Day 85: Food, Family and Smiles

Sometimes, it isn’t about what we achieve in a day but how we spend our time. Today reminded me of that truth in the most delightful way.

The morning began in the kitchen, where my nephews brought with them a whirlwind of chaos, fun, and pure madness. There’s something magical about children—their innocence has a way of making the world’s troubles fade into the background.

Breakfast was french toast and sausages. I stacked the toast high, convinced there would be leftovers. But for kids who spend their days running, playing, and laughing, that pile was nothing more than fuel for their endless energy.

By lunchtime, the excitement moved outdoors. We fired up the grill for a barbecue, and the kids threw themselves into the experience—darting between the kitchen and the grill, proudly carrying marinated chicken one way and sizzling food the other. Their joy was infectious, especially when they hovered around their grandfather, soaking up his presence.

I’ll admit, there were moments when pain crept in while I cooked. Yet, as the day unfolded, the discomfort faded into the background. What remained was laughter, chatter, and the warmth of family.

Later, I sat outside with my mom. We talked about nothing in particular—random things, everyday musings. And yet, it was everything. No looming problems, no heavy thoughts. Just the comfort of conversation and the peace of being together.

As the day closes, I find myself smiling. Not because of any grand achievement, but because of the simple joy of shared meals, laughter, and love.

Yes, today was a good day.

Day 84: Challenges, Courage and Change

Today felt different. Better. After two long weeks of discomfort and frustration, I woke up with pain that was finally tolerable. My ankle and knee are slowly finding their way back to normal, the swelling has eased, and even my stiff shoulder is beginning to loosen. Yes, there’s still sharp pain when I try to move it, but the range of motion has improved — and that alone feels like progress worth celebrating.

I find myself thankful to God for this healing. I don’t think I did much to bring it about; I only cried out to Him in my pain. Yet, He listened. Sometimes I wonder how Jesus finds the time to care for all His children. I know I can be a handful, but His love never wavers. Even when I am unreasonable, He remains the one who listens. Faith needs nurturing, but His love is constant — and that is my anchor.

Today also brought another small victory: I cooked for my family. It was tiring, but I managed. Cooking has always been my quiet escape, my “me time,” where I lose myself in flavors and creativity. But as I watched my parents eat, I noticed something different. They aren’t the same as before. It feels like the weight of my struggles has spilled over into their lives, leaving them subdued, eating only to fill their hunger. I miss the joy we used to share — even amidst fights and hardships, there was laughter. Now, it feels like the poison of my pain has touched them too. More than anything, I want them to see me happy again. I want to bring light back into their lives.

This year, I’ve decided, will be a year of change. Challenges lie ahead, but I hope to face them with strength and courage. I want to emerge with a lighter soul, one that has found its purpose. Healing isn’t just about the body — it’s about the spirit, the heart, and the bonds we share. And I believe that with faith, love, and perseverance, I can get there.

Day 83:Disconecting from Autopilot

How do people find something to write about their everyday? I find my life totally uninteresting. I am what people call boring.

Is this what adulthood looks like? A day that start with work and ends with sleep? I am embarrassed about it. I never thought much of it. I have spent months together doing nothing more than just logging on to work and closing my laptop and going to sleep. I never gave it a second thought.

I was missing out on life. I do not get to spend time with my family or my friends. I do not spend time doing things i love – like creating art. Ironically, art became a stress reliever for me rather than something that I spent time with “just because”.

Do others also feel like this? Like their life is losing its purpose. Just going through the motions day after day without any thought to the “why”.

The truth is, everyone needs something to look forward to. A reason to wake up with anticipation instead of resignation. With all the ups and downs in my life I stopped hoping. I was mechanical. . I had no bigger goals or dreams behind it.

Time to reset that part of me. I am going to try making small goals. It is what is suggested you see. Given that I have a history of not staying on course it makes sense. The small wins will encourage me to make larger ones. Hopefully.

