This is where I stand as I turn 26 and walk into the next quarter of my life!

But then, why is a number necessary to define what I should have felt by now? 

So, here are 26 things that I am either letting go off or learning about; either continuing with or changing about myself. 

1. There is no such thing as the perfect job. It is all about what you would not mind doing at the age of 60. 

2. The idealistic romance only exists in Mills and Boons and so, I will not think of the checklist boyfriend or the perfect love story. For now, even a date sounds perfect. 

3. That picturesque vacation can be any vacation, be it at my relatives’ place or an exotic city. It can be in watching old photos of my mother and it can be in clicking new photos of my own.

4. The complete skill set is a myth. There is bound to be something that someone knows or does better. Even if there are only handful of things that I am good at, I am happy with it. 

5. I will continue to save because that’s the kind of person I am but I will not stop myself from experiencing new things because my bank balance does not reflect an expected amount. 

6. I still go out and I still party, but I am not running behind making plans. I am rediscovering my love for reading and long walks and am equally content to be sitting with a cup of coffee or a shot of tequila. 

7. The perfect body is anything I feel comfortable in. 

8. My mistakes made me who I am but they were NEVER intentional. I took my learning, I experienced my pain and I am letting go. 

9. Guilty over not spending enough time with Mom, guilty of not doing anything to change my body, guilty of not watching that Oscar-nominated movie – just guilty. But, no more! 

10. With or without friends, to new or old places, I AM going to continue to travel. And it does not mean I am escaping something, or searching something. I am just travelling! 

11. I won’t ever stop saying sorry, to people or tables. It took me 25 years to define my personality, I don’t want to change it now. 

12. I’ll forever keep mementos of my memories, like a fridge full of postcards and magnets, because I believe in such materialism. 

13. I have never judged anyone for being sober, so please don’t judge me if I like alcohol. It does not mean I am ‘hiding from life’ or ‘drinking to forget problems’. I am simply enjoying something!

14. I am sorry but I can not figure out what goes on in your mind and there is nothing wrong in expecting clarity on where I stand in your life, irrespective of whether you’re a friend or more than that. 

15. I’ll always love 90s music, because I grew up to those tunes.

16. Liking old music that my Mom grew up with does not make me an old soul and it does not make me any less ‘cool’. I can recite those songs in sleep and win antakshari rounds for you. 

17. I don’t HAVE to know everything. And for everything I don’t know, there’s always Google!

18. I want to have multiples tattoos because they all mean something to me and No, I will not hate them when my skin is wrinkled. 

19. It’ll be my destiny to end up in a family. But it’ll be my choice to love, or even like, every member of that family. 

20. It’s okay to never want to get married. If someday I change my opinion, I’ll call the society aunties myself.  

21. I have to tell my friends if and when I like their friend so that they do something about it because I am not comfortable with Tinder! 

22. I’ll let people know when I am upset with them.  

23. I like Justin Bieber’s songs. I am sorry (pun intended), but it’s happened. 

24. I choose to not add anymore family members to any social media site because I deserve privacy (would you really want to see your niece do body shots?)

25. I’ll give my 100% to my job. But if I can’t prove that I am doing good work in those 8 hours, a few extra ones won’t make much of a difference.  

26. No matter what, I’ll always choose to be happy! 

Looking forward to the next milestone!