“Close your eyes and think about the sweetest and most beautiful Memory….What is the first memorable experience that jumps out at you?”
So here I am, closing my eyes in the ten-minute break between work, wondering what would be the first memorable experience my mind chose to throw at me.
I see her. My haven. Once my safe harbor. The place I kept going to as a teenager. Whether happy or sad, angry or confused, afraid or not, I saw myself sitting there with deep thoughts.
The moment I was there, my wavering mind almost always halted, and all I could feel was the unshakeable thought: Everything will be fine.
There was something so strange about this place that it always made me feel at the top of the world. It treated me like the most special person on this planet. Anything and everything that mattered to me counted: My thoughts, feelings, and desperate emotions that were waiting to burst. It made me believe the world is waiting for me to show up. It convinced me that I am enough!
No matter how I felt when I went there, I remember floating through cloud nine in seconds. I counted my blessings here. The joy of having a beautiful mom and my first card to her that said, “Thanks,” with a cute puppy face popping out of the red roses [But hey, I warned you I was a teenager 🙃]
I discovered the MTV music channel, the only thing that knew what I wanted: The power of English pop music!🤩
It saw my first heartbreak as I compared my feelings to the sinking Titanic, singing along with Celine Dion at the top of my lungs: My heart will go on. In my mind, nobody else was watching me [Remember, a teenager?! 😉].
I undoubtedly enjoyed my moments sitting in that place where the only thing in my control was the remote. I vividly remember the sad faces of my younger siblings, prettier than that puppy on the card. They would yearn for me to leave the place so they could watch some TV, too.
After every failed interview, it assured me, I was yet to be seen and my day would come.
No matter how I was when I went in, the place always made me feel elated. As I hopped on to it, the swinging motion of back and forth made me realize life’s ups and downs. All we ever have to do is just hang on to life itself and savour the present!
The beautiful bamboo swing that was hung in the center of our large living room was my happy place! A place, I would choose to be in a heartbeat.
PS: It went on to see my first love [not the puppy one 🤪], my first job, and many more life milestones. When my parents moved to a different city, they gave away the swing. I am sure someone somewhere is floating on cloud nine now 😆
This story was originally published in Magicbytes, my substack newsletter.
The best thing about reading is that the words find their way to our unconscious mind in no time. Later at some point in our lives, when we need them, the inner voice speaks to us, the exact phrase!
My husband had booked a beautiful creek cabin in the woods for a weekend stay with our 1-year-old daughter and in-laws. After a solid 6-hour drive by car, we finally reached the place. We had an excellent meal for dinner, and once our daughter slept, we played with the deck of cards for the next hour or two.
Never in the last 4 years had we spent some time alone, just the four of us with non-judgemental minds. The only goal in the room was to have some good time. I will forever be grateful for that time, which helped me see the other side of my in-laws and how much fun they were capable of.
I went to bed, excited about the bunch of waterfalls we planned to visit the next day.
In the morning, I woke up a bit later than everyone else. My husband and in-laws couldn’t contain the excitement in their voices as they talked about the couple of deers that visited our doorstep earlier when I was asleep. I forced a fake smile, and stepped out the door with my coffee to get fresh air. I knew something was not right, and I did not feel great. My anxious mind reminded me that it was that time of the month.
I instantly fell sick, thinking of all the worst things that could happen during this weekend trip. What if I have the most severe cramps this time? Wait, I cannot get into the waterfalls now? What is the point of stepping out the door if I don’t feel well? Why should this happen to me at this time? What about my plan to click some beautiful family pics by the waterfall? The questions were endless.
As much as I hate to be a show stopper, I couldn’t as well ignore the scream of my hormones. I returned to my room, looking to wear some dark colors to match my feelings.
At that point, I realized I had two choices, not just one. I could either sulk, surrender to my hormones, lose the day at the mercy of my weak mind or continue with my original plan of dressing up, showing up, and making every moment count!