Day 82: Good Choices with an Indecisive Food Craving

Sometimes, the simplest choices make the biggest difference. Last night, I switched off my alarm and let my body decide when it was ready to wake. And it did—naturally, without the usual jolt of sound. That extra rest washed away the exhaustion of yesterday, leaving me lighter, clearer, and grateful.

The ankle swelling did creep up as the day went on, but the pain and limp were noticeably better. In fact, I barely thought about the pain at all today—which says more than any words could. It’s amazing how healing feels when it quietly slips into the background.

Food, however, was a puzzle. I had one of those days where I craved something but couldn’t name what. Nothing on the delivery app spoke to me, and I had no energy to cook. Eventually, I settled for a sandwich—more out of necessity than desire, just so I could take my pills. I don’t even remember how it tasted. It made me realize: I need a list of easy-to-cook recipes for days like this. Meals that don’t demand effort but still fulfill the simple goal of eating. A personal menu I can flip through when my brain refuses to decide.

I also added a sticky note to my desk today—a small but powerful reminder not to make unnecessary “consumer” purchases. It worked. I scrolled through shopping sites, felt the temptation, saw the note, and deleted items from my cart. A tiny act of discipline, but one that saved me from burning a bigger hole in my wallet.

Today was good. I’m thankful for the relief from pain, thankful for the sleep that reset me, and thankful for the restraint that kept my spending in check. Sometimes, a good day isn’t about grand achievements—it’s about listening to your body, honoring your needs, and celebrating the small wins that add up to balance.

Day 81: The Power of Zs

For years, I lived on borrowed energy. Three to four hours of sleep a night & endless cups of coffee were the normal for me. I wore my sleep deprivation almost like a badge of honor—proof that I could push myself to the limit and still function.

But today was different. After just three nights of five hours of sleep each, I hit a wall. My body refused to cooperate. I yawned through meetings, struggled to focus, and even coffee—the old faithful—did nothing to clear my haze. All those years of neglecting sleep has finally caught up with me.

I used to believe I could bend my body to my will. Now I realize – sleep is not optional. It’s not a luxury. It’s a fundamental need. Without it even the smallest tasks feel monumental.

There’s a strange irony in how we take for granted something so simple. Only when exhaustion becomes unbearable do we realize its worth.

Tonight, I’m choosing differently. I’m giving myself permission to rest—not as a reward, but as a necessity. I hope tomorrow I wake with energy, clarity, and the drive to achieve all that I want. More importantly, I hope I carry forward this lesson: pushing through pain is not strength; listening to your body is.

Sleep, once ignored, has finally demanded my respect. And I am ready to give it.

Day 80: Sparks from Memories

Today, I feel content. I may not have checked every box on my to-do list or been super productive, but I’ve done enough. And sometimes, enough is all we need.

This weekend was a reminder of how joy can sneak back into our lives in the most unexpected ways. On Sunday, I met a close friend after fifteen years. You’d think time and distance might change childhood friendships, but it was as if no time had passed at all. There was no awkwardness, no pauses—just endless conversations flowing from one topic to another. It took me back to those carefree days when my biggest worry was passing high school with good grades.

Later that day, I connected with two other close friends over a video call. Even though we weren’t together in person, seeing their faces and their expressions brought me so much comfort. Back when we worked together, they made the tough days bearable. We had long venting sessions that always ended with laughter, and for a moment, everything felt lighter. That call reminded me of those times, and it filled me with gratitude.

I’m carrying an overdose of happiness from the weekend, and I don’t know how long it will last—but for now, I’m holding onto it. I’ve decided not to give away my happy days to worries that can’t be solved. Today, I am happy. And that is enough.

Day 77: A Day lost in Thoughts

Today was… different. My pain level was at a six, which for me feels amazing. I woke up with the intention of getting things done, but now that the day is nearly over, I can’t quite put my finger on what I actually did.

