Mental Health · by Elif Yılmaz · 2026-09-09

A tiny win from Jakarta that made my week before coffee

I had a disappointing first try, a surprisingly good second try, and then a third attempt that taught me humility. So, naturally, I now have opinions.

Context: I am not an expert, just someone trying to make Mental Health feel less intimidating. I wrote down what worked, what felt awkward, and what I would do differently next time.

I had a disappointing first try, a surprisingly good second try, and then a third attempt that taught me humility. So, naturally, I now have opinions.

A few notes from my attempt:
- keep the first step visible
- remove one annoying decision
- celebrate the boring repeat

31 sparks · 11 comments

Comments

Olena Shevchenko · 11 likes

Interesting. I would like to see how it changes after 8 months. This pairs weirdly well with shakshuka.

Angel Reyes · 2 likes

Helpful and not preachy, which is rare. The Buenos Aires example makes it feel concrete.

Cedar Comet · 3 likes

Yep, the boring details matter.

Kabir Khan · 1 likes

This reminds me of something a friend in Jakarta mentioned. I keep a note about habits for exactly this reason.

Mateo Cruz · 25 likes

Anecdote beats theory here.

Elif Yılmaz · 12 likes

This is the kind of disagreement I like.

Pixel Atlas · 1 likes

This is the kind of useful internet I still show up for. My only addition is to make the first step visible.

Chiara Romano · 0 likes

I appreciate the honest middle stage, not just the polished ending. The practical part is easy to underestimate. Glad you shared the messy version too.

Midnight Panda · 2 likes

That is fair, but I still worry about maintenance.

Emma Tremblay · 1 likes

Fair pushback.

Tiny Comet · 0 likes

I appreciate the honest middle stage, not just the polished ending. I would love to see a follow-up after 9 weeks.