"HOW TO LIVE MY LIFE"* in "MY ROOM OF THOUGHTS"

*Written as part of a job’s application requirements. No idea why I chose to post this here anyway. Perhaps I feel that my writing skill has deteriorated lately.

How do I live my life? When people ask me about that, I tend to hesitate for a moment. It is not because I have no clue where to start. It is the fact that there are ways to start.

According to the majority of people I know, I am not that young anymore and well aware of that. This year of 2018, I will be 37 in November. Most women my age in Indonesia are married and maybe with kids.

I could let myself feel bitter for not having what other women have already got. By society’s standard, they are also considered ‘normal’. Because of that, I have felt quite bitter for a while.
However, I have later decided to not limit myself with opportunities. A couple of months after my father’s funeral in 2014, I accepted my first fulltime job and moved out of the house. I began renting a room close from work. From there, my new adventure began.

That first job was my first introduction to digital startup. From there, I began experiencing many things I had never thought I would, leaving my comfort zone. I started learning a lot of new things, some of them were crash-courses. Some times I succeeded, other times I failed. Instead of feeling bitter, I have decided to embrace all of them a part of my learning, life experiences.

The past three and a half years have been interesting to me. My life may not be ideal for a Hollywood true story, but I still find it interesting. I am aware that there are people who disapprove of my choices, but I am the one calling the shots here. They may suggest, but they should not mock or judge.

How do I live my life nowadays?

Some people believe that through age, you begin to feel less ambitious about your personal goals. I half-agree with it. It is true that as you grow old, you begin to realise your limits and sometimes feel the need to slow down. You also start maintaining balance, especially in order to stay healthy and sane.

I still have some of my old ambitions alive, like becoming a fulltime writer. In order not to lose the balance, I am also an active participants at local communities, which are: writers’ club, poets’ societies, and bloggers’ groups. From there, I do not just make friends and have fun, but also do networking a lot.

These days, I also hang out with many people from different work backgrounds. As a writer, I see life as a giant research lab. I can learn a lot from people, even those whose opinions I disagree with. After all, variety only adds more spices to life.

Many friends I know think I look younger than my real age. Some have even guessed I look a decade younger. I think it has something to do with how I live my life nowadays. Maintaining balance and staying positive are my best two favourite mottos.

R.