My New World

Stepping Into 2026: Progress Over Perfection As 2026 begins tomorrow, I find myself reflecting on the goals I set for the current year and realizing that many of them are still unfinished. I didn’t read the 10 books, I planned to, I read 6. I wanted to visit 3 new countries, I visited one. I started writing my blog, but I didn’t reach the audience I dreamt off. I wanted to be fully freelancing — but instead, I only took my first step. For a moment, it felt like failure. But then I paused and asked myself an important question: Does progress only count when it’s perfect. When I look again, I see a different story. Reading 6 books still means I chose growth over scrolling. Visiting one new country still means I explored beyond comfort. Starting a blog even without the numbers means I found my voice. Taking the first step toward freelancing means I stopped just thinking and started doing. None of these are “nothing.” They are proof that I showed up . And showing up matters...

  Over the last few days, I went home to spend time with my family. Like always, those moments were some of the most cherished of my life. Yet, this visit also left me with a quiet sadness. I couldn’t help but notice my parents growing older and with that, the gradual decline in their health. It’s a slow realization, but a heavy one. This made me reflect on how we spend our lives working endlessly, postponing rest, and assuming we’ll have time to truly live later. “Work hard now, rest later.” Most of us have grown up hearing this advice. We’re told that this is the time to hustle to work harder, push further, and never slow down. Rest will come someday when we’re successful, financially secure, or “important enough.” But what if that someday never truly comes? In our careers, working relentlessly is often celebrated. Long hours are worn like badges of honor. Taking a break can feel like falling behind or lacking ambition. I remember a TED Talk by Shah Rukh Khan where he shared that...