Tag: writer

Person sitting on a log near a campfire on a beach at sunset

No Unsolicited advice

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Daily writing prompt
What’s the best advice you’d give to someone younger than you?
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The one thing I have learned is never to give advice where it isn’t asked. When I was younger, I never understood the point of view of those who tried to advise me. Over time, I realized that experience is the only way you truly learn to accept advice.

Don’t say, “Stay away from the fire.” Instead, say, “I got burnt, but if you still want to touch the fire, it’s up to you.” Rather than offering advice, the one thing I would tell someone is: “I am here if you need me. I’ll help you get back up if you ever fall.” or “I don’t condone what you’re doing, but I’ve got your back.”

More than anything, what my younger self needed was support. And in today’s world, I believe that support is more important than ever. With all the criticism the world throws at you — often without considering the impact it can have — life can feel cruel.

If there’s one piece of advice I would give, with the hope that anyone would listen, it’s this: “Don’t judge. It hurts more than a knife ever could.”

In the end, we don’t always need someone to tell us what to do — we need someone to remind us that we are not alone. Support, kindness, and understanding are the bridges that carry us through the fire and back into the light.

Day 205: Small step but still a start

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Today was, all in all, an uneventful day. I woke up considerably early, though I still didn’t manage to get my six hours of sleep. I lay in bed for an hour, scrolling through Instagram shorts before finally convincing myself to get up and begin.

I started my work with enthusiasm, but of course today had to be the day my laptop decided to give up on me. The system ran so slowly that it was frustrating to refresh the screen over and over just to load a single page. I made myself a cup of coffee, hoping it would give me the energy I needed to push through.

Later, I found myself guilty of indulging in online browsing. What do you even call the equivalent of window shopping when it’s done online? Whatever the name, that’s exactly what I did. I didn’t buy anything, thankfully, but I did add a few things to my cart that I’m still tempted to purchase. It took everything in me to stop myself from checking out and to close the website.

Despite the distractions, I managed to complete the work assigned for the day. I finished my calls and meetings, completed my trainings, and wrapped everything up within the timeline. I finally switched off my office laptop. Now I am hoping to put sometime into studying, the thing I have put off for as long as possible.

It wasn’t a perfect day. But it was a start. And sometimes, a start is enough.

Inspirations

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Daily writing prompt
Who are you most inspired by?
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As a child, I probably would have named a famous person as my inspiration — someone the world had already deemed successful. Ironically, I don’t even remember those childhood idols anymore.

Today, my inspirations are not people themselves, but rather their actions. You don’t have to achieve great things in life. You don’t have to be famous or popular. A person can be an inspiration simply by standing up for what is right. A child defending a friend against bullies, a parent protecting their child’s dignity when others condemn them for low grades, a job seeker walking into an interview after being laid off, a girl demanding her right to education, a survivor holding their head high despite society’s judgment — each of these moments carries a quiet, powerful courage.

In those moments, they become an inspiration because of their pure moral strength. Their courage to keep fighting, to keep moving forward, matters more than physical strength or accolades. And in that moment, they give someone else the courage to stand up too — to face the odds, to keep fighting, even if success doesn’t come right away.

We all have weaknesses. Some are born from the people around us who broke our tiny dreams. Others come from self-doubt and criticism that tie us down, clipping the wings we once had as children. But inspiration is not about perfection. It’s about persistence. It’s about refusing to let those wounds define us.

I draw inspiration from the great actions of ordinary people I see every day. Their courage reminds me that inspiration doesn’t live in fame or fortune — it lives in the quiet strength of those who keep moving forward, no matter the odds. Inspiration is not a pedestal. It’s a spark. And sometimes, the smallest acts of courage light the brightest flames.

A mountaineer wearing a red jacket, harness, and headlamp walks on a rocky ridge at sunrise with snowy mountains in the background

Don’t Give Up

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Daily writing prompt
What’s your top tip to be successful in life?
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Success is often painted as a grand destination — a shining trophy, a dream job, a house, or a title. But the truth is, success is far more personal, far more fluid, and far more humble than society makes it out to be.

As long as you don’t give up, you haven’t failed. That’s the most powerful life lesson I’ve learned. Life isn’t meant to be easy, and everyone carries their own challenges. What feels simple to one person might be someone else’s Mt. Everest.

Would I call myself successful? Honestly, I don’t think so. And maybe I never will. I was taught to always strive for better, to keep moving forward. I’ve achieved small goals — a degree, a job, milestones that others might call success. But for me, each achievement only opens the door to the next challenge.

