Last year, I had a minor health issue. Minor in the grand scheme of things. But when it’s your body and your life, nothing feels minor. What started as a discomfort turned out to be a more chronic version of acid reflux, the kind with an acronym—GERD. It wasn’t life-threatening, but it has a big … Continue reading Living With Urgency
For most of my life, I thought the goal was to be happy. It didn't feel like rocket science. It felt obvious—like gravity. You grow up, find a job you like, people you love, things that bring you joy. You avoid pain, stress, conflict. If something makes you unhappy, it must be bad. If it … Continue reading Choose your suffering
Sometimes when I get comfortable in a group, I start talking about my dreams. Not the kind you have at night, but the kind you carry around with you during the day. Goals, ambitions, long shots. Things I want to build or become. It probably sounds a bit much. Especially when I’m talking to someone … Continue reading Dream dreams
Remember COVID? At the peak of it, I never understood how humanity would ever get out of it. But we did. There were people doing stuff—pushing humanity forward. Whether it was the masked-up cashier in the supermarket, a nurse who sacrificed their life in the process or someone who invented the vaccine. I feel there … Continue reading Never complain
I love how small airports make me feel. I've been to a few over the past years. Faroe Islands, Oulu in Lapland, Bodo in Norway—they were all quite small, some smaller than others. At Oulu, I’ve also been the last passenger to step out of the airport because the airport was closing. It felt like … Continue reading I love small airports
Different people have different relationships with work. I treat it with importance. I come from a culture and family where I had to work hard to get out of the rat race. While that has many side effects, it taught me very high work ethic and hard-working mentality (at least I believe so). If I … Continue reading Interesting work
What does retirement mean to me? It’s the ability to work on things I want, from where I want, when I want.
December is one of the most beautiful months in Kerala. Vrischika Kaattu (Winds of Scorpio) is at its peak. The sun is out. I feel a strong force of Nostalgia today. I’m writing this from the most apt place - my old room at my parent’s house. I opened one of the cupboards to find … Continue reading My old room
I try to live an intentional life. I’ve always believed that time is the most valuable currency. Recently, I read Shortness of Life by Seneca, which made the belief even stronger. “It is not that we have a short time to live, but that we waste a lot of it. Life is long enough, and … Continue reading Living intentionally
Disclaimer: None of these are financial advice. This is how I think about money. I've been very mindful about spending money. Probably it's due to my upbringing or because I've seen my parents struggle financially. Over the years, I've learned and unlearned many things about money. I can sum up my current money philosophy in … Continue reading My relationship with money
Memos by Sooraj 