Okay, let’s admit it. There is no shame in talking about it. We all have felt it, gone through it, disliked it, and yet we can’t help but go through it occasionally.
The question is, despite making all the efforts in our capacity to live a healthy life, why don’t we get the satisfaction we deserve every morning? The satisfaction, the lightness, and the relief we deserve every morning anyhow get disrupted.
Sometimes it’s because of poor hydration, sometimes the KFC burger is the culprit, sometimes it could be our favorite momo, sometimes it’s our poor sleep cycle, and sometimes it’s the heavy dosage of medicines doing something there with our intestines.
And you hopefully wait to pass this, too. Yes, it feels terrible. But maybe it’s your body’s way to constantly remind you to take very good care of your everyday hydration, nutrition, movement, and rest.
Hopefully, my medications will soon stop, and I can see the changes I want to see very soon. The worst feeling of constipation is that it constantly makes you feel stuck somewhere in your body. And for me, that blockage feeling is itself very bad.
Really blessed are those who don’t know what it feels like to be constipated. I know a few of those kinds of people in my family. And honestly, I am truly happy for them. After all, starting your day on a healthier and lighter note is a great thing, right?
Sometimes life surprises you not by sending you a gift, but by reminding you of a gift you once prayed for. You got it, and it has become so natural that you almost forgot it.
While scrolling on my phone, I saw a YouTube short. The theme was around heavy thigh girlies and their everyday dresses, clothing, and lifestyle choices centred around the theme.
You know what, after a few seconds, I remembered how my PCOD and unusual weight gain had made me a heavy, fatty thigh girl, and how, for the first time in my life, I felt my inner thighs rubbing against each other. And this was not a very happy feeling for me. This change was something very unusual that I faced in my late twenties, around two years ago.
And I remember the days when I wanted to get rid of the experience of my inner thighs rubbing against each other. I had PCOD, weight gain, tiredness, and a lot of unusual fatigue. And being a no-gym, no regular exercise girl made the change a bit more difficult on a personal level.
But I started doing one thing. I incorporated walking. Simple walk. Evening walks on my terrace — anywhere between 30 minutes to an hour, and I continued this religiously for several months. For several months, I used to wear my lower and a t-shirt, put on my shoes, and head on to my terrace with the smartwatch on my wrist.
No pressure. No specific goals. Just a decision to move my body. Preferably to walk, because I find it very easy, simple, and doable on most days.
And now, after the more or less regular walks, continuously for more than one and a half years, my slim-fit high waist jeans that once stuck around my thighs and I had left any hope of wearing that again, fitted me beautifully just like before.
I was surprised, and shocked at the same time! I kid you not when I am saying this. I wasn’t expecting this change at all. I had given up on my favourite jeans.
Results like these compel you to stick to your seemingly very simple habits every day. And it has made me more aware of the benefits of simple habits like this in our everyday lives.
Starting small, keeping it simple, making it fit in our schedule very easily, showing up with a lot of love and care we deserve from ourselves, and enjoying the process along the way. This mindset shift brings the desired transformation.
Getting properly in my old high-waisted jeans and not feeling the inner thighs rubbing at every step are only two visible changes. Walking has also made me positive, optimistic, creative, and reflective in beautiful ways.
Walking kept me alive. It keeps me alive.
Try walking. You will naturally start to feel the physical, mental, emotional, and your creative health and well-being only getting better and better without any noise, pressure, strict diets, gym workouts, and calorie counts.
You know, it feels like you can do it all alone, and there is not much to do. And you keep doing the work. Brooming, dusting, mopping, laundry, washroom cleaning, cooking, and other mini and macro household chores on repeat until you realize that it’s okay to ask for help and kindly free your mental space, and a lot more time to nourish and feed your mind and soul creatively.
Let’s be frank. All the books we want to read, all the shows we want to watch carefree, all the professional achievements we dream of and aspire to achieve, and all the fun, joy, and lovely moments we want to have with our loved ones without worrying about the dishes, laundry, and whatnot, are not possible very easily and smoothly without help.