If I earn a degree, the next step is finding a good job. If I secure that job, the next goal is saving enough to buy a home. For some, securing a job is the pinnacle of success. For me, it’s just one step on a longer journey.

The one truth that never changes is this: success comes to those who keep trying. Even when the world feels against you, even when everything seems to fall apart, resilience matters. Take the break you need. Step back if you must — even a hundred steps back. But always, always take that step forward afterward.

For me, success is simple: one day closer. Have you made it farther than you were yesterday? Not in comparison to someone else, but in comparison to yourself. If you are better today than you were yesterday, you are successful.

In a world that can be cruel and unforgiving, progress itself is victory. It may not look like success to everyone else, but it is yours — and that is more than enough.

Day 204: Coming back from the Haze

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For a hundred days, I felt like I was in a state of limbo. I don’t even know how the time slipped by. What did I accomplish in the past three months? Nothing—literally nothing.

My initial determination to avoid binge shopping and be content with what I already had completely collapsed. I started buying random things—items I had kept on my wishlist for months, only to remove them from my cart because I knew I didn’t really need them. All my reasoning was gone. I was filling a hole inside me.

Yes, I bought a few things I needed, but compared to the junk, it was nothing. I loved the dopamine rush of opening parcels from online shopping sites, even though I knew it wasn’t healthy.

I stopped reading my Bible. I stopped drawing and doing anything related to art. I stopped studying. Even at work, I don’t know what I was really doing. It felt like I just slept and woke up, over and over again.

There were ups and downs that felt like whiplash. I know I’m struggling, and I’m aware my coping mechanisms aren’t good. My wallet has taken a hit, and now sleepless nights have returned. I can’t fall asleep until 2 or 3 a.m., and I can’t sleep past 8. Some days I barely sleep 3–4 hours, while other days I want to sleep all day.

Procrastination has defined these past months—extreme procrastination. My mind kept telling me to do things, but another part of me always said, “Forget it, let’s just do it tomorrow.” But tomorrow never came.

I’ve lost six months of 2026. But I still have six months left to try again. I cannot give up on myself. I am not perfect, and I never will be—and that’s okay. What matters is being the best I can be.

So here’s to starting again. You fall, you fail, but you still need to try again. As cheesy as it sounds, it’s true. I’m praying for the will to begin again.

Day 106: Recovering from the Break Down

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So I am back. Today I am smiling again, even though there is still pain in my heart. Life feels heavy right now, with so many things going wrong all at once. Some days I am simply too weak to face it. On those days, I withdraw into myself and hope that the storm will pass. It feels like the world is closing in, and all I can manage is the simple act of waking up. I want to lie down the whole day, doing nothing, because nothing makes sense. It feels like drowning on dry land—unable to breathe, unable to move forward. My heart had taken my mind hostage, and I was trapped in the tension between wanting to live fully and feeling paralyzed by pain.

My mind kept reminding me of all the things I needed to do, all the ways I should keep pushing forward. But the reminders felt hollow, because nothing seemed to matter. I don’t like this feeling, but I think it was inevitable. For too long, I’ve tried to push down the pain, convincing myself to focus only on the good things. That works sometimes, but not always. There are days when the weight of what I’ve hidden breaks through, and I am forced to face the vulnerability I fear. I hate being vulnerable. I think I am scared of what it reveals about me, scared of being seen as weak. Yet, despite that fear, I made it through. After days of feeling like everything was collapsing, I am finally beginning to emerge from the darkness. Sitting here now, writing this post, I feel grateful to be back on track, ready to work toward meaningful change in my life.

I know this cycle will repeat if I keep relying only on myself. That’s why I hope, going forward, I learn to turn to God instead of crashing out internally. He has carried me even when I never asked Him to. If He takes care of me without my asking, how much more will He take care of me when I reach out to Him for help? That thought gives me hope. It reminds me that I don’t have to fight alone, that there is strength beyond my own walls. And today, even with the pain still lingering, I am smiling again—because I believe I am being led toward something better.

Managing the Crash

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Daily writing prompt
What strategies do you use to cope with negative feelings?
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Attempting this prompt again, because this time the answer feels a little different. Especially since I’ve just returned to some level of normalcy after feeling like I was drowning for the past two days. Having bad days isn’t uncommon anymore; it almost feels like they’ve become the norm. The world is on fire, and no matter how hard you try, some days simply don’t go your way.

