Day 14: Day of Baking

I know that the word “baking” has a lot of different interpretations. I mean baking as in the cooking in the oven baking.

Today I tried waking up early but the weather outside was so cold! I did not want to leave the comfort of my warm blanket. The cold floor was a nightmare quite literally. I kept snuggling until I realized that I was awake and did not have any sleep left in me.

I definitely had huge plans for today. I went into the kitchen cleaned up the table to make space for my baking stuff. Once that was done, out came the eggs, sugar, flour, baking tins and the other ingredients. The first cake of the the day was a traditional plum cake. I had to keep taking breaks in the process due to my shoulder injury but I made it. It went into the oven to bake.

Meanwhile, when my nephews came over we set out to make a simple chocolate cake. Because according to them it is cake only when it is chocolate!

The plum cake came out okay – a 8 out of 10. The chocolate cake probably needed a little more time – a 6 out of 10. Regardless, I am happy that I could atleast make them this year.

The medicines are working. I may not be out of pain but it is getting better. I am able to stand for longer and do things that I used to. Little steps but little steps are moving me forward.

Thank you Jesus! For teaching me to find happiness in the small things of life.

Never in a million years!

Daily writing prompt
Is your life today what you pictured a year ago?

I am not a planner. I do not like thinking about the future. Atleast one year ago I did not like thinking about my future. The future for me was something dark and I chose to shut down. I chose to give up.

Today I am happier. I think my life is definitely better. I am hopeful. I seem to have learnt how to find happiness in my everyday. I have made decisions that I never thought I would. I have started focusing on myself more. I wanted to start with investing time in my hobbies and I now I have finally started doing so.

It mat not be perfect but it is better than it was at the beginning of the year.

Day 13: The Next Step

Today was a good day! I am exhausted and just want to retire early. I had to go out to run some errands. It was extremely challenging but I got through it. I hated every moment while I was doing it but now that I am back home I am proud of myself for making it.

I somehow feel like I claimed a little piece of me back. I felt that I could breathe a little better today. It was like the burden on my heart and mind is slowly lifting. I feel that now I am starting to hope for a better life. I feel a little more determined than I was yesterday.

I feel like that I still have time to make a difference. A positive difference. Maybe just because my life timer is a little bit shorter it does not mean that everything is over.

This hope and happiness feels weird but a good kind of weird. Here’s to hoping that I can continue building on this feeling.

Trying to

Daily writing prompt
What skills or lessons have you learned recently?

Its been a while since I learnt something new. According to me, unless I master something its not a skill.

Since buying my marker set I have now started to learn how to blend. I used to just color in using the marker before. I always was mesmerized by the art done by people using markers online. Last month I bought a blending friendly sketch book and started trying. Lets be true, its not very great but I think I am starting to figure out how to do it. Hoping that by the end of 2026, I know how to blend seamlessly.

I also going to try my hand at baking. I know how to bake the basic cake. I want to learn how to bake brioche bread. I also have the other recipes I want to try and now that Christmas is near I am going to start trying them out. Fingers crossed to a good outcome. 🙂

Day 12: Changing Directions

I feel tired today. I feel drained. I did not do anything today. Literally nothing.

I just want to be done with this one issue of my life. Its like a stone weighing me down. I can’t move. I feel like I am stuck in place and everyone is moving forward.

However, there is some part of me that thinks that I have been using this one problem as a reason for being lazy. I blamed all my failures to it. Now that I am finally reaching the end of that problem what if I still don’t move forward. What if I still lazy around and take things for granted.

I need to find something to anchor me. A reason to push forward. Something to hope for. I don’t know. Some part of me is scared to even hope. I don’t know if I can take failures. The only person who can help me through this spiral is Jesus. Praying to God that he gives me the strength to overcome this wild storm in my mind.

I made it one more day. One day at a time, breathe, pray, and repeat. It might not seem like a big achievement but it is something.

Day 11: Old Memories and New Perspectives

I did not realize how much of me I had lost! Everyday its like my fogged memories are clearing. I am starting to smile more. I never knew that I had started giving up on pieces of me. I started making my world smaller. I think I hoped the smaller my world the lesser I would hurt. It is like I am claiming myself back. Little my little.

On a lighter note, I did listen to a couple of shorts audio stories. It was like a blast from the past. It had been years since I read a book or even heard an audio book. Also, lets be real, I had a spout of impulse purchase today. I need to stop it. I need to start using the stuff I buy. I am going to start by restricting myself to an amount for the month. Hopefully, over time i can reduce the budget until finally I buy stuff only when I actually need it.

All in all cheers to a good day!

None at All

Daily writing prompt
What are your favorite physical activities or exercises?

I could easily list physical activities like hiking or skipping, but the truth is that I only do them when I am forced into it, not because I genuinely enjoy them.

I do like walking in silence with my headphones on. However, more than the walking I enjoy the peace and calm of the walk. No chatter of people, no chatter in my brain just being one with nature. I guess that walking is a sort of meditation for me rather than exercise.

Sports or exercise have never appealed to me. I am, at heart, a house mouse. All my hobbies can be done within the confines of my four walls. I am aware of the importance of exercise for my health, so I make the effort— out of necessity.

Maybe someday soon I will adopt a hobby that drag me to the outside. Things can change you never know.

Day 8: Good Day

Today was a good day!

It was not because I was not it pain or that everything in my life is perfect. But today was good.

I spent the whole day with my family. We sat together all morning and just talked. Random things. Anything below the sun. We had food together and just chilled.

In the afternoon, we went for a movie. We watched an animated movie and guess what my parents actually sat through the whole movie. I was shocked. Never expected my parents to sit through an animation movie. Well I guess, when you become grand parents you will do everything for your grand kids.

I started watching the movie but somewhere in between I drifted to sleep. The reclining seat, the cool theater and the warm blanket was the conducive environment for the sandman to visit.

I did struggle to walk the distance and climb the stairs but at the end all I remember was the happy moments of the day.

Thank you God for today!

Almost Anything

Daily writing prompt
What’s your favorite cartoon?

I don’t know why, but the older I get, the more I enjoy watching cartoons.

I like almost any type of cartoon, as long as there aren’t any disgusting bugs that make me want to puke. Other than that, any cartoon that can distract me from the everyday mess I call life is something I truly appreciate and love.

My forever favorite is Tom and Jerry. I adore everything about it—the hilarious dynamic between the cat and the mouse, the clever comedy, and the timeless charm. As a child, I loved it mainly for the humor. But as an adult, I’ve come to appreciate the unlikely friendship it portrays. Despite their differences, the constant fights, and society’s expectation of enmity between a cat and a mouse, Tom and Jerry remain friends. That bond always brings a smile to my face, and I absolutely love it.

And yes, it’s definitely time for a Tom and Jerry binge-watching day!

Day 7: The Turning point

Today was probably the turning point in my life—the one I had been waiting for. I have nothing holding me back anymore. Now, if I don’t take steps in the right direction, I will have only myself to blame.

Step by step, I am going to push myself to look at the bright side. Even on days when it feels incredibly hard, I will try. I am determined to create a purpose in my life—something worth living for.

To begin, I want to make a bucket list. I used to wonder what the point of it was. I kept thinking that I didn’t deserve happiness, that I had no right to be happy because I wasn’t perfect.

But you know what? It doesn’t matter. Happiness isn’t about whether you deserve it or not. Happiness is found in those moments that help us overcome the sad ones. I am going to embrace every happy moment life offers me, and I will be grateful for each one.

Cheers to a day of clarity!