I picked the second option and pretended to ignore the discomfort, only to realize it was easier than I thought. The more fun I had clicking pics and walking into the woods, I totally forgot about the state of my body or mind. I allowed myself to be lost in the awe of nature. To this day, some of my best pics were clicked on that day!
Since that day, I have trained my mind to seize any moment by picking the most obvious choice. To prove to nobody else but me that I am stronger than my situation!
Time and again, I am amazed to find that nothing can stop a heart that is determined to find happiness through the hell of any situation. And surprisingly, the barrier is most often our anxious minds, which keep alerting us of only the worst possibilities.
My wish for you today: When life gets tough, and everything else appears dark, remember that you have more than one choice. Let not your weak body or the wavering mind stop you from being happy and making every freaking moment count!
This story was originally published in Magicbytes, my substack newsletter.
Turn off that noisy mind. In the still silence, the world speaks to us in ways, only our hearts can interpret.
Recently, I was flying with my husband and two kids. We usually book all three seats in a row and the one adjacent to that row. My husband or I take that single seat. Only this time, the seats next to the single were vacant too.
Halfway through the 1-hour flight, the kids decided to hop on to the adjacent row where my husband was. It took me a while to realize I had hit a jackpot of 30 mins of “me” time out of nowhere. I slowly moved towards the aircraft window and settled comfortably, maintaining a blank expression. Well, the emotionless face to not give out any clue of my excitement to the kids. The joy of parenting little kids 🙃
There is always something magical about being at a high altitude: Everything appears small and insignificant from above — the roads, buildings, bridges, and the worries and fears of an anxious mind.
Watching the clouds up close across the airplane’s wings was so surreal. Beyond the breathtaking beauty of the vastness, the striking skyline caught my attention. The distinguished beam had perfectly succeeded in owning its boundaries!
The patch of dark clouds floating aimlessly appeared to come at me closer and closer until it suddenly disappeared into the unknown. Ah, the passing clouds!!
As I looked back at the horizon again, it had already dissolved into the magnificent. There were no traces of borders or darkness. The clear, radiant sky had painted itself blue in no time.
The unexplainable view of the clouds and the grand gesture of the sky inspired me to listen to the quiet!
It whispered to my heart: “There is no permanence to your life or any situation. When doubts and fears fog your thoughts, making you lose balance, know that they may as well be passing clouds. To dazzle like the majestic sky, you should gracefully endure the challenges and never give up. Break the barriers that pull you down, and in no time, you will watch your life blossom with a new meaning for a greater purpose!”
My wish for you today: Whatever your anxious mind is putting you through, turn it off and listen to the profound silence. The Universe is waiting to inspire with custom messages crafted just for you! 💗
This story was originally published in Magicbytes, my substack newsletter.
Waking up to the smell of freshly brewed coffee, I used to scroll through my WhatsApp chats. Every time there was a text notification from my best buddies’ group, I felt thrills. But it was so short-lived when the response was one word. My excitement went downhill at this specific response, “hmm…” which felt like mocking my long, meaningful messages.
I was still in my postpartum phase and desperately needed human contact that was not my husband or my 1 yr old daughter or my distant co-workers to share my thoughts. I placed my bets and some expectations on my friends to fill that gap for me, as they were only 3 hours apart from my time zone.
I carefully drafted every text, filling in all details without caring much about the length. I waited patiently for a response, fixating my eyes on the phone, not attempting a blink to avoid any delay from my end. I stayed glued to my seat. Sometimes, I made another cup of coffee in anticipation of a longer text from them in exchange for mine. Nothing happened the way I expected. Suppose I had a way to collect all my disappointments in a jar. I bet I would have owned the giant pot of all negative emotions!
It didn’t stop there. The frustration from the mornings carried over to the rest of my day. I felt low energy throughout the day and found no motivation to do anything, leave alone try something new.
After a few weeks, I decided to do something different while I waited for the texts. I dragged myself to the park behind my house to start my day with a nice feeling. But I was unsure of what to do. My neighbour friend’s goal flashed in my mind for a second: running 3 miles around this park. She used to make it sound like a challenge, and that day, I wanted to give it a go!
