BoldVoices.in

Written by Sehajta Kaur, Editor at http://www.boldvoices.in

Well…

A couple of weeks ago, I was sitting with a cup of tea and snacks one evening, having a little chit chat with myself when this subject popped up in my head.

For all those who don’t know me, I’m a nineteen year old… Yeah, a teenager with thoughts. Now being in this age, I get lot of suggestions, advices, career talks and what not (whether I want them or not). But there’s one thing I have noticed so far which was similar in each of those conversations.

They all had their own definition of comfort. Now just so you know, that’s not the problem. As humans, we indeed have our own perspectives on certain subjects. But the problem arises when we start believing it should be the universal idea. It’s not. It can’t be.

We often suggest kids to go for officer ranks, start their own businesses and all that. I won’t say it’s wrong, because it isn’t. It gives us money, power, status. Our loved ones are our well- wishers so they want the best for us. And for them, it’s comfort. But what if my idea of life is different?

What if I don’t want social status, but be some teacher with a bunch of kids to teach, young minds to shape? What if I don’t want a grand mansion but just a cozy space to escape when the world gets too loud?

What if I’m not made to meet politicians or celebrities in those big social events, but to sit near the window with a book in hand and a cup of coffee in my free time after work? What if a hall of a high society party or dinner suffocates me but a classroom filled with kids makes me feel alive?

What if I don’t want to be respected for my title, but just want to exist without having to perform for society? What if maybe… I don’t want my life to be pre-scripted?

Money is important. Yes. There’s no doubt in that. At the end of the day, we still have bills to pay. So choosing a career that helps us earn good matters. But so does alignment. At the end of the day, we should ask ourselves if our choice is worth it if it slowly erases the version of us that feels most alive.

What we need is support, especially from our loved ones — don’t tell us what to do, just guide us. In today’s modern era of social media and technology where internet is full of information, we just need you to trust us and help us choose the best. Not just what makes good money, but also what we crave. We desire.

It’s not just about money, it’s about flourishing. Emotionally too. Yes, life is easier in those roles perhaps. Safe. Comfortable. But not for everyone. Sometimes the safest place is the one that slowly drains us. Because maybe that place wasn’t ours from the very beginning.

A lot of people are concerned when their kids opt for study abroad or stuff like that or choose careers which don’t provide equal ease or comfort like these fields. In fact, it involves struggle.

But the problem isn’t struggle. The problem is not choosing it.

And it can be anything else too. Staying in a job you don’t like… relationships that feel okay but not right… routines that feel safe but empty. Of course we can’t always stay in our bubble.

Maybe the goal isn’t to be comfortable… Maybe it’s to be free enough to choose your discomfort.

Struggling for something you choose hurts… but it feels alive. Being comfortable in something you didn’t choose feels safe… but slowly suffocates you. The pain sometimes feels meaningful, not suffocating…because sometimes, what the world calls “struggle” is just someone else’s version of comfort — because they chose it.

So all I can say is that “willing struggle is better than forced comfort.”

Because at some point in life after all this time, when we are left alone with nothing but our thoughts… It should feel home.