Health Is the Ultimate Wealth (And We Forget Until It’s Gone)

Zahra Khan
Jan 16
2 min read

I’ve never taken my health for granted. I don’t abuse my body. I try to eat mindfully. I stay aware of what I put into my system. And yet, this year reminded me of something I already knew but hadn’t felt this deeply in a while.

When your health is down, nothing else matters.

Not goals. Not plans. Not productivity.

Just getting better.

When Everything Else Pauses

Like clockwork, every year since COVID, there’s a viral flu that seems to hit harder around December. This year, it hit my family.

The holidays didn’t look like celebrations or rest. They looked like caretaking, fatigue, and recovery. I spent one week taking care of my family and the next week sick myself, trying to get my strength back. The entire holiday season passed in survival mode.

And that’s when it clicked.

We can want everything in life - success, growth, achievements, progress but when health is compromised, the only goal becomes getting back to baseline.

Nothing else even makes the list.

The Illusion of “I’ll Do It Later”

Most of the time, we live as if health is guaranteed.

We say:

I’ll rest later
I’ll eat better later
I’ll start moving more once things slow down

But sickness doesn’t wait for a convenient time. It doesn’t care about your calendar, your deadlines, or your plans. When your body forces you to stop, you realize how fragile momentum really is.

Health Makes Everything Else Possible

Ambition means nothing without energy. Discipline means nothing without strength. Success means nothing without the ability to enjoy it.

Health isn’t just another goal, it’s the foundation every other goal depends on.

You can’t grind your way out of illness. You can’t “push through” when your body says no.

And once you’re sick, the mindset shifts instantly: I just want to feel normal again.

What I’m Being More Intentional About This Year

This experience didn’t scare me, it grounded me.

This year, I’m being more intentional with my health, not in extreme ways, but in sustainable ones.

That looks like:

Continuing to reduce sugar
Being more physically active
Prioritizing strength building

And most importantly, understanding that strength requires fuel.

You can’t build muscle, resilience, or endurance if you’re under-eating or skipping meals. Being strong means eating enough, consistently, and intentionally, not perfectly.

Health isn’t about aesthetics. It’s about capacity.