Dear Reader, My annual physical is usually unremarkable (thankfully), but one appointment with a doctor really left an impression on me. She was asking me a few routine questions about my lifestyle habits, and the topic of drinking came up. I told her I didn’t drink much and she was like, good! Less is better. “If you hear that alcohol is good for your health, it’s probably the social aspects of drinking, not the drink itself. Drink with people, but I don’t encourage you to drink with...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
Dear Reader, Ah it’s Thanksgiving weekend, which means that I’ve been thinking a lot about gratitude. The people and things I’m grateful for, but also the value of practicing gratitude. It seems like such a simple thing, but it can bring more calm, more peace. Maybe a bit more happiness. Photo from this year's Friendsgiving! Potluck-style ❤️ I loved how colorful my plate was this year. There’s a lot that can be said about gratitude, but today I’d like to talk about how to find freedom from...
about 1 month ago • 3 min read
Dear Reader, “I am so busy.” Depending on the culture you were raised in, you might read that as either a boast or complaint. Maybe both. You don’t need to feel guilty for not being busy I've always felt an immense pressure to be busy, to be "productive". As a student, it was to have a robust social life, good grades, and to perform in extracurriculars. As an adult, it was about working hard at my career and dedicating hours to my profession. Being busy felt like a virtue, while things like...
about 2 months ago • 1 min read
Dear Reader, The season of gratitude is coming up, so I've been thinking a lot about the things I am grateful for. And in that chain of thought, I discovered something interesting -- it had never occurred to me before, but the Japanese characters for “thank you” are composed of two unlikely words: 有: To have, possess 難: Difficulty, hardship 有難う (arigato): Thank you What a strange combination of words to express gratitude. Why the characters for ‘thank you’ is ‘difficult to have’ The...
about 2 months ago • 1 min read
Dear Reader, Many people join my newsletter because they are working towards a health goal. Sometimes it's about having more energy, other times it's about simply wanting to feel at peace in their mind and body. These are great goals, and important goals that I write for and work to support each and every week. Illustrations by Kaki Okumura The thing about our health however is that it is not something that changes overnight. This is not a bad thing, but it takes time – and in that process,...
2 months ago • 2 min read
Dear Reader, It can feel discouraging to feel like you’re behind all of your peers. The social media posts, the LinkedIn announcements, the school alumni newsletters, and even the occasional news article that reads: “She’s only 26 and is already making millions of dollars!”. People glorify the young, praise the early retirement success story, and admire those who mark life’s checkboxes when they should. And as they say, when you are not the subject of these stories, comparison can be the...
3 months ago • 2 min read
Dear Reader, Sometimes I have an easier time looking after others before myself. Maybe it's the values I was raised with, but while looking after others feels like an act of kindness, self-care can feel... well, selfish. Setting boundaries, taking time to do something for myself, etc. these things didn't always come naturally to me. But one idea that's really helped me is thinking of my future self as someone else who also needs my help. Future you deserves your present care. Looking after...
3 months ago • 2 min read
Dear Reader, What do you think my reaction was when I received this marketing email from a telehealth provider? With the fall/winter holidays upon us, I want to take a moment to address the “holiday healthy eating tips” that we will also inevitably start receiving — how to limit sugary candy, skip the Thanksgiving pumpkin pie dessert for a healthy alternative, or why you should choose low-fat ice cream instead of your mom’s homemade one. While probably well-intentioned, these messages that...
3 months ago • 2 min read
Dear Reader, How have you been recently? If you've been wondering where I'm newsletters were, sorry I've been away! It's been a hectic few weeks, and the time to attend to my personal life was very helpful, but I'm back 😊 I've been thinking a lot about how to attend to my emotions lately. The positive ones are easy to enjoy, but alas, you can't escape the negative ones either. Sometimes, we have tough weeks. It's not always a “one really bad thing happened to me” sort of tough, but sometimes...
3 months ago • 2 min read
