Who are you when the toast burns?
Life stubs your pinky toe & you're in a rush
Sure, there will be days when you feel like you're barely keeping your head above water. Days when it seems like the sun will never shine again. Birds won’t chirp. & it’ll rain acid forever. Days when the refrigerator stops working & your food goes bad. But you find out the milk was sour when you have cereal for breakfast. A mouthful too late. When you miss your stop on the metro because you fell asleep. When you wake up in frenzy thinking you’ve missed the alarm but it’s only 3 AM. Or worse, it’s actually 9 AM and now you’ll get to work by lunch time. Oops. When the toast burns. Or when you sit down for a movie but realise there’s no popcorn. Or you miss the elevator by mere seconds?
In those moments, hold on tight to the wheel and keep steering.
You probably don’t want to read this optimistic wordy essay at the moment. But you are here. Maybe curious. Maybe stressed. Maybe grumpy. Reading a little part of the internet, hoping to feel better. Because deep down you know just like in sailing, the winds will eventually shift, the clouds will part, and the sun will break through once more.
And when it does, you'll find yourself stronger, wiser, and more resilient than ever before. But till then, you stay focused on your goals, even when the odds seem stacked against you. Trusting yourself and your abilities; knowing that you have what it takes to weather any storm that comes your way. Especially after waving back at someone who wasn’t waving at you.
When the winds are howling, and the waves are towering over you, it's tempting to lose sight of your course, to let fear take the helm. In the jungle gym of the situation, try to steer a steady course. Your true mettle is being tested in the waves. In the rocky mountains of your heart. In the rejections rotting in your inbox. Life throws challenges at us when we least expect them. When everything is smooth sailing. The sun looks bright & the sunflowers even better.
Nobody says. “Watch out! here comes the rogue wave!” & by the time they tell you, you’re head to toe seaweed water & salty.
When I’m in a situation like this & not in my head panicking about “what’s next”, in a completely ideal world - but also a world I’m building & I hope you do too - I think this:
Every setback, every disappointment, every failure is a piece of driftwood floating in the sea. At first glance, it may seem like nothing more than debris cluttering your path. But if you look closer, you'll see the potential for something doable, something extraordinary? You start to troubleshoot. Problem Solve. The monkey mind is back & open for business.
It's not about avoiding the storms or dodging rogue waves. It's about swimming with grace and accepting a setback with courage. Knowing that each challenge carries with it the opportunity for growth and transformation.
Next time life throws you a curveball, don't curse the storm. Instead, take a deep breath, grab hold of the wheel, and steer with all your might. Because who knows? That rogue wave just might be the push you need to set sail for new horizons.
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Last month I wrote an essay titled, Words To Carry You Through. At the time of writing it, I was angry about something I cannot remember now. Simmering at tipping point & ready to burst. I wrote it as a release for my mind & to let my heart breathe a little. I wrote it to soothe my nerves (they often tangle up for no rhyme or reason). Here’s a little snippet:
As you move on with your day, can I ask you for a quick favor? Could you take a second to share this post with your friends? Sharing helps more people discover my work and supports what I do. Thank you🧡
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Litter by
: All about her struggle with beach cleanups & litter & ciggy buds. Highlighting the bigger issues, but gently. What if each person took a little responsibility to keep our surroundings clean? She writes in the end, “My favorite kind of litter; seashells and seaweed 💚” & it makes the heart so joyful.Words fall short for
’s storytelling. And yet as writers we must bare our soul & bleed. Don’s writing is heartbreaking & chuckle-inducing at the same time. Please give this essay a read!
Until next time,
Mo!
Nature is brimming with poetry, if you just take the time to listen. This 9-page guide offers everything you need to dive into the beauty of nature with a poet’s eye. From choosing the right location to engaging all five senses, this guide will help you unlock the writing potential hidden in leaves, birdsongs, and morning dew. Bonus resources included for even more inspiration!
Another way to show your love for my work is to share my posts, buy me a coffee to help me travel to America, & leaving sweet comments under my posts🧡
Great pep talk, Mohika! And thank you so much for including a link to my essay, "Is Love Just a Fairy Tale." That's so kind and supportive of you!
I love just how "quietly motivating" that post is! Thank you for writing and sharing this, it was exactly what I needed! ❤
Found it mere minutes after I posted a note about how some days are harder than others 😅 Life sending me reminders that it is still working its magic :)