'm inclined to dig my heels in and retaliate similarly, and more often than not, this just ends up making me angry. I think my dislike of dogmatism also stems from the knowledge that I'm capable of being dogmatic more often than I'd like. 

As I've stated before, changing the way others think is almost impossible to do. True as this is, it's hard to remember sometimes when faced with absolute stubbornness. While I'm partly referring to the people I sometimes encounter in day-to-day life, face to face or over whatsapp, I'm also referring to online forums that exist to facilitate discussion, but that often turn into black-and-white, right vs. wrong arguments, with each side refusing to listen to the other. Unfortunately, I'm guilty of this. If not by responding publicly to these forums, then by letting them annoy me and carrying this frustration over into other aspects of my life, and I'm sure that there are others who've also struggled with these same issues. 

At the end of the day though, I realise that I've got to remember that confirmation bias* is extremely real, and more applicable to everyday life than I could've imagined, especially in a digital age that facilitates access to people who're the chalk to our cheese. Even if you've formed an opinion from an educated, well-informed and empathetic place, there will always be people whose thinking is radically different. Remembering that THEIR thinking needn't affect YOUR life is crucial; I know I would definitely benefit. We all know what they say about he who argues with a fool, right?

Have a wonderful weekend everyone! 

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* "Confirmation bias (also called confirmatory bias or myside bias) is a tendency for people to favor information that confirms their preconceptions or hypotheses regardless of whether the information is true."

Change in 2015

Today, I head back to Iowa to my sister's place, and I'll be back to work at the internship on Tuesday. This marks the first time that I can remember that I've had only two weeks off for holidays, and I gotta admit; it was severely weird!!

I'm excited though, to see what these next few months will bring my way. Change is inevitable, and more so due to my current circumstances. A year ago, knowing such change was around the corner would've stressed me out to no end, but today? Strangely enough, I'm content with knowing that things are going to change very soon, and I've prepared myself to ride the wave so to speak. Of course, this doesn't mean I'm not being proactive about my future, but I've chosen to trust it more than I have, because the last time I was surprised by my circumstances, it ended up being one of the most beautiful things I've ever experienced.

I'm talking about Sewanee, of course. When I started applying to colleges and universities, I had never heard of Sewanee, and if someone told me I'd end up losing my heart to a wonderful place in Tennessee, I'd have probably thought they were crazy! However, just by chance, as I was studying for my SATs, I met an admission counsellor from Sewanee who was visiting Kenya. I decided to apply, one thing led to the next, and the next thing I knew, I was there!! I've told everyone since then that it was one of the best things that happened to me, and I hadn't planned on it at all.

If my Sewanee experience taught me anything, it's that when it comes to change, luck seems to be in my favour. Why lose trust now?

Have a great first week, everybody!

(This picture is from the official University of the South Facebook page)!

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2014

First of all, today is pretty awesome. Why? It's my fantastic mum's birthday, and while she may be a few thousand kilometres away, I still absolutely intend to celebrate! She's been such a constant source of support my whole life, and is probably the strongest person I know. I'll definitely take any opportunity I can to celebrate her!

I've never really done a year in review in such a public space, but since this is a personal blog, mainly read by people I know, I felt that it'd be an appropriate platform.

2014 was such a long, eventful year, that it's hard to believe that only a year has gone by. I started off January by comping. It sounds simple enough, but it's a comprehensive examination that every Sewanee student has to take in their major before graduating, and how well you do may determine whether or not you're eligible for honours. It covers basically everything you've done in your major over the past three and a half years, and once you're done, your friends show up to 'comp' you and this leads to a party of wicked fun proportions. (My friends decorated my door so I thought I'd share it).

After that, the semester went by really, really quickly as I dealt with thesis preparation, presentation, and then my honors presentation. I had a wonderful 22nd birthday celebration with my best friends in Sewanee and I was absolutely blown away by the lengths they went to to ensure I had a wonderful time (I'll say it again; thanks guys!).  Before we knew it, graduation was upon us, and that week went by in a whirlwind of parties, goodbyes, and generally epic moments shared with great people. 

Relaxation was out of the question since barely a week after graduation, my sister got married. Those of you who've never attended an Indian wedding must try do so at some point (do avoid gate-crashing though, that's a no-no in most cultures). There was so much colour, pomp, laughter and happiness shared, and it felt really good to be with most of the extended family after such a long time. 

