A stable job, a regular salary, marriage and settling down are often seen as the traditional path to success in India. But Himani Mittal, a 30-year-old woman from Rajasthan, has chosen a very different route. She has never worked a conventional 9-to-5 job, has reportedly changed careers six times and has travelled across Europe while building a life around financial independence and personal freedom.
Hailing from a middle-class Marwari family in Abu Road, Rajasthan, Himani believes that earning her own money is important because it allows her to make independent decisions. Her unconventional journey recently attracted attention on social media after she shared her experiences and spoke about living without following society’s fixed expectations.
Her story is especially relatable for young Indians who want to explore different careers but worry about job security, family pressure and the fear of starting over.
Who Is Himani Mittal, the Rajasthan Woman Who Chose an Unconventional Life?
Himani Mittal is a content creator who shares her experiences of solo travel, personal growth and building a life according to her own priorities.
Unlike people who follow a single career path for decades, Himani has explored different opportunities and made changes as her interests and circumstances evolved.
Coming from a middle-class family, she did not begin her journey with the advantages of being born into great wealth. Instead, she focused on becoming financially independent and finding ways to support herself.
Her approach challenges the common belief that success must involve working in a corporate office, following a fixed schedule and staying in one profession for life.
However, Himani’s story is not simply about avoiding office work. It is about making choices, exploring possibilities and accepting that a person’s goals can change over time.
Why She Started Working at Just 21
According to Himani, she understood at a young age that financial independence would be essential if she wanted control over her own decisions.
She began teaching Spanish when she was just 21, even though she was still learning the language herself.
This early step helped her begin earning while developing her skills. It also showed her that work does not always have to start with having every qualification or mastering everything in advance.
For many young Indians, this idea can be encouraging. People sometimes delay starting a career because they believe they must first become experts or wait for the perfect opportunity.
Himani’s experience suggests another approach: begin with what you know, improve your abilities and learn as you work.
Of course, teaching a language requires responsibility and sufficient competence, but the broader lesson is that continuous learning can create opportunities that may not be available through traditional employment alone.
How the COVID-19 Pandemic Changed Her Career
Himani was 23 when the COVID-19 pandemic began. During this period, she decided to move her work entirely online.
The pandemic disrupted traditional employment across India and around the world. At the same time, it encouraged many people to explore remote work, online teaching, digital businesses and freelance opportunities.
Himani’s decision allowed her to continue working while exploring a different way of living.
Online work can offer flexibility because it may reduce the need to commute or remain tied to a particular office. Depending on the profession, it can also allow people to work with clients or students from different locations.
However, remote work is not automatically easy. It requires discipline, reliable income sources, time management and the ability to find new opportunities.
For Himani, moving online became an important step towards building a lifestyle that offered more freedom and flexibility.
She Moved to Spain at 25 and Travelled Across Europe
After completing her master’s degree in filmmaking, Himani moved to Spain at the age of 25 to teach English.
She reportedly spent three years living there, an experience that allowed her to travel across Europe and interact with people from different backgrounds.
Living in another country can change how people think about careers, relationships and personal goals. Exposure to different cultures can also help people understand that the choices considered normal in one society may not be universal.
Himani said these experiences helped her question the idea that everyone must follow the same timeline for professional success, marriage and settling down.
For Indian students and young professionals who dream of working abroad, her journey highlights the opportunities that international experiences can offer.
At the same time, moving overseas requires practical planning, including visa eligibility, living expenses, employment arrangements and savings. Her experience should not be taken as a guarantee that everyone can achieve the same lifestyle simply by moving abroad.
Why She Chose Solo Travel Instead of Following Society’s Timeline
After returning to India, Himani continued making decisions based on her own priorities.
She moved to Delhi last year and later relocated to Kerala, where she continued exploring her interests and creating online content.
Rather than treating marriage as the next compulsory milestone, she chose to focus on travel, career development and personal growth.
In India, people often face questions about when they will get married, buy a house, settle into a permanent job or start a family. Such expectations can be particularly strong around the age of 30.
Himani’s journey offers a different perspective: there is no single timeline that works for everyone.
Some people find happiness in a stable corporate career and family life. Others prefer entrepreneurship, travel, creative work or a combination of different experiences.
Neither path automatically guarantees happiness. What matters is understanding one’s priorities and making informed decisions rather than choosing a lifestyle only because others expect it.
Her Message to People Who Feel Lost in Their 30s
Himani is now running an Instagram series called the “SF Challenge”, aimed at people in their 30s or approaching that age who feel uncertain about their future.
The series focuses on people who want to explore new opportunities, change careers or rethink the direction of their lives.
Her message is particularly relevant to those who feel they have fallen behind because their lives do not match the expectations they had in their twenties.
Career changes can be difficult, especially when people have financial responsibilities, education loans, family commitments or limited savings. However, exploring a new direction does not always require leaving a job immediately.
People can begin by learning a new skill, testing a side project, speaking with professionals in another field or building an emergency fund before making a major decision.
Himani’s story encourages people to consider their options, while recognising that every person’s circumstances are different.
Social Media Users Relate to Her Unconventional Journey
Himani’s story has attracted reactions from people who admire her independence and others who see their own uncertainties reflected in her experiences.
Some users expressed a desire to leave their 9-to-5 jobs but admitted that they did not yet know what they wanted to do instead. Others praised her freedom to travel and explore life outside a conventional career.
These reactions highlight a common dilemma among young professionals: wanting more flexibility while also needing a reliable income.
A regular job can provide stability, savings and benefits, while freelancing or independent work may offer greater flexibility but less predictable earnings.
The best choice depends on an individual’s financial position, skills, responsibilities and comfort with uncertainty.
Himani’s experience does not suggest that everyone should abandon traditional employment. Instead, it shows that alternative paths exist and that it is possible to reconsider career goals at different stages of life.
The Biggest Lesson From Himani Mittal’s Story
Himani Mittal’s journey from teaching Spanish to living in Spain, travelling across Europe and creating content in India reflects her willingness to explore different possibilities.
Her decision to change careers multiple times challenges the idea that professional success must follow a straight line. It also highlights the importance of financial independence in giving people more choices.
Still, building a flexible lifestyle takes planning. Savings, employable skills, realistic budgets and dependable income sources remain important, particularly for those who want to work independently.
The biggest takeaway is that people do not need to have their entire lives planned by a particular age. Changing interests or starting a new chapter does not automatically mean failure.
For young Indians questioning their career choices or feeling pressured to follow a conventional path, Himani’s story offers a reminder: success is not measured only by a job title, a wedding date or a fixed milestone. It can also mean building a life that reflects your own values, while taking responsibility for the decisions that make it possible.