Sitting in the middle seat of the aircraft between my daughter and son, I had no better option but to peek at the word puzzle my 10-year-old girl was trying to solve.
It was the usual game involving words hidden in all directions: up, down, across, etc…As we moved from one page to another, I wanted to make it more challenging by timing it to see who finished it first. We vigorously scanned the scattered letters with our eyes buried in the page.
With the increasing fun, my daughter found new ways to win more points.
When it was my turn, my daughter started to distract me by saying things like, “Oh mom, you are so slow; I already found the words,” “Omg, it is right in front of your eyes,”…all the crazy tricks to make me nervous and lose the traction.
Her tactics indeed work in her favor, making me lose focus. I resolved to spot the concealed words with the growing tension, fixating my eyes even more profoundly on the matrix.
The harder I tried, the more difficult it became. So, I looked away for a few seconds and then returned to the puzzle. Only this time, the words in the book revealed themselves to me, apparently. I aced the game like a pro, winning it in less than a minute.
I tried this new method of tuning out and getting back in for the subsequent rounds. It became even easier to hunt down and solve the maze every time.
This made me reflect on how this applies to life, too. When things get overwhelming and out of control, it becomes easy to be helplessly strapped to the situation. The more I look at myself through the keyhole of my problem, the more I limit my beliefs to match its size. With no way out, I feel lost and powerless in the imaginary little bubble I create, a place of suffering.
During times like this, I go out for a run listening to my pumped-up playlist, head to the gym and start my powerlifting routine, or walk around the block for as long as an hour. This allows me to feel free from the victim mindset, making me feel instantly lighter. A minor shift in body motion during any intense emotion can make such a huge difference.
When I return to where I left off, I sense new freedom in the spot where I once sulked. My perception of my problems has now changed. Higher level of freedom brings greater degree of responsibilities. The keyhole I once stared into opens up itself for me. I feel powerful enough to dare open as many locked doors as I want because now I realize I am the Key.
The troubled circumstances that once enslaved me now vanish once I take charge of my life. I am not the loser but the gatekeeper of my thoughts, the believer.
What an empowering feeling to recognize that the solution to all our problems lies within us. All we ever have to do is, step away from the situation for a bit to gain new perspectives and look at the bigger picture.
This new year, I wish you take charge of your problems, your thoughts, your dreams, and your life. Life is too sweet to sweat on things that don’t really matter.
Happy 2025.





