Sunday, 5th October, 2025
The Struggle Will Not Win — Mind · Body · Soul
This week I’ve felt every edge of the fight — body, mind, and soul. Some days I’ve been proud of myself; others I’ve looked in the mirror and seen a man running on fumes. But through all of it, one truth keeps burning: the struggle will not win.
I’m learning that faith isn’t loud. Sometimes it’s just the whisper that says, “Keep going.”
Mind
My mind has been swinging between clarity and chaos. Some mornings I’ve woken heavy — thoughts racing, doubts loud, old habits creeping back in. Doomscrolling, overthinking, searching for distraction. I’ve caught myself slipping into loops of “what if” and “how will I fix this?”
But I’m catching it faster now. I can feel when I’m drifting, and I know how to bring myself back — breathe, journal, move, reconnect. The difference now is awareness. I can see when I’m feeding the struggle and when I’m feeding the spark.
I’ve had to remind myself that preaching truth means living it. I can’t just talk about awareness, I have to practice it — especially when I least want to.
Body
My body’s been honest with me this week — tired, tight, craving movement. I’ve walked every day, sometimes three or four miles, and though I’ve slipped with food and sugar binges, I’ve also made conscious efforts to eat better.
There’s been progress — a little weight down, a little energy up. But I still feel sluggish, and I know why: not enough rhythm, not enough flow.
So this week I’ve made a promise — not to be perfect, but to keep showing up. To keep applying effort, even when I slip. To accept that habits take time to build, that strength isn’t born in never falling but in standing back up every time I do.
I’ll keep fuelling this vessel with care, training when I can, fasting when it feels right, resting when I need to. This isn’t about strict control anymore — it’s about consistency born from self-respect. It’s about remembering that even slow progress is still progress, and that living what I speak takes patience as much as persistence.
Soul
Spiritually, I’ve walked through fog again — but I didn’t get lost this time. The noise of life, the financial weight, the noise of the world itself can drown out the quiet voice inside, but I still hear it.
It’s that same voice that said: You are not your struggle.
You are the one who observes it.
You are the spark within it.
I’ve realised that walking into freedom isn’t about perfection. It’s about persistence. It’s about showing up when you don’t want to, about seeing that one more small act of awareness can change the whole day.
The soul’s strength isn’t shown in how smooth the path is — it’s shown in how many times you fall and still rise remembering who you are.
Relationships
Relationships have tested me again this week — not because of anyone else’s actions, but because of how I react to them. I’ve caught myself expecting others to meet me where I am, when maybe they’re walking their own hard road too. I’ve seen where frustration or silence from someone I love can pull me into old stories of being let down or unheard. But I’ve also seen myself pause, breathe, and respond differently.
Connection isn’t always smooth. Sometimes it’s two people trying to love each other while carrying their own weight. What matters is that I keep showing up — choosing patience, kindness, and honesty even when I feel tired or unsure.
Family has reminded me of that too. From deep talks and tears with my sister and niece to coffee and conversation with my mum, I’ve realised that love looks different depending on who’s holding it. It’s not always what I want, but it’s often what I need — a mirror that shows me how much growth is still possible in the way I listen, forgive, and communicate.
I’m learning to love people where they are, not where I wish they’d be. And to love myself in the same way — work in progress, still walking, still learning.
Gratitude
For the strength that carries me even on empty days.
For the awareness that keeps me from falling as far as I once did.
For the people who love me through my edges.
For the walks, the air, the small wins.
For the remembering — that the fire still burns beneath the weight.
Closing
This week, the struggle came for me — but it didn’t win.
It won’t win.
Because I’m still here.
I’m still walking.
I’m still aware.
And awareness is freedom.
— Gareth / Thalen