Sometimes, purpose in life shows up from a major life change that begins with something surprisingly small. For Kirana, it started with a casual comment from her seven-year-old son, who called her “jobless” because he never saw her leave home for a conventional nine-to-five job.
In this episode of Peek Inside, Kirana tells Arky Jones that the comment landed more deeply than her son could have known. She was happy with her life as a wife and mother, but she had also been carrying a quiet feeling that something was missing. His words became a catalyst for asking what she was building that felt genuinely her own.
That question eventually led her back to reading, writing, self-reflection and, later, publishing her book Cheers for a Good Life: Strong Mind, Calm Heart and Chosen Life.
Finding Purpose Without Abandoning Family Responsibilities
One of the most interesting parts of the conversation is that Kirana does not frame personal growth as escaping responsibility.
She speaks warmly about her commitment to her family and makes it clear that being a wife and mother still matters deeply to her. What changed was her understanding that fulfilling those roles did not require completely losing her own sense of direction.
Her first step was modest: reading for one hour each day.
Reading had always been something she loved, but family life had gradually pushed the habit aside. Returning to it gave her a feeling of ownership and agency again.
Arky challenges the idea further by asking whether reclaiming that part of herself actually helped her become more present with the people around her. Kirana believes it did. Once she was building something meaningful for herself, she felt less of the recurring sense that something was missing.
She also talks about creating boundaries around work and family. When her children or husband need her, she tries to be fully present. When she needs time to work, she communicates that clearly rather than allowing the two parts of life to constantly compete.
For Kirana, purpose is not necessarily a grand mission or one perfect sentence explaining an entire life. It is closer to having a meaningful direction and knowing what deserves attention when you wake up each morning.
Writing, Attention and the Discipline of Showing Up
Writing eventually became another important part of that direction.
Kirana began writing on her blog without worrying about whether anyone would read it or whether a post would go viral. She says the original motivation was much simpler: she wanted to feel good about herself and know that she was creating something.
Her writing often begins with ordinary experiences and then connects them with ideas from philosophy, psychology, personal development and essentialism.
Arky asks whether inspiration simply arrives when she sits down to write. Kirana says sometimes it does, but often it does not.
That is where discipline matters.
Rather than waiting for the perfect idea, she sits at her laptop and begins working through whatever is on her mind. She believes that repeatedly showing up eventually produces something worth exploring.
The conversation also looks at attention as a limited resource. Arky suggests that choosing where to place attention can shape the direction of a life. Kirana agrees, describing modern life as noisy and distracting and arguing that purpose can become buried beneath constant stimulation.
Her advice is to slow down, create space and notice what repeatedly draws you back, even when nobody is watching or applauding.
Stoicism, Relationships and Choosing a Good Life
Stoic philosophy also plays an important role in Kirana’s thinking.
She particularly connects with the distinction between what is within personal control and what lies beyond it. This becomes especially relevant in relationships, where it is impossible to control another person’s reactions, interpretations or behaviour.
Arky raises the idea that loving someone does not require losing yourself. Kirana agrees, explaining that healthy relationships can involve both commitment and boundaries.
Rather than trying to control every response from a partner or loved one, she focuses more on her own reaction and the meaning she gives to an event.
That philosophy is reflected in Cheers for a Good Life: Strong Mind, Calm Heart and Chosen Life. Kirana describes the book as a collection of personal essays drawing from philosophy, psychology, essentialism and everyday experience, with occasional touches of pop culture. She jokingly describes it as somewhere between Marcus Aurelius and Gilmore Girls, with even TLC making an appearance.
She is now working on a second book while continuing the ordinary parts of her life as a mother, wife and writer.
The larger message from the conversation is not that everyone needs to become an author or completely reinvent themselves. It is that small acts of attention can gradually create a different direction.
For anyone thinking about purpose, identity, family, Stoicism, writing or simply how to feel more present in their own life, the full conversation with Kirana offers a thoughtful exploration of what can happen when someone stops drifting and begins choosing deliberately.
Watch the full conversation on Peek Inside:
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