Waakiye

Tag: health

  • Daily Comfort Hacks: Tips for a Better Life

    Daily Comfort Hacks: Tips for a Better Life

    Daily writing prompt
    What strategies do you use to increase comfort in your daily life?

    Hey…

    I hope all of you are doing well…

    There are many strategies that I employ to make my life more comfortable,
    well not just mental comfort but my physical comfort too…

    Daily Journaling…

    One of the things that I do each day is by writing about it in my journal,
    and each day I read the last one,
    helping me determine the habits that I have,
    and which of them make my life better,
    or provide me an insight that helps me to avoid something that disrupts it…

    Basking and Meditation…

    On waking up,
    I go to my balcony and look at the sunlight,
    or the natural light peering through the clouds,
    which reminds me that the sleep is finally over as I spend a few minutes in the sunlight,
    someday sitting down on a mat in the balcony and meditating and reflecting on the day ahead,
    the types of work I have to involve myself in,
    and the roles I have to play this day…

    Clean living atmosphere…

    One of the most important things is to have a clean environment,
    this isn’t just about having clean surroundings or your vicinity,
    but my room is where it all begins from,
    a clean room,
    which isn’t messy,
    and the soft lighting that imitates the sunlight is used to illuminate my room;
    This simplifying of my environment makes it much easier to live a life that feels fulfilling and worth living tbh…

    Getting to bed early…

    Getting my good 7-8 hours of sleep,
    even if it means getting to bed and falling asleep at ten maybe 11 at night,
    because a good sleep helps me wake up refreshed,
    and with new ideas that help me on the daily,
    living this fast-paced life at my own pace,
    and with that sleeping in early comes in waking up early to involve myself in some physical activity like walking or taking a stroll around the building complex,
    which boosts my metabolism and gives me a chance to be one with nature early in the morning…

    These are some of the ways I increase comfort and at the same time better my life with the help of options that suit me the best..!

    Do you have a routine like this which helps you,
    Do let me know…!

    Cheers 🥂

    Love Waakiye 🤍

  • Personal Accounts of Surgery: Lessons from Loved Ones

    Personal Accounts of Surgery: Lessons from Loved Ones

    Daily writing prompt
    Have you ever had surgery? What for?

    Hey…

    I hope all of you are doing well…

    Thankfully,
    I haven’t underwent any surgery up until this point of time in my life,
    but,
    I’m surrounded by people,
    who are close to me,
    very dear to me who underwent surgery,
    To save them,
    or try to save them from a life-threatening disease,
    that was looming over their heads…

    My father had to go through a colectomy,
    to remove a part of infected small intestine,
    which developed had developed into a fast-growing cancer,
    that had already spread through his soft tissue,
    but,
    his conditions deteriorated after the procedure,
    as the medications stopped working and we ultimately lost him in late ’23,
    extremely hard times those were,
    May his soul rest in peace…

    My aunt had to go through multiple of them,
    another person stuck with cancer,
    first,
    the doctors ordered to remove her uterus,
    which was the center,
    where the problems began,
    later it metastasized to her other organs,
    and detection were made,
    where tumors were found in her breasts,
    which had to be removed too,
    which broke her spirit,
    as we eventually lost her after a year of fighting the battle against the fast-spreading disease…

    One of my cousin sisters had surgery too,
    she was developing polyps in her uterus,
    which were making her life miserable,
    and the history of a mother who passed away with cancer,
    she took no risks and went ahead with the surgery before it could develop into cancerous ones,
    which made her life better,
    as she can live carefree,
    but,
    she has to work with caution,
    as they can develop again,
    by managing diet,
    and having routine check-ups…

    Being surrounded by,
    the survivors and the tales left by those who have left us early,
    remembering and keeping all of them in our heart and minds,
    as they taught us to never lose hope,
    until the very last point…

    Cheers 🥂
    (Happy weekend)

    Love Waakiye 🤍

  • The Truth About Self-Care: Stubbornness or Serenity?

    The Truth About Self-Care: Stubbornness or Serenity?

    Daily writing prompt
    How do you practice self-care?

