Charankamal

1. Not living in the moment. Always wishing you were somewhere else, doing something different with other people.

2. Blaming your problems on your past. Although the past affects us, it need not define us. We can choose, decide and act – and take control of our lives. Don’t let your past heartache and pain affect who you become.

3. Running away from problems. It’s pointless to bury your head in the sand and pretend that things are fine when you’re dealing with a problem. Face reality, take action and work to turn things round.

4. Being ungrateful. Being thankful sets you free in your heart and mind. It inspires all that’s good and, also, oils relationships. But an ungrateful person will wear others down. It destroys your spirit, and it saps your energy.

5. Being angry and bitter. Refusing to forgive and bearing grudges against others will slowly poison our personality. It’s much better to release them and to focus, instead, on living a happy and fulfilling life.

6. Letting your expectations rule your life. Life rarely goes smoothly and according to plan – and people disappoint us and let us down. Accepting this is normal takes some tension out of life.

7. Disrespecting yourself and others. Every single person deserves respect, and every single person is fighting their own battle. So focus on being kind, understanding and forgiving.

8. Neglecting important relationship. A relationship that’s built on unconditional love – where a person accepts us for who and what we are – is truly a gift and is worth fighting for. Don’t take it for granted – recognise that it’s a gift.

9. Loving people who are bad for us. Not every person will build into your life. Be aware of those who who’ll use you, or who want to bring you down, or who want to hurt you, or destroy your confidence.

but then i remember that i have a kirpan by my side

and a shit loada kes on my entire body

and face

and a crown on my head

and then i’m like whoa

these are all acts of rebellion

a kirpan?? like my guru pulled out the roots of authority and oppression

and planted new ones. and that’s what i grew from. no one was allowed to carry blades around with them. but my guru was like naw we gunna worship them

and no one was allowed to tie a dastar. it was a sign of royalty. but my guru was like naw we doing this too

and now, 300 years later. it’s not normal for a girl to have hair on her bod or face

but my guru was like naw my girls are gunna rebel against that

and walk around in the rawest versions of themselves 

i am made out of rebellion