readers blog Archives - Thoughtpotarts

Jul

Not All Pain Is Visible!

Some pains are visible.
But the ones that aren’t?
They’re the hardest to explain — and often the most misunderstood.

For months, I’ve been navigating a health journey that no one could see, but it has deeply changed how I feel, move, think, and live.

Unsure! Confused! Whether to share or not. And YES I am…sharing it.
It’s for awareness, truth, and maybe for someone out there who is silently struggling too.

When the Invisible Becomes Loud

I experienced:

Severe jaw, ear, and temple pain
Sharp, unbearable headaches
Numbness and tingling in fingers, Muscle spasms
Weakness and pain in both arms
Memory lapses, confusion, panic
Episodes of dizziness and unexplained fatigue

To others, on the outside, I looked “fine.”
But inside, I was breaking.
I couldn’t laugh, cry, talk, enjoy, or even move my neck without pain.
It was scary.

Diagnosis Wasn’t Easy

I went from one doctor to another — most said:

“Take painkillers.”
“It’s stress.”
“Do some exercises. You’ll be fine.”

But I knew something was wrong.
I wasn’t just anxious — I was hurting every single day.
Sleeping hurt. Even touching my face, head, or turning my neck felt like a nerve was being pulled tight from the inside.

What Was Actually Happening (Medically and Physically)!

My X-ray revealed that my cervical spine had straightened unnaturally, with bone spurs pressing against my nerves.

The first person to truly take this seriously was my dentist.
After listening to all my symptoms and examining the reports, he calmly said:

“We need an MRI, including the left side and brain.”

That hit hard!
But it also gave me relief — finally, someone understood something deeper was going on.

Before going ahead with the MRI, we chose to try an integrated healing path:
Acupressure and Acupuncture.

The Healing Path

My therapist explained how the nerves connected to my brain, jaw, ears, arms, and spine were under strain.
He said:

“Your nerves have weakened over time. Even a slight trigger and touch can now cause intense pain.”

Since then, I’ve been undergoing:

Acupressure & Acupuncture
Magnetic and Color Therapy
Postural correction & lifestyle changes

I’m not fully healed yet. Some days I still wake up with pain.
Sometimes I forget words. I feel blank. I feel slow.

But healing isn’t just about medicine.
It’s about listening, honoring your limits, and changing how you sit, sleep, think, and treat yourself.

Above all, healing is about believing you can get better.

What I’ve Learned

This journey taught me things people rarely speak about:

Not all pain is visible
Anything can happen at any time — so LIVE
Healing is not linear or fast
And even when no one understands, you must keep going anyway

I’ve learned to respect my body.
To pause.
To stop proving myself and start healing myself.

What I Want People To Understand

If someone says they’re in pain, believe them.
Even if they look okay.
Even if their medical reports are “normal.”

The most dangerous damage is often the one you can’t see.

So be kind. Be patient.
And never underestimate what chronic nerve pain or invisible illness can do to a person.

I’m Still Healing — But I’m Still Here

I’m grateful for my art — it’s the only thing that’s kept me sane.
And I’m thankful for the few people who truly stood by me, even when I couldn’t explain anything.

So if you’re reading this, and you’re struggling, let this be your reminder:
✨ You matter.
✨ Your pain is real.
✨ You’re stronger than you think.

Stay kind to yourself and keep smiling.

Thank you so much for reading.

Lots of Love,

Thoughtpotarts

May

Always be a Student

Recently, I finished reading Show your work, one of the three books by Austin Kleon. The other two books are Steal Like an Artist and Keep Going. I have planned to re-read them.

In the chapter ‘Begin Again‘ of Show your Work, Austin Kleon explained that one should never settle for being a master in just one subject but always be ready to learn something new and grow.

As a curious and impatient individual, I’m always trying new things, such as styles and mediums of art, representing ideas in different ways, etc. And this has made me face plenty of questions regarding my specialty during job interviews since the areas of work have always been diverse.

Does this make me a master in all the things on my list?

No, I am not a master because I believe once you master something, an evolution of that subject happens. A simple example would be Adobe Flash turning to Adobe Animate and the use of Adobe Animate turning to Toonboom Harmony or even classical animation turning to 3D animation. Evolution and growth are unstoppable.

Imagine if Windox XP continued to date, or the level of technology was still the same as it was in the early 90s or something!

Everything needs to grow, which does not mean that whatever was there previously or whatever you have learned to date has expired. It is with you. The only thing that happens is an enhancement and expansion of you along with your skills to grow and move ahead.

And that is what Austin Kleon also explained. A new beginning is what everyone needs, again and again, to move on.

Recently, I have been sharing Character designs using reference photos. And that is something new to me. It has been an exciting development in my art journey. I enjoy doing it for two reasons: firstly, it has improved my ability to design characters, and secondly, it has enabled me to use my other skills, like doodling, inking style, etc, to create something unique. I believe what I am trying to share is understandable now 😉

So, why I wrote this Blog?

I wrote it because I wanted to share with you that wherever you are, at whatever age you are, plus if you feel stuck, just become a student again, a child, and learn something new and move ahead.

Remember, I made fridge magnets recently and also made character designs!

(Did you check the video? 😉

Relax, Breathe, be a child, a student, and keep moving forward with a positive mind and belief.