    Hey…

    I hope all of you are doing well…

    Returning to your work is bothersome,
    more for those who are already tired,
    a few hours deep into this days work,
    All the best for what’s left,
    much less what’s more to come…

    About the prompt of this day;
    its a good one,
    but,
    yet here I am exposing myself yet again…

    There’s no such thing as self-care,
    It just plain hard stubbornness,
    (In my language its called ZIDD),
    its the only thing that has kept me going,
    A stubbornness to become someone,
    someone better,
    better than who I was day before,
    and to a new tomorrow,
    that will come the next…

    There is no such thing as self-care because,
    it’s a known fact that I have to get things to work the next day,
    even if I feel like not to,
    there’s a mindset that this works on,
    maybe on or after achieving a spot or a pedestal,
    where one belongs,
    one can take rest and give self the much needed,
    “Self-care”…

    But,
    If that thing or an idea that is much bigger,
    and is replaced by another one the next moment,
    there’s no time to rest,
    or sit,
    or contemplate the things that one has achieved,
    that’s why,
    and that’s how things have been with me,
    leaving me with enough time to rest,
    and wake up with a positive mindset,
    ready to conquer another day…

    On the days off,
    the actual self-care version of myself kicks in,
    I usually wake up late,
    late enough for people in my house to question my existence,
    And when I do wake up,
    I wake up hungry like its been weeks,
    And eat and spend day leisurely,
    By going out with family or friends,
    and by the time evening hits,
    all of us are at home,
    at ease,
    and as we talk and have dinner,
    enjoy and talk about things that happened over the week,
    and discuss and plan the week ahead…

    By the time it ends its time to sleep,
    and prepare the challenge that is the next day…

    That’s how it all goes,
    that’s how my self care goes,
    What about you…?

    Cheers 🥂

    Love Waakiye 🤍

  • Favorite School Lunches: A Taste of Our Past

    Favorite School Lunches: A Taste of Our Past

    Daily writing prompt
    Which food, when you eat it, instantly transports you to childhood?
    View all responses

    Hey…

    I hope all of you are doing well…

    Being a typical Indian kid,
    we all carried lunches as soon as we started school,
    and that is where we were exposed to experiences,
    new things that we didn’t see before,
    flavors that were new to the palate,
    never ever tried before,
    in this life…

    So,
    what we used to do as kids,
    when the recess hit,
    we used to gather at a selected seat,
    and open our lunches at the same time and whatever each one of us felt appealing we took a bite out of,
    and after that,
    it was like clockwork,
    we used to try a bite or a nibble of food and then took more bites out of the things that we liked…

    One of the things that I remember,
    that’s very dear to my heart has been Pulao…

    It’s a steaming mixture of rice with vegetables of choice in it,
    which was my all-time favorite,
    all of my friends loved it too,
    So,
    I barely got a bite,
    it was rarely that it was made,
    and that too when That lunch box opened,
    and I took out a bite,
    it was then snatched out of my hand,
    like it wasn’t even in my hand to start with,
    there were some fights,
    some persuasion,
    sometimes it was admitting defeat,
    sometimes it was a win because they brought something good,
    and then someone else used to make them run for their food…

    Simple and happy times…

    Another one was chickpea stir fry,
    My mom used to prepare this in two boxes,
    because whenever I used to take this one,
    I BARELY got a bite,
    I mean BARELY even a single bite got into my mouth..

    It was so mouth watering that one of the lunch box used to just disappear,
    as soon I told them,
    what I brought today,
    so,
    I used to hide one of the boxes well under my books and told them I only brought one lunch today and they used to feel bad,
    telling me that,
    I can have their lunch,
    but,
    it was worth seeing their expression,
    as I pulled out another one of them,
    from my bag,
    hidden from everyone..

    Whenever the taste of the Pulao or chickpea stir fry comes to the mind,
    all of a sudden,
    the memories hit back like a wave hitting the seashore,
    again and again,
    reliving the days of my childhood,
    in an instant,
    as a flashback of all the fun we used to have…

    To all of the good times spent together,
    I hope all of them are doing well and are living a blessed life…

    Happy weekend to all those celebrating..

