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A Road Less Travelled

Thursday, July 25, 2013

Five mistakes everyone should commit

No, I am not trying to be the next XYZ by writing something similar to the '3 mistakes of my life' and neither do I want someone to make a movie out of this :P Having said that, I don't want to sound preachy too, but had a strong urge to write something like this.

Some things we do right and then there are some things that we do wrong. Some mistakes we do deliberately and the others quite unintentionally. If you haven't made a mistake yet ever, then dude, it's time for some serious introspection. We're all capable of screwing up in different ways and that's something to be proud of. Mistakes help us grow and certainly make us better individuals. Here's my list of the five mistakes that you should commit in your lifetime.

Disagree with your parents

No doubt your parents will always think in your best interest. But you being the (over) confident kid that you are, ought to think in the opposite direction and get into an argument with your folks. Go ahead and do that. While you're having that argument with your folks, it will give them a chance to realise that you are an individual and not just their child and that you have your own views. That's when they will start looking at you not only as their kid, but as an individual who is ready to take on the world. And it is important for parents to do that. It's important that they let you commit mistakes knowing the consequences, because that's how you'll learn the best . Making your own decisions makes you responsible for your own actions. If you're right, pat your back. If you're wrong, take responsibility for it and learn.  Arguments are good and healthy for the relationship. They're good for you and for them. Don't just obey blindly; argue, fight, question and grow.

Fall in love with your best friend

Go ahead and screw up your friendship :| Most of  us have gone through this. You've known the guy for a long time and he has been with you all this while. But that does not mean or indicate that this has to be turned into a relationship? As it is true friendships have become a rare commodity and on top of that you want to get all the wrong signals and fall in love with your best friend? Tell him how much you love him. Throw him a surprise and tell him the golden three words and then wait for him to say, "But when did this happen?". So while you were making honeymooon plans with your best friend, he was probably just being nice to a girl who he was comfortable with. After all of this, please don't expect him to stop talking to you because he does not owe you that. You took him wrong; he didn't screw up. Okay, may be he did - a little. But were you a small kid who could not analyse the situation? Wait for the day to come when you will block him out of your facebook and gmail. Yes, the same guy - who you gave hourly updates to on gtalk and whose passwords you knew.  There's no greater bliss than marrying your best friend, but it's okay if you're not sane enough to know if this is just a one sided affair. You have to go through this at least once in your lifetime to realise that friendships are too special to be spoiled in this manner.

Flunk a subject 

Okay now if you're studying already, please don't take this literally and stop studying to ensure that you flunk a subject. What I mean is that flunking in a subject will give you an awakening that no other motivational talk by some random ranter will. It's pathetic, it really is. Your entire class is graduating and you are sulking about missing out on the euphoria just by some five marks. But that's okay. Because the first good part is that marks really don't matter. Few years down the line when you'll be out there and doing your thing, you will not hear a lot about those toppers because they would be busy doing the 9 to 5 thing and working to make someone else's dream come true. The second and the most important good part is that you'll take yourself seriously from thereon and not screw up ever again when it comes to academics or career. An early setback is better than the one that comes later, because you've felt the brunt earlier than the others and that just makes you more watchful of your further actions.

Date the wrong person

So you're bored of being single for a long time and want to get into a relationship? Okay fine. No one is stopping you. But in the bargain of not being single, more than often , you will land up being with someone you should not be with. Obviously, you don't get into relationships knowing how bad or wrong the other person is. No matter how love struck you are, you have a voice in your head that tells you, "Stop! How much more are you going to screw up?". But you're hell bent on proving that love is blind and tend to give the other person a benefit of doubt. Hold on till you really feel miserable. Hold on till these sweet talkers and no action takers start avoiding your calls and then saying, "Baby, I just need some time off,". And if this is not enough. wait till you find out that their ex is still in love with them and that he/she still hangs out with them without your knowledge. And hold on till you especially find out that you are just a temporary arrangement for *something* that they're seeking desperately. You need to be made felt miserable in order to understand how unimportant it was for you to get into this shit. And after all of this is over, you better learn how to value yourself and your own company, a tad bit more.You better know that being single rules rather than being with a loser.

Quit your job 

Bored of the rut? Boss makes work a nightmare? Colleagues pull you down? Not getting another job? Put your papers down and quit! Remember those days when you recklessly spent 3200 on the pair of jeans you wore just once or that day when you bought a beer for the girl who smiled at you at the bar? Now forget about if for a while. Quitting your job, being unemployed for even ten days and the pain of asking your folks for cash to spend, will first of all make you value every single rupee and this learning will help you save for your child's further studies. Quitting your job, will actually give you a lot of learning. You'll be the live example of the proverb that says "An empty mind is a devil's workshop" and would want to get back to some serious action again. So the next time you get a job, you'll be more tolerant and respect your need to work more. Besides this will also give you a chance to understand what you really want to do for a living. If getting back to the vicious circle is your choice, then God bless you! If not, then you can always consider working independently. And once in your lifetime, you must work independently and for yourself. It's the best thing you can do for yourself.

So what are we waiting for? Screw up some more and keep learning. And please write in if you want me to talk about some more mistakes. I would happily oblige :)