One Percent Forward

I wake up in the middle of the night, my tongue feels like sandpaper; I lick my lips looking for moisture, but they're chapped from the dry air. I look over at my bedside table, and my water bottle is empty. I decide to suffer in silence, wishing that my water bottle were full, I would need to get up from the warm, comfortable bed and then open the fridge, where I would feel the cold on my feet, and then I would need to pee because I would be up anyway, which meant turning on the light in the bathroom and that meant to wake up and probably not go back to sleep. So after painting that picture in my head, I decided to stay in bed.

I slowly fall back asleep. I wake up due to a headache which feels like a pounding in my head. I get up and go to the bathroom, I sleepily turn on the light and look in the mirror. My skin is dry and flaky, my lips are chapped, and I look pale.

"Just drink water," I hear my husband's voice in my head.

I mean, I know he's right. Okay, water, not with iced tea, not with coffee, just water. I hate it when he's right. I grab a glass from the cupboard and fill it with the cold water from the fridge. I take a first sip, and I feel better already. I take large gulps, drinking quickly, and I accidentally spill some water on my pyjamas and onto the floor, not caring, I continue drinking. I finished the glass, and my headache is gone; it was dehydration. Damn it! That meant my husband was right.

This was a small win for me, I might be tired and not wanting to go to work, but maybe it's the simple things in life that somehow make it better. I drank water today, my body told me something I know, and I finally gave in and listened to it. I took this small thing as a win, I did not add fruit juice to my water, I did not powder it with iced tea or use Crystal Light, I drank straight-up water. I then proceeded to fill my water bottle to the rim, and I looked at the measurements. I can do this. Today, I will drink all my water in the right amount. I managed one cup of water; maybe I can achieve more than that today. I will not be dehydrated; if I crave sugar, I will drink water, if I see someone else drink water, I will take a sip. Yes! I need this. This is what my body needs.

Every time I drink water, it feels like a quiet reset — a small, refreshing pause that my whole body notices. The first sip is cool and light, washing away dryness and bringing a sense of clarity that’s almost instant. As I let it go down my throat, I can feel my body relaxing, as if every cell is waking up and saying *thank you*. It’s simple, but grounding — a moment that reconnects you to yourself. Whether you’re tired, overwhelmed, or just thirsty, water offers a clean, calming relief that leaves you feeling clearer, more awake, and gently renewed. Yet here I am claiming the iced coffee does the same, when in reality I feel on edge like I need to run a marathon, my heart beats quickly, all my thoughts and emotions come crashing in like a tidal wave, and then I need to find the nearest bathroom. Call it what you want, but this is one percent of moving forward.