In the days that followed, I promised myself to check the texts only after I had completed my runs, which became my newfound motivation!
I was so motivated to finish the challenge at hand. I was surprised to find how beautifully running channeled all my pent-up feelings and energy. I was not a bit surprised to surpass my expectations.
That is precisely how I started running in the first place and the rest is history.
Becoming a runner transformed my life forever! 🏃♀️
My Jar overflows with nothing but Love, Joy, and Gratitude! ❤️
My wish for you today: Whatever you are waiting on, use this time to do something that might change your life for the better!
It has been a typical day filled with the usual schedules and routines. I was making dinner when google interrupted me with memories from a few years back.
I instantly put the stove on low flame and stepped out of the kitchen to enjoy taking a peek into the past.
I smiled and laughed, watching every photo in there. The images of my then-little kids melted my heart as I stared at them for a bit longer.
Oh, all those beautiful places we traveled to and the lovely home that was once ours. I looked great and happy.
But guess what? When I dared to recollect the memories associated with these pics, I did not feel great 100% — those days had their challenges of me running between work and daycare, trying to find balance. Anxiety was my constant companion. I remember strolling through the park with kids watching out for the airplanes above, missing my home country.
I kept constantly running in circles, thinking I had a few more pounds of body weight to lose. I always dreamed of the day I would go back home.
Today, here I am, and looking back, my heart chooses to neglect those pieces on a whim, sticking only to the best feelings from the past. So is life.
No matter how big of a problem we are dealing with now, in a few years, we will only remember the best times when we look back to the present day.
So why not make the best use of the NOW and enjoy living in the moment to create all the beautiful memories we can cherish in the future?!
I clicked a promising selfie in my night pants with my kitchen background. I knew this pic would speak volumes to my future self.
Life happens through the most ordinary days, just like it did for me today!
My wish for you: Gift yourself, the present!! Make every day count!!
This story was originally published in Magicbytes, my substack newsletter.
Happiness to me is choosing to devour the chocolate ice cream above anything else!
I had been working back to back since 6 am. My legs finally halted, along with my mind, precisely at 10.30 pm. I rested briefly and watched a thriller series on the TV for the next 30 minutes.
When I finally walked into the bedroom at 11 pm, an instant gush of energy filled up every cell in my body, leaving me refreshed. I witnessed calm and peace, watching my two kids sleep. The poor husband slept too. Maybe he listened to his own boring bedtime stories 😉
What else can I ask for? With extra exaggeration and caution, I returned to the living room, not wanting to wake up any of them!
I smiled back at the clock, as it could get some rest too. No screaming and snoozing for the next two days!
It was a perfect Friday night, and what fool would I be to ignore that delicious chocolate ice cream that had been diligently waiting for me in the refrigerator for the last couple of hours!
But wait, Isn’t it too late already? The original plan was to enjoy the ice cream while watching a movie with my husband, right?! What about the workout tomorrow? Is it even healthy to have a late-night dessert? Remember how all that fat accumulates right in the lower abs, huh?! Ah, the kids would have enjoyed this flavor!
Trust me, I had a million reasons to force myself to act like a grown-up. But I chose to be happy!
Sometimes, life tastes good when we cut the layers of logic and reasoning. Well actually, most times! 😉
There is always something special about doing what I want when I want it! A chance to reclaim my love for myself! I grabbed that very chance to listen to my heart and treat myself! I chose happiness that came to me in the form of ice cream.
The after-effect was terrific! Heeding my wish was as beautiful as surprising my loved ones. The sense of fulfillment went on and presented itself to the people around me with so much love and gratitude, the next morning!
Happiness is not having to wait for tomorrow to do things I want to do NOW!
Happiness to me is going against the gravity of what weighs me down and choosing to fly high [Trust me, the bird’s eye view of any problem is life-changing!] Remember this the next time you feel low!
Happiness is not about trying hard to laugh in challenging situations! It is about having faith in ourselves to get through the hell of any problem!
Happiness is to know that complex problems come into our lives to make us stronger because we deserve to be Strong!
