Posted in Amy Douangmany, Blog, Parenthood, Self Reflection

Dear Diary, I feel the subtle tension of holding on…

and the quiet ache of letting go.

Lately, I’ve found myself caught in a quiet whirlwind. Time has been slipping through my fingers faster than I can hold it, and no matter how much I try to slow it down, I always seem to be running behind it—chasing something I can’t quite name. The days blur, the weeks vanish, and I’m left breathless… not from the pace, but from the weight of everything I’m carrying.

There’s been so much happening all at once. Life has a way of stacking its demands like delicate teacups – each one fragile, necessary, and somehow always teetering. I spoke on my podcast earlier today about how high maintenance life really is. It sounds funny said aloud, but it’s true. To simply exist—especially as a mother – requires so much: water, nourishment, shelter, warmth, connection. Wi-Fi, for goodness’ sake. And if one piece goes missing, everything else begins to unravel.

Then there’s our health. It’s not just about surviving anymore; it’s about maintaining, nourishing, caring. You need appointments, treatments, transportation. And when you don’t have reliable transportation? Even the smallest task becomes a mountain to climb. It’s exhausting sometimes – this constant tending to the needs of life. But I do it, because I’m driven. I want more for myself. I deserve more. And deep down, I know I’m getting closer to a life that feels aligned with who I truly am.

Even my appetite has been changing in ways that surprise me. I’ve been craving simple, comforting meals; things like a messy hot dog, a classic Caesar salad, chicken salad on soft bread, creamy mac and cheese, or even just a humble cup of noodles. It’s almost childlike, the way these foods bring me joy. But it makes sense. As we grow older, even our tastes soften and shift. There’s something sacred about honoring the body you’re in, here and now, before time continues to sculpt and reshape you in ways you didn’t expect. This version of me, in this very moment, is the youngest I’ll ever be again. And that truth humbles me. It reminds me to savor things, to feel them deeply.

And so, I find myself standing in the in-between. I feel the subtle tension of holding on… and the quiet ache of letting go.

There’s a new lifestyle coming; one I’m choosing with full intention. One that asks me to commit, not just to doing better, but to being better. And yet, there’s a part of me that clings to who I’ve been. She’s been strong. She’s survived heartbreak, disappointment, isolation. She’s made something out of nothing. She adapted when life gave her less than she deserved. I love her for that. And it’s hard to say goodbye.

But the next version of me? She doesn’t need to survive anymore. She gets to thrive. Naturally, gently, with ease. She doesn’t hustle for worthiness. She doesn’t shrink herself to fit someone else’s comfort. She expands, blooms, and flourishes because that’s what she’s meant to do.

So this weekend, I’ll be both celebrating and mourning. Honoring the woman who got me here, and welcoming the one who’s long been waiting to be born.

She’s ready.
And so am I.

Posted in Amy Douangmany, Parenthood, Self Reflection

Dear Diary, I still have hope

— hope that one day…

They say, “Don’t make decisions when you’re emotional” — whether you’re too happy or too upset. So, is the world expecting us to only write when we’re numb? If that’s the case, today I’m defying that expectation. The limitations on when I can write don’t apply to me.

It’s weird to say, but I’ve cried a lot of happy tears — and it feels right. Not because life is perfect or because I’m doing well financially, mentally, or physically. Honestly, it’s quite the opposite.
I went to the temple recently and a monk told me, without knowing any context, that I’m just not doing great right now. Life isn’t all rainbows and sunshine. It’s chaotic. And some days feel really discouraging.

But every day, I still wake up and try. I try to be optimistic. I try to be patient. I try to put myself in other people’s shoes even when they don’t do the same for me. I try to understand people — their pain, their losses, their journeys.
But the world doesn’t always return the favor.
People act like I don’t hurt.
Like I don’t need help.
Like I don’t need love or support.

That’s why I feel like life has made me colder, more guarded, more emotionless. Wearing my heart on my sleeve only gave people the opportunity to exploit it, to root for my downfall, to watch and wait for me to fall apart.
It hurts.
It really hurts.
But even in the deepest darkness, I can still see such a beautiful life for myself.

I don’t need perfection.
I don’t need every day to be “great.”
I just need it to be a little better than today.

I’m okay with bad news, with loss, with hardships.
I don’t need to win every single battle.
But the war?
The war, I have to win.

