The Story So Far: A Journey Toward Wellness and Empowerment

Hi there! I’m glad you found your way to my blog—even if it was by mistake 🙂. I’m Zaahid, an Analytics Manager, a full-time hobbyist, and a health and wellness enthusiast (also a full-time hobby). So, why this blog and why am I so passionate about caring for myself in every way possible? Here, I hope to share my story and give you a better understanding of why I do what I do, with the hope that you, my readers, can relate and take something meaningful from it.

Here goes: I was born with a leg length discrepancy (my left leg being shorter than my right). During my early years, up until primary school, I didn’t notice any issues—in fact, I was really good at running, and my many gold medals attest to that. My leg never bothered me at all. However, sometime during primary school, my parents took me to see an orthopedic surgeon. I don’t recall my exact age or the surgeon’s name, but I do remember my mum paraphrasing his words: “Don’t use corrective shoes unless you want to embarrass the child.” I can’t recall exactly what the surgeon said, but I do know that I never received corrective shoes or an insole to address the imbalance.

As the years passed, I began to find standing, walking, and running increasingly difficult—my gold medals stopped coming in, and I eventually avoided running altogether. My right knee absorbed most of the strain because I couldn’t fully extend it while standing or walking. Over time, my right hip also became overworked. This imbalance led to pain in my right knee and hip, uneven shoulder heights, and tight back muscles from constantly rounding my back. I’m not entirely sure why my back defaulted to a rounded position, but it felt natural given that one leg was longer than the other. I suppose that was my body’s way of trying to correct the imbalance. Overall, I was in pain, uncomfortable, and overly conscious about how I walked, stood, and presented myself to others.

At that time, I lacked both the knowledge and financial resources to do anything about it—I thought I was stuck that way for life. Looking back, I’m surprised I had that mindset. A few years later, when I started college and the pain grew more pronounced, my brother and parents took it upon themselves to find a podiatrist for me. The podiatrist had me walk on a foot scan mat and measured my leg lengths. It turned out that my right leg was 3 cm longer than my left. He then provided me with a custom-made shoe insole—initially a 2 cm lift that was later expanded to 3 cm after a few months. For a second opinion, my general doctor referred me to another orthopedic surgeon, who confirmed that the shoe insole had no negative effects (more on this in a future blog post). Although the transition wasn’t entirely smooth—I even got headaches from the adjustments in the way I stood and walked—it was an improvement and a starting point on my journey toward becoming the best version of myself.

Today, I’m a product of the challenges I’ve faced. My blog posts and videos share the lessons I’ve learned from my experiences, which began with the way I was built. Don’t get me wrong—I wouldn’t change my body for anything, as it has significantly shaped who I am. I hope my blog posts and videos genuinely reflect my thoughts and learnings, and that you can connect with them.

P.S. As I’m just beginning my digital journey, my website will undergo constant changes in design and style. Starting on February 12, 2025, I will write more about my challenges (including my leg length discrepancy and others) and the lessons I’ve learned from them. I will also share guides and resources to help you grow along with our community.