I am a planner. I like making plans. But not always following them to a T, because who does that right? 2023 is having a strange effect on me.I am seeing a little bit of my life in reverse, connecting the dots, consolidating some things, and rewiring some others.

The life lessons I learned in the first six months of 2023 is a mixed bag . Some lessons I learned from.what I did this year. Others I realized this year while the work happened much before.Does this make me a slow learner? I am probably a tortoise in many ways.

I planned my career. Did everything according to “the plan”.Then in 2018 both of us(my husband and I)became private practitioners after resigning from our Government jobs.

It was an impossible choice to walk away from a lifelong dream. It was a choice between following the dream and becoming more and more bitter about the state of healthcare workers in India or walking my own path and keeping my mental health and well-being.

Looking back after the years of the pandemic I am glad I did what I did.

Did you know I wrote a book on Coronavirus which I published on Amazon KDP and Amazon banned it. A reader even reviewed it on Goodreads.

I was so shocked. That’s when I knew having my own platform is crucial. Social media , e-commerce sites anyone can take down your content. For that matter, the hosting companies and domain re-sellers have to follow the law of the land too. But that’s an extreme case example. But I digress.

What I wanted to share was this: Detours are the BEST adventures!

I started gardening because I missed going for walks in parks. I had a small baby a new job and a new place to adjust to. That was in 2014. That was also when I started blogging. So my challenge back then helped me create a digital identity and carve a new course for my creative life.

Before 2014 I had no creative life.

Before 2018 I didn’t understand QOL(quality of life)starts inside.

Before 2020 I never wrote a mystery book or painted a flower.

Before the pandemic didn’t own a real-life garden or grew my own fruits and vegetables.

So as I recollect the last 6 months of 2023

I am grateful for my trip to Manas, and Darjeeling with family and friends.

I am grateful for moving into our new home (finally). But it’s going to be more of a monthly home visit for now.

I am grateful for learning slowly to accept the things I cannot change and change those I can. Very slowly.But as the CauseAchatter theme this year was about making the 1% change,I think.I am on track.

I am talking to people about the need for living a green life without losing balance.

I am listening to my body and encouraging others to do the same. Because everything is an inside job.

The small town I live in, the places I visit, the people I meet, the books I write, and the work I do make me who I am. The detours helped make me the person I am today. They scare me, but it’s okay. I know I can do it . Detours make this life the best adventure of all.

I am writing this with the Ultimate Blog Challenge friends and the BlogchatterBloghop prompt this week . Check out my life lessons from 2022 here,20 lessons from 2020 ,2018 life in review.