Word Count = 900 words
Estimated Reading Time = 4 minutes
Genre = Editorial
Hey love and a happy new month to you. Here we stand at the end as well as the beginning of things and I dare say, there is much to be expected and no small measure of things to be grateful for, so grab that mop because your boy is about to spill the tea.
March was a really long month for me as I may or may not have mentioned earlier, and some much-needed rest and relaxation were needed. I thank God that things panned out to that effect because it was long overdue. There’s just something about traveling away from your usual space and seeing different people and things that allows the mind to breathe. I love it.
During my R&R, I was able to get down to some much-needed journaling. Admittedly I have been procrastinating a whole lot on this and it was about time I did something about it and I am glad I did. So far I’ve made 5 entries, which should bring it up to 6 including today. It’s not 30, but it’s definitely better than nothing and I am pleased with myself for that.
The workouts have also been rather spaced out. Yesterday’s session was particularly hard and I can already feel my muscles screaming out in protest. Though I am on course towards a healthier active lifestyle and not even my perpetual laziness will stop me this time.
According to my 30 Day Fitness Challenge Google Play store App, which I would recommend to anyone trying to start getting into a routine, I have completed 40 workouts this month and burnt 2,457 calories for a duration of 7 hours 465 minutes. That translates to 8 days in the month. Granted I took more off days than on, but I love that my body has started to show off the results of my hard work. So I pat myself on the back for it.
I don’t know whether I mentioned this, but I have been struggling with my hair for a while now. After 4 years of being pleasantly loc’d, I decided to cut them off, not by choice, but because of hair loss. I did go see a trichologist though, who diagnosed it as alopecia and recommended options for treatment.
They were a bit pricey for me and I did shy away from her office because of it, but I took her recommendation for a shampoo and conditioner and have been doing my best to maintain a healthy regimen. I have also cut out a lot of the processed foods I used to consume, introduced more water, and stayed off of gluten because of my intolerance which I had ignored for years.
I do not know if my efforts will prove helpful in the long run, but for the moment, I see and acknowledge the small bits of progress that I notice. That coupled with staying active and eating healthy has definitely helped me look at this situation, not as a bad thing, but as a chance for me to do things the right way, no matter the outcome.
Frankly, the fact that a lot of my confidence was pulled from my healthy long hair has been effectively challenged. It’s funny how hair loss can churn your self-esteem to the core in a way you could never imagine. So now it is a journey of rediscovery. I am here trying to find out who I am aside from my hair. It is not as easy as it sounds, but it is definitely necessary and hopefully will build into something more beautiful.
As far as reading and writing go, I believe I could do better. When I traveled, I forgot my current read and happened to go on a buying spree, so my to-be-read list is still ever growing. But don’t worry, I am back in my usual routine now and into the process of writing and reading every day, so hopefully things will go back to normal soon.
My hope for this coming month is to take greater risks, especially where my writing is concerned. I want to try new things and see where experimenting will take me. I also want to travel a lot more. Like I said, getting out of your usual space really helps to open the mind, and especially as a writer, it gives you a fresh perspective.
It will definitely help me stay on track with writing every day and quell my longing to always be on the road. Out there in the big world, there is always a story hiding somewhere waiting to be discovered and I plan on collecting all of them as I go. But of course, all of this is anchored on hope. I did not know that going away would be possible this time around, so who knows, I might be equally pleasantly surprised the next time around.
Whatever the case, I have made it through the month bruises and all. I have put myself out there, won and lost on various accounts and I cannot wait to do it all over again in May. So here’s to hope, consistency, and lots of beautiful stories.
That was me. How about you? What did your April look like? Let me know in the comments below.