Nothing in this life is free — and I know that.
I accept that.

Sometimes when things get rough, you just want to run away.
You don’t know where you’re going — you just go.
You go to create distance from everything that makes you question yourself.
You go to realize that maybe it’s not you that’s the problem.

Maybe they want me to be the problem so badly that they have spent their entire existence trying to make me into something I’m not.
I can admit when I’m wrong about many things.

I didn’t have a perfect childhood.
But I was always curious. I was always excited.

And just because I’m feminine and want to be loved and cared for, doesn’t mean I want to drain people of their love, their resources, or their spirit.
People misunderstand that about me.
They decide I’m the problem — and then they twist every action, every word, every mistake — to fit the narrative they already created.

They are merciless about it.
They refuse to see me as human.

And that?
That’s something they will have to live with — not me.

It’s okay to walk away from people or situations that don’t serve you.
It’s okay to create distance to find clarity.
And sometimes, with time and reflection, they’ll realize they were the problem all along — not me.

This isn’t just for me.
This is for whoever is reading:
whether you are a police officer, a judge, a mediator, a grocery store worker, a receptionist, a claims manager, an HR manager, a doctor, a nurse, a surgeon, a dentist —
At the end of the day, we are all just human beings.

We are all learning.
We are all battling unseen wars.

It’s okay to forgive.
It’s okay to show grace.
But it’s also okay to draw boundaries.
It’s okay to protect your heart.

The world has capitalized enough on my silence.
They’ve turned fantasies, assumptions, and lies into “truths” simply because I didn’t fight back loud enough.

But no amount of documentation, evidence, or witnesses can change a person’s perception once they have decided who you are in their mind.
That’s their burden to carry.
Not mine.

Judgment comes easy when you’re looking through a tiny, foggy window with no understanding of the full story.
But things change every single day.

And I still have hope — hope that one day, people will realize it’s more important to just be human than to be “right.”

Posted in Amy Douangmany, Healing, narcissist, Parenthood, Self Reflection

Dear Diary, I see a life full of light and love and purpose—

if I keep going.

This past week felt like I was caught in the eye of a storm—chaotic, overwhelming, and nonstop. My plate wasn’t just full; it was overflowing. And somehow, in the middle of pouring into everyone else, I forgot to feed myself—literally and figuratively. I found myself running on nothing. Not even fumes. The cup I was trying to pour from? It wasn’t just empty—it was bone dry. Not a mist, not a drop, not even a trace of H2O.

Over the weekend, my body finally waved the white flag. I hit a wall—fatigue so intense it physically stopped me from helping in a moment I knew mattered. That shook me. It was my wake-up call. A message from my soul saying, “You can’t keep going like this.”

Why do we believe we need to suffer to prove our strength? Why do we think showing up for everyone else at the cost of ourselves is noble? It’s not. I’m learning that honoring my needs and nurturing my well-being isn’t selfish—it’s necessary. Because the love I give, the support I offer, the light I try to be… none of that can exist if I’m running on empty.

When you’re not well, you’re not happy. That’s the truth. And yes, I’ve been taking steps—my vitamins, my iron, being patient with myself—but I’ve also been silently rushing. Not on the outside, but internally, it’s like my spirit is racing at 100 mph. And the thing is, when you’re speeding for so long at a steady pace, you don’t even realize how fast you’re going… until you crash.

I don’t want to crash anymore. I don’t want to live in a loop of burnout and recovery. I want peace. I want balance. And I’m learning—truly learning—that healing is not linear. It doesn’t respond to deadlines. It doesn’t answer to urgency. It requires surrender.

Lately, I’ve felt like time is either flying or frozen. Things feel like they’re happening way too fast and yet, not fast enough. But I get it now—that’s just the illusion stress creates. It disconnects us from the moment and steals the joy that could’ve existed in the now.

Sleep doesn’t even feel like rest anymore. Even when I get enough hours, I wake up just as tired. Because my mind is still holding tension, still running scenarios, still trying to control the uncontrollable. I haven’t been letting go… but I need to.

Because no matter how heavy life gets, it’s never the end. I’ve been through enough storms to know that somehow, some way, I always make it through. It might not look perfect. It might not be pretty. But I survive. I rise. And now, more than ever, I’m learning to just take it day by day, hour by hour.