And if you are someone who has big and audacious goals in life, it’s really important to take very, very, very good care of your overall health, and your time and energy every day wisely. The task we outsource every day creates a very healthy time and space to flourish for us as we wish to.
So, if you are someone who is having second thoughts, don’t think too much. Invest in help now. Invest in yourself now. And thank me later.
Many people, even doctors, recommend walking a few steps for a few minutes after our meals. It has many benefits, including sugar control and weight loss in the long term. Ayurveda also talks about it.
For me, especially these days when I am taking medicines 3 times a day for many days, this walk is really helping me stay awake a little longer after my lunch time. The heavy doses of medicine sometimes make it very difficult to stay awake and do anything. And me being me, always prefers a body and mind well rested for any kind of work, so I sleep when my body asks for it.
But sleeping a day thrice, I mean, once after breakfast and medicines, then if you can’t control it after lunch, and then of course, the nighttime dose makes it too much. And I don’t want to see my puffy face and swollen eyes anymore. Rest is fine. Deep sleep is good. But sleeping three times, I didn’t feel so good. So, my post-lunch walk for around half an hour is saving me from falling asleep these days.
Can’t say much about what my metabolism, sugar, cholesterol, thyroid, and insulin levels are, but my sleeping and staying awake balance, with a short nap after breakfast, is right right now. And I am happy for that.
Tell me about yourself. Have you noticed any positive changes in your daytime or just general everyday life because of this simple act?
If there is one thing for me in this world that can bring me a sheer amount of joy, bliss, happiness, peace, serenity, and sanity – without preaching any sort of gyaan – then that has to be the greens.
The greens – the plants, the herbs, the flowers, the balcony garden, the park, the forest, and the succulents on my table just beside my laptop, and a few on my window.
I believe they are the purest form of souls and beings on this planet. They are complete in themselves. Nothing like them is rooted in nature. They are the symbol of nature, creation, evolution, change, acceptance, beauty, patience, colours, joy, happiness, peace – and a whole lot of happy feelings, just by being there.
Their mere presence is precious enough to make your moments beautiful.
There are studies and research that show that plant gazing, forest bathing, and keeping succulents around your workspace lowers your stress and boosts your productivity. And you know what, you don’t need to go through any of those researches, data, or statistics if you don’t want to. It’s completely fine. You are not missing out on anything important.
You just have to do one thing. Make space for these beautiful greens in your life. Go to the nearest park, walk on the morning dewy grass barefoot, look closely at the different shades of green the trees have, go to the nearby nursery, convert your balcony into a balcony garden – one step at a time.
Sit in your balcony with nothing but your presence, and see, watch, and gaze through the beautiful green tribe you have managed to accommodate. Sit for hours to gaze at the beauty, go for forest bathing, and release every ounce of negativity with each inhale inside you. Make succulents your room partner, your workspace partner, and let life come to you peacefully, slowly, steadily, and sanely.
You will lose nothing. You won’t miss out on anything. You know what will happen? You will see life like never before. You will see them growing, flourishing, drying, and dying. Then, you will see seeds germinating, leaves broadening, plants growing, trees beautifying, flowers blooming, and greens beautifully thriving – by accepting, adapting, changing, growing, and blooming – all while staying grounded and deeply connected to their roots in front of your eyes.
They have taught me, and continue to teach me, the lessons of peace, sanity, serenity, growth, humbleness, beauty, and life like no book on philosophy has till now.
They don’t demand anything. They just need your presence. Can you give that? They will give you a lot. Sanity is just one of many gifts they have for you.
Think about it. And it’s never too late to go and meet one of these friends ever. Go visit them. Take them home. And love them. They won’t cheat you. I promise!
Wishing you all the greenery, sanity, serenity, peace, freshness, beauty, growth, and mindfulness.
Srishti Kumari 