Spirals of life
Life doesn’t unravel with a bang, it slips away quietly, in spirals. The same momentum that drags you down can also lift you up, one small decision at a time.
One skipped workout. One late night. One missed deadline. Harmless, right? But life doesn’t unravel with a bang, it slips away, quietly, in spirals.
I believe there are two main spirals in life: A downward spiral and an upward spiral.
A Downward Spiral
Spirals are like vortexes in water. Usually, you don't get immediately sucked underwater, but you first get pulled by the current and once you get closer to the center, you disappear. Same way, your life doesn't get ruined overnight. I'll give you an example; After a marathon Sunday night with the new Dexter season, Monday greets you with heavy eyes and the energy of a sedated sloth. You get up, barely eat anything, probably won't even brush your teeth since you're already running late, and get on your way. You arrive 5 minutes late, cortisol through the roof, ungroomed, with the stinking breath of a deceased animal, and your boss is giving you looks of disapproval. Still, everything seems fine. You power through the day with a little help from strong espressos or energy drinks, and you clock out like nothing happened.
But how sustainable is this? How many times can you repeat this whole ordeal before you get fired for underperforming? How many times can you repeat this before your body gives away? Not many... I know because I’ve been there. My last year of high school wasn't the best for me. Especially the second half of the year before graduating. Late night gaming, panicked studying just a few days before exams. Drinking Red Bulls before tests for better concentration. It all led up to me fortunately graduating, but unironically, the first thing I did after arriving home was lying on the floor and just zoning out for 2 hours.
Small, barely noticeable decisions can build momentum—the kind that drags you down, day after day, until something eventually snaps. Maybe it’s your mind, your body, your relationship… or all of them. But momentum doesn’t always have to feed the chaos. The right kind of momentum, just as quietly, can lift your life upward.
It's like that one ancient meme about losing a pen.
- Lost your pen = no pen
- No pen = no notes
- No notes = no study
- No study = fail
- Fail = no diploma
- No diploma = no work
An Upward Spiral
If you think going to the gym for a month will get you jacked, you’re setting yourself up for disappointment. Don’t get me wrong, a month of consistent training can make a big difference in your strength and how you feel. But the results won’t be obvious right away, at least not to the outside world. However, if you keep going, you will get there eventually. What I'm trying to say is that persistence and momentum work both ways. Just like small bad habits can drag you down, small good ones can build you up.
A lot of the times, we give up a new habit or a hobby just because we see no results. However, just because you don't see any progress, doesn't mean it isn't there. Believe it or not, but every time you pick up that guitar or practice coding, you're getting better. It's about celebrating all wins, no matter their size. Did you memorize half the song? That's progress. Coded your first for-loop without Googling it? That's progress. Celebrating all wins and building undeniable proof that you're what you strive to be. It elevates you and pushes you higher and higher.
Lately, one of my small but meaningful wins has been posting something every day for the past five days. It motivates me in a sense that "You've done it before. You can do it again."
The spiral of life will always be here. It's up to you in which direction you let yourself pull.