Talking about my strategy to cope with negative feelings, fair disclaimer: this is not a good practice. What I do is probably one of the more toxic ways of dealing with things. But here it is. First, I hide what I’m feeling. I never let the next person know what’s going through my mind. My problems are my own. It’s rare that anyone would truly understand, and even rarer that they’d know exactly what’s happening inside. Second, I build compartments and shove the feelings into a box. There’s no time to deal with emotions. Feelings complicate things and make everything confusing. Wearing your heart on your sleeve feels like the biggest disservice you can do to yourself. So I tell myself: deal with the feelings later. It most certainly isn’t in the moment. Finally, I focus on getting through today, pushing the problems out for tomorrow.

Now, here’s why this isn’t effective. Every once in a while, the feelings I’ve boxed up start to crack through. I try damage control, thinking maybe handling a small issue will make the compartments strong again, strong enough to withstand a few more days. But the pile of negative emotions always grows faster than my ability to manage them. Then comes the crash. The day when everything tumbles down, when it feels like the world is ending and life has lost all meaning. I shut down for a couple of days, overwhelmed by the tide of emotions. Nothing makes sense until I finally gather the strength to rebuild the walls, compartmentalize again, and start over.

I still follow this vicious cycle, but once in a while I take time to talk to someone. It doesn’t stop the crash, but it helps me recover from it. It gives me courage to fight again and somehow gives me the strength to take a step in the right direction.

Day 93: Determination and Prayers

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Most people stay awake late on a Saturday because they know Sunday gives them time to recover. For me, it’s the opposite. Sunday evenings bring this undeniable urge to stay awake as long as possible, almost as if I’m trying to stretch the weekend. The consequence, of course, is that Monday mornings hit me hard—I wake up drowsy, reluctant to face the day. And so, the cycle continues week after week.

Today was a “so-so” day. No great strides, but I managed to complete everything I intended. Still, I feel the need to push myself more. I want to start cooking again, not relying on ordering food. Pain has become my excuse too often, and I don’t want to let it turn into laziness. I dream of living alone someday, of having my own place, of being truly self-sufficient. But dreams only come true if I make the effort. Even if it means cooking meals I don’t particularly enjoy, I need to start somewhere.

Day 92: Two Down, Ten to go

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A new month has begun, and time feels like it’s racing past me. It seems like we just celebrated the New Year, yet here we are already in March. Everything feels like a haze sometimes—days blending into each other, moving faster than I can catch them.

Last night was rough. Pain kept me tossing and turning, and I woke up with the exhaustion that only disturbed sleep can bring. My body felt stiff, every joint creaking like old hinges. How much simpler life would be if, like in the cartoons I grew up watching, a little oil could fix the pain in my joints.

Even so, today was bearable. More than bearable, actually—I managed to do something I hadn’t done yesterday. I cooked dinner. Nothing fancy, of course—my mother had already done all the prep, and I just had to cook it. But it was more than I managed the day before, and that feels like a step in the right direction.

Today was about winding down, letting my body recover from the effort of yesterday. It felt like my system was in “recovery mode,” recharging after the stress of climbing those stairs. I hope that one day soon, I’ll have enough energy to enjoy a day out and still wake up the next morning ready to do more.

For now, I’ll take this as progress: two months down, ten more to go. One step closer to my goals than I was yesterday.

Day 91: Five Steps Closer

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Spontaneity has never been my strength. Sudden plans usually send me into a spiral of panic. But there are exceptions—and family outings are one of them. When I’m with my family, the anxiety fades. I don’t worry about what others think. I just feel safe.

Six months ago, life looked very different. I could barely walk without dragging my leg behind me. Sitting down and standing up from a chair felt like climbing a mountain. I had no strength in my legs, and I often wished for a chair in front of me just to hold onto, in case I fell. Nights were the hardest—I remember crying quietly into my pillow every time I had to turn in bed, praying no one would hear me.

Today, I’m not what most would call “healthy,” but I’m far better than I was. And today, I had a victory.

We went out as a family for lunch. To reach our reserved table, I had to climb five stairs. Five steps—something so small for most people, but for me, it was monumental. Each step sent shooting pain through my legs, but I made it. I leaned on my sister to get down the stairs, but I didn’t break down crying. I got through it. Those five steps were everything.

The meal itself was wonderful. Good food, laughter, and togetherness. I even took pictures of all the dishes we ate. Funny enough, I used to judge people for photographing their food. But now, I see it differently. For me, it’s about capturing a happy memory. I don’t care if the photos are “Instagram-worthy”—I just want them for myself. Since I can’t go on the long walks I used to love, food has become my next best subject for photography. One of these days, I might even start sharing them online.

Leaving all that aside, today was a good day. Yes, I’m in some pain, and yes, I’m exhausted—but nothing I can’t handle. More importantly, I’m determined. I don’t want to go back to my “old self.” I want to become my better self. And with faith, family, and perseverance, I believe I will.