Living Light: My Journey to a Stress-Free Yet Progressive Life.
- By Farin Khatoon.
There was a time in my life when I thought success had to be heavy—measured in sleepless nights, endless comparisons, and the weight of expectations I never agreed to carry.
I was chasing degrees, deadlines, and dreams, but somewhere along the way, I lost me. The joy in learning, the freedom in exploration, the peace in pausing—it had all been buried under the noise of “what’s next?”
🌧️ A Storm in South Korea
The harshest lesson came during what was supposed to be one of the brightest chapters of my life—my fully funded Ph.D. journey in South Korea.
At POSTECH, I was surrounded by cutting-edge science, brilliant minds, and countless opportunities. But what people didn’t see were the silent struggles beneath the surface—the sudden withdrawal of funding, the stress of adapting to a new culture without proper support, and the crushing weight of feeling like all my hard work was unraveling.
I had left behind my family, my comfort zone, and years of dedication—only to watch my dreams dissolve not because I wasn’t capable, but because life had other plans.
I cried in silence. I questioned everything. And for the first time, I considered giving up not just the program—but myself.
But somehow, in the middle of that chaos, I found a strange kind of clarity.
🌤️ The Moment That Changed Everything
One rainy evening in my tiny apartment in Pohang, I stared at my laptop screen, full of unfinished research and unread messages. My funding was uncertain. My health was wavering. And so was my spirit.
Then a quiet thought whispered through the storm inside me:
“What if I chose peace, and still kept growing?”
It felt rebellious, almost foolish. But it felt honest.
I realized I didn’t have to suffer to be successful. I didn’t need to live in burnout to prove my brilliance. That night, I made a choice—not just to return to India—but to rebuild my life, this time with peace as my foundation.
🌱 Redefining Progress
I started by asking myself:
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What makes me feel truly alive—not just useful?
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What kind of success allows me to breathe?
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What if progress meant healing, realigning, and still moving forward?
I didn’t abandon my ambition—I just chose not to worship it at the altar of mental exhaustion.
I began nurturing myself the way I once nurtured my academic pursuits—with patience, discipline, and deep respect.
✨ A New Core Value Was Born
Today, my core value is simple:
Live a life that is stress-free yet progressive.
It means:
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Choosing peace without choosing passivity.
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Moving forward, but not at the cost of my joy.
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Hustling when needed, resting without guilt.
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Creating without comparing.
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Growing with grace, not grind.
I still dream big. I still work hard. But I now measure progress not just by achievements, but by how free I feel while achieving them.
💭 Want to Reflect on Your Core Values?
Here are a few journaling prompts that helped me—and might help you:
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What experiences in my life forced me to slow down and rethink?
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When did I feel most misaligned with my inner peace?
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Can I rewrite my definition of success to match who I am today?
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What would my life look like if it was both fulfilling and freeing?
🌸 Final Thought
South Korea taught me something I couldn’t learn in textbooks:
You can survive the storm and still come out softer, stronger, and more certain of what truly matters.
A stress-free yet progressive life isn’t a fantasy—it’s a conscious choice. One that begins the moment you decide to value your peace as much as your progress.
So if you're standing at the edge of burnout, just know—you can still be brilliant without breaking yourself.
That’s where your real story begins.
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