Category Archives: My journey towards independence

My journey from utter helplessness to independence

Day 2900: Choose Joy: Because Happiness Isn’t Enough by Kay Warren [Book Review]

“If we are going to experience joy in this lifetime, there’s only one possible way: We will have to choose it. We will have to choose it in spite of unbelievable circumstances. We will have to choose it in the middle of a situation that seems too hard to bear. We will have to choose it even if our worst nightmare comes true. This isn’t what we want to hear. We keep trying to line up all the little ducks in a row, to smooth out the rough spots, and to shore up all the wobbly places, still convinced that if we get our act together, we finish the huge project, our health clears up, we get a raise, or we can just get things right, we can finally be joyful.”

― Kay Warren, Choose Joy: Because Happiness Isn’t Enough

 

It’s 11 : 07 PM on day 2900 of my journey towards independence and I managed to pray, read a Bible verse and do some work

 

Recently I finished reading Choose Joy: Because Happiness Isn’t Enough by Kay Warren – a book that uses the Bible as a guide and teaches us how to be joyous at all times – I loved the practical nature of the advice in the book and would recommend it to Christians who are struggling to find joy in their lives.

 

Thank you so much Julie for sending me this book.

Day 2899: August 20-27 Goals

Some weeks just fill your soul – that’s what I’ve realized

 

 

It’s 12 : 19 PM on day 2899 of my journey towards independence and I managed to pray, read a Bible verse and do some work

 

 

Last Monday I set some goals and today I will again be evaluating myself to measure my progress and I’ll be setting some goals for the coming week as well. Take a look:

August 13-20 Goals Self-Evaluation

  1. Continue to be kind, honest and generous (give more, do more and be more) [tried]
  2. Be the best Supersidekick to my Superhero Catherine Constantinides [tried]
  3. Spend time outside as often as I can [tried]
  4. Finish reading Choose Joy 
  5. Learn 7+ new things [didn’t more often than I did]
  6. Write done 7 beautiful moments – 1 for every day of the week [didn’t more often than I did]
  7. Try new things [learned a lot about Bonsai Trees]
  8. Call a friend [not done]
  9. Use social media to showcase the ability of differently-abled people and teach that Different IS COOL! [didn’t do it as well as I’d like]

 

Highlights of the Week

  • Spending time with my friend Michelle and everybody at Breath of Life – spending time with Michelle is always a soul-filling experience she is so filled with love and serenity (I’ve learned so much from how deeply and completely she loves…I love her so much)
  • Arranging for a special gift to be delivered to a special person
  • Arranging for a mango tree to be nought and planted
  • Finishing reading Choose Joy by Kay Warren (thanks Julie for sending it to me)

August 20-27 Goals

  1. Continue to be kind, honest and generous (give more, do more and be more)
  2. Be the best Supersidekick to my Superhero Catherine Constantinides
  3. Spend time outside as often as I can
  4. Finish reading one book (I have two to choose from don’t know  which one  I will choose yet)
  5. Learn 7+ new things
  6. Write done 7 beautiful moments of the week
  7. Try new things
  8. Use social media to showcase the ability of differently-abled people and teach that Different IS COOL!

 

Day 2898: Kerala Floods and Me

May your life be one long thank-you note – that’s my hope for the world.

 

 

It’s 11 : 38  AM on day 2898 of my journey towards independence and I managed to pray, read a Bible verse and some work.

 

In this moment as I sit at our dining table looking out through our window at the bright sunny day I am reminded that I have much to be grateful for many people in my parents’ home state of Kerala, India have lost everything due to the floods and here we sit by the grace of God with each other to hold and all our basic needs met. Our thoughts and prayers are with everybody affected by the floods stay strong hold on help is on the way from Malayalee communities worldwide we have not left you behind we shall overcome TOGETHER.

 

Day 2897: Living in Harmony with Nature

“If you disturb nature, nature will disturb you”

 

It’s 2 : 39 PM on day 2897 of my journey towards independence and I managed to pray, read a Bible verse and spend time with family

 

Today my mom and I were discussing the flood in her home state of Kerala and how human behaviour is affecting the  environment and she said to me “If you disturb nature, nature will disturb you” and I thought wow, so true we live as though we are disconnected from the planet when actually our every action comes with a reaction.

