Stress Anxiety Life Lessons

3 Things You Must Know About Anxiety

Anxiety feels like the world is against you, but that’s not true. In fact, it’s all you. Even if the world suddenly became amazing right now, you’d still feel the pangs of anxiety; the fretting mind, the aching stomach, the hunched shoulders, and the undeniable belief that everything is out of control. Yeah, I’ve been there too. And yes, I wish I could give you … Continue reading 3 Things You Must Know About Anxiety

Overthinking how to know when you're thinking too much

How To Know When You’re Thinking Too Much

Whenever I feel like I’m thinking too much, I ask myself: is this really as big a problem as I think it is? More often than not, it isn’t worth my peaking stress levels. And sometimes it’s not even a problem to begin with! Today, for example, my thoughts spiraled around whether this blog is good enough and if I should change it. And all … Continue reading How To Know When You’re Thinking Too Much

Gay Conversion Therapy Is Not “Therapy”

Nor is it “conversion” for that matter… Therapy, n. (Theh-ru-pee)Meaning: treatment intended to relieve or heal a disorder. As an openly gay man, it’s impossible to consider my sexuality as a disorder. I’m clearly not confused since I made my mind up years ago. And being gay can’t be an illness if it doesn’t adversely affect me — or others, providing the sex is consensual … Continue reading Gay Conversion Therapy Is Not “Therapy”

People hugging. Image: Helena Lopes via Unsplash

3 Things I Want To Do When This Pandemic Ends

When you live in a country that has flipped between hard lockdowns and freedom, it’s quite easy to get sentimental. Possibly angry, too. Currently, I’m in lockdown in Sydney, Australia due to a virulent strain of Covid-19 — which truly sucks considering we were going so well. We could dance in nightclubs, dine in at restaurants, and have sex with irregular partners. But here we … Continue reading 3 Things I Want To Do When This Pandemic Ends

Take Yourself On A Date

It may seem weird going on a date by yourself, but that’s only because we live in a social society. We fear the label of ‘Loner’ as if it’s a terrible thing. But all those people who label others as such are controlled by that fear themselves. Or they don’t love themselves enough. They require constant affection from others to feel good. So I implore … Continue reading Take Yourself On A Date

Resurfacing from stress water surface float

Meditation Is Simply Not Thinking

What comes to mind when I say the word meditation? Monks? The word ‘om’? Most of us would conjure up the image of someone sitting cross-legged while pinching their fingers. But meditation is simpler than that. And no, you don’t have to sit cross-legged to experience the benefits. As someone who’s dealt with anxiety thanks to a rampant mind, I know all too well the … Continue reading Meditation Is Simply Not Thinking

African girl standing out in confetti. Image: Brian Kyed via Unsplash

Matter Over Mind: An Unconventional Approach To Being Happy

I’m gonna let you in on a little secret here: your mind is not an all-seeing god. It can produce misinformation quicker than a QAnon quack – and, if you’re not observant enough, you’ll believe it. So, sometimes you need to look at the matter before you make up your mind. As a writer, one of the greatest pieces of misinformation I deal with is … Continue reading Matter Over Mind: An Unconventional Approach To Being Happy

Overcoming loneliness

Overcoming Loneliness In A Pandemic

Let’s face it, this pandemic has dampened our social lives. Is it just me, or are the days just blending together? It seems that all we have at the moment is work and home, home and work. And it feels so polarising. We have to suffer from finding connections through the virtual world, with our friends and family. And when we do meet up in … Continue reading Overcoming Loneliness In A Pandemic

Emotional intelligence. Image: Antonino Visalli on Unsplash

How To Practice Emotional Intelligence

Intelligence is not about what you know but how you know. For instance, you know that no other word rhymes with orange – not because I just told you, but because you’re actively trying to find a word that does. You are applying knowledge to a conundrum and finding the truth. This is also true for emotional intelligence. To be emotionally intelligent, you need to … Continue reading How To Practice Emotional Intelligence

Taking the day off. Image: Toa Heftiba on Unsplash

Take The Day Off

You’re drowning. At least it feels like you are. The world is closing in and your agitated mind worries about falling short. About not doing enough. But don’t believe your own lies. Because somewhere in the deep recesses of your mind you know you’ve done enough. Perhaps even more than you should. You’ve progressed, made it further than you were yesterday, or last week, or … Continue reading Take The Day Off