Dear Diary,
People love to say:
“Take it one day at a time.”
And most days, I understand the sentiment.
But what happens when a whole day feels like too much?
I came across a message today that basically said: if today becomes overwhelming, take it an hour at a time. If an hour is too much, take it a minute at a time. And if that is too much, take it one breath at a time.
And I thought…
Now THAT I can work with.
Because sometimes one day at a time is asking too damn much.
Some days I can handle the whole thing.
I can work, answer emails, solve problems, check on everybody else, laugh, handle my responsibilities, and somehow convince myself that I have this thing called life somewhat under control.
And then there are those days.
The days when my body has its own agenda.
The days when my responsibilities clearly did not receive the memo that I’m tired.
The days when my brain is already worrying about tomorrow while I’m still trying to make it through today.
And, naturally, Crohn’s and MG—my two freeloading roommates who contribute absolutely NOTHING toward the rent—occasionally decide they both require my immediate attention. 😂
Meanwhile, life keeps life-ing.
Work still exists.
Family still exists.
The emails definitely still exist.
And apparently adulthood does not come with an:
“I’m overwhelmed. Please try again tomorrow.”
button.
Rude.
My instinct has always been to figure it out.
Push through.
Handle it.
Keep moving.
But lately, I’m realizing something:
🌻 Maybe Strength Isn’t Always Pushing Through
Maybe strength is knowing when the whole day is simply too heavy to carry at once.
Maybe I don’t need to carry all 24 hours.
Maybe I just need to carry this one.
And if an hour feels too heavy?
Then maybe I only need this minute.
And if even that feels like too much?
Breathe in.
Breathe out.
Still here.
Then do it again.
💜 Shrinking the timeframe doesn’t mean I’m giving up. Sometimes it’s exactly how I keep going.
That realization matters to me because somewhere along the way, I learned to associate strength with endurance.
How much can I carry?
How long can I keep going?
How well can I smile while doing it?
But maybe strength doesn’t need to be measured by how much I can endure without stopping.
Maybe stopping counts too.
Maybe resting counts.
Maybe changing the plan counts.
Maybe saying, “I don’t have the capacity for that today,” counts.
And maybe there are days when the accomplishment isn’t everything I checked off my list.
Maybe the accomplishment is simply:
I made it through a moment I wasn’t sure I could handle.
No dramatic breakthrough.
No inspirational montage.
No triumphant music swelling in the background while I emerge victorious. 😂
Just…
Still here.
And you know what?
“Still here” counts.
Some days, it counts for everything.
🎵 Music Playing…
“Just Breathe” — Pearl Jam
Because maybe I don’t need to race ahead today.
Maybe I don’t need to figure out tomorrow.
Maybe right now, I just need to breathe.
💭 Reflection Corner
I’m learning that I don’t have to conquer the whole day before breakfast.
I don’t have to solve tomorrow while I’m still standing in today.
And I don’t have to prove how strong I am by carrying everything at once.
Some days I have enough for the whole day.
Some days I only have enough for the next hour.
Some days it’s the next minute.
And sometimes?
It’s just the next breath.
Needing to make the moment smaller doesn’t mean I’m losing. It means I’m listening to myself.
And maybe that’s something I should have learned a long time ago.
I’ve spent so much time learning how to push myself that sometimes I forget there is also strength in knowing when not to push.
So today, I’m giving myself permission to deal only with what is in front of me.
Not tomorrow.
Not tonight.
Not even an hour from now.
Right now.
And right now?
I’m still here.
I’m still breathing.
That’s enough. 🌻
🌻 A Question for You
When life feels too heavy to take one day at a time, what helps you come back to the moment you’re actually in?
Maybe it’s music.
Maybe it’s prayer.
Maybe it’s sitting somewhere quiet.
Maybe it’s calling someone who knows you well enough to hear what you’re not saying.
Maybe it’s a walk, a cry, a nap, a good laugh—or temporarily pretending your responsibilities don’t exist while you watch something you’ve already seen 47 times. 😂
Whatever brings you back to yourself, I hope you remember that you’re allowed to use it.
You don’t always have to manage the whole day.
Sometimes you just have to manage right now.
Until next time, I’m reminding myself that I don’t have to carry tomorrow today.
Some days I can take life one day at a time.
Some days I need an hour.
Some days I need a minute.
And when even that feels like too much?
I breathe.
Because sometimes making it through life isn’t about taking another giant step forward.
Sometimes it’s simply about staying here long enough to take the next breath.
And then another.
And then another.
One breath at a time. 💜🌻
With love, laughter, and a little bit of stubbornness,
Kia Lorice
Founder • Author • Advocate • Future Wellness Coach
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