diff --git a/lua/core/default_config.lua b/lua/core/default_config.lua
index 91147f9..c7c3ba8 100644
--- a/lua/core/default_config.lua
+++ b/lua/core/default_config.lua
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@
 -- use custom/chadrc.lua instead
 
 local M = {}
-M.options, M.ui, M.mappings, M.plugins = {}, {}, {}, {}
 
 M.options = {
    -- custom = {}
diff --git a/lua/core/utils.lua b/lua/core/utils.lua
index be6da90..ee1002e 100644
--- a/lua/core/utils.lua
+++ b/lua/core/utils.lua
@@ -137,57 +137,21 @@ M.hide_statusline = function()
    end
 end
 
--- load config
--- 1st arg = boolean - whether to force reload
--- Modifies _G._NVCHAD_CONFIG global variable
 M.load_config = function(reload)
-   -- only do the stuff below one time, otherwise just return the set config
-   if _G._NVCHAD_CONFIG_CONTENTS ~= nil and not (reload or false) then
-      return _G._NVCHAD_CONFIG_CONTENTS
-   end
+   local conf = require "core.default_config"
 
-   -- these are the table value which will be always prioritiezed to take user config value
-   local to_replace = {
-      "['mappings']['plugins']['esc_insertmode']",
-      "['mappings']['terminal']['esc_termmode']",
-      "['mappings']['terminal']['esc_hide_termmode']",
-   }
+   local chadrcExists, _ = pcall(require, "custom.chadrc")
 
-   local default_config = "core.default_config"
-   local config_file = vim.fn.stdpath "config" .. "/lua/custom/" .. "chadrc.lua"
+-- if chadrc exists , then merge its table into the default config's
 
-   -- unload the modules if force reload
-   if reload then
-      package.loaded[default_config or false] = nil
-      package.loaded["chadrc" or false] = nil
-   end
+if chadrcExists then
+   local change = require "custom.chadrc"
+   conf = vim.tbl_deep_extend("force", conf, change)
+   return conf 
+end
 
-   -- don't enclose in pcall, it better break when default config is faulty
-   _G._NVCHAD_CONFIG_CONTENTS = require(default_config)
-
-   -- user config is not required to run nvchad but a optional
-   -- Make sure the config doesn't break the whole system if user config is not present or in bad state or not a table
-   -- print warning texts if user config file is  present
-   -- check if the user config is present
-   if vim.fn.filereadable(vim.fn.glob(config_file)) == 1 then
-      local present, config = pcall(require, "custom/chadrc")
-      if present then
-         -- make sure the returned value is table
-         if type(config) == "table" then
-            -- data = require(config_name)
-            _G._NVCHAD_CONFIG_CONTENTS = require("core.utils").merge_table(
-               _G._NVCHAD_CONFIG_CONTENTS,
-               config,
-               to_replace
-            )
-         else
-            print("Warning: chadrc " .. " sourced successfully but did not return a lua table.")
-         end
-      else
-         print("Warning: " .. config_file .. " is present but sourcing failed.")
-      end
-   end
-   return _G._NVCHAD_CONFIG_CONTENTS
+-- or load default config
+   return conf
 end
 
 M.map = function(mode, keys, cmd, opt)
@@ -238,88 +202,6 @@ M.map = function(mode, keys, cmd, opt)
    map_wrapper(mode, keys, cmd, options)
 end
 
