Someone recently asked me "What are you most grateful for?" and an answer came to me immediately "to born in India". Not that I am very patriot but like most Indians, I am blessed with a life which consistently provided me appropriate challenges to grow. A life of comfort and ease never appealed to me, a life full of challenges, growth, and meaning always intrigued me.

Around 17, I had my first job as a graphic designer that gradually lead me to work as a computer programmer. I thoroughly enjoyed learning the craft of programming and passionately worked for around 5 years. Eventually, I reached a point where it became clear to me that a passionate job and security are simply not enough to live a good life. Contrary to common belief, it creates stressful and somewhat meaningless existence. With that another thunderbolt of realization hit me, just because I have assumed certain ideas to be true, don't mean they are true.

So I left my job and start traveling. Indecisive, unanchored and not knowing what to do, losing security and certainty with a clear conviction, I don't want to live a compromised life. And that took me to a massive detour from the usual path. First reluctantly and then childishly, I started to embrace the uncertainty.

The first striking treasure was discovering meditation. It turned my life upside down. First bringing a little peace of mind within the chaos of senseless noise in my head and then making me more aware of my own mind, thoughts, desires and their workings. As a byproduct bringing the unshakable foundation of subjective self-understanding.

On the further quest of clarity, I read hundreds of books and started experimenting with my own life. Traveling, teaching in a slum, acting, volunteering, yoga, starting company, mentoring, writing, speaking, living in solitude, hostels, village, abroad.. all with the intention to subjectively understand what matter and what don't.

All this profoundly changed the trajectory of my life. Instead of chasing passion, prestige and possession, understanding my body, mind and taking good care of it, improving my communication, building authentic relationships, aligning my work and contribution with my strengths and values, gradually and subjectively increasing understanding of myself became my priorities.

Someone recently told me "Nitesh, what's with you, you are always smiling and laughing" I believe it is a good sign that I am moving in the right direction.