Is your life today what you pictured a year ago?
Imagine waking at 2:13 a.m., heart pounding in the dark, stress coiling tighter with every unanswered worry. That was me a year ago, before I discovered self-care and genuine connections as my anchors for mental health.
My mom lay in the hospital, her condition a shadow over everything, and I felt utterly alone in carrying it.
The weight turned inward: sleepless nights blurred into exhaustion, sapping my strength as a working mother.
My 5-year-old son’s tantrums erupted without warning, mirroring my frayed nerves; my 1-year-old daughter toddled into milestones I barely registered. Workouts? Forgotten. Writing flickered as a distant dream, not yet a lifeline.
Then, small shifts began to gather like dawn light. My five sisters and I started a text group chat during Ma’s hospital stay—sharing updates, memes, funny videos, and pictures. It evolved into our ongoing lifeline of laughter and support, helping immensely through the tough days. I carved out time for self-care—short breaths in quiet moments, a 15-minute workout stretched to half an hour one morning. As sweat beaded and muscles protested, my 2-year-old daughter stirred, padding in with sleepy eyes and a grin. She became my unexpected buddy, mimicking my stretches, then splashing water on my face in a gleeful post-workout ritual. In that simple joy, I felt a breath of ease.
Ma’s health improved, steadying us all. My 6-year-old’s outbursts softened as he watched me pause, breathe, and respond calmly—modeling what words alone couldn’t teach. After I started my blog, each blog post and Facebook update became my ritual of release. Honest words spilled out like exhales. They drew bridges back to old friends, family ties, and sparked new kindred spirits. Tonight, I’ll meet with a high school pal with whom I’d lost touch. I’ve been working on a winter garden project with another. Showing up as my best self has even strengthened my relationship with my mother-in-law—a quiet win I cherish.
Self-care stitched my body whole; connections wove my mind steady, thread by quiet thread. One year later, lying awake feels rare, replaced by mornings alive with possibility.
What’s your anchor when stress coils tight? Share below—let’s lift each other.
If this resonates, like, share, and subscribe for more on personal growth, parenting, homesteading, and real-life transformations. Your support keeps this community growing!
Related Posts
Homesteading Fails School: Practice Mistakes Before Buying Chickens
Farm girl turned working mom started homesteading with YouTube and Google. Crazy idea: Fails-First Farm School teaches adults to safely mess up bread, chickens, gardens first. Growing food, raising kids, building community.
Keep reading
Wooden Cross Necklace Survived Fire, Lost at Super 8
Super 8 nightstand stole my 10-year talisman—a wooden cross that survived a house fire. From Catholic retreat to breadmaker experiments, what object carried you through your 20s?
Keep reading
My Mission: Growing Food, Raising Kids, and Building Community — A Path Back to Connection
Discover why growing food, raising children, and building community are at the heart of my homesteading mission. Together, we can return to the roots of connection, resilience, and hope.
Keep reading
Practical Homesteading 