Hello, dear readers! As content creators, we tend to focus on trending topics, keywords, and SEO optimised content that would get us on the coveted first search page. Our real work starts after our posts are published and trust me, that’s the more challenging part. While it’s a great way to gain recognition, traffic, and new readership, as writers we sometimes crave to share stuff that’s close to our hearts. My blog has always been my go-to place to dabble in creativity, with words or in the kitchen. The response after sharing my health and fitness-related posts has been extremely humbling and makes me feel proud and loved.

It has been a while since I wrote a personal post and interacted with you through it. Many of you have been a part of my blogging and weight loss journey and have seen the hard work and dedication I have put into reaching where I am. Most people have been encouraging and appreciative. I’ve tried sharing health tips, workouts, and nutrition ideas to the best of my knowledge. It feels good to be of help to anyone, no matter how small.

Imagine my surprise then when someone not only ridicules my efforts to my face but also makes self-serving excuses for their own weight and bad lifestyle—not too subtly, I may add. People calling me obsessive and sickly-looking stopped bothering me long ago. I even made peace with the fact that getting health sermons is one of the trending hobbies nowadays. Knowing doesn’t make you accountable, after all. However, their attitude towards me, my life, and my choices is baffling, even insulting.

I’m one of those countless women who hung their boots in their prime and prioritised their homes and children over their dreams. We traded team meetings for PTMs, chose comfortable pajamas instead of trendy office wear, sacrificed our careers for theirs, and redirected our lives on a path we hadn’t chosen. Many won’t accept the tears shed in silence looking at an empty home when everyone’s on their way and we have nowhere to be. Life can get lonely and your partner too can’t possibly comprehend what’s happening to you.

Crossing forty has somehow made these things palatable for me. Let me clarify, I’m no victim. This was my choice and I’m sticking to it. Over time I’ve realised that unless we respect ourselves and our contributions, no one else will. Cliche as it may sound, women transform a house into a home and deserve credit for it. Everyone doesn’t have a support system to back their professional ambitions, and it’s alright. The important thing is to maintain good health, both mental and physical, and do what makes us happy.

I can never wrap my head around the fact that people make offering unwanted opinions and unsolicited advice their serious business. The truth remains that women are nastier to and more unnerved by confident women than men. My family and health was and is my only concern. I’ll keep killing in the gym and flaunt some mean moves in Instagram reels. Let the haters hate and make a mess of their lives. Main to aisi hi hun aur rahungi! 🙂

This post was created for the Blogaberry Creative (Monthly) Challenge.

This blog post is part of ‘Blogaberry Dazzle ’ hosted by Cindy D’Silva and Noor Anand Chawla in collaboration with Dr. Preeti Chauhan.

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