Happiness is enjoying the flow of life without anticipating the outcome! Happiness is the essence of life!
Happiness is a skill that we can master simply by practicing it every day! How cool is that?!
My wish for you today: Wherever you are and in whatever situation life has put you through, remember to fly high and be happy. Everything else is already taken care of! I wish you happiness, wonders, and much more!
This story was originally published in Magicbytes, my substack newsletter.
Today, I want to celebrate a milestone with you!
After all the rest and recovery from a surgical procedure, I finally finished my first 5k run in the last three months.
In my last seven years of running, I never thought I would take some time to recognise a 5k run! That is Life’s way of telling me: Don’t you ever feel less or more of what you can do right now, for you never know what lies ahead of you!
After the misdiagnosis episode, I decided to take the next 100 days off work to focus on the handpicked priorities of my Life!
Our mini family vacation, which I had booked to celebrate my 40th birthday, was the first on the list. Except I got sick the day we started the trip and finally got better only on the last day of our vacation. Nevertheless, I did everything I could to enjoy the lovely holiday: pool time with kids, the unstoppable waves on the beach, the gushing waterfalls, the long hillside walks, beautiful caves, and whatnot?! I even cut my birthday cake in style! Yay!
The power of reminding my mind that I am the Boss!
So far, so good….until we arrived at the airport to board the flight back home!
When I started thinking about how nicely I had played along through all the recent turmoils, Life whispered in my ears, “Not yet!”
What happened in the next few hours was one such moment for me!
It was only 4.30 pm, and we had a few more hours left for our flight. The airport was super crowded, with almost every seat taken but two. I sat next to my son, watching him enjoy every bit of the lollipop he managed to get with his winning tantrums. My daughter didn’t mind standing, as her eyes were busy grazing the variety of shops she wanted to go to when her Dad returned from the coffee shop.
From a distance, I could spot my husband waiting in line. Right opposite me was seated an elderly couple discussing their itinerary. Beside me, a family of 4 immersed entirely in their virtual world with their gadgets. To my left were seated 2 mothers who were hustling with their 4 kids.
It was so interesting to watch all the people doing things their way. Little did I know then I would grab every one of their attention in a few minutes.
My husband returned with 2 fuming cups, handing over one to me. As I tried to take a sip, I realised the tea was served at a boiling temperature. No sleeves for the paper cup or an extra cup to reduce the intensity of the heat.
Watching my daughter becoming restless about not having a seat, I got up to offer her my chair when it all happened.
I had not even fully stood up when I felt a sharp shooting pain navigating through my right leg; I heard people around me hissing in chorus. The world around me spun super fast in those 5–10 seconds. It took me a bit to realise that the piping-hot chai cup had landed on my right thigh.
The pain grew exponentially the moment I understood what had happened. I quickly turned to check on my kids. My son was sitting still with his lollipop, and my daughter was busy watching something on the phone with her Dad.
While every eyeball around me was fixated on me, awaiting my next move, my daughter and husband were the only two people who didn’t even notice.
I deliberately called out to them to my rescue. My husband looked at me and started laughing, but soon realised something was serious when I did not reciprocate his emotion. Anyway, what else was I expecting from a man who is a big fan of watching “America’s funniest videos”?! 🤪
When I explained to him that the tea was hot, my daughter thought I was blaming my husband and was quick enough to snap at me about being responsible, blah, blah…Thanks to the unbearable pain, my ears were half shut 😉
I promised to be calm, although I wanted to scream in high pitched tone, only I was not sure which one of the disappointing or frustrating life situation to choose from over the last few months. Trust me, they were all equally competitive!
I took a sip of water and poured a bit over my burning leg, attempting to alleviate the slightest trace of pain. I sat down for a while because I was so afraid to move my legs. I pulled a couple of wet wipes from my bag and cleaned the spills on my baggage [Oh, all the insane things a disintegrated mind can make you do! On a normal day, I would not even care about those inconspicuous spills on my baggage!]
After a while, I cleaned up my clothes and returned to my seat, limping around with the constant burning sensation.
