The Year I Learned the Power of Daily Wins

In Grade Seven, I was the only one who carried extra weight, and for a long time, that’s all some kids seemed to see. The same kids who made fun of me were the ones I had to stand in front of for class presentations. And every time I stood there, one of my cheeks would twitch, my eyelid would flicker, and it felt like my face was telling everyone how scared I felt.

This was the beginning of finding my discipline

One day, I talked to my mom. I didn’t have a fancy plan — just a feeling that I wanted something to change. She stopped buying the junk food I loved, and together we put a simple calendar on the wall. Every day, I wrote down what I ate and how many minutes I moved my body. It wasn’t glamorous. It wasn’t perfect. But it was inspiring.

And something powerful happened. I started to notice that the choices I made each day added up. The calendar became more than a wall of numbers - it became a reflection of my discipline. I learned that I could do hard things. I learned that I didn’t have to wait for the world to change around me - I could change me.

Over the year, I lost 40 pounds. But what I really gained was trust in myself. I learned what it meant to go to bed proud - not because everything was easy, but because I chose to keep showing up.

While in grade seven, my sister got married. I was a bridesmaid, excited to be part of her big day. What I didn’t know - and what my parents didn’t tell me until years later — was that the seamstress charged them to make my dress as if I were pregnant. I was only in Grade Seven.