Befriend Your Challenges.

Last month, I fell from the stairs of my house and got my fifth bone also called Metatarsal of my left foot, fractured. I believe that our body and mind has a deep friendship, when one gets broken other gets stressed out too. So although my foot was broken yet I could see it’s effect coming on my mind as soon as I was prescribed bed rest for one and a half month.

Let me share, that I have learned to drive Activa in this February only. Every morning I would drive myself to my university,  it wasn’t just a conveyance but it was like a big merry go around ride, sprouting mindfulness, sheer joy, and freedom, aired with boosting confidence adding on everyday. However savoring this ride couldn’t last long for I knew I was bound within four walls of my house with a broken foot.

For the first whole week, I was struck down by a new challenge everyday. On one hand, I needed support even if I wanted to pee, I always needed someone around me in order to serve me with food, water or whatever I needed. At times, I would even control my nature’s call for hours so that I don’t have to bother my family members who were already worn out for serving me with their love and care. I  am an overweight person, not just five or ten kilos but 20 kilos altogether above my ideal weight. So doctor warned me that you might gain weight and even some aunties would come around to tell me that your bulky body has become the reason behind your broken bone and you must look after your physique. By that time, all I could imagine myself was a huge fat girl who has gained so much more weight and can’t even move because of her round fat thighs. My head would spin with vivid images of my classmates making fun of me instead of showing any sympathy. 

On the other hand my mind had to face its own kind of challenges, patience was something I was falling short of, I could not accept the fact that I have to wait and just sit here barely doing anything for all day and weeks long. No sky, no moon, no fresh air, no new faces, just walls, fans and bed became my only acquaintances. 

But nature whom I lovingly call, ‘ Big Mom’, has its own plans to work on through the times of trials and tribulations. One after other my friends, relatives, my sister’s friends came to ask about my well being. I am a person who always prefers to stay in my own private bubble as I believed that is what we all need to stay at peace. However,  importance of human  relations came to the surface of my life in this chronic time I was going through. Words of each person who came for me embalmed and quitened the inner storm going beneath my superficial smile. One of my sister’s friends,  who is an amazing artist, told me, ‘ Meera you don’t know what’s there in a plate for you, just be grateful to God and take his name for he is always with you.’ Combination of the these loving words and care of my family worked like magic ingredients to cook confidence, patience and will power in me. 

I sat with my negative emotions, and asked what they needed to heal themselves. I contemplated, planned and made a map to move on for next coming weeks. The first challenge I could think of taking head on was eliminating the fear of weight gain and lower self esteem. So I informed my family to serve me only the liquids and semi liquids. I made a diet plan splitting it into five small meals throughout the day consisting of fruits, salads, boiled veggies, milk and healthy snacking. Healthy food not only works wonder on the body but also on the mind as I have said they are old besties and always work hand in hand. With healthy mindset, the wilted plant of patience started growing in me with each passing day. Thus, I searched for exercises that I could do with my fractured foot. Luckily I found very good workout  series for bedridden patients. I started with 10 mins, extending to 20, 30 and now one hour goes by like one minute and my body still craves for more, so I started doing it two times a day. Every drop of sweat, not only strengthens my body but also tones patience, gratitude, confidence and consistency in me. 

Today, I got off my plaster, my bone is almost healed and so is my negativity. Now when I look back at the journey of these five- six weeks, I realize that Big Mom had big plans for me. I have lost almost five kilos, and gained abundance of positivity and most importantly, the quality of Patience, which I think I could have never worked on, if I would have not fallen from the staircase, a month ago. 

There is a quote, ‘ If you stumble, make it part of the dance.’

So that’s what I did, in short. Therefore,  never give the challenges the power to look down upon you,  rather invite them, sit with them and look straight into their eye, you will surely end up becoming their  best friend.