    Cheers 🥂

    Love Waakiye 🤍

  • Delicious Fruits You Must Try This Summer

    Delicious Fruits You Must Try This Summer

    Daily writing prompt
    List your top 5 favorite fruits.
    View all responses

    Hey…

    I hope all of you are doing well…

    Well isn’t this a nice change of pace,
    my top 5 favorite fruits,
    Hmm…

    it really got me thinking that I need to include more fruits into my diet,
    but,
    there are a few which I absolutely love…

    Oranges being one of the most convenient one and easily available fruit,
    being the combination of citrus and sweet plus a big intake of fiber,
    packs a punch and keeps me satiated for longer…

    How can one forget Watermelon,
    the flavor that is nowhere to be found and in this peak summer heat it’s refreshing,
    you can’t go wrong with a cooled watermelon after working in the summer heat,
    or returning home after a tiring afternoon…

    Ever heard of Grapes,
    The range goes beyond 10.000 varieties,
    but on a broader scale,
    we see green, purple and red ones,
    they are used in so many ways,
    popping them just like that,
    freezing and using them instead of ice in drinks,
    and the biggest place they’re used in making wines of many varieties,
    they automatically make a fruit platter look more appealing with the different shapes they’re available in,
    don’t forget they are used to make raisins too…

    Bananas,
    do I even need to say anything,
    The only fruit that is made which comes in nature’s packaging and can be eaten on the go without making any mess ever,
    the years of tweaking with its DNA has made it seedless,
    and a perfect snack that can be had whenever,
    (I’m looking at a basket of a dozen sitting right Infront of me as I’m writing this one..)

    I’m pretty sure you’ve heard of the phrase,
    “An apple a day keeps the doctor away…”

    The varieties of it kills me each time,
    there are 4-5 different types/qualities each and every supermarket or fruit market that I visit,
    like they are coming from a single source right…?
    but,
    packed with so much flavor and crunch,
    some sweeter than sugar,
    some sour like granny smith used to make pies and tarts,
    a good piece of apple looks beautiful,
    is firm to touch,
    and has no visible indentation that you can feel with your hands…

    With this,
    the prompt of this day comes to an end,
    my top five favorite fruits…

    Cheers 🥂

    Love Waakiye 🤍

    A night that’s dark,
    darker are these thoughts,
    pitch black like tar,
    feels like there isn’t a tomorrow,
    just like there wasn’t a yesterday’s morning.

    On this pitch-black night,
    walks with me my shadow,
    I see it,
    when a speck of moonlight tries to reach this body,
    as soon as I turn this head,
    I see it escaping.

    On this dark night,
    I walk these streets unknown,
    unknown to who’s following me,
    I walk with fear within this heart…
  • Overcoming Social Media Addiction: Small Steps

    Overcoming Social Media Addiction: Small Steps

    Daily writing prompt
    What’s one small improvement you can make in your life?
    View all responses

    Hey…

    I hope all of you are doing really well…!

    There is a need for each and every one to improve themselves,
    it might be something that is well within your reach or maybe requires some effort,
    maybe a lot of it,
    if you’re starting from zero,
    but that’s how the efforts are made,
    and they give you the fruits of all the time you put in…

    I really wish to be less addicted to things,
    I am very much addicted to social media apps,
    Instagram and such,
    and they have been cutting into my time;

    The time,
    I have to provide towards another aspects of life,
    My family,
    My life
    Friends and other personal aspects of my life,
    there has been nothing but efforts from my side,
    but,
    I cannot afford to give it up too,
    because a lot of work happens there also that’s how we are connected to each other,
    because of many such reasons,
    I cannot give up social media…

    This too being a part of social media,
    but,
    the place that you call home,
    consider home,
    one cannot defame it,
    can they…?

    There are others like,
    lower screen time,
    not using it at all at or before bed time or during eating,
    and many other things like making a reminder of tasks that you have to accomplish during the day,
    making your bed,
    taking the morning walk or the workout;

    and one must do things to move ahead and be a better version of self,
    that’s how we all move ahead…

    Cheers 🥂

    Love Waakiye 🤍

    With a phone in this hand,
    I watch as things,
    some important,
    other non-important ones pile up:

    On setting reminders and snoozing them from hours on time,
    and after that,
    contemplating the life choices that led to this point,
    I look at the screen,
    a blank one,
    a reminder pops us,
    yet again;

    Take a break,
    scroll the app that you like,
    A sly laughter leaves my face as,
    I go in the balcony and in my hand a light,
    A spark is heard,
    and smoke rises,
    easing my mind…

  • From Scrolling to Creating: My Social Media Shift

    How do you use social media?