To live in the now.
To breathe through the chaos.
To rest without guilt.

Because I believe in my future. I see a life full of light and love and purpose—if I keep going. If I don’t give up. If I stay rooted in my “why.” And my why will always be my children. I want them to see me stable. At peace. Thriving. Not stressed and stretched thin.

They remind me often, in their own way, that I’m strong. That I find a way, always. And even when it’s not perfect—it’s enough. And maybe that’s what life really is: not about getting it all right, but simply choosing not to give up.

I refuse to let pride or ego tell me I don’t belong, or that this is the end of my story. Because it’s not. My life is just beginning. And I’ll begin again as many times as I need to—until I get it right.

Posted in Akira, Amy Douangmany, Ariyah, Malynah, Maylana, Parenthood, Self Reflection, Travel

Dear Diary, The answer is always the same.

My children.

It amazes me sometimes—this quiet connection I have with the world when I go live. It’s as if souls I’ve never met are reaching out, asking me, “What’s on your mind?”
What do I think about when I’m in the shower…
When I’m lying in bed with the weight of the day heavy on my chest…
When silence finally wraps around me?

The answer is always the same.
My children.
I wonder if they truly know how much I love them.
I hope they feel it, even in the moments when I can’t be everything they need.
Even when I’m silently fighting to become more than the version of me they see.

Sometimes I think—I’ve been asleep. Not in a literal way, but in the way that dreams die when you stop chasing them.
I’ve been sleeping on my potential.
Not because I don’t believe in it,
but because somewhere along the way, pain became familiar.
I settled into survival… and called it home.

I won’t lie—getting back up is terrifying.
After so many setbacks, staying down started to feel safe.
But I can’t stay here, not anymore.
Not when their future is calling me forward.
Not when my own soul is begging me to rise.

I’m doing this for them.
But also, for the woman I used to dream of becoming.

I could stay where it’s comfortable, where no one expects too much of me.
But I want more.
More joy, more peace, more sunsets on beaches and laughter in warm kitchens.
More moments where I’m fully alive, not just breathing.

I’m too young to waste my light.
Too full of untold stories, unshaken dreams, and unspoken love.

There is so much beauty still waiting for me.
Vacations not yet taken, memories not yet made.
And the thought of holding my babies close under Christmas lights or running through waves in the summer—
That’s enough to keep me going.

I’m not where I want to be…
But I’m not where I used to be either.

And that, dear diary,
is the beginning of everything.

Me

Posted in Amy Douangmany, Self Reflection, Travel

Dear Diary, I’m not home yet—

But I’m on my way.

I guess… this is it. This is life—messy, unpredictable, and far more complicated than I ever imagined. I didn’t see it before, but now I realize even life has a honeymoon phase. Those early years were effortless—pure, carefree. And then it shifts. One day, you wake up and everything feels heavier. Now here I am, trying to make it, one day at a time.

Tonight, I feel restless. I’ve been filling my time, staying busy, focused, distracting myself. But somewhere deep inside, I know there’s got to be more to life than this. All those missed trips—not because I couldn’t go, but because I wouldn’t. I was protecting myself from creating memories that might carry the weight of sadness. It wasn’t the right time then… and maybe it still isn’t. But something in me is stirring. I’m ready for a shift. I’m ready to lean into hope, because that’s what manifesting really is—a choice to believe in better.

I owe myself more. I’ve missed out on so much, but I can feel that changing. Time is precious, and I’m finally ready to honor it. I’m done sitting in the same lane—I’m switching it up. No, I don’t have everything I want, but I have everything I need. And that’s enough to start.

Life has gifted me in so many ways, but sometimes, it still feels like I’m suffocating. Like I have all this air around me, but I just can’t breathe it in right. But I keep reminding myself—five years from now, this moment won’t look the same. I’ve been down long enough, and I’m no longer willing to sell myself short. I’ve seen enough, learned enough, to know my value.

The movie Alpha taught me something important: you may not always know if you’re headed in the right direction, but you always know the destination.

I don’t know exactly when I’ll arrive, but when I do, I promise I’ll care for it deeply. Maybe the secret to living is simply loving where you are. And maybe I can’t fill my home with everyone I love—but I can fill it with their love, with their prayers, with the quiet strength of knowing they’re with me in spirit.

