Each day’s a new beginning.

I walk through the same sleeping streets almost every morning. Contemplate on getting a small hot chocolate before I start work. With those extra fifteen minutes to spare, I’ll occasionally squeeze out a couple of mins to listen to the churns of the espresso machine. 

Today, however, I leave Costa with both hands full. In one hand I’m holding a paper cup filled to the top and in the other, I’m carrying a paper bag; containing a thermal travel cup. After God knows how many full-moons of looking at the rows of travel cups, I finally picked up the one that always caught my eye. I’ve been tempted to buy it during every visit, yet never reached out to take one off the shelf. Nothing’s ever stopped me from making the purchase. I as always just held myself back. Told myself countless times “I don’t need one”, “it’s an unnecessary purchase”, “I’ll never use it”, “I’ll keep coming back to Costa for hot chocolate”. 

The thoughts never ended there, they made their way back to the forefront as soon as I turned my direction towards the cup as if waiting for that right moment. Although today I stood up to them, hushed each and every remark. As I did so, I picked up the travel cup, took it to the counter and put a tapped end to the unwanted commentary. I simply asked myself one question “why do I need to go to other places to buy the drink I like when I have all the ingredients to make it myself?”. I’ll make a few adjustments to my morning routine, now that I own a travel cup. Give myself a few extra minutes to heat the milk, add in a few spoons of hot chocolate powder and fill the top with cream, just the way I like it. 

In the pursuit of ambition blended with happiness, I remind myself each day my joy begins from within. I am the curator of my own happiness.