I remember the first time I heard that Karol G song called "Mañana Será Bonito", and in the lyrics she says, "el león solo era un gatito"“the lion was just a kitten.” It was early in the morning, and I was out for a run through the streets near my house, trying to release some stress. My mind was tangled with work problems one of those times when sleep escapes you, when everything feels like a dead end, when your thoughts are clouded and anxiety takes over.
And then, right there in the middle of my run, with my headphones on, that song started playing. I had never heard it before, but that one phrase struck me so deeply that it stuck with me.
It made me realize something obvious, but also hard to grasp: there are days when problems seem so big, it feels hard to even breathe. My heart races, my body tenses up, and all I can imagine are worst-case scenarios. A situation that might be small becomes, for me, something monstrous.
But then… time passes. The fear fades. Maybe the problem got resolved, or maybe it’s still there, but somehow, it just doesn’t feel the same anymore. I look back and realize that what once felt like a lion ready to attack me… was just a kitten. Nothing more.
Lately, whenever I feel things spinning out of control, I try to repeat those words to myself. I put the song on, sing it (sometimes with a forced smile at first), take a deep breath, and choose to lean into gratitude. I try to remind myself that not everything is as terrible as my anxiety makes it seem.
Because often, the things I fear the most just need a bit of patience, some silence, a chance to find myself again… and a dose of faith, of trust.
So today, I give thanks for that:
Thank you to the lions that were just kittens.
Thank you to the fears that quiet down.
Thank you to the storms that are just passing showers.
Thank you to the falls that taught me how to get back up.
Thank you to life for reminding me I’m stronger than I think.
I’ve come to realize that every time I practice gratitude, I understand it all a little more: the monsters shrink with time. What once brought fear now brings wisdom. The problems don’t always disappear, but my ability to carry them transforms.
And if today you’re feeling overwhelmed by something, take a deep breath, and give thanks, because maybe, just maybe… that lion is also just a kitten.
Grateful to have you here, heart to heart.
Melli