Unfortunately, a few weeks after that, the family got some sad news as we lost our grandfather back home in Kenya. It was definitely difficult being away at that point, but like the close-knit family that we are, we all rallied together from different continents to celebrate his life. 

Soon enough, there was more good news; two of our sisters (cousins really, but we've always been really close and refer to each other as such) were expecting! Aunthood is something I've been looking forward to for years now, so 2015 will definitely be an exciting one. 

The last few months involved me relocating from New Jersey to Iowa for a bit, and I started working as a marketing consultant and a marketing and communications intern. I FINALLY started blogging regularly, and saw my readership grow exponentially. I got to go back to Sewanee for a few days to see some of my favourite people in the world, and now I get to usher in 2015 with family in New Jersey again. 

Like I said, 2014 was extremely eventful and taught me a lot. It hasn't been the easiest of years, but I'm grateful for all the experiences I had and the people I shared them with. 2015 is one I'm definitely looking forward to. Aside from the whole aunt thing, it looks like there'll be a move for me at some point; whether this'll be back home, within Iowa, or to another part of the US entirely remains to be seen at this point. It's the first year that I'm not spending as a student in about 20 years, which is crazy and scary but still cool. 

Happy New Year everyone, and thanks so much for being a part of my journey this year! 

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Wellness Routine

I guess I recently discovered the importance of a sort of 'wellness routine', so to speak. Different things work for different people, but I thought I'd share what I've recently found to work for me (aside from obvious things like eating healthy and drinking plenty of water). Maybe putting it on here will help me be more regular, motivate others, and help me learn more!

1) Green tea: Okay, I couldn't believe how easy this one is. I've always liked the taste of green tea, and tried to drink it often. It's only recently that I've started having a mug or two of this every day, and I know it does me a bucket-load of good. Read more about the benefits here http://inspiyr.com/health-benefits-of-green-tea/

2) Activity: Those who know me know I'm not the most active of people. Over the years, I've tried many different workout routines, but none have really stuck. Sure, I'm from Kenya, but running isn't really what I'd call one of my greatest skills. I've had the Pocket Yoga and Nike Training Club apps for a few years, but only just started to get regular with them. So what I usually do is about half an hour of a yoga routine every weekday, and try do a Nike Training Club workout as often as I can. The thing I love about these apps is that they can work for everybody, no matter what skill level they are at, and they have lots of variety. Pocket Yoga is easy to follow, and has about a few different routines that one can do. Nike Training Club incorporates yoga, cardio, and many different sorts of workouts at different levels, some designed by well known trainers, and it's easy to select and work toward goals!

I haven't been regular for too long, so I can't say whether I'm physically healthier already. But I'm definitely noticing that after each workout, I'm less tired, more motivated, and noticeably happier. Yay endorphins! Check out more about how exercise can help reduce stress here Stress Management with Exercise

3) Meditation: So I might not be the best at this, or do it everyday, but I'm trying to do this more often, for about five or ten minutes at a time, and it's getting easier. Want to learn more about how great this can be? Check out Benefits of Meditation. Am I going to be a meditation ninja who can stay still and quiet for hours at a time? No, probably not. I'll be happy with just a few minutes a day!
I love this picture that I found via Health Central

4) Laughing: This is so, so important. If I'm working, I'll take five minute breaks to watch funny videos just to make myself laugh. Laugh often, and laugh well. It'll actually go a long way into making you a happier and less stressed person overall.

5) Reading: I'm trying my hand at reading more non-fictional stuff... expand the mind, keep learning and all that. Right now, I'm working on Stumbling on Happiness by Daniel Gilbert. Next, I think I want to read Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell and the Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin.

6) Brain training: Just a couple of minutes a day can go a long way into preserving your mental health. There are various ways to train, like doing sudoku or puzzles, but I've recently grown fond of brain training apps, Lumosity in particular. I also like Fit Brains; there's more detail, but you also have to pay more for specific areas, so it really depends on what you're going for.

7) Writing: Whether this is a private diary, a public blog, or a combination of both, I find that writing helps my mind in so many ways. You get to explore yourself more, learn to manage your emotions, and have an outlet for your creativity.

8) Increase positivity: For me, I do this by having a 'good memories' jar, and I write down good things that have happened to me that day, maybe something that made me laugh or something that I'm grateful for. Opening this from time to time is a great way to spend time!! (Unfortunately, right now, my jar is in Tennessee and I'm in Iowa... but I'll get it back end of this month)!

