When Shri Ram vanquished Ravana in Lanka, the righteous in the world rejoiced, and finally he was able to be reunited with his consort, Sita. The end of the battle may have seemed like the end of a long and arduous journey, but it was only the beginning of several more, the first one of them being the long road back to an Ayodhya, waiting to celebrate. We recently celebrated Dussehra, commemorating Shri Ram’s victory in battle, and now as we wait for the advent for Diwali, it’s an opportune time to reflect on our individual life journeys, and where we are in them today.

The residents of Ayodhya lined the streets with lamps, giving birth to the festival of Diwali, and the end of Shri Ram’s journey in exile was only the beginning of the journey of Ram Rajya for the kingdom. The establishment of righteousness and dharma could only be done once the evil tyranny of Ravana had been uprooted, and the people could live freely without the fear of persecution. Drawing a parallel, in our lives too, we often pursue goals, be they monetary or spiritual fervently, but it is only when we get there that we realise that achieving them is only the first step in the journey that we really desire for ourselves, which is internalising what the milestone represents and living a life with the benefit of that achievement.

Shri Ram’s coronation was only the beginning of a long reign in the interest and for the welfare of his people, and he had to change gears from his life as a solitary householder in exile, to a king, where his responsibility extended to hundreds of thousands. In the same vein, every achievement is unlocking a journey of learning and adaptation in our lives, and we mustn't underestimate the effort it takes to transition from a state of seeking and acceleration to a steady state, which requires the engagement of a different type of energy and mindset for its sustenance.

Change management is a bit of an art, and adapting to new circumstances requires a degree of mental preparation. If we don’t plan for the steady state that follows, then we are oftentimes so high on the adrenaline rush that comes from the pursuit of our goals, that we might feel underwhelmed by our achievement and unable to savour the moment. And worse still, in our underprepared mindset, we miss out on the real opportunities that are waiting to unlock once we summit our current objective. Life is a series of continuing journeys, and the ability to enjoy our experience comes with the dawning of the reality that there are no real finish lines; the journey is the reward!