I Like The Person I Am Becoming

April! Season of exams!

This time, last year everything was so different. I was sitting in the exam gallery in Madras Christian College writing my Semester exams having two assured jobs in my hand. I felt so proud and lucky, in fact it made my brain go lazy to think “Oh just pass the exams!” And yes, after a month I walked into one of the companies to jump start my career. My face looked so happy and eager to learn new things and mostly find new friends (got the coolest ones). My life was so cheerful and fun (you know it. All beginnings are!).

ok wait, Do you have friends who crow about working in companies or any corporate field for the first few months and then complain for the rest of the year about getting bawled by their boss , stress, work pressure, boredom of job, etc ? Well, in my case these things didn’t happen to me, except for the fact I started griping in a month. Soon I realized I was going to do the same monotonous work for the next how many ever years till I need more money. Of course, I need money to live, but nay not this job. Or else I can put it this way, Maybe I wasn’t ready for what everyone else was doing or I couldn’t adapt to the type of work (This is safe to say).

And after a month, I was right there, seated in the sofa on my very own home in Madurai, trying to figure out my life and searching and researching about all possible jobs, while my parents were secretly happy about me being at home.

Days passed as they do and life went on. I felt like a child again at home. I started bringing back my childhood favourite pastime, sketching, doodling, drawing on wooden boards, and trying out different things, giving away handmade bookmarks, making hand drawn notebooks, etc. I started uploading each of them in facebook (the only place to showcase my work). And who expected, there were so many likes and comments from my best people, appreciating and persuading me to sell them and make a commercial activity of my own. My reaction was just like every other girl, “duh, business and me? Come on, I’m a science graduate. This is just a hobby and people are not going to buy my stuff. Dot.

Hand drawn bookmarks gifted to friends !

Hand drawn and handmade notebooks !

The hand drawn bookmarks I gave away to family friends in a meeting.

Another Handmade notebook !

Some cute ‘lil bookmarks 😉

Designs and patterns on wooden board !

Hand drawn design at the back of my phone cover

Another tie shaped bookmark for my dad, as a quick father’s day gift !

Doodled Mobile skin !

 

Meanwhile I started reading quite a lot. Mostly self-help and business books, which caught more of my attention and interest in it. So I kept myself busy and improving myself before I stepped into a new discipline. I only had two things on my mind to concentrate then, 1) Read more and understand the field 2) Attend choir practices to sooth your mind. Music and books definitely helped. Even when people kept on asking me what I was doing, I simply said I was reading, which in the sense I was educating myself. (Not many have time for it these days). I never wanted myself thinking about other professions also. I always went by the saying by Robin Sharma, “A person, who chases two rabbits, catches neither.” I let time work its magic.

“Focus on one area with relentless devotion to daily improvements and a passion for excellence and within three to five years, you will be operating at a level of competence such that people call a genius.” – Robin Sharma

Sooner or later it happened. Nov 21^st, 2015 was the day, I made my first 3 sets of doodled notebooks and uploaded it in facebook and waited for the reviews and comments of the people who emboldened me to do it, but still with so much confusion and doubt, fear of rejection, criticisms, and what not, every negative thing rushed to my mind wave after wave. Within minutes the things I scared were transformed into a mammoth of happiness and glee from ear to ear. And to my amazement, at the end of the day the orders totted up to 10. (I know, right, who imagined).

The first set of Doodle notebooks !

And thus I sold about 22 doodle notebooks ( aye, not bad for a start). ‘Twas time I gave my new start-up a name. And thus emerged “ Libby creatio”.

Back cover of Notebooks with “Libby creatio” first time printed on it !

DIY Newspaper Packing with drawings on it ! 🙂

“If you cannot do great things, do small things in a great way.” – Napoleon Hill

From that day onwards I started trusting in the magic of new beginnings. Discover your talents ( I did mine, and exploring hidden ones also).

I never would have pictured myself in a position I am today. It’s hard to believe how much life can change in a year.

I wonder what next April would bring me.

I like the person I am becoming.