--- Base code: https://gist.github.com/revolucas/184aec7998a6be5d2f61b984fac1d7f7
--- Changes over it: preserving table 1 contents and also update with table b, without duplicating
--- 1st arg - base table
--- 2nd arg - table to merge
--- 3rg arg - list of nodes as a table, if the node is found replace the from table2 to result, rather than adding the value
--- e.g: merge_table(t1, t2, { ['mappings']['plugins']['bufferline'] })
-M.merge_table = function(into, from, nodes_to_replace)
-   -- make sure both are table
-   if type(into) ~= "table" or type(from) ~= "table" then
-      return into
-   end
-
-   local stack, seen = {}, {}
-   local table1, table2 = into, from
-
-   if type(nodes_to_replace) == "table" then
-      -- function that will be executed with loadstring
-      local replace_fn = function(node)
-         local base_fn = [[
-         return function(table1, table2)
-         local t1, t2 = table1_node or false , table2_node or false
-         if t1 and t2 then
-               table1_node = table2_node
-         end
-         return table1
-         end]]
-
-         -- replace the _node in base_fn to actual given node value
-         local fn = base_fn:gsub("_node", node)
-         -- return the function created from the string base_fn
-         return loadstring(fn)()(table1, table2)
-      end
-
-      for _, node in ipairs(nodes_to_replace) do
-         -- pcall() is a poor workaround for if "['mappings']['plugins']['esc_insertmode']" 'plugins' sub-table does not exist
-         local ok, result = pcall(replace_fn, node)
-         if ok then
-            -- if the node is found then replace
-            table1 = result
-         end
-      end
-   end
-
-   while true do
-      for k, v in pairs(table2) do
-         if type(v) == "table" and type(table1[k]) == "table" then
-            table.insert(stack, { table1[k], table2[k] })
-         else
-            local present = seen[v] or false
-            if not present then
-               if type(k) == "number" then
-                  -- add the value to seen table until value is found
-                  -- only do when key is number we just want to append to subtables
-                  -- todo: maybe improve this
-
-                  for _, value in pairs(table1) do
-                     if value == v then
-                        present = true
-                        break
-                     end
-                  end
-                  seen[v] = true
-                  if not present then
-                     table1[#table1 + 1] = v
-                  end
-               else
-                  table1[k] = v
-               end
-            end
-         end
-      end
-      if #stack > 0 then
-         local t = stack[#stack]
-         table1, table2 = t[1], t[2]
-         stack[#stack] = nil
-      else
-         break
-      end
-   end
-   return into
-end
-
 -- load plugin after entering vim ui
 M.packer_lazy_load = function(plugin, timer)
    if plugin then
diff --git a/lua/custom/example_chadrc.lua b/lua/custom/example_chadrc.lua
index 02d5566..f503361 100644
--- a/lua/custom/example_chadrc.lua
+++ b/lua/custom/example_chadrc.lua
@@ -1,39 +1,10 @@
--- IMPORTANT NOTE : This is the user config, can be edited. Will be preserved if updated with internal updater
--- This file is for NvChad options & tools, custom settings are split between here and 'lua/custom/init.lua'
-
 local M = {}
-M.options, M.ui, M.mappings, M.plugins = {}, {}, {}, {}
 
--- NOTE: To use this, make a copy with `cp example_chadrc.lua chadrc.lua`
+-- make sure you maintain the structure of `core/default_config.lua` here,
+-- example of changing theme:
 
---------------------------------------------------------------------
-
--- To use this file, copy the structure of `core/default_config.lua`,
--- examples of setting relative number & changing theme:
-
--- M.options = {
---    relativenumber = true,
--- }
-
--- M.ui = {
---   theme = "nord"
--- }
-
--- NvChad included plugin options & overrides
-M.plugins = {
-   options = {
-      --   lspconfig = {
-      --    path of file containing setups of different lsps (ex : "custom.plugins.lspconfig"), read the docs for more info
-      --    setup_lspconf = "",
-      --   },
-   },
-   -- To change the Packer `config` of a plugin that comes with NvChad,
-   -- add a table entry below matching the plugin github name
-   --              '-' -> '_', remove any '.lua', '.nvim' extensions
-   -- this string will be called in a `require`
-   --              use "(custom.configs).my_func()" to call a function
-   --              use "custom.blankline" to call a file
-   default_plugin_config_replace = {},
+M.ui = {
+   theme = "gruvchad",
 }
 
 return M