I ordered another cup of tea. Although my hands were now shaky enough to receive the hot cup, I finished the drink with the utmost caution, trying to conquer any leftovers of fear!
A positive mind always finds ways to feel gratitude! In that moment of heat, despite all my burns, I was thankful I had caused this accident and not my kids. I felt extra grateful that I did not harm my kids in any way.
The following week, I underwent a surgical procedure[another episode of “life happens”] and felt zero pain! The doctors and nurses were surprised I had no strain! Maybe my pain tolerance had increased from the burn accident at the airport!
The only discomfort I felt was when the doctor told me not to exercise hard for the next few months, just to make sure there were no side effects.
I recovered quickly from the surgery, but the burns took almost 4 weeks to heal. Watching my skin repair, shed, and regrow has been nothing short of a miracle!
Today, I feel more grateful for my resilient body than ever! I am fortunate for every opportunity I give my body to show its worth instead of simply fussing over the weighing scale!
Thanks to all the unprecedented problems, uncertainties, and uninvited changes over the last few months. My Life’s goals and priorities have become more visible through every daunting situation! The path is crystal clear than ever! I know where I should be headed!
The best part of Life is that it always offers you choices, even during the most challenging times. Always choose to see the brighter side! ALWAYS! 😎
My wish for you today: No matter your life situation, fill your heart with gratitude and let it revive your hope with every beat! Allow the Magic to happen!! ❤️
Become a medium member using my referral link. You will get unlimited access to amazing stories for $5 a month. You can support my writing journey by buying me a coffee here.
Here is a wonderful article, I enjoyed about sunsets and miracles by Victoria Gregg
I was agitated after a long conversation with a close family member last night. When I hung up the phone, I wanted to pull my brain out to erase any trace of this chat from my memory.
I attempted to cry to get out all the frustrations that were boiling inside me, but something did not feel right. So, I paused for a moment and remembered similar incidents that happened over the last couple of months with the same person. The pattern spoke for itself! Thanks to my vivid memory and strong determination to avoid reacting to others’ opinions about me, I decided not to waste any more time or tears.
I wanted to do something different with my anger this time. I unlocked my laptop screen and started editing the story that had been seeking my attention over the last few weeks.
At first, I started to work only to distract myself as a replacement for sulking. But soon, the impulse drive within me led me to deep-dive into the article, allowing me to indulge in every detail.
Losing track of time, I immersed myself in my story’s teeny-weeny bits and formation. What absolute magic the words can do to your heart and soul!
The clock reminded me of the 4-hour leap from when I started the edit. I finally hit the publish button on my newsletter. There was still more fuel left to keep on the burning desire to write more! The flow of energy seemed to be endless!
I could feel every inch of my heart quickly filling up with a sense of accomplishment. There was no more trace of any repercussion. Only pure form of bliss! I closed my eyes to dwell in that piece of heaven for a while more!
Every positive or negative emotion carries tremendous energy. It is in our control to make the best use of it by redirecting it to what matters most!
In my case, it was easy to divert all the energy to my writing, something I love to do even in the middle of my wildest dreams!
Now that I have a taste of orchestrating my emotions to deliver a powerful outcome, I can’t wait to experience another strong emotion!!
Become a medium member using my referral link. You will get unlimited access to amazing stories for $5 a month. You can support my writing journey by buying me a coffee here.
This story was originally published in Magicbytes, my substack newsletter.
Aug 26, 2022.
It was around 11 am; I was waiting for a follow-up at the doctor’s office, hoping to return to my usual hectic routine.
After examining me, she ordered some tests. With a huge sigh, I agreed to finish it on the same day so that I could save some time!
I got my scan reports and was back in the waiting hall to see the doctor! I did what anyone else in this internet age would do. I typed my report results into google.
Spoiler Alert: This article is about what happened in the following several hours.
On top of the unwanted harm I had already inflicted upon myself by looking for medical answers from a google search, I called my Sister: A person, who knows by heart, every symptom of every damn illness related to middle-aged women. No, she is not a doctor but a Software Engineer with enough data!
