Selina didn’t realise she’d been living in “maintenance mode” until the day she caught herself staring at a job posting taped to the café’s notice board.
It wasn’t anything dramatic — just a flyer for a short hospitality course offered at the local TAFE. Three evenings a week. Affordable. Practical. A stepping stone.
She stood there longer than she meant to, reading the details twice, then a third time. Her heart thudded softly in her chest.
Jonah walked past, carrying a tray of clean mugs. “You thinking about it?” he asked casually.
Selina startled. “What? Oh. I don’t know.”
“You’d be good at it,” he said. “You already run half this café.”
She laughed, embarrassed. “I just do my job.”
“Yeah,” he said, “and you do it well.”
The words lingered in her mind long after her shift ended.
On the walk home, she replayed them over and over. You’d be good at it. You already run half this café.
She didn’t know if it was true. But she wanted it to be.
Inside her apartment, she placed her bag down and stood in the quiet. Her basil plant caught the late‑afternoon light, glowing like a tiny green lantern. She touched a leaf gently.
“I want more,” she whispered.
It felt strange to say it out loud. Strange, but right.
She didn’t want riches or luxury. She didn’t want a perfect life. She just wanted… more. More stability. More confidence. More future.
She opened her pantry, wanting to cook something that tasted like possibility — something warm, bright, and a little daring. She found rice, turmeric, garlic, and a small carrot she’d forgotten she had.
Perfect.
Tonight she would make Golden Turmeric Rice with Garlic Carrot, a dish she’d invented during a week when she needed courage more than comfort. It was vibrant, bold, and tasted like a small step toward something bigger.
As she cooked, she felt her thoughts settle. As the rice turned golden, she felt her chest loosen. As she plated the dish, she felt something she hadn’t allowed herself in a long time:
Ambition.
She sat at her table, took a slow bite, and let the warmth spread through her.
She wasn’t just surviving anymore. She wasn’t just rebuilding. She was reaching.
And for the first time, she believed she deserved to.
RECIPE — GOLDEN TURMERIC RICE WITH GARLIC CARROT
Bright, bold, cheap, and perfect for days when you finally let yourself want more.
Ingredients
1 cup rice
2 cups water
1 tsp turmeric
1 clove garlic (or garlic powder)
1 carrot, sliced thin
2 tbsp oil
Salt & pepper
Method
Sauté garlic and carrot in oil until softened.
Add rice and turmeric; stir to coat.
Pour in water, add salt and pepper, and bring to a simmer.
Cook until rice is fluffy and golden.
Serve warm.
Notes
Costs under $3 for two servings.
Add chickpeas or peas if you have them.
Tastes like courage in a bowl.
and then Add to home screen.