Hope this helps in some way... have a healthy day all!

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8 Great Benefits of Time Alone

I know that at this point, it might be almost obvious to some that being alone does not mean being lonely. Unfortunately, I think that there are still so many people in the world who do not realise the extensive benefits that can be achieved by spending time alone, perhaps due to fear of loneliness. So I thought I'd go ahead and share my opinion on this matter, an opinion that has been formed after personal observation, and lots of reading.

Now, I'm not saying that people should be completely alone all the time. People are wonderful to be around, and I certainly find this to be true. I'm saying that there are numerous benefits that can be derived from learning to be alone in your own company, be it for a couple minutes a day, an hour or two on the weekend, a holiday taken alone once a year (or a wonderful combination of all of the above). I'm also not saying that alone time needs to be you shut up in a dark room all by yourself doing nothing at all. You can be alone in a cafe, while reading a book, working on a painting, and doing numerous other fun things. I know that there have been numerous posts, some much more scientific than the one I am writing, about the benefits of time alone. To avoid redundancy, I'm going to talk only about benefits that I have personally experienced.

1) Being alone can teach you a lot about yourself. When being alone becomes a healthy habit, introspection occurs. Being aware of your own thoughts and emotions can make you much happier and more fulfilled; leading to better relationships with others.

2) Being alone can actually be healthy. One of the things that I do best when I'm not surrounded by other people is meditation. I'm not an expert at it, but I do try and indulge once in a while. I don't need to go into the health benefits of meditation, but I promise that this can do wonders for your mental and even physical health.

3) Being alone gives you the time to explore hobbies that are uniquely your own and can help cultivate your creativity. This could mean taking a holiday to a place that you've always wanted to visit but your family hates, or learning to make something that your friends are not as interested in, or something uniquely your own. I have written a lot when I am around other people, but I find I write more (and often better) when alone. Sure, my inspiration may come at times when I am with others, but the expression is finer in solitude.

4) Being alone may help you to become a deeper thinker. By yourself, you may have the opportunity to do numerous things like read and think about things you may not talk about often with family and friends.

5) Being alone gives you a break from people. And this can be a great benefit to you AND to others. Spending time alone can help refresh you, and learn to deal with stress in ways that do not impact those around you. I've found that no matter how much two (or more) people love each other, if they spend all their time together, tension is bound to occur every once in a while. Be it a slow simmer or a huge fight, I honestly think that this tension could be reduced or even eliminated if people knew when they needed to take some time to themselves.

6) Strangely enough, being alone makes me appreciate actual time with people, and by this I mean that when I am with a group, I try to use my phone as little as possible. (Now, I'm not the best at doing this all the time, but I'm learning).

7) Being alone can increase your confidence. Some alone time can help you get better in touch with your strengths and your weaknesses, and help you grow as a person.

8) Finally (just because I need tea now and can't think more), being alone can actually be FUN! Try it. You're not so bad, I promise!

If you aren't happy with yourself, and do not appreciate yourself, then how can you expect others to do so? If you learn to love and appreciate the time with yourself, it'll be much easier to love and appreciate yourself, and this leads to a much happier way of living!

Have a happy day, won't you?

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Books, Books, Books

Recently, I was 'nominated' on Facebook to share a few books that were worth a read. While I didn't explain much about them there, I thought that this might be an appropriate forum to share just why I think these books should be read by many. 

1. "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy by J.R.R. Tolkien.Many people have watched, re-watched, and completely fallen in love with the movies. However, if you have the time (or even if you don't really), you must sit down and read this series at least once in your lifetime. I read it many years ago when I was still a young teenager, and was struck by how vivid Tolkien made his characters appear. I think I devoured all three books within a week. Now that I'm in my twenties, I plan to return to this series with a (somewhat) more mature perspective. These books are full of incredible detail, great heroes and a great take on the classic good vs. evil storyline. 

2. "Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking" by Susan Cain
I've talked about this book before, and I'll say it again. You do NOT have to be an introvert to read and appreciate this. I consider myself quite extroverted, but this book was a great eye opener, and helped me get in touch with the introvert in me too. Read it, and I promise that 99% of you will identify with it in some form or another. Cain has a great writing style, and despite this being a work of non-fiction, still manages to draw in her readers and hold them captive till the last page. 

