Living out your dreams: Notes from Namita Kulkarni

Following one’s passion is shown to be rather simplistic and easy in films and books. The protagonist goes from the a-ha moment to living his or her best life in a matter of a few scenes! However, in reality, doing what you love takes more discipline and effort. While most of us have been told that we must do what we love, we have not always been shown ‘how’. It is one of the many reasons we like to tell stories of inspirational people who have put in the work and commitment towards living their dreams.

One such story is that of Namita Kulkarni. She’s an artist, yogi, traveller, writer and teacher and a free spirit who lives her life to the fullest everyday. Namita wears many hats with aplomb, so introducing her as anyone barely does her justice.

Source: Dashka Slater

As an avid traveller, your go-to mantra is: “Going where I have never been, generally seizing the day.” How has travelling influenced your journey?

Travel has taught me to trust myself and that spills over into other areas of life. Another big lesson from travel has been the value of not getting fixated on any one thing, including travel. So in these travel-strapped times, things I learned from travel still come in handy.

Who have been the greatest inspirations in your life?

My late grandmother, for being such a loving presence. She was a wonderful musician and poet, and her creativity made a huge impact on me. Of late, I have to say that children and cats are my greatest teachers.

What advice would you give young people who have multiple passions?

I would say follow what’s most alive for you, what excites you most on a deep level. And this could be different things on different days, which is absolutely okay. Each of them reveals to you a unique side of you. Do what you need to do to pay the bills, but don’t neglect the things that make you glad you’re alive. It’s a matter of great fortune to find even one thing that makes your heart sing. So I hope you see the gift in having multiple passions. Cherish them. Don’t let the world tell you that you need to excel at one of them or dedicate your energies exclusively to one thing. Doing things for the sheer joy of doing is so underrated in our culture. We have to see beyond monetising every activity and every waking minute. On a side note, I also love the idea of a big, small life - something I heard from Liz Gilbert. A life that is big on values, small on material accumulations. That has been a great piece of advice for me, and I hope it resonates with the readers too.

Loved Namita’s zest for life? You can read more about her adventures on BBC, The Hindu, Bustle, The Washington Post, The Better India and Reader’s Digest. Follow Namita on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and her exciting blog.

Cover image source: Radically Ever After