I thought I’d share something I realised the other day: I broke up with ChatGPT. After using it for about a year and a half alongside a brief stint with Claude, I looked at my digital space and asked myself which platform genuinely fits my lifestyle best. Since I already run so much of my life on Google Calendar, Drive, and Meet, it just made sense to make the move over to Google AI Plus and Gemini. Before closing my account, I had ChatGPT generate a detailed hand-off document to upload directly into Gemini. I’ve been busy curating custom gems ever since: my own AI chef tailored to recipes I love, a personal trainer, and spaces for financial abundance where I’ve fed in expert interviews I’ve hosted over the years. I’m still in the curation process, but that feels like the whole point. Every single detail in my life right now is being carefully, lovingly curated.
We spend so much of our lives living for everyone else, forgetting who we are and what we actually want. After my hip replacement surgery six months ago, I had two months of enforced stillness followed by three intense months of decluttering and simplifying everything: my wardrobe, my skincare, my entire home. I love interior design and styling our space for the seasons, so right now it’s all burnt orange, pumpkin-scented candles, and fairy lights for autumn, my soulmate season. But I’ve also noticed how easy it is to get drained when other people step into your space. After living on my own for over 22 years, hosting family recently made me realise how hard it is to let others in when you’re so used to your own rhythms. Between perimenopause symptoms and sharing a small flat, I’ve had to be deeply intentional about carving out quiet, quality time for myself: even if that just means locking myself in my daughter’s room with a candle, a bouquet of flowers, a cup of tea, and some chocolate.
That same pull toward simplicity led me to look at how I live day-to-day. As much as I love smart tech, there’s a sacred comfort in the old-fashioned, slow-living ways I grew up with: putting on a record, making tea in a proper teapot, playing board games, or just being present. When my mom passed away, I promised myself I wouldn’t live like she did, constantly reheating the same morning cup of tea and never sitting down to enjoy it. When I visited family in Norway recently, it amazed me how many of them are still stuck in the exact same place I left them 18 years ago, living in unhappiness because they aren’t willing to change. Breaking the cycle meant choosing not to remarry after my divorce and leaving Norway so I could stop living in survival mode. It gave me the freedom to build a life on my own terms, and I know my mom would be so proud that I broke those traditional expectations to be free.
Living intentionally also means stripping away the excess that holds us back. Over the last six years, I’ve gotten rid of 90% of my belongings, unlearning the cultural mindset that more stuff equals more happiness. Now, Khushi and I keep our home curated to only what we actually use: two plates, two bowls, two cups, two glasses, and two pans. We don’t save the best items for “someday” or for guests while using mediocre basics ourselves; I deserve to use my best cashmere jumper, my ceramic mug from Spain, and my favorite perfume every single day, because tomorrow is never guaranteed. Living well isn’t about the big milestones; it’s about having the daily freedom to wake up, write, walk, or go to Paris on a whim.
I know there are quite a few ramblings in this live as I jump from topic to topic, but showing up on camera — mumbles, hot flashes, and all — is part of the practice. I’m learning to let go of control, release the guilt of unfinished plans, and simply go with the flow. My dream is to eventually host my own online TV show, and this raw, unedited step of getting on camera and sharing whatever is on my mind is where it all begins.
Kiran x
PS. Thank you Next 30, Your Terms, rhonda doruiter, and to many others for tuning into my live video! Join me for my next live video in the app.