I am generally not a person who trusts Google’s assumptions or an Engineer’s reassurance about human biology. But the helpless me was caught in a rut between reality and what-ifs.
My thoughts were shaken by a nurse calling my name. She walked me into the doctor’s office. The doctor, who looked at my reports, shook her head sideways[like gesturing a big NO], underlined something in red and confirmed that it was something serious.
She ordered a few more tests, reminding me repeatedly that something was very wrong with me.
I put on a blank look, dismissing any fear trying to express itself on my face. At the same time, my hands involuntarily held a tight grip on the chair I was sitting on to prevent me from falling. The world around me was moving circularly, flipping me upside down slowly but surely, leaving a constant ringing noise in my ears.
I continued to walk into the lab, where they drew my blood for further tests. I remember sitting on the plastic chair and feeling like a plank.
Riding back home after the tests, I couldn’t help but wonder how my life was altered in a microsecond. Suddenly, I was at the receiving end of it all, hanging on to my beautiful life by a thin thread. Is this how everybody else who goes through health issues feels?
I came home and dropped onto my bed. The mid-afternoon dark room ambience complemented my mood.
The script of my life kept scrolling in front of my eyes, even when I closed them. The worst part of Fear lies in its ability to contain us, like fire, in no time. Crushing all our dreams and desires into ashes ruthlessly. This is so unfair! It was my “Never have I ever felt so dark” moment.
After enough cycles of frustration and disappointment, I paused the complicated feelings inside me. I switched on the light in the room and my soul and started typing on my phone:
“Fear is meaningless. It creates unwanted connections between everything around us, leaving us scared and hopeless. Courage is a much simpler choice: To know that you will be ok, no matter what! Courage gives strength. Courage grants hope. Courage is YOU!”
It felt so good to get my sanity back finally. I was prepared to face my results! I even laughed momentarily at all the drama my mind had caused for those few hours.
The following day, I went to see the doctor. She checked my results along with other reports. She asked me to come back the next month to redo all tests! She realised her prescription from the week before might be the culprit of my abnormal scan reports.
I was shocked she told me all of that with zero resentments. On top of wasting my money, time and blood, she appeared unapologetic for what she had made me go through in the last several hours. I was just another misdiagnosis in her medical history. I walked out of that place in disbelief and was determined never to go again!
On top of the relief I had, knowing my reports were a joke, I realised the profound beauty of my life. This misdiagnosis was a call to action for my life’s top priorities, which I had been pushing away for lack of time and energy.
This was my moment of caution about how things could go wrong in a split second. Only when my life was at stake did I understand that my biggest problems were nothing compared to life itself.
To be able to breathe is by far the best blessing. The second best is the ability to realise the gift of life!
My wish for you today is to seize this moment wherever you are and do what you have postponed until tomorrow, the next week or the following year. Right NOW!
Become a medium member using my referral link. You will get unlimited access to amazing stories for $5 a month. Support my writing journey by buying me a coffee here.
I want to shout out to Alexandra Duncan for this beautiful article about parenting:
I burst into laughter. This has now become my preferred mode of answering that specific question.
Not all cries are created equal. There are times when the joy in my tears instantly replaces the last trace of pain in no time. Sometimes, I scream the hell into my pillow, allowing the longings to sting the corners of my heart with no mercy. After a few cycles, I feel lighter and get back to the living part of life with clarity!
By far, the most dreadful ones are the silent tears. I am absolutely mindful of it and let it happen only when I am ok to surrender myself to the distress, creating some space for the suffering, although only momentarily.
Yesterday night was one such instance, where my heart literally jumped out to check on my face to confirm thy feelings. Oh, poor me! I had to hold on to that gloomy phase for a bit longer to let the watery eyes wash away the strains of misery lurking deep inside my heart!
The irony of love is that those closest to me also know how to hurt me the most! Is it because they also hold the extra pair of keys to the core of my heart?!
It was time for me to relinquish the additional keys and declare some parts of my heart private, accessible only by me! The power of self-love!
mymagicbytes.com 