A healthy routine is very important for a healthy body and mind. But what if it isn’t there one day? I know someone who has followed a strict routine for over 70 years, but if he doesn’t get his food on time one day, it troubles his stomach. Is the routine still “good” then? We can definitely make a fair point that we have to be adaptable. There will be days when life goes beyond our schedule, and the body must be able to adjust. If even a strict diet and gym plan requires a “cheat day” for adherence, why don’t we have cheat days for our comforts, just because we are comfortable?
A good job, not having to think twice about little happinesses, a vehicle of choice, the love of your life, dining in or out—all these are definitely comfortable luxuries. But what if there is a break? Even a temporary break—are we ready to deal with it? Are we ready to feel uncomfortable again to feel comfortable? Is this an ambition or a trap? While we are being raised, we are often told, “You have it now and you don’t know the worth of it; you will only know its value if you struggle for it.” I think it’s the same with today’s freedom and the privilege of technology, AI, and its accessibility. These are privileged comforts we all enjoy without ever having to fight for them. It is easy to misuse them and make them a seamless part of our lives, but it is extremely difficult to take responsibility for them. We never fought for it.
That is the line between having something and owning it. Some of us might be privileged enough to spend on big brands, but how many of us bought our first products with our own “sweat money”? Isn’t it a comfort to have an establishment that is rock-solid, allowing us the luxury of falling down when we are trying something on our own? Are we ready to not spend on certain things? Sometimes, that discipline prepares us for the unknowns ahead. A friend of mine always asks me,“Swarna, how is it possible for you to go into a shop and always end up coming out without buying anything? It’s extremely difficult for me.” I never thought about it, but writing this made me realize: perhaps that is a healthy fear. It is a fear that prepares me to be resilient rather than falling apart. I’m sure most readers would agree that when we are in a bad phase, all the bad things seem to happen at once. Even the slightest inconveniences bother us—like an AC repair or a tap running dry. We become fragile because we have lost the grit to handle the small breaks. It is as simple as this: when we are in school, we might label our mother’s food as just “comfort.” But when we move out and have to cook for ourselves, we find so many reasons not to do it—tiredness, cravings, or exhaustion. Yet, when we go home for a vacation, the food made by those same hands is considered blessed, holy, and a privilege. Nothing changed in those hands; the only thing that changed is that you own that comfort now, because you finally know what it takes to create it.
It tired me writing this, and maybe it tired you reading it, too. You make your way, and I will make my way to the kitchen for some dal chawal.
Signing off
Psychologist | Telugu and Kannada speaking counsellor
