If I could reclaim the hours I once lost, I would trade them all for a single night of proper rest. It is a painful wisdom, learned too late, that we often prize the most visible symbols of success while neglecting the invisible foundations upon which all success is built.
I once believed that burning the midnight oil was a testament to my dedication, that surviving on two hours of sleep was a badge of honor. I foolishly viewed time spent sleeping or exercising as time wasted—minutes that could be spent acquiring more, achieving more. I now understand I was not building a life; I was borrowing from it at a ruinous interest rate. The cost of that debt has been paid in diminished focus, compromised health, and the quiet regret of knowing I was not at my best for those who depended on me.
The body keeps a meticulous ledger, and every deficit of sleep, every refusal to move and strengthen the heart, is recorded there. It presents its bill not all at once, but slowly, in the gradual decline of resilience, the shortening of patience, and the silent creep of health concerns like hypertension. We are so eager to invest in things that depreciate—the luxury items, the fleeting status symbols—while withdrawing from the account of our well-being without ever making a deposit.
I have learned, through hard experience, that there is no greater luxury than waking up refreshed, and no greater wealth than sustained vitality. Prioritizing 7-8 hours of sleep is not an indulgence; it is the most fundamental act of stewardship of one's own mind. Regular exercise is not a chore; it is a down payment on a future of independence and strength.
This remorseful understanding led me to develop a simple, 15-minute daily practice. It is my attempt to make amends with my future self. It is a small, consistent investment in the capital of my own health—the only currency that truly grows in value and never truly fails. I share it now not from a place of pride, but from a place of humbling hindsight, in the hope that others might learn from my missteps without having to make them all themselves.