    Hey

    I hope all of you are doing well…!

    The use of social media has changed significantly for me in the past couple of years.
    From the outside perspective,
    it would look like a drastic change.

    Earlier I used to spend a lot of time on social media.
    I was just scrolling away from one app to another.
    but,
    these days it’s the polar opposite…

    Any spare time I have is spent jotting down ideas.
    I feel these ideas will hit the right bone,
    or they will help develop my consciousness.
    This will give me a better insight into someone’s life…

    Initially,
    I used it just to chat my time away.
    But
    this social media has helped me meet beautiful souls who aren’t just expressive.
    They are also much better writers than I am.
    Because of social media,
    we managed to connect with each other.

    I would be here writing, editing, and making images just for my social media handles.
    Also, I would also be working on my blog.
    It was like shooting arrows in the dark…

    I still haven’t got used to the type of change it has brought.
    I have had to undergo many changes to become a better version of myself.
    All for the best,
    isn’t it …?

    Cheers 🥂

    Love Waakiye 🤍

    What we see here is an effort to grow from a point where even the mere thought of existence is a threat,
    but here we still are,
    still trying to make the best out of the situation that this life throws us in,
    and just like this bud growing from a crack in the wall,
    this seed has had a life too,
    and,
    I wish to hear his side of the story too…

  • A Positive change

    Daily writing prompt
    Describe one positive change you have made in your life.
    View all responses
    A beautiful vine that I caught on the morning walk

    There’s no love in the monotonous life that I live,
    I woke up early and scrolled some,
    go out for a walk,
    jot down some ideas,
    return home and get ready for work,
    leave in a hurried way and return around 9 PM sometimes 10…
    With zero will left to live,
    I had to get addicted to something…


    But the fact that I was tired daily and used something to cope with stress of the life,
    It was a mess,
    a literal one,
    within a span of few years i was addicted…

    I was drinking heavily,
    the cup was the only thing I used to talk to late night,
    and tbh it was soothing,
    I used to drink and have food and then go to my peaceful sleep….

    But,
    that came with a price,
    within a few weeks the same quantity didn’t satiate me,
    it began with a single additional drink,
    and then it went to 4-5 heavy drinks each night,
    and with that came nicotine and heavy addiction to caffeine to kill the buzz from last night…

    Within a span of few months,
    I couldn’t live without the thought of not having something to drink,
    or something to smoke…

    So,

    I began cold turkeying all of it,
    there were failures one too many,
    some were deliberate,
    others were accidental,
    like there’s a meetup of friends so we chose to buy a few bottles and then we poured and drank until there were no more….

    So,
    one day,
    just trying to give up,
    and losing the battle,
    i saw,
    my mom staring at me,
    “How much more will you drink…?”
    not noticing that i just returned home and they used to lock their doors when i began drinking,
    they’d only come out after I was in and out (slipping) to tell me the food was getting cold…

    So,
    just one day,
    returning home,
    not drinking,
    and having dinner with them,
    and watching their faces light up,
    like a child finding a lost toy,
    they began the setting the table and food…

    I didn’t know they were having their food all alone in their rooms,
    and it hit me like a truck,
    so from that day onwards,
    I’ve given up drinking and smoking altogether….

    Just to see these happy faces,
    my happy faces…

    (THIS SOBER LIFE ISN’T FOR ALL,
    THERE ARE DAYS WHEN I JUST LOOK AT MY CABINET AND THINK ABOUT TAKING A SWIG,
    BUT,
    ITS MORE THAN TRUST AT THIS POINT OF TIME;
    ITS ABOUT THE FIGHT THAT BEGAN FROM WITHIN,
    TAKING THE FORM OF AN EXTERNAL SOURCE TO KEEP IT GOING…)

    From the glass of water that i have in my hand;

    A virtual cheer 🥂