I’m probably on a hypothetically long road trip—maybe by plane, car, or bus. Along the way, I’ll make a few stops here and there. Some will be brief, others longer than expected. Some will bring joy, and some may bring delays and obstacles. After countless journeys to everywhere and anywhere, one thing I know for sure: no matter the path, for me, that final destination will always be home.

I’m not home yet. But I’m on my way.

Posted in Amy Douangmany, Blog, Self Reflection

Dear Diary, I’m not in a rage—

I don’t know if that’s a fault or a benefit.

The ambience I’m feeling right now is quiet, peaceful, and serene. My mind is overwhelmed—there’s so much going on. It feels like waves of emotions constantly rolling in and out of my life, much like my ongoing metro cycle—something inevitable and beyond my control. I’m just eating, giving my body the nutrition it needs to power through this phase. I can feel change happening, slowly but surely, moving in a certain direction. And here I am, just soaking it all in.

I’m not in a rage, and I don’t know if that’s a fault or a benefit. But here I am, just waiting. I can see myself eating for the rest of the evening. I started strong with breakfast and haven’t stopped since. I guess my self-care is naturally expensive, and I’m working on that. I’ve taken small steps, and I hope those steps will get me where I need to be. At the end of the day, if you die, you can’t take your money with you. And even if you could, I’d rather spend it while I’m alive than hoard it for when I’m gone. Inflation and the cost of living will continue to rise, regardless. So, it’s okay to follow that inner voice that says, “Treat yourself, Queen.” And that’s exactly what I’ve been doing.

I don’t know why, but the rain always puts me through a wave of emotions. I can’t quite define them or understand why they affect me the way they do. Maybe it’s just the hold nature has over me. There’s something about Mother Nature crying—let the rain be her tears, the roar and rumble of thunder her heartache. This world is so much bigger than we think. We just need to open our horizons and look past what’s right in front of us because, in the end, it has always been and will always be about the bigger picture.

Posted in Amy Douangmany, Blog, Parenthood

Dear Diary, I remind myself, over and over, —

that I can’t fix everything.

It’s another rainy day, and with it comes that familiar weight—the kind that settles in the chest, soft but heavy, like the sky itself. The clouds stretch endlessly, thick and gray, holding back an ocean of rain we can’t even see. It’s strange to think about, how something so vast and full can hover right above us, unseen yet always there. Maybe that’s how life is too—so much exists beyond what meets the eye, above and beneath the surface, in spaces we never think to look.

I remind myself, over and over, that I can’t fix everything. I can’t save everyone. And maybe that’s okay. Maybe all I really need to do is save myself. Lately, I feel like I’ve been building walls, layering protection, finding ways to shield myself from reality. Not because I don’t care—but because I do. Because everyone is carrying something, and as much as I wish I could, I can’t carry it all for them. There’s a solution for everything, but not every solution is mine to find. The best I can do is take care of my own battles, so I’m not a burden when I want to be a source of strength.

The unknown doesn’t scare me. What matters is that I’m here, in this moment, feeling everything as it comes. I just didn’t think it would be this hard. I guess that’s what happens over time—we wear down, piece by piece, until even the strongest parts of us become fragile. It’s like an old car that’s crossed too many miles; no matter how well you take care of it, the wear and tear adds up. Repairs become inevitable. And maintenance? Maintenance is always expensive.

With love,

Amy Douangmany

Posted in Amy Douangmany, Blog, Healing, Self Reflection

Dear Diary, Grief doesn’t run on schedules, and love doesn’t—

expire with time.

Today, my heart carries a mix of emotions—like waves crashing against the shore, some gentle, some relentless. It’s been a long day, but more than that, it’s been a long time. A visit to Ariyah is always long overdue, yet it never feels like the right time. Maybe because grief doesn’t run on schedules, and love doesn’t expire with time. But it always comes with a weight, a heaviness I try not to bring with me. I want to meet her with love, not sorrow. With peace, not the burdens of everything that’s happened.

The past few years have been relentless. Life hasn’t been still, and I’ve had to learn how to move with it, even when the direction felt uncertain. Coping, adapting, surviving—it all became muscle memory. But what still shakes me is the lack of kindness in this world. The way people choose selfishness over understanding, cruelty over compassion. And I think that’s why I talk about it so much. Because if I can remind just one person to be softer, to be more human, then maybe this world doesn’t have to feel so cold.

