As my boy completes 1000 days with us( plus 39.3 weeks in the womb), I want to thank my body that has done a commendable job in bringing the best gift to our lives, in fact in bringing life to our lives. I want to thank my body for giving me the joy of growing a body inside me, for creating a live human from nothing, for giving me the opportunity to feel another human moving inside !

I want to thank my body for bearing the gruelling labour pain and I want to thank it for the endurance it showed all through, even when I had given up my body did not till he came into this world. I want to thank my body for making food for my baby, from his birth till today; nurturing him, filling him tirelessly through days and sleepless nights; even when I was frustrated, exhausted, my body wasn’t, it kept giving him his nourishment, his comfort, his calm. There have been long, constant, frustrating nursing hours, the times when I wanted to just lock my lactating breasts or rather chop them off, because I couldn’t take those unending nursing sessions, but my body was fine, it loved nurturing him, it finally had found its sole reason of existence; a big thanks to you for not giving up!

Our nursing may stop soon… We may come to a closure in the coming weeks, or months, although I don’t see it happening any sooner, but we just may; it is this thought that brought me to think what a wonderful job my body had done to feed and raise this bright, beautiful human.

I also want to apologise to my body for not taking care of it while it took the best care of my little one. I want to say sorry for the neglect  it went through these past 2.5 years. I didn’t see my skin going from bad to worse, I didn’t see myself losing excessive weight, I didn’t notice each aching bone telling me that they needed to be looked after too.. I am sorry!

I had all the means, best of the resources, but I only complained of lack of support, help and motherhood became and excuse for not looking after myself!

It’s been a few months that I looked into the mirror and resolved to stand up for my own good. To keep myself first, to go back to being my healthy, confident self.

While I started writing and blogging about my mothethood journey, I missed writing what I loved the most- “poetry”. While I spent hours reading parenting articles, I forgot that reading fiction had been the food for my thoughts. It’s been slightly over a month that I decided to get back to writing and focusing on what I loved the most, with body our mind needs it’s nourishment too.

I already feel determined as the year 2018 comes to a close, I feel happy about the few changes that I have made to my lifestyle to begin my transformation journey for a healthier and happier self.

Start with these simple things that I started sometime ago, these are the changes anyone can easily begin with –

1. Waking up early and sleeping on time- Rising up early sets the tone for your whole day. Give yourself an hour extra in the morning to introspect, exercise and plan your day. Getting a good night sleep is important for healthy body and mind. While earlier I would remain awake for late night hours, get up all drained in the morning and rush to do household chores; I now wake up fresh these days, just by sleeping on time.

2. Starting with a glass of warm water- Cosuming warm water regularly in the morning on empty stomach has plenty of benefits. Mentioning only a few – it helps in improving digestion, alleviates menstrual cramps and headaches and improves blood circulation. Having had warm water for over 3 months I personally have felt the difference in how my body feels.

3. Establishing a workout routine- You don’t  need to be overweight to start working out. Exercising is important for a healthy and fit body.

4. Healthy eating habits- Striking off junk and moving to wholesome meals will do good for you and your whole family. Luckily we are a family that doesn’t put on excessive weight, however it’s just not about the weight. In the past 2.5 years of being a mother, I ignored my diet, not that I had unhealthy food, I did not have my meals on time as my schedule revolved around my son’s erratic schedule. From 72 Kgs during pregnancy I got down to 50 Kgs in 14 months’ time. While one would be happy about this weight loss, I wasn’t. I had started looking unhealthy, anorexic and it was affecting my health.

It’s been a month that I am trying to focus on what, when and how much I eat, the schedule still revolves around my child and my meals do get delayed but we are better than before.

5. 10 minutes each day for your skin- Motherhood does damage ones skin and hair. When your health deteriorates, your skin is one thing to reflect it. Following a simple cleansing and toning routine can will make you feel good about yourself.

6. Drinking at least 2 litres of water- I need not emphasise on or explain this, everyone knows the benefits of having enough water.

7. Reading a few pages every day- Reading opens a gateway to a broader and newer world of thoughts, read whatever interests you, read a few pages everyday consistently.

8. Chanting/meditating- Give yourself few minutes each day to just be by yourself. I chant. Get involved in a community activity and see how it helps your soul heal.

9. Creating something or crafting-  Learn a new hobby or do what you already know but haven’t done for a long time, do it and get better at it.

10. Set travel goals- Plan solo or family trips for the year. Traveling in itself is learning, not only it breaks the monotony of your life it makes you a better person with enriched experiences.

Year 2018 has been a remarkable year with us moving to our current home; my son joining school and me taking up my writings to own site and working on other freelance writing assignments.

Hoping that as a family we are able to work towards better and healthier relationships and are able to achieve health, spiritual and material goals in the the year 2019!