The Modern Day Caveman

Day 13 of my 365 challenge arrived and, coincidentally, it marked my 13^th anniversary with my girlfriend.

As mentioned a few days ago, the past few weeks we’ve been on a ‘break’, giving each other space to process everything that’s happened over the past 2 years and I spend some time focusing on self-improvement and my mental health.

After the lovely, reflective day we had on my birthday, I was really looking forward to spending some more time together and reconnecting.

What I didn’t quite expect was just how emotional I’d be.

We’d planned to go to the zoo, before going for a little bit of shopping and then out for dinner. Well, before we’d even got out the car at the zoo, we were both emotional wrecks, crying and discussing our emotions. We literally sat and chatted for about an hour in the car park before composing ourselves and heading in to make the most of the day.

Once we did, the rest of the day felt incredibly grounding. We reminisced about how much we’ve been through together over the past 13 years: finishing school, starting our careers, buying and selling a house, getting our dog, travelling, and navigating some really hard times. It’s a lot for anyone to go through, let alone as a couple.

We talked for hours, and it honestly felt like we could have carried on all night. Looking back, I still can’t quite put into words what it feels like to be loved so unconditionally. After everything I’ve put her through – the mental health struggles, the addiction, the mistakes – she still finds it in her heart to love me.

I know I’ve taken that for granted before, but today really reminded me how lucky I am to have that kind of love in my life.

Metrics

• Steps: 23,198
• Garmin Stress Score: 42
• Mental Health Rating: 5/10
• Remaining Debt: £39,781.83 (-£303.50 down on yesterday)

Food Log

• Breakfast: Scrambled eggs, sourdough toast, orange juice
• Lunch: Quorn chicken & stuffing sandwich, crisps
• Dinner: Margherita pizza, garlic bread
• Snacks: Caramel Frappuccino

It was tough seeing her and knowing it’ll be a while before we see each other again, but today reminded me how strong our bond really is. We’ve been through a lot, and even with the space between us, there’s still love and respect there. That means more to me now than it ever has.