Finding the Win!

I’ve been working through a lot recently—more than I’d care to admit. There’s a post I’ve seen floating around about how January is like a Mulligan, how the year doesn’t really start until February. And honestly? I get it.

The truth is, I wrote something recently that completely rocked me to my core. I shared it with a friend, and they said, “You have to post this.” But for the first time, I hesitated. I didn’t want my journey to be seen. The words were there, but the courage to say them aloud wasn’t.

We all carry our own battles. Some of us bottle them up, while others wear them on our sleeves. I don’t judge anyone for how they cope. But when judgment is directed at me, that’s when my boundaries kick in. My passion is food; my lifeblood is mental health. Combining the two feels like my purpose—breaking bread, telling stories, and reminding people it’s OK not to be OK.

That brings me back to what I wrote. I was reflecting on a day that felt like a complete shit show. The kind of day where everything seemed to go wrong. As I sat down to find the “win” for the day, I came up blank. Nothing. Nada. I rubbed my temples, trying to make sense of it all, replaying every moment. And then it hit me: I survived.

That was my win—I survived the day. It wasn’t glamorous or earth-shattering. But it was real. That realization brought up emotions I hadn’t felt in years. It was like giving myself permission to just be—to exist in that messy space without needing to tie it up in a bow.

Sometimes, the win is just surviving. And that’s OK. Because even on the hardest days, finding just one lifeline—a small victory, a deep breath, washing the day away with a shower, or even a moment of stillness—can be the thing that keeps us going.

So if today feels heavy, know this: surviving is enough. You are enough. And tomorrow is another chance to find your win.