One September night before my second ER visit, I was laying in bed thinking about my upcoming appointments: a mammogram, a physical, and surgery to remove a large and painful 12 cm ovarian cyst that I nicknamed the “evil softball”. I felt intimidated and scared. Then I realized that taking care of myself is uncomfortable, but spending the second half of my twenties not taking care of myself at all – no dentist, no therapy, no optometrist because I was afraid of bad news that never came – was “comfortable” until it wasn’t. 

I realized that being uncomfortable means I’m putting in work, stretching my soul’s muscles, similar to the process of lifting weights at the gym. If I feel uncomfortable, that means I am challenging myself and giving myself the potential to grow and change. So much of 2026 was uncomfortable for reasons outside of my control. But every time I made the choice to seek temporary discomfort for the sake of self improvement, I walk away stronger and smarter. 

In the past year I started a weightlifting journey, battling the voice in my head that insisted I didn’t belong and was embarrassing myself. I took control over my health, from changing my diet to prioritizing sleep and regular exercise. I put in the work at therapy. I faced my fears of doctor visits and had my first ever surgery. After over a year of discussion and deliberation, I quit my day job. I’ve taken control of my choices with newfound autonomy and a willingness to take bigger risks and make major changes. I am building a life I actually want to live step by uncomfortable step.