LIFE, A DAY AT A TIME

  We spend hours focusing on enhancing our external appearances,; at the gym sculpting our bodies, standing in front of the mirror making ourselves up. And that’s fine—because looks matter, right? Or do they? Sure, being well-groomed has its perks, like boosting confidence and improving likability.   But let’s face it: how often do we take care of our mental health with the same dedication?   Mental health deserves just as much attention as our physical appearance. Yet many of us neglect it. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) "Mental health is a state of mental well-being that enables people to cope with the stresses of life, realize their abilities, learn well and work well, and contribute to their community. It is an integral component of health and well-being that underpins our individual and collective abilities to make decisions, build relationships and shape the world we live in. Mental health is a basic human right. And it is crucial to pers...

Photo/courtesy At the start of the year, I wrote on my vision board: “Everything I do will be my best. Expect the very best.” This declaration came after realizing that I was wasting energy worrying about things beyond my control. I decided to surrender to whatever would come my way this year—be it positive or negative—and accept it with grace. Choosing to see it as the very best happening. Not long after, I read  W hen Breath Becomes Air  which to say  it didn’t completely shift my perspective would be an understatement. The book, a deeply moving memoir by neurosurgeon Paul Kalanithi, taught me invaluable lessons: the fragility of life, the importance of living with purpose, and the courage to embrace the unknown. It reinforced the idea that while life is uncertain, we should strive to live with integrity and find meaning in the present moment. In essense to be in complete acquiescence with everything. But somewhere down the line, I lost that mindset. I slipped back i...

photo/courtesy I thought I had kinda figured it out. Yeah one piece of this intricate puzzle called life when I discovered movement. You know, the gym, working out, sweating it out, that sort of thing. .. There’s something magical about those endorphins, that post-workout glow and during the actual workout ,when you're completely lost in the present. No distractions, no yesterday, no tomorrow. Not even today—just the "now." Take push-ups, for example. Very challenging to be honest, well ..at least for me. Or When you’re counting down the timer in a plank, there’s no room to think about anything else. It’s just you, your shaking muscles, and that annoying timer. Sure, it’s painful, but it’s only painful -right now. You hold on, push through, and before you know it, the timer goes off, and you’re onto something harder or something easier like jumping jacks or something. Not caring whether the sun sets in the East or West or the variables of Algebraic equations . You know.. ...

To know when to speak and when to stay quiet,   When to act, when to pause,   When to laugh, when to sigh  This is wisdom in life's dance. When life shows its harsh side,   May I know to persevere. To measure my actions, to time them right,   Like a clock that never stops,   Its hands move forward,   Each tick achieving its essence. For you. For you, I wish this wisdom true,   To know just when, and what to do.   To dance with time, with grace and might,   Through every shadow, into the light.                                                          By Hellen M

Photo/ courtesy In the midst of youthful exuberance and the whirlwind of teenage emotions, an unexpected connection blossomed. I found myself entangled with a fellow teenager, trying to navigate the mystery  called love.  Fresh out  of the confines of high school, I felt I had found the love of my life. In hindsight, I realize was  too young to truly grasp the depth of my emotions. And so was he. Amid the whirlwind of teenage emotions, I was excited to discover that our feelings towards each other were mutual. Our connection growing quite swiftly,  credit to the fact that we saw each other quite often.  I couldn't help but share my newfound happiness with my colleagues, inadvertently hinting that they didn't meet my "tdh" - tall dark and handsome criteria like he did much to their chagrin. They would exchange knowing glances whenever they'd see us together and that sort of mischievousness was such a thrill for me. It hadn't occurred to me then that I was...

                          Courtesy The truth about malady is that it strips away your humanity, leaving you emotionally and socially  bankrupt.  isolating you within society, reducing your connections and support. Amidst the hardships, a peculiar transformation occurs. Either you start  harboring a deep-seated indignation or you  simultaneously develop superhuman abilities of empathy and compassion towards others. You become reluctant to dial numbers, to check in on as almost always , they're perceived  as desperate need pleas. You live in solitude bcz sometimes this diminished state creates room for disrespect, dehumanization and abhorrence. The illness perpetuates a vicious cycle, where it looms over you, threatening to bring even more misery if you dare to deviate from its oppressive rules, of systemic living, pills and sometimes portions. It mocks you with its relentless grimness, further alien...