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I realised health is wealth, the most unglamorous way possible, through a cold. Not a dramatic, hospital-worthy illness. Just the kind that quietly ruins your will to exist.
It began with a “nothing sneeze”. The kind you ignore because you have convinced yourself you are young, ambitious, and therefore immune to basic human fragility. By night, my throat felt like it had filed a complaint against me. By morning, my nose had resigned from cooperation entirely. I still went about my day, because apparently, I thought ignoring it would intimidate the virus into leaving.
December, by the way. No AC to blame. Just my immunity, tired of being taken for granted.
The fever arrived gently, like a reminder. Not high enough to panic. Just enough to make everything feel heavier: thoughts, limbs, life. Suddenly, tasks that usually take ten minutes felt like life decisions. The tea went cold before I could finish it. I would lie down “for five minutes” and wake up two hours later, confused about the year.
What surprised me wasn’t the sickness. It was the exhaustion underneath it. The kind that doesn’t go away with sleep. The kind that comes from running on deadlines, caffeine, and the belief that rest is something you earn only after collapsing. My body, clearly unimpressed, decided to pull the plug itself.
Burnout doesn’t announce itself with sirens. It slips in quietly. You stop replying to messages. You lose interest in things you usually enjoy. You feel tired even on days you do “nothing”. And then a minor illness shows up and exposes everything you have been ignoring. The cold wasn’t the problem. It was the final straw.
There were, of course, comedic moments. Sneezing mid-sentence and forgetting what I was saying. Walking into a room and standing there like a loading screen. My cats supervised my misery with deep concern, or possibly judgement. I became extremely philosophical while sipping hot water, as if I had discovered an ancient healing ritual.
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But in between the jokes, there was clarity. Health isn’t just about avoiding big diseases. It’s about how casually we disrespect our bodies daily. Skipping meals. Sleeping late like it’s a personality trait. Glorifying exhaustion. Calling burnout “just a phase”.
A cold forces you to slow down. It removes your illusion of control. It humbles you into realising that productivity means nothing if your body refuses to participate. And no amount of “I’ll manage” works when your immune system has logged out.
I didn’t come out of it transformed into a wellness influencer. I still procrastinate. I still overcommit. But I listen now. I rest without guilt. I don’t joke about being sick as if it’s a badge of honour.
Health isn’t dramatic. It’s quiet, boring, and easily neglected, until it’s gone.
So yes, health is wealth. Not because it sounds wise. But because once you lose it, everything else becomes background noise.
Sources: Blogger’s own opinion
Find the blogger: Katyayani Joshi
This post is tagged under: health is wealth, personal blog, winter sickness, burnout culture, immunity matters, mental and physical health, rest is productive, slow living, everyday health, listening to your body, indian lifestyle, wellness reality, tired but trying, healing journey, self care honesty, productivity myth, young adult burnout, health awareness, life lessons
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