Same (Boring) City, New Eyes

 

“You must go to Bir.”

That’s what I told a friend visiting from South Africa, eyes lit up like a Diwali sparkler. Bir — a small Himalayan town I’ve spent time in over the past year — feels like a secret portal to another way of being. There’s the buzz of youthful energy, the hush of monasteries, snow-capped mountains in the distance… and somehow, in that mix, I always feel lighter, freer, more me.

Naturally, I waxed eloquent. Possibly even poetic. He nodded along with genuine interest.

Then I flipped the script: “So how’s your time in Chennai been?”

And that’s when things got interesting.

He’d spent a month here — in my hometown — and spoke of hopping local trains to corners of the city I’d never seen, meeting communities I’d never heard of, and sampling foods I’d need Google Translate just to pronounce. Chennai — which I’ve occasionally (and unfairly) dismissed as “a bit boring” — had become a playground of wonder and novelty.

I was floored.

When I shared how amazed I was, he simply asked:
“So what stops you from exploring Chennai like this?”

The answer arrived before my next breath: Patterns.

My life in Chennai hums on a well-oiled track: wake, work, errands, sleep. Sprinkle in a masala dosa and a new podcast, and you’ve got my week. Sure, I try something “new” once in a while — but let’s be honest, it’s usually just a new flavour of ice cream at the same old café.

This is the nature of auto-pilot. It’s comfortable, familiar… and a little sneaky. It wraps around us until we forget how it feels to be wide-eyed with wonder.

There’s a concept in Buddhist psychology called “Beginner’s Mind” — a gentle invitation to approach the world as if seeing it for the first time. Positive psychology echoes the same: even tiny shifts in perspective or routine can spark joy, meaning, and energy. (In my case, perhaps it's time to take a suburban train instead of yet another flight to Himachal.)

So here’s a question I’m sitting with this week, and I invite you to join me:

What well-worn patterns in your life might be ready for a refresh?

At work, is it how you open meetings (predictable and polite)?
In conflict, is it your default response (instant email or maybe with a passive-aggressive emoji)?
At home, do your evenings disappear into screens, or do your weekends look suspiciously like weekdays — just in pyjamas?

And with yourself…
When was the last time you did something just because it brought you joy?

Not for productivity. Not for points. Just joy.

We’re not talking dramatic reinventions here. Sometimes, all it takes is noticing when you’re on auto-pilot — and nudging the wheel, just a little.

Here’s a short 5 mins video that explores this idea. I’d love to hear what it stirs in you — just hit reply and share what lands.

Till then, may your own backyard surprise you. Who knows?
Your version of Bir might be just around the corner.

Mindfully, 

Sanjay