Day 2895: Getting Myself Unstuck

“Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?” – Martin Luther King, Jr.

 

 

It’s 1 : 07 PM on day 2895 of my journey towards independence and I managed to pray, read a Bible verse and do some work

 

Today I rediscovered that the best way to get myself unstuck is to think about how I can be of service when I’m not helping someone or doing something positive I feel like I could drown in my own frustration and all the things I’ll never be

Day 2894: The Line Between Persistent and Pushy

There’s a thin like between persistent and pushy and sometimes to get things done you have to risk crossing said line – that’s what I was reminded of

 

It’s 11 : 40 AM on day 2894 of my journey towards independence and I managed to pray, read a Bible verse and do some work.

 

Today I was reminded that there’s a thin like between persistent and pushy and sometimes to get things done you have to risk crossing said line luckily most people admire persistence so most of the time it ends well.

Day 2893: Be the One That Sticks Around

In a world full of people looking for the first exit be the one that enters every situation intent to stick around for people  – that’s my message to the world

 

It’s 12 : 52 PM on day 2893 of my journey towards independence and I managed to pray, read a Bible verse and do some work

 

Recently I realized that in a world full of people looking for the first exit it’s important to be the one that enters every situation intent to stick around for people (unless said people’s values don’t match yours in which case it’s best to leave). Be the one that stays for the right people it’s highly underrated.

Day 2892: Light and Darkness

We can’t truly appreciate the light until it’s contrasted with darkness – that’s what I was reminded of today

It’s 12 : 57 PM on day 2892 of my journey towards independence and I managed to pray, get my face waxed,spend time with  friends, do some work and read a Bible verse

Today I was at a very special place that reminded me that we can’t truly appreciate the light until it’s contrasted with darkness the world needs selfish, dishonest people who are filled with more darkness than light to make us see and appreciate unselfish, honest people who are filled with more light than darkness.

August 13-20 Goals

“Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars.” –Les Brown

It’s 12 : 24 AM on day 2891 of my journey towards independence and I managed to pray, read a Bible verse and do some work

 

 

Last Monday I set some goals and today I will again be evaluating myself to measure my progress and I’ll be setting some goals for the coming week as well. Take a look:

 

August 6-13 Goals Self-Evaluation

  1. Continue to be kind, honest and generous (give more, do more and be more) [tried]
  2. Be the best Supersidekick to my Superhero Catherine Constantinides [tried]
  3. Spend time outside as often as I can [tried]
  4. Finish reading Choose Joy [not done]
  5. Learn 7+ new things [didn’t more often than I did]
  6. Write done 7 beautiful moments – 1 for every day of the week [did as often as I could]
  7. Try new things [working as part of a team locally to make things happen]
  8. Call a friend
  9. Use social media to showcase the ability of differently-abled people and teach that Different IS COOL! [didn’t do it as well as I’d like]

 

Highlights of the Week

  • Getting a special package from my Superhero with a sweet note attached
  • buying diapers
  • spending time outside

August 13-20 Goals

  1. Continue to be kind, honest and generous (give more, do more and be more)
  2. Be the best Supersidekick to my Superhero Catherine Constantinides
  3. Spend time outside as often as I can
  4. Finish reading Choose Joy
  5. Learn 7+ new things
  6. Write done 7 beautiful moments – 1 for every day of the week
  7. Try new things
  8. Use social media to showcase the ability of differently-abled people and teach that Different IS COOL!

Day 2890: Step Into Another’s Perspective

Life looks a lot different when you step into someone else’s perspective – that’s what I was reminded of

 

It’s 1 : 34 PM on day 2890 of my journey towards independence and I managed to pray, read a Bible verse and do some work

 

 

Today life reminded me that life looks a lot different when you step into someone else’s perspective. Try seeing yourself from another’s perspective it may just change the way you act and react.