All my life, I have searched for and found inspiration in every person I interacted with and in every scenario I observed. I have always seen this as a useful trait to have. It has allowed me to find lessons I can apply to myself from the unlikeliest of places.

But recently I have come to notice that this has, over time, morphed into trying to be like every other person I meet. If I meet a friend who has just gone on a solo backpacking trip, I tell myself to try something adventurous. If I see someone out on a jog, I lecture myself to start exercising that very day.

Now, most of these things are definitely good to practise or try out. But it has also made me forget to ask myself, “What do I want to do?” It is all too easy to blur the line between admiring somebody and trying to ape him/her. It may be a thick line but it can get fuzzy all the same. While learning from others’ examples and trying to improve oneself, it is important to question ourselves now-and-then on what it is that we want. There are a million things that would be good to do in life, but how many of them will bring me – a unique individual with my own set of characteristics and quirks – joy or satisfaction?

We can admire every person we come across, but we can’t live every one of their lives – only our own.