The Power of Self-Reflection: Lessons from ‘My Odyssey’

Happiness and sadness are two sides of the same coin.

When you toss a coin, it can only have one outcome at a certain time. You deal with the outcome you get; you move on. Then you pick it up and toss it again. Once more, you must deal with whatever you get and leave it in the past. When you toss this coin, you can expect either of these 2 outcomes—joy, sorrow and everything in between. You get no choice but to through whatever it is you’ve received.

One thing to bear in mind—whatever it is will only last for a certain period of time in your life. A coin can only hold one outcome. So, whatever you’re facing will only last for a certain amount of time. Nothing in life is permanent. Whatever one is enduring will only last so long. Once that phase in your life comes to an end, you move on. You prepare for the next round, though there’s no guarantee that the outcome will be different this time. It can be different and start a new phase in your life, or it can be another level of the same phase.??

Mental wellness

The book talks about the author’s adventurous journey with her emotions, feelings, and sensitivity. As we know, where emotions are concerned, mental wellness is always in the picture. As the author journeys through her life, she discovers her mental strengths and overcomes her losses. The book portrays the mental state of a person when experiencing grief, love, loss, hope and happiness.

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Grief does not change you, Hazel. It reveals you.

– John Green, The Fault in Our Stars

A person’s emotional state when experiencing grief is magnified in a creative composition. This book reveals the mental health of a person experiencing grief while expressing heartbreak.??

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“The worst loneliness is to not be comfortable with yourself.”?

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• Mark TwainOne of the most important things to reflect on is how there’s always going to be at least one moment in your life when you’re going to feel lonely, alone, deserted. Loneliness is not the result of just isolation, but isolation from one’s own self.
• There’s no cure for loneliness except to enjoy one’s own company.??“You are the main character. Trust your side characters”?
• Me?

You are the main character. Believe in your side characters. They don’t necessarily have to be people. It must be something that provides comfort, serenity, a sense of security or anything that makes you happy—music, books, movies, cafes, Netflix. It’s okay to lean into your side characters and just relax.

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About the author?

All the memoirs in My Odyssey are based on?Apoorva Ravi’s?own experiences and anecdotes. She turns her pain into art. She uses various poetic devices and immense creativity to express her thoughts. She makes her emotions her power and weaves elegant poetry using her imagination. She is a writer, poet and mental health advocate. Through?My Odyssey, she aims to spread awareness about mental wellness and stability, divulging the various components of life.

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Writing Style?

The book is written from the perspective of a broken person in search of light. There is a wide use of metaphors and other poetic devices. The style of writing is captivating and witty. I think it’s safe to say that reading the book resembles an emotional rollercoaster. The author uses lyrical language which makes her verse attractive and intriguing to the readers. She makes her proses fascinating and precise.??

About the book?

The author carves her thoughts maneuvering lyrical language and spectacular imagery. She insists on focusing on accepting the various kinds and amounts of losses, all the while working on extracting oneself from the clutches of grief and embracing these diverse elements of life. The book talks about how love can come in so many forms and how one can take care of it.?

What can the readers take:

The book speaks volumes about the different amounts of love, loss, and grief one can experience in life. No one is a stranger to sorrow. My Odyssey summarizes the way of life in a poetic and symbolic format. The book is highly expressive and empathetic. Readers who aren’t very well enough versed with expression can look at their emotions in the words of another.??

?Life was a willow and it bent right to your wind

– Taylor Swift, Willow

Sometimes you must just let life come to you. Not all our plans become reality. Sometimes, we must just sit back and let life do its own thing. Sometimes, we can just sit and enjoy the show life puts on for us. Instead of constantly trying to direct the wind in our favour, we can simply enjoy the serenity of life amidst all the chaos.

You can buy this book from?Amazon?as a paperback.

This blog is brought to you by?Jumana Presswala.

Jumana?Presswala?is an aesthete, avid?reader?and writer. She finds solace in words. She enjoys weaving and exploring fantasies. You can find her on Instagram and LinkedIn.

You can connect with her on?Instagram?and on?LinkedIn.