In the bustling heart of Hyderabad, amidst the vibrant streets and the constant hum of the city, lived Manaswi. A software engineer, working long hours at a prestigious firm, she was admired by many for her sharp mind and unwavering work ethic.
On the outside, everything seemed perfect
- she had a successful career, a well-maintained social life, and a reputation for being dependable. But beneath the surface, something was missing.
Manaswi found herself trapped in a cycle of work, deadlines, and expectations. Every day felt like a repeat of the last, and though she was constantly surrounded by people, she felt more alone than ever. The bright lights of Hyderabad’s city center, with its coffee shops and busy roads, seemed distant, like a world she wasn’t truly part of. She wondered where the spark from her younger days had gone
The days when she was full of dreams and excitement for the future.
One evening, after yet another exhausting day at the office, Manaswi sat on the balcony of her apartment, looking out at the city that never seemed to stop. The glow of the streetlights mirrored the chaos in her mind. She thought about how she used to enjoy the simple things, like long walks by Hussain Sagar Lake, reading books without guilt, and spending evenings with friends without feeling the pressure of work looming over her. But now, all of that felt like just a memory of longgg PAST which never comes back.
She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath, and for the first time in a long while, allowed herself to just be. She remembered her childhood, the excitement she felt when she first decided to pursue her career, the joy of learning new things, & the dreams that once fueled her every step. It was then that she realised.....she had lost touch with that part of her own self.
The next morning, instead of rushing straight into work, Manaswi made a decision.
She would start small. She would begin by carving out moments for herself
Moments that were not defined by her Fears of deadlines or responsibilities.
She decided to revisit the places she used to love in Hyderabad. She went for a quiet walk around Hussain Sagar, allowing herself to be present, to listen to the sounds of the water, to feel the wind against her face, and to remember what it felt like to be just her...not a software engineer, not an employee,not a mother, NOT ALL TITLES that she carried but π simply just " Manaswi " π
Over the following weeks, she began to reintroduce small joys into her life. She spent time with her friends, not out of obligation/FORCE but because she genuinely enjoyed their company. She started reading books again, and this time, it wasn’t for work or Marks or to improve her skills...it was just for the pleasure of it. Slowly, she began to feel a shift. She realised that her worth wasn’t just defined by her career or what she achieved
It was about her presence, her heart, and her capacity to experience joy in her Life
One evening, while sitting on the balcony once more, Manaswi looked at the city before her. The lights no longer felt overwhelming. Instead, they seemed to shine brightly in harmony with her own inner light. She smiled, knowing that the path back to herself had been simple, though not always easy. It wasn’t about running away from her responsibilities or abandoning her career,,,it was about finding balance and reconnecting with the woman she had always been, underneath the layers of expectations and pressures of others.
The moral of Manaswi’s story :
You are not defined by the roles you play, the titles you carry, or the expectations others have of you.
True happiness comes from within, from reconnecting with the things that make you feel alive, & allowing yourself to experience joy and peace in your own authentic way.
Manaswi’s journey was not just about finding balance in her busy life, but about rediscovering the essence of who she was, and in doing so, she found her way back to the light that had always been inside her.
Just like her, you too can step out of the shadows of external expectations and embrace the light within you. YES OR NO ???