As I drove past the Capitol today, after sitting in the World Peace Garden, I saw something that made me pause. A protest, or something like it—elders standing together, holding signs, asking for nothing more than kindness. Just the word: kindness. A simple request, yet one so often denied. I wanted to stand there with them. I should have. There was something sacred in that moment, a kind of magic that whispered, You’re not alone in this fight. And for once, I believed it.

My visit with Ariyah stretched past the sun’s setting. The cemetery, wrapped in the embrace of night, became a maze, and for a moment, I felt lost—not just in direction, but in spirit. Maybe it was the fear of the unknown, or maybe it was the presence of something unseen, something beyond this world. I wanted to stay, to sit in silence a little longer, to let my heart spill into the night air. But my phone went offline, and I knew that was my sign to leave. Sometimes, the universe whispers, and sometimes, it simply takes the choice away.

Life is strange. Beautiful, unpredictable, and at times, painfully poetic. I don’t know which direction I’m going—north, south, east, or west—but does it really matter? Movement is movement. And sometimes, stillness is necessary too. We’re not meant to chase the sun every day. The darkness has its purpose, too.

I used to fear too much time alone, and maybe I still do. The past three days of solitude dug into wounds I thought had closed. Silence has a way of forcing you to listen—to pain, to exhaustion, to the echoes of everything you’ve tried to quiet. But today, I feel different. Today, I am calm. And instead of resisting, I am letting the day take me where it wants to. Because maybe that’s the lesson—to let go, to trust, and to simply exist.

Posted in Amy Douangmany, Blog, Self Reflection

Dear Diary, If we cherish something, it lasts—

(longer).


Today, something happened to me. I had a rush of overwhelming emotions. I went in for my root canal, hoping to save my tooth. For at least 30 minutes, I sat through the drilling, the anesthesia, and everything that came with the procedure. But then, the doctor—told me he couldn’t save it. He was really good at what he did, and I could tell he genuinely cared. He tried everything, and I appreciated his effort. He even looked sad when he broke the news to me.

When I got in my car and started driving, I noticed the heavy gray clouds. It was sprinkling, and for some reason, that made me feel even sadder. It wasn’t just about the tooth—it was everything. It’s been a long journey, and I really wanted to save it. When I first consulted with my primary dentist, they suggested an extraction, but I believed it could be saved with a root canal. I held onto that hope. But as time went on, delays happened, circumstances changed, and maybe—just maybe—that’s why the tooth couldn’t be saved.

Then again, this tooth had been battling my wisdom tooth for years. It suffered damage that wasn’t always visible, injuries that went deeper than the surface. And that’s the thing—just because something looks fine on the outside doesn’t mean it isn’t broken. Just because something seems strong doesn’t mean it can withstand more.

And I guess that applies to me, too. I try to keep myself put together. I internalize things. I minimize the impact of what I’ve been through, pretending it doesn’t affect me. But it does. And honestly, I just wish people would be kinder. Life would be easier if we all approached each other with grace instead of matching rudeness with more rudeness. I’ve learned that when people don’t show you respect, you don’t owe it to them. You don’t have to tolerate disrespect just to be the bigger person. Because when you do, it’s almost like you’re disrespecting yourself.

Today felt like a loss. Not just because of the tooth, but because it reminded me of everything I’ve been through—how much effort I put into things, how much pain I’ve endured, how hard I fight for what I believe in. I just wanted to save it, to follow through with the root canal and crown. But now, the plan has changed. And as much as I hate it, the end result will be the same—I’ll be able to eat and live without pain. It’ll just happen through a different route: an extraction and a dental implant.

I guess that’s life. There’s always an end-of-life for certain things. Roads that used to be there disappear. Stores we used to visit close down. Nothing is permanent.

Despite everything, today had a bright spot. I had lunch with my sister. We always find humor in the chaos of life, mixing dark humor with the reality of our struggles. And as I was driving her back, I noticed she had a tote bag with her—the same one I gave her years ago. It surprised me. I still remembered it, and seeing it again felt special. My other sister, too—she still has a pair of comfortable socks I gave her over 15 years ago. They’re still in great condition.