3. "The Prophet" by Khalil Gibran
This book is confusing and wonderful and wise and confusing. I feel that everytime I read it, it says something different to me. This is a book that doesn't need to be read all at once. Gibran discusses a variety of topics in this book, ranging from life and death to reason and passion to clothes and houses. Never read any philosophical works before? Read this. Read everything philosophical that there is on the planet? You should still read this. 

4. The "Little Women" series by Louisa May Alcott
When I was younger, I fell in love with Alcott's characters. I've read this series a couple thousand times, especially the first book. Despite the fact that the book was written over a hundred years ago, we can still relate to it today. Even for those who aren't fans of classics will enjoy this one. Alcott creates lots of strong characters in this book, both male and female, and conveys a wide range of human emotions beautifully. 

5. "Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything" by Stephen J. Dubner and Steven D. Levitt. 
Admittedly, I'm rather partial to the field of Economics, and have been for about seven years, However, I've heard many people speak fondly of this book, be they expert Economists or people who first heard about the field because of this book. Levitt is able to show us how Economics need not always be traditional, and can be used to explain a variety of things, such as drug dealing and effects of abortion on crime. 

6. "Pride and Prejudice" by Jane Austen 
Another one of my favourite classics. When I was younger, this was a much slower read than Alcott's books. Growing up though, it was easier to understand Austen's writing and her characters. I know it may seem like a sort of cliche read, but this is one of those books that everyone should at least attempt once in their lives. 

7. "The Da Vinci Code" by Dan Brown
While this book was controversial, it was also brilliantly thought out and written. Dan Brown is an absolute genius as far as I'm concerned. He doesn't publish books every few months, but the ones that he does churn out are remarkably good reads. The Da Vinci Code is extremely fast paced, a page-turner if there ever was one. 

8. The "Bridgerton" series by Julia Quinn 
Yes, these fall into the genre classified as 'historical fiction.' Yes, they're romantic, but don't write them off just yet. Quinn creates extremely realistic characters who're easy to fall in love with, and one of my favourite things about her writing is the way she portrays dialogue between them. Hilarious and amusing, I found myself laughing out loud quite often. The love stories in these books are realistic, and the relationships between the Bridgerton siblings are heart warming and will stay with you long after you've read about them. 

9. "The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari" by Robin Sharma
I certainly don't need to praise Robin Sharma's work; his name carries a certain reputation that speaks for him. I read this book years ago, and intend to return to it sometime within the next year. It's a book that speaks about life and personality development without necessarily preaching. Need a good read? Pick this one up!

10. "Rich Dad, Poor Dad" by Robert Kiyosaki
If there's a book that I think everyone should read when they are in their twenties about money, it is this one. Kiyosaki talks about how to make money work for us instead of the other way around, and this is a message that has stayed with me for years; hopefully it can impact others too!

11. "The Blue Sweater: Bridging the Gap Between Rich and Poor in an Interconnected World'" by Jacqueline Novogratz
This book is a true story about social entrepreneurship, East Africa and the change that individuals are capable of. I picked this book to read for an Economic Development class that I took two years ago, but I think it appeals to a much wider audience than just those interested in the field. An added bonus? There has been follow up work done in Kenya from her book!

12 "One Lavender Ribbon" by Heather Burch
I read this book very recently, and had never read anything by Burch before. This is a simple yet powerful love story, and I think it reminds us to celebrate the love that we have around us everyday. 

Got any interesting reads that you'd like to recommend? Please feel free to let me know!

Quotable Quotes

Most everyone has their own set of favourite quotes, and I thought I'd go ahead and share some of the ones that I have so far. None of these are mine, by the way. Some are by unknown authors; I found them online. If anyone knows who those are by, please do share!