I didn’t cook. I didn’t nap. I didn’t study. The only thing I really did was make plans to meet a friend. And yet, somehow, the hours vanished. Where did the day go?

I’m not a very outgoing person. I prefer the comfort of home, tucked away in my own space. When I do go out, it takes planning and preparation. And if those plans get canceled? Honestly, it feels like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders.

Ever since injuring my ankle, I’ve restricted my walking as much as possible. I don’t go places alone because I’m not sure if I can make the distance. I stumble, I tire quickly, and the thought of falling terrifies me. The embarrassment, the humiliation—it’s enough to keep me cautious. Even though I love spending time with close friends, the fear lingers: will my legs carry me through, or will they give out?

I think I lost my day to that worry. The anticipation of travel, the mental rehearsing of what could go wrong—it filled the space where my usual activities might have been.

It wasn’t a bad day. It wasn’t a great day either. Maybe it was just one of those “weird” days—where nothing went wrong, but nothing quite felt right. A day that slipped quietly through my fingers, leaving me with reflection instead of accomplishment.

Day 75: Fear and the Desire for Better

Fear. A small four-letter word with the power to paralyze.

This morning, I woke up with pain in my left arm—the only limb that had been free of pain until now. The realization devastated me. I know that if I don’t take care of my health, one day I might find myself confined to bed. That thought alone froze me in place. I couldn’t work. I couldn’t study. I slept through the morning, drained of energy and will.

But somehow, I made it to the end of today. And that matters. Because I don’t want my story to end in surrender. I don’t want my legacy to be giving up. I want to try again tomorrow, even if I fail. Failure is not the end—it’s part of the path.

I want to reach a stage in life where the hopes I once carried are no longer just dreams but realities. I want to be happy, even with the challenges my health brings. I want to be a better version of myself, someone who can look back and say: I changed for the better.

It won’t happen all at once. It will happen one day at a time. Even with pain, I will keep moving forward.

Day 73: Bad Day, Shaken Hope and Still Trying

This morning I woke up with pain sharper than it’s been in weeks. For a moment, I panicked—was I slipping backward again? The thought drained me. All the hope and motivation I’ve been clinging to since my diagnosis seemed to vanish in that instant. I couldn’t help but ask myself: What’s the point of all the pills, the careful eating, the effort—if I’m not getting better?

I never imagined that “being normal” would become something I yearn for. I hate the limp. I hate the fear of falling. I hate rushing to a chair every ten minutes because standing any longer feels impossible. And being obese makes the weight of it all heavier—not just physically, but emotionally. I worry people look at me and think, She’s fat, of course she has health problems.

Part of me knows these thoughts live mostly in my head. I know not everyone will understand my situation, and I can’t expect them to. But even so, the fear of judgment lingers, and it weighs me down.

That’s why I’m writing this today. Putting my emotions into words helps me release them instead of bottling them up. It’s my way of lightening the load. Maybe tomorrow I’ll wake up still in pain—but hopefully I’ll also wake up with a little more hope, a little more strength, and a reminder that even on the hard days, I’m still moving forward.

Day 66: Gone in a Flash

There are days that feel strangely heavy, even though nothing much happens. Today was one of those days for me.

The morning began with a power outage, which meant no work could get done. Truthfully, even if the electricity had been there, my motivation wasn’t. Instead, chose the ever “productive habit” of endless scrolling of YouTube shorts. It ate up hours of my day but do I remember anything I saw? Absolutely not!

Later, I found myself browsing through stationery websites, adding pens, notebooks, and organizers to my cart. It felt like I was about to make a purchase, but deep down I knew it wasn’t because I needed them. It was boredom disguised as desire. Thankfully, a moment of clarity struck before checkout. I abandoned the cart, realizing it was just impulse shopping waiting to happen.

Now I am drained. Not from work, not from effort, but from the doing “nothing” all day. I am exhausted. and all I want now is the comfort of a warm blanket & soft pillows.