Essays on well-being, stress and happiness.
Stress, sleep, caffeine, cold showers, gratitude and happiness. Personal experiments in living well while working hard, and what they taught me.
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How I Find Joy in the Entrepreneurial JourneyFounding my startup fulfilled a dream, yet happiness lives in the pursuit of goals, not their achievement.Well-Being1 year of cold showers – not what I was expectingThe promised health benefits never showed up — the discipline and gratitude did.Well-BeingMy learnings from optimizing caffeine intake for 1 yearTwo cups before lunch and one caffeine-free day a week keep the drug working for me.Goal AchievementHow to stay calm in stressful situationsWhen panic hits, I ask whether stressing helps, write down the answer, and act on it.Goal Achievement
More on well-being
Role ModelingAvicii's death reminds me why purpose beats success — I try to be the person my younger self would look up to.Goal AchievementHow it Feels like Being an Early-Stage Startup FounderIt's a trailblazer's trek — isolating, heavy with responsibility, and still exhilaratingly free at every step.Goal AchievementBeing sickTwenty meetings with a fever reminded me why I protect my health when I have it.Well-BeingThe learnings from the past weeks are clearSeven intense weeks taught me you cannot have it all — if you don't rest, your body makes you.Goal AchievementAs much as I love it: this situation is challengingNever stress about what you cannot control — embrace the challenge and enjoy the ride.Goal AchievementA life without regrets – how to find out what you want from lifeClarity fuels ambition — picture your ideal normal day ten years out and work backwards.Goal AchievementWhy I am happy working long hoursMy weeks look like work-work balance — purpose makes those hours the most meaningful ones I have.Goal AchievementWhat makes for a dream job?Forget following your passion — six evidence-based factors predict job satisfaction far better.Goal AchievementThis realization can change your life – finite vs infinite gamesCareers and health have no finish line — treating them as winnable games makes us unhappy.Goal AchievementHow to best deal with highs and lows in lifeHappiness always drifts back to baseline — savoring stretches the highs and softens the inevitable lows.Goal AchievementHow to find the ideal place to workCulture beats pay — define what you need, then ask insiders before committing to an employer.Goal AchievementHow to wake up fully motivatedWhat made me love Mondays: knowing what tomorrow holds, a routine I enjoy, and a strong why.Goal AchievementHow to better manage expectationsNever assume, over-communicate, and under-promise — most disappointment starts with expectations nobody spoke out loud.RelationshipsHow to deal with unfortunate incidents (bad luck)When my bike got wrecked, asking how a role model would cope beat getting angry.Goal AchievementWhat I love about my jobSix months into consulting, the people matter most — and purpose and health decide whether a job is right.Well-Being3 tips to withstand high pressureA brain dump, honest priorities, and self-care turn crushing pressure into something workable.Goal AchievementHow to better deal with stress and grow fasterStress mainly harms those who believe it does — embrace acute strain and recover deliberately.Goal AchievementGratefulness – a secret weapon to a happy lifePracticing gratitude is my counter to hedonic adaptation — the mind's habit of dulling every win.Goal Achievement8 signs of true self-confidenceConfidence built on external validation is fragile; the real kind lets you admit your weaknesses.Goal AchievementHow to harness positive emotions to live a better lifeFear of rejection starves us of joy — honesty, appreciation, and a smile bring it back.Well-BeingHow to make better decisionsClear personal principles freed me from decision paralysis — I judge every choice by long-term happiness.Goal AchievementHow a lack of positive thinking hurts my well-beingA month of low energy traced back to one cause — I had stopped choosing optimism.Well-BeingFocus on things you can control, ignore the restAn unfair teacher taught me to own my reactions instead of blaming what I couldn't change.Goal AchievementHow to make stress your secret weaponStress I load on myself makes me sharper — health, rest, and purpose keep it from turning chronic.Goal AchievementYou must learn to say noA reluctant yes costs more than an honest no — boundaries make room for what matters.CommunicationHow to really boost your happinessBuy experiences over stuff, choose time over money, and be kind daily — the levers the evidence supports.Well-BeingHow a definition can change your lifeSociety's metrics of success are poison — I measure mine by the impact my actions have.Well-BeingWhy you are less happy than you could beWe miswant — shifting reference points and constant comparison mean achievements barely move our happiness.Well-BeingHealth is the most important need for us human beingsInvesting in your body works like a pension — small daily habits pay off decades later.Well-BeingHow to improve your sleep – 6 tipsA fixed schedule, a cool quiet room, and no caffeine after 3 pm do most of the work.Well-Being