08/17/2026
I had Bell’s palsy in my early 20s, and honestly, it really messed with my confidence and self-esteem for a while. I became so aware of every little thing about my face—things other people probably never even noticed.
Fast-forward to now, and I’ve gotten older and realized just how lucky I am that my face recovered and went back to almost normal. People tell me they don’t even notice anything, but of course… I notice. 😂
And then there’s the little puffiness around my eye. I’ll lift my eyelid like this to inspect it. Suddenly everyone has questions. 😂 But only Habesha people will understand what happens next: they won’t just ask about your eye. They’ll give you a full health assessment. 😭😂
“You’re getting fat, lose weight.”
“You’re too skinny, eat more!”
“Why is your face like that?”
“Are you okay?” 😂😂
Habesha people: keeping you humble since forever. ❤️😂
But seriously, as I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized how incredibly lucky I am. Bell’s palsy doesn’t completely resolve for everyone. Some people are left with permanent changes, and their face never fully returns to how it was before. Knowing that makes me appreciate my recovery so much more.
What once made me feel insecure is now something I’ve learned to accept, appreciate, and even laugh about. My face healed, my confidence grew, and I’m just grateful that I get to look in the mirror and see me. ❤️
And yes… I’m still lifting this eyelid because apparently I need to personally inspect the situation. 😂
