SophieJ Life Experiences

Man, what a week, a month, a day, a year, and it’s only day 18, mind you. We literally had a conversation with 2026 before it even arrived, asking it to be gentle with us. So what exactly is going on, y’all?

There is so much fear and worry in the air, and honestly, for good reason. No matter what community you belong to, the anxiety is palpable. Groceries are unaffordable, healthcare feels out of reach, and car insurance is outrageous. How are we actually supposed to survive? I trust that the Lord will provide. He always has, but whew! Holy moly.

Temporary Protected Status for the Haitian community is set to end on February 3rd, with no clear plan from the government. People are terrified. There are no alternatives, cortisol levels are through the roof, and we already know what that does to the body: cardiovascular risks, chronic stress, anxiety, deep depression… and that’s before we even touch on the trauma. I genuinely don’t know what to say to those living through this level of hardship. I feel stuck between wanting to support them and fearing I’ll tell the wrong thing. There is so much hurt and anger tied to this sense of powerlessness that even my own struggles feel minuscule by comparison, though they aren’t.

So here I am: tired, trying to survive a harsh winter on coping skills and willpower alone, while also carrying the weight of my local community, my home country, and the world at large. And yet, somewhere in all of this, I’ve decided to seek joy anyway. My peace comes from the Lord, and He calls us to rejoice, doesn’t He? Exactly.

So whatever my “best” looks like on any given day, that’s what I’m giving, and I’m not stopping. I’m not searching for anything extraordinary, just joy wherever I can find it, healthy joy, of course. My insurance isn’t that strong and definitely won’t cover anything outrageous.

Also, let’s be clear, Nene Leakes is back on Bravo, y’all. A brand new day has dawned. That news alone lifted my spirit. That, and those ridiculous AI vegetable videos on TikTok telling me how and when to eat produce? They are truly carrying me. At this point, I’ll take whatever I can get.

So while I’m out here fighting for my life and trying to survive, I’ve also apparently been in the process of adopting some Chinese customs: keeping my feet warm, avoiding cold drinks on an empty stomach, eating warm salads in winter, and even considering soup for breakfast, which I cannot do because I am still fasting, as I mentioned in my previous post.

Am I easily influenced? At this point… probably. We’re all on the same FYP anyway, and the algorithm knows exactly who we are.