Category: Prompts

Muddled Memories

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Daily writing prompt
What was the last thing you did for play or fun?
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I feel bad that I can’t instantly tap into my happy memories.

Adulting is hard. The older I get I feel the more I forget about my childhood.

As this prompt showed up on my dashboard, I thought it would be something that I could easily write about. However, the next 1 hour was all about me wrecking my brain trying to remember the last fun thing I did.

When I think about the last 5 years I draw up a blank. I mean, am I so boring. I think I let the “reality of life” take too much of a forefront in all my choices. I got so caught up in completing my education, getting a job, achieving my future goals that I forgot to enjoy today.

I do have the occasional zone out days where I end up going to quite places to connect with nature. I feel that it helps me connect with myself. But I think I need to make time for my childhood self. Time to remember my childhood self.

The last time I had fun, 5 years ago was when I went to the children’s arcade with my closest friend and we went crazy. We played all the games. We won in nothing. Wasted a lot of money. But I remember laughing. Laughing without a care in the world. The kind of laugh I had used to get when going on the swing or sliding down a slide.

I am going to try finding that laugh again. I am going to try to at least make one such memory this year.

Sky or Sands

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Daily writing prompt
Beach or mountains? Which do you prefer? Why?
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Do we really have to make a choice?

I have always gone to the beach as a child. I have many happy memories associated with the beach. Going to malls and park always entailed a cost and beach trips were the most pocket friendly option that we had. My parents always took time out of their week to make time to take us out. My mom prepared snacks and dad carried his fishing rod along. We spent hours on beach returning home with tanned skins and exhaustion that made us pass out as soon as our heads hit the pillow.

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On the other hand, though I have not been on top of a “mountain”. I have had some chances to go to the top of hills and the cold breeze and fog is just mesmerizing. The air is cold as it enters your lungs and you can see every breath. Every breathe feels pure and healing. I could sit hours together taking in the beauty of nature (Of course I would need warm clothing to last in that cold).

To make a choice would almost be criminal. And in this case, I would own my indecisiveness and I prefer not to choose. Each aspect of nature gives me a new experience to behold and I choose to embrace each and every memory that it gives me.

Stage Fear

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Daily writing prompt
Have you ever performed on stage or given a speech?
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In my formative years going on stage would make me run in the other direction. I tried to avoid any such opportunity.

Even if I did end upon stage, I measured all my words and internally counted the seconds till I finally got off that platform.

I used to participate in group events. though. As long as I am not alone I would be okay. As long as no one notices me it would be fine. i used to keep repeating this lines over and over. As an added protection, I would not wear my glasses to stage. I could not see them so I could not fear them.

Then as I got older, we had presentation and speeches to give as part of the curriculum. Imagine trying to read the notes without the glasses. So for the first time I gave a presentation with my glasses on. When I was done and off the stage, I literally blacked out. I would say that I survived those college years.

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It was my first job that changed things for me. The first time I was asked to give a presentation to the management I fumbled and ended up laughing from the panic. To my surprise, instead of being annoyed by my mishap the directors joined in laugh with me. They said they need a minute to calm down and asked for a break. I knew the break was to compose myself and start again. And even though I made multiple mistakes after the first one. They kept encouraging me to go on with warm smiles on their faces.

That was my turn around. I got better and more spontaneous. I learnt to give speeches, conduct events, and even participate in debates. Over time, I didn’t need note cards anymore.

I still have stage fear. Every time I am done with a stage event, my hands are trembling. However, I do not let that hold me back anymore. I do not back down from stage situations and try my best.

Every city my wallet could afford

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Daily writing prompt
What cities do you want to visit?
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I am not a person who travels much. I think the commotion of popular tourist spots makes me feel anxious. But if I could get over this fear I would want to travel to every city in the world.

There are so many beautiful places around the world that seem so mesmerizing in the pictures and videos.

There are the popular cities like Paris, London, Tokyo, Seoul, Rome in my list. But if there is one that tops my list: Santorini. I do not know if I if the pictures really show the true picture, but as much as I have seen, its simply beautiful!

If you were to ask what is that I specifically want to visit. I have zero information. Its the calmness that the pictures portray that drag me to that place. I feel that I will get my “Breath of Fresh Air”. One day soon I hope to visit. It may not be the first city that I get to visit. However, I wish to visit it at least once before I am too tired to travel.

She was not bad

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Daily writing prompt
Tell us one thing you hope people say about you.
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When we are small were are taught that there are good behaviors and bad behaviors.

Lying is bad, telling the truth is good. Being neat and organized is good, messy is bad. It is quite clear cut. I think when we are kids it is a good starting point to develop good character.

However, over the years, and the zillion life experiences, have formed aspects of my character. I have tried to be “good” but sometimes knowingly or unknowingly I failed.

I was ragged through middle school and high school and thought I would never to do it someone else. It was a shocker for me when what I perceived was being protective was actually a form of ragging to the other person.

