I don’t remember the first time I saw the ocean, paddled my feet in its frothing foam. I don’t remember the first time it sang its sweet lullaby of crashing waves to me. Years later, despite being a “land-dwelling” human, I am still insatiably drawn to the ocean, as so many of us are. Its tides, movements, and sheer size simultaneously stimulate my imagination and sooth my nervous system.
Continue reading “My Blue Therapy: Positive Effects of Blue Space on Mental Health”What started as a ‘what if’ joke between my sister and I abruptly came to an end about five minutes into Chloe Ting’s Two Week Shred Challenge, when we were swimming in puddles of sweat and wondering if we could possibly survive another 13 days.
Are YouTube workouts usually this hard? Could we possibly be this out of shape? The workouts were relatively short, but boy does Chloe know how to maximize those seconds.
Continue reading “Yes, Just 2 Weeks of Working Out Can Change Your Body”
Today I saw a full body mirror for the first time in over three months. Since changing apartments in February, I have been living in a place without any mirrors besides my phone and a small hand mirror.
Initially, it was really strange – not because I particularly cared how my outfits looked, but because I was used to looking at my body everyday and analyzing it. It’s easy to get out of the shower and notice how you look, then decide if it’s ‘good’ or ‘bad.’
Continue reading “Self Love: 3 Months Without Looking into a Mirror”
Being inside so much lately, I’ve had a lot of time to make some long overdue phone calls. There’s been one common reoccurring question: What is life like over in Thailand, living on your little island, during all of this chaos? The answer: surprisingly peaceful.
Continue reading “TRAPPED ON AN ISLAND IN THAILAND – WITHOUT CORONAVIRUS”
A few months ago, heck, even a few weeks ago, I thought news of the Coronavirus would blow over in the same way that so many attention-seeking stories do. Little did I realize that what I thought was the peak of the pandemic was only just the beginning.
Borders are closing, entire cities are shutting down, and global tension is on the rise. A screenwriter couldn’t have crafted a more cinematic experience. A great script for the movies, maybe, but certainly not the best for mental health.
Continue reading “5 Days of Meditation: Day 4 – Calmness During Corona”
After running some errands this morning, I decided to walk home along the beach. The island here (Koh Tao) is quiet, with tourists returning home to be with their families and take care of themselves as the Coronavirus continues to spread around the world. It was just me and the ocean as the sun began to rise higher into the sky.
Along my stroll I stumbled across a wooden swing that overlooked the water. Solitary and tranquil, it was beckoning me to sit and stay for a while. Of course, I obliged.
Continue reading “5 Days of Meditation: Day 3 – A Beach Walk”
Today left me feeling worse than yesterday, in terms of health at least. I didn’t sleep that well last night and am definitely not feeling 100 percent. I just took a fat cat nap, which almost persuaded me to remain on my couch and miss work. There are worse things that could happen…
On the flip side, the view from my current seat is one that I wouldn’t trade for the world. The sun is glistening off a turquoise sea, waters lulled and tranquil from the lack of boats. Cicadas and the soft lapping of waves on the sand cradle my mind with sounds of island ease.
Continue reading “5 Days of Meditation: Day 2 – Self Love”
Today was not great for me. My head has been in a bit of a haze for the past few days, and my dive ended terribly. With a small but decently impactful injury (don’t worry Mom and Dad, I’m still healthy), I’m going to have to take a solid week or two out of the water. To make it worse, I just ordered a new pair of fins, so they will be taunting me from the confines of their shiny new box.
By the middle of the afternoon, I seemed as if I just couldn’t shake this downer of a feeling. I tried writing about it, talking it out, but that heaviness was still there, sitting on my chest with a firm stubbornness many of us know all too well.
Continue reading “5 Days of Meditation: Day 1 – Immunity Boost”