And that’s what life is about. Taking care of what we have. If we cherish something, it lasts (longer). But even when we take care of things, they can only withstand so much. And that’s okay, too. As long as we do our best to take care of ourselves, everything else will follow suit.

I know that in this lifetime, I love and respect myself. Even when my heart and mind aren’t always in sync, I know that if you take care of something—if you truly cherish it—it may not last forever, but it will last longer than if you had never cared for it at all. It’s in the little things, the details that make life work—the small moments of understanding, the effort put into nurturing not just others but yourself.

I’m learning to take care of my heart, my soul, and my spirit. With this little life of mine, I know that struggles exist for a reason. There are lessons woven into them, even when they feel unbearable. And as much as I sometimes feel like I don’t belong—like everything is just too much—I remind myself that I don’t have to last forever. I just have to last longer than this. Long enough to reach my potential. Nothing more, nothing less.

Posted in Amy Douangmany, Blog, Healing, parenting, Self Reflection

Dear Diary, Life isn’t always going to be pretty

— but it’s mine, and I’m going to live it authentically.

I’ve been thinking a lot lately, reflecting on how dramatically my life has shifted. It feels like closing certain doors, leaving some chapters behind, is gradually lifting me up to new heights. And with that elevation comes a sense of security, a stability that I can feel deep in my bones. It’s as though the warmth of the sun, beginning to break through the clouds, is mirroring the change in me. I feel ready to bloom, to expand with the coming season, and to embrace whatever lies ahead.

I used to find my laughter in scrolling through TikTok, mindlessly passing time, but now, it comes from moments with my family—my children, yes, but also my extended family. The stories we share, the memories that we have built together, seem to pick up right where we left off. It feels like we’ve just stepped back into a conversation we paused years ago. The connections are real, and they resonate so deeply within me. There’s a warmth in that, a comfort that I’ve been waiting for.

And you know, maybe that’s the lesson I’ve been learning: to not isolate myself too much. To not get lost in the idea of being hyper-independent. Sure, there are pros and cons to everything, but people are meant to be in community with one another. Yes, boundaries are important—clear, firm boundaries that define what we will and won’t tolerate—but at the end of the day, life is short. It’s too short not to live it fully, to live it authentically.

I feel overwhelmed with gratitude for the support I’ve received this year. I’m not where I thought I’d be, but I’m where I need to be, and that’s enough. Some might think I’ve been defeated, and maybe at times, it felt like I was, but that’s not the truth. The truth is, I’ve lived and learned, and through it all, I’ve stayed true to myself. I’ve played the hand life dealt me, and I’m still playing it. Maybe the decisions I’ve made in the past don’t seem like the best ones now, but in those moments, with everything I was carrying—my health, my mental state, the weight of being a mother to children, to multiple children—those choices made sense. It was survival. It was the best I could do at the time.

And that’s what I want people to understand: not every life is filled with sunshine and rainbows. Not everyone is living a life of ease, and that’s okay. We all face our battles, our struggles, our moments of darkness. And in that space, I hope we can all hold space for each other, without judgment. Yes, I am human, and I deserve to be treated as such. I won’t tolerate harassment, manipulation, or anyone trying to take advantage of me. I will stand firm in my boundaries, but I also won’t let that stop me from sharing my truth. I won’t hide who I am, what I’ve been through, or what I’ve learned.

I stay in my lane, not inviting animosity or hate, but I do invite connection, understanding, and support. Whether through my live streams, my creativity, or my writing, I want to express myself fully. I want to be real, and I want people to join me in this journey. Life isn’t always going to be pretty, but it’s mine, and I’m going to live it authentically. There will be highs where I feel on top of the world, flourishing, thriving, and living my best life. And there will be lows, too, when I’m struggling to make sense of the darkness. But through it all, I believe we can learn from one another. We can grow together, and that’s what matters.

I am so grateful for every sunrise, for every new day. The sun always shines, no matter how much we see it or how much we appreciate it. It’s always there, offering warmth, offering light. And yet, I’ve learned that too much of anything can be overwhelming, just as too much focus on either the good or the bad in my life will only give you a partial view. My life is a wave—an ebb and flow of everything. It’s deep, never shallow. And I hope we can all take that lesson with us, embracing the fullness of each moment, no matter where we are in our journey.