Discover the joy of following your heart
Written by Nazia Tabasum A
It’s been five years since I have started writing and through this blog post, would like to share how I was driven to start my literary journey, and why it’s necessary to quit inorder to seek a fresh start in life.
I always loved reading books right from my childhood as my dad was an avid reader. Although I wrote poems while studying, lack of consistency and confidence made me subsequently lose interest in writing.
I still vividly remember the day when my first article was published in Thrive Global Community, a website where I always loved reading motivational articles. Working in an IT firm, I hardly got time to write. But spending time for that, helped me to let out my emotions and cope with daily burnout.
I was juggling between a hectic job and my passion. Yet I managed to submit my write-ups on various websites, using a pen name. But, I never had the guts to share those with my family or friends.
Due to deadlines, tight schedules and constant work pressures, I lost the passion to write. Not just writing, I lost interest in the things which were once exciting to me and felt like the appetite for my life was lost.
After months of deciding, I finally quit my corporate job, which only gave me a feeling of emptiness in return. I had a regret about quitting a high-paying job, but really needed a new change as there was a feeling in me of not getting aligned with my life. A desire to live to the fullest, and to persue what I love, these two were my main motives at that time.
Later, I got placed in a publishing firm and worked as an Editorial Assistant, and I had broader opportunity to utilise my writing skills. I had ample time to explore and dedicate time to write, and that consistency and confidence, helped me to share my words with others. This was solely because of my dad, who motivated and was supportive enough, and that helped me to carry on with my passion.
I always had a desire to write books and become an author, but never imagined that it would happen in my new phase of life. And in a span of two years, I have published three books and co-authored upto 15 poetry anthologies and feel immensely satisfied with living my life as I dreamt.
Sometimes, if you feel emotionally drained and have a quest to follow your heart, don’t be afraid to quit. And it doesn’t mean that you have failed; rather, it gives you a choice to choose your desired life.
But quitting can be daunting at times. You may even get blamed for lacking the courage to handle things, but setting aside such judgments, navigating in a right direction after quitting can open doors to new opportunities, leading to contentment that is truly worth it in the end.