This Is My Having It All
What does “having it all” mean to you? Is it attainable?
The phrase having it all might mean different things to different people. To me, having it all means having my loving family and my close circle of friends around me, maintaining joy and peace, taking care of my mental health, enjoying all my days to the fullest, utilising my talents to what I term as my best, living an unconventional life, taking time off to just rest and rejuvenate, and just keep growing in my own pace.
I have never been allured by the capitalist trap or the hustle culture. The only time I hustle is when I am running late for work. All around me, people are achieving milestones like time is running out and they move like saddled horses, chasing one thing after another. While that is their definition of having it all (which is not at all wrong), it definitely doesn’t suit me. My practice of hedonism lies in cherishing the simple things in life.
I have been asked questions like, ‘Why haven’t you bought a house yet?’, ‘Why don’t you have a car? It’s essential these days.’ and ‘Why aren’t you making it big if you are so talented?’ And some even tell me that I should strive to get a promotion and become an officer, not just limit myself to the clerical cadre. It’s like I should just go on up, up, and up till I snap, break, and fall. Oh, I’d still have the money to resuscitate me. I’d soon be up and going, and ready to hustle more to become the so-called perfect human being. But who would give myself back to me? Who would just tell me to stop and say that I have enough and that I need not become greedy for more?
Not one soul would be willing to look inside that part of me that carries my life’s true essence. Then, is it not cruelty to strip off the true me and become that someone society wishes to see? Of course, I love to have a house of my own. Of course, I love to own a car with which I could travel anywhere at any time. Of course, I’d love to make more money. But I am just not okay with rushing.
I like to take my own time in achieving my goals or the default milestones that I am supposed to reach. As of now, the definition of my having it all is what I have mentioned already. I place my mental health above everything else. I don’t want to miss out on my kid’s life by going on a capitalist path that focuses only on material growth. If I have to be a good mom, I should keep myself happy, peaceful, and healthy. That’s what matters.
Right now, my having it all is all about being grateful for what I have. I have a roof over my head, clean drinking water, comfortable clothes, a lovable family who support me and let me grow, close friends with who I can talk about anything, connect intellectually, and feel understood, a job to provide me with the income I need, a few talents that give me a purpose, little time on my hands to make use of those talents, the mindset to follow a yoga routine that suits me and takes care of my physical health, the music that shapes my life and defines all my days, and so many other niceties that I wouldn’t trade for any flashy things that the world has to offer.
The house, the car, the better prospects, and all other substantial things can wait. They aren’t my having it all, they probably would never be. And, yes, having it all is attainable. But first, define your having it all and then move towards it. Yours need not match with that of the majority.
And my having it all is just a mere dream for so many others in this world. So, yeah, I am grateful. 
