09/06/2026
Writing is a strange thing.
Whenever I start talking at work, before I even take that first deep breath, I often share with interested patients the four pillars of good health:
1. What you eat, or your diet
2. The quality, quantity, and timing of your sleep
3. Exercise
4. Stress management
Today, let's skip the first three and go straight to number four.
Stress is everywhere. It is relative, unavoidable, and part of being human. Almost anything can become a source of stress. Something as simple as preparing dinner may feel effortless to one person and overwhelming to another. There is no escaping stress entirely. The important thing is learning to manage it within your body's capacity to cope.
I know people who cleverly combine exercise with stress management. I wish I were one of them.
After all, we were not meant to remain sedentary. Exercise not only sharpens the mind and boosts mood, it also helps clear away some of those dark clouds that gather overhead. To those who have mastered this combination, I salute you.
As for me, I exercise rather reluctantly.
Every time someone tells me to walk more, my first thought is usually, "Do I really have to walk?". I dislike walking because, to the rabbit in me, it feels painfully slow. Running, on the other hand, and occasionally bouncing on my trampoline, make it onto my wellness checklist. Good health and good skin are my powerful motivators.
Whatever your stress buster may be, find it and start small. Even standing in the morning sun for a few minutes is a good beginning.
My own therapy is writing.
I was blessed with a physically large head by my parents, and I like to think there is a reasonably-sized brain inside it as well. My mind is constantly filled with words. Depending on my energy levels and state of health, I string those words into sentences and hope they mean something.
I enjoy observing people and watching the world around me. I make mental notes, and sometimes those observations find their way onto this page. I am curious about many things, and more than once I have started writing about subjects I do not fully understand, simply because I wanted to understand them better.
Writing is a strange thing.
It feels deeply personal while I am creating it, but the moment I publish it, it becomes vulnerable to silence.
I enjoy knowing that someone has connected with a piece, yet readers can be frustratingly quiet. Sometimes that silence discourages me. Over time, however, I have realised that not every piece finds its audience immediately. The only thing I can do is keep writing until the next bout of writer's block arrives. Hopefully, somewhere along the way, a few words might bring comfort or companionship to someone who needs it.
Writing also lets me make sense of this complicated world. In the end, it probably helps me more than it helps anyone else.
So I will keep writing, whether anyone reads it.
Gambatte ne.