Your reason and your passion are the rudder and the sails of your seafaring soul. If either your sails or your rudder be broken, you can but toss and drift, or else be held at a standstill in mid-seas.For reason, ruling alone, is a force confining; and passion, unattended, is a flame that burns to its own destruction.Therefore let your soul exalt your reason to the height of passion, that it may sing;And let it direct your passion with reason, that your passion may live through its own daily resurrection, and like the phoenix rise above its own ashes.-Kahlil Gibran 

Of all the things that can be stolen from you – your possessions, your youth, your health, your words, your rights – what no one can ever take from you is your freedom to choose what you will believe in, and who and what your heart will love.-Unknown

Don't ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.- Howard Thurman

When we walk to the edge of all the light we have, and must take a step into the darkness of the unknown, we must believe that one of two things will happen. Either there will be something solid for us to stand on, or we will be taught how to fly.-Patrick Overton

Go and make interesting mistakes, make amazing mistakes, make glorious and fantastic mistakes. Break rules. Leave the world more interesting for your being here. -Neil Gailman

The greatest danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it, but that we aim too low and we reach it. -Michelangelo

Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass, it’s about learning to dance in the rain.-Unknown

Are you being the best you can be or the worst that has happened to you? -Brian Vaszily

Keep on going, and the chances are that you will stumble on something, perhaps when you are least expecting it. I never heard of anyone ever stumbling on something sitting down.-Charles F. Kettering

Do you give as much energy to your dreams as you do to your fears?  -Unknown

Think outside of the box, create your own path in life. “You laugh at me because I am different; I laugh because you are all the same.”-Daniel Knode

Don’t say you don’t have enough time. You have exactly the same number of hours per day that were given to Helen Keller, Bill Gates, Michelangelo, Mother Teresa, Leonardo da Vinci, Thomas Jefferson, and Albert Einstein. -Unknown

May the sun bring you new energy by day, may the moon softly restore you by night, may the rain wash away your worries, may the breeze blow new strength into your being, may you walk gently through the world and know it's beauty all the days of your life.-Apache Blessing

Someday everything will make perfect sense. So, for now, laugh at the confusion, smile through the tears and keep reminding yourself that everything happens for a reason.-Unknown

Thousands of candles can be lighted from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared.-Buddha

Nothing is as real as a dream. The world can change around you, but your dream will not. Your life may change, but your dream doesn’t have to. Responsibilities need not erase it. Duties need not obscure it. Your spouse and children need not get in its way, because the dream is within you. No one can take your dream away.-Tom Clancy

When you find yourself cocooned in isolation and despair and cannot find your way out of the darkness, remember that this is similar to the place where caterpillars go to grow their wings.-Unknown

I've learned that no matter what happens, or how bad it seems today, life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow. I've learned that you can tell a lot about a person by the way he/she handles these three things: a rainy day, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas tree lights. I've learned that regardless of your relationship with your parents, you'll miss them when they're gone from your life. I've learned that making a "living" is not the same thing as making a "life." I've learned that life sometimes gives you a second chance. I've learned that you shouldn't go through life with a catcher's mitt on both hands; you need to be able to throw something back. I've learned that whenever I decide something with an open heart, I usually make the right decision. I've learned that even when I have pains, I don't have to be one. I've learned that every day you should reach out and touch someone. People love a warm hug, or just a friendly pat on the back. I've learned that I still have a lot to learn. I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.
-Maya Angelou

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Chasing Happiness

I don't know about you, but I'm definitely guilty of assuming that happiness depends on change. These changes can be big or small, but a lot of the time, I look for happiness in future situations, instead of realising that happiness should not be conditional upon what can or will or should happen; rather, we should learn to find happiness in what actually IS.

I know for a fact that there are many other people who think this way. There is a wide array of literature instructing us on how to better our lives so that we can 'be happy'. Maybe the focus of such writing should change slightly, and be able to instruct us to build up on the happiness that we already feel, and do not give enough importance to. I know that in the past, I've thought that I'd be happy if I got a certain grade on an exam, or travelled to a certain place, or did a certain thing, or interacted with a certain group of people. Sure, those acts would have made me happy. But what I failed to recognise at the time is that by living in and worrying about the future so much, I was passing up so many opportunities that life gave me to be happy right where I was. Of course, I did try, as much as so many others do, to be 'mindful and aware', to 'live in the moment', to try and realise that 'the present is a gift'. Yet, I don't think I fully realised just how fulfilling it can be to actually be happy in the moment until very recently.

I'm definitely not saying that we shouldn't plan ahead, or dream about the future (read my previous post about the same http://meandmine-r.blogspot.com/2014/08/freedom-to-dream.html). I think it's definitely vital to give importance to the future, to plan and to improve so that our lives don't become stagnant, but I think we need to be able to do this while simultaneously appreciating the present that we are in. Personally, I've spent a large amount of the previous months worrying about my future; where am I going to be, what am I going to be doing, blah blah blah. Finally, I had a realisation sometime within the past week or so that made me want to kick myself. It didn't matter where I was going to be, not really. Nor did it matter what I was going to be doing. Because I've had moments of uncertainty in the past, but no matter where I ended up, I was able to be happy, to make the best of my circumstances. 