I thought truth made everything easy, no complications. But there were so many instances where my truth telling hurt people. It was then I understood that in some instances maybe a lie saves the person from the pain.

Today, I am trying to find the balance between right and wrong. I am trying to define what is my right. And I am hoping and praying that my right does not end up hurting someone.

Hopefully, everyone who does meet, has a happy memory to connect me with. They don’t have to like me but I sure hope they do not hate me.

Safety or Excitement

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Daily writing prompt
Are you seeking security or adventure?
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What would choose?

All my life I have been pursuing the objective of security. “Work hard to secure a stable future. Don’t deviate from the course. ” these were the mantras I followed almost all my life.

Uncertainties terrify me. I do not like to be caught off guard. I am from a middle class family. we never had a back up plan. We just had one plan and if we failed we ended up with nothing. My father took on the burden of his younger siblings when he was in high school. And when he married my mother his responsibilities became theirs.

I have seen them work hard all their lives. They gave up the adventure phase of a newly married couple to take on the role of providers. Seeing them like that inherently instilled in me the need to secure my future. My formative youth years was all about securing a good job that would allow me to be a provider when I had to take the responsibility of a family. I always chose the path that was well traveled. Little did I know, what I was loosing in the process.

It took me some while to snap out of the fear to try. The first time I tried to do something new I thought I would die of a panic attack. But I did not. I ended up having fun. I smiled and laughed and enjoyed my life. Being adventurous is definitely terrifying but taking the leap is worth all the happy memories.

Today, I try to embrace adventures whenever I can. Sometimes I feel drained but sometimes I end my day with a smile on face. There are a hundred things in my life right now that makes me want to cry so I have decided I am going to grab every opportunity that comes my way to smile.

I may not be able to handle excitement every single day of my life. But I would want to keep taking chances and giving up on the fear of change.

You Win some You Loose some

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Daily writing prompt
Are you a good judge of character?
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I cannot out right say that I am a good judge of someone’s character.

There are days that I am on the more skeptical side of my nature and tend hone into that when deciding to trust someone. On the other hand, there are days that even if I am hit with red flags on after the other I give the person the benefit of doubt and make.. for a lack of a better word “Stupid” assumptions about the person.

I think I tend to be skeptical when others rely on me to make the right choices. I do not want to make the wrong choices which would end up putting others in trouble. I am more cautious and guarded when it comes to the people I love. I am down right territorial. I live the words “You want to hurt them, you go through me.”

Its ironic when you think of it. If my incorrect judgment will only affect me its like there are blinders on my common sense. I think I go by the policy, as long as I am the only one who gets hurt, it doesn’t matter. Not a very self preserving policy.

So in conclusion, I am a good judge of character when I have to protect someone and terrible judge when I have to protect myself.

Imagination Factory

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I believe I am moderately creative. I love reading, writing and drawing. One would assume that being creative is something that comes quite naturally.

However, I have realized that when it comes to drawing I find it difficult to convert my imagination to reality. I keep detailing things out in my head but find it difficult to get it to the actual paper. I realize that some of the difficulty could relate to the fact that I do not have the required skill. Though, I think most of the time it is due to my lack of focus.

I have so many ideas in my head. Would you consider me creative if there is no tangible proof of my creation?

I am taking baby steps. One thing at a time. I want to learn the skills that can finally put me on the path to convert my imagination into beautiful paintings or story.

Daily writing prompt
How are you creative?
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What is Right

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Daily writing prompt
What’s a topic or issue about which you’ve changed your mind?
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A very vague title but it is something that I reflect on everyday.

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All my life I have been told what is right and wrong by my elders. I am grateful to their guidance and protection. It definitely has been their wisdom that has kept me in one piece till today.

But I have realized one thing. Nobody has all the answers. And sometimes the right answer for someone ends up being the wrong answer for you. Every circumstance is different and each persons reaction to that situation is different.

I have learnt that there is no one right way to deal with a situation. You cannot expect to have the answers to every circumstance. You need to make your own right choices. There can also be times when the right decision you made once has now become wrong.

Yes, You can sometimes take the advice “helpline” but it is up to you to decide if that is the right choice for you. But more than anything, you need to be open to the idea that the real choice is not what is right but what is best for you.

Happy Memories

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Daily writing prompt
What is the legacy you want to leave behind?
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I used to think that I was a good person. Then one fine day, someone told me that I had ragged them. I realized that day that even with good intentions we sometimes do the wrong things.

It was a good shocker for me. It was since then I decided that I needed to be conscious, not about the message I want to communicate but of the how the message is received.

I have tried since then to be a better person. I am trying to learn how to give space to the other person in a situation. I hope that whenever someone remembers me, they associate me with a happy memory. I hope that their memory of me gives them a reason to smile and maybe give hope that they will have more such memories.