Looking Back, Moving Forward

Another month has quietly come to an end. Before rushing into August, I found myself pausing to look back—not at what I achieved, but at who I became through the experiences of July.

In software development, we call this a retrospective. We pause to reflect on what went well, what challenged us, and what we can improve. I couldn't help but wonder—what if we approached our lives the same way?

Why not sit down now and look back into the past month. What did you achieve? What didn’t go as planned? Who is the one person or moment that you would offer your gratitude to?

Let me share my takeaways. I took the first steps in writing down my reflections and as a result this blog is now live. I offered myself and my discipline towards my Guru as an offering for Guru Purnima. Instead of relying on motivation, I began relying on rhythm. I created small routines for writing, technical learning, spiritual study, and daily responsibilities. Slowly, those routines stopped feeling like obligations and began feeling like anchors. There is now more energy to do things in a disciplined manner. On paper it may seem like a lot, but creating a rhythm for each part of my day has actually made life feel lighter rather than busier. There is less decision making, fewer excuses to tell hence more time and energy to dedicate to what truly matters.

Offering my undivided attention and focus towards my sadhana is the least I can offer to my Guru. Being consistent in my practices is being honest with myself and my Guru. It’s not the most exciting thing but the necessary thing. And now my day feels incomplete if I miss any of my practices.

Did everything go right? No, not really. There were days when I was really down, zero motivation to pick up and pen or open a book. There were days when things/events/people triggered me and my day – sometimes my entire week - went into an overthinking mode. But that’s what your circle is for. To help you come out of that emotionally overwhelmed state and center yourself to carry on with your duties. These people who form my innermost circle, I’m most grateful for. To have people who allow you to speak your heart without judgment—and gently remind you who you are when you've forgotten—is a blessing beyond measure. And I’m truly grateful to all those beautiful souls who have stuck with me.

Alongside the support of those around me, I became even more aware of another quiet source of strength, the grace of my Guru. For me, the Grace of your Guru, Ishta Devtas, spiritual mentors is beyond words. You may have noticed that I put Guru before Ishta Devtas, and that’s because it is your Guru who can take you towards your Ishta. The journey is not easy and doesn’t give you instant gratifications but walking down the road illuminated by the Guru is the most satisfying one.

This whole month taught me what discipline is actually. Simply put, it is the promise you make to yourself about doing something at a particular time and place and sticking to it. No matter how your day is going, you should honor that promise. Motivation may be the spark that helps us begin, but it is integrity that keeps us going long after the excitement has faded.

Perhaps life doesn't ask us to be perfect. It simply asks us to pause every once in a while, appreciate how far we've come, learn from where we stumbled, and begin the next chapter with a little more wisdom than before.

Did you take some time out to introspect and retrospect yourself? If yes what were the learnings from it? If not, I am inviting you to do so. I would love to hear what came out for you and how you will use it to grow into a better person.