AHA! There. That was it. I really couldn't believe that it could be so simple; just being able to trust that we will be able to make the best of our futures really puts things in perspective and helps us be happy here and now. Of course, I still wonder what life is going to throw my way... who doesn't? But now I'm confident that no matter what it is, I'll tackle it as it comes. And I can also take time to enjoy my life right where I am (whether that involves jamming out in a car to 'Eye of the Tiger' on a backroad in the middle of nowhere or just enjoying the company of those around me).

We all have it within us to be able to inspire ourselves; we just need to be able to look at our situations with a little more perspective, and we'll realise that the happiness we think has been eluding us so long has been right here with us all along. 

Have a happy Friday, won't you! 

Freedom to Dream

Recently, a singer that I follow on Facebook posted a quote that read "If people aren't laughing at your dreams, your dreams aren't big enough". And that definitely got me thinking about how we dream. Not the strange, crazy dreams that we have while we're asleep, but dreams that we control while we're awake. I'm here to argue that the way most of us dream is flawed.

We limit ourselves based on an ideal of what is realistic, and fail to realise that the only thing that should restrict our ability to dream is our imagination.
If we do dream, we fail to realise that dreams do not (most of the time) magically come true. Most of the time, they take time (lots), work (even more), and require belief in ourselves that surpasses the belief others have in us.

Why do these fundamental flaws in our ways of dreaming exist? Why is it that many of us restrict ourselves in what we aim for or expect whatever we aim for to happen instantaneously? Strangely enough, sometimes children are the biggest believers out of all of us. Ask any child what they want to be when they 'grow up', and many of them will aim ('unrealistically') high. Doctor, astronaut, scientist, millionaire, etc. But if we ask the same children what they want a few years later, they will have toned down their dreams, and will probably scoff at their earlier aspirations.

It's scary, isn't it, that we've created a culture of contradiction as opposed to support that tells us to dream small? Imagine what we could do if people believed in each other and themselves a little bit more, if they had the courage to believe in their dreams and their ability to achieve these dreams, and if they were able to appreciate the hard work and commitment it takes to get there?

Dream big today, won't you?

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Supermoon

Got a chance to pull out my camera today after a long time, and it felt great! I did get some interesting pictures, but none compare to the real thing... it was incredibly beautiful. It feels like I've seen the moon thousands of times, and yet, moments like these never fail to take my breath away. It's the simple things, really.

To Move and To Stay

Recently, I've had to tell myself that soon (hopefully), I'll be settled down in some (as yet unknown) place. I'll relax into some sort of routine, and most of my time will be spent in the city that I choose to live and work in. One city, one home, one room. For an extended period of time. Sure, many of us make big moves in our lives; moving to different cities, states, or even countries. Yet, I've heard of a lot of people who've lived in the same 50-kilometre radius for their whole lives (which does confound me just a little bit). From my perspective, I'm one of the lucky/unlucky (take your pick) ones who has done quite a bit of moving in 22 years. Big city in East Africa, to small town in India. Small town in India, to small town in Western Kenya. Small town in Western Kenya back to big city Nairobi. Big city Nairobi to Tennessee (exactly four years ago). And most recently? A move from Tennessee, with my destination yet to be decided. And at this grown up destination, there is sure to be some sort of routine that I will fall into.

Most humans have evolved into creatures of habit. We can rarely be defined as nomads, and travel is often done with the aim of getting back to where we started from. From being something that was important and undertaken quite often by our ancestors, travel has taken on a leisurely tone, and is rarely a regular necessity.
Do I want to be forced by circumstances to have to move my home every few weeks or even days? Absolutely not. But I do want to be able to remember, when my 'life routine' has set into place, to make travel a priority. Not just travel for the sake of relaxation and exploration, but travel for the sake of learning and growing and appreciating that we live in a very big place indeed.

On that note, I've been thinking of making a travel bucket list. Of course, I have no idea where to start. There's so much diversity of place to be found a mere one hundred miles away; how do I expect myself to pick from an entire globe? But pick I must, and sooner rather than later, so that as time goes on I have something to use should I try make excuses for myself later on. Ireland would be great to start, wouldn't it?