Curated Collection from EUPHORIA
Collection of 100+ Insightful Life Lessons from My Personal Stories
A summary of valuable perspectives gained from people whose paths crossed with mine via serendipitous encounters
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Welcome to my personal story collection. I believe you will find some valuable insights from the stories linked to this collection. They reflect my decades of experience with inspiring people in my circles. I provide a brief story summary and a link to the original story.
You may find the map of this article based on broader topics.
Interesting Relationships in Personal Stories
Some people leave remarkable impressions on our lives. Friends, relatives, colleagues, professionals, mentors, community members, and even strangers can play a role in our decision-making. Beautiful relationships remain in fond memories, whether they bring joy or grief.
I met numerous people who appeared at the right time in my life, especially at crossroads, and gave me valuable insights.
Most of them were serendipitous encounters. I see them as metaphorical angels appearing during challenging times. I explained why I believe in angels in a previous story.
Some readers enjoyed my personal stories about interesting and insightful people I met face-to-face or online. Their feedback inspired me to share more.
In this post, I summarize some personal stories with links to originals featuring people who entered my life journey and taught me valuable life lessons. I update this collection as I post new stories.
By keeping the privacy of the people I met, these stories reflected their contributions to making some critical decisions in my life.
I hope you find some engaging and valuable stories from this special collection, including personal stories. Some of these friends now rest in peace.
Here are my stories with fond memories. I hope you find some relevant ones and enjoy them. Thank you for your time and feedback on these stories.
1 — A Filipino Elderly with Dementia
Nancy was a remarkable elderly experiencing Alzheimer’s disease. Her dementia makes her forgetful about current events, but she remembers the past in detail, especially her traumas in World World II. Nancy’s family members were killed before her eyes when she was a little girl. Her story triggered massive sadness in me and even brought some tears.
2 — A Distinguished Psychotherapist
Janine played an important role in my life. She was older than my mum. I considered her a second mother to me. Gratefully, she has helped me understand the value of spiritual love, which I did not understand before meeting her. I met Janine several decades ago in our local sauna, introduced by Algor. She was outspoken, asked about my background without intrusion, and listened attentively. The more she asked and attended to my words with no judgment, the more I revealed layers of myself.
3 — A 64-Year-Old Breast Cancer Survivor
Jennifer is a retired tertiary education teacher. She had localized breast cancer when she was 59. She was fortunate as her tumor was identified at an early stage and did not spread to other organs. She had excellent care and multiple therapies, such as chemotherapy, radiation, and endocrine therapy, and she regained her health. While she was extremely grateful and happy to beat cancer, after 60, she started experiencing noticeable mental fatigue, commonly known as brain fog or chronic fatigue syndrome.
4 — A Single Mum Who Reversed Her Obesity
When Maggie was in her early thirties, her husband, a construction worker, left her when the kids were 3 and 7. She believed her changing body to an obese state was the leading cause for her husband losing attraction. Her husband had an affair that broke Maggie’s heart. Maggie gained her self-esteem and self-confidence using her spiritual power, which she believed was deeply embedded in her psyche. Even though she was poor, she had an abundance mentality. The more she gave, the more she got. My friend, Maggie, is a 71-year successful businesswoman. I see her as a healthy, wealthy, and wise person.
5 — A Truck Driver Who Melted His Potbelly
This was a serendipitous encounter. I met Alberto decades ago when our car had a flat tire on a busy highway on a cold winter day in Downunder. Our young child was crying aloud at the back of the broken vehicle. Unfortunately, we didn’t have a roadside assistance subscription and no tools in this problematic second-hand car that we purchased a few days before this scary incident. I didn’t know what to do. Alberto kindly stopped his massive truck, volunteering to fix our broken car.
6 — A 105-Year-Old Centenarian
Algor was 95 years old when I met him in a local sauna. He is now a 105-year-old centenarian. From my initial observations, I had a gut feeling that he would be a centenarian. And he exceeded my expectations. Algor migrated from Ireland to Australia at a young age. He married three times and still is living with his third wife. He had six kids and 11 grandchildren. The oldest daughter is 80, and the youngest grandkid is 17. Sadly, his first wife died from severe depressive disorder, and the second one from breast cancer.
7 — A Successful Fat Looser and Her Coach
This is the story of a friend who was desperate to lose fat. Eliza is now a 50-year older adult with a new boyfriend. She raised three kids as a single mum. I met Eliza when she was 40 years old. She was overweight and unfit. When her tough coach, Adrian, asked her how serious she was about losing fat, her reply was an instant yes. Adrian asked again how committed she was on a one to ten scale. Eliza’s response was 10. Eliza found herself fortunate to meet this dedicated coach.
8 — A Car Thief and a Spiritual Leader
My wife and son picked me up, and we quickly went to the shopping mall. It took us only 15 minutes to purchase a device. We promptly left the shopping mall to get ready for our dinner. When we arrived at the parking spot, the car was not there. My son started crying as his scooter, which we purchased a week ago, was in the car. He saved his pocket money for over a year to get his favorite toy at the time. My heart started pounding because my work laptop and travel passport were in the bag just a day before the trip. We all had a devastating moment.
9 — A Repetitive and Over-thinker
This is a transforming story of a woman whose first career created havoc in her physical and mental health and ruined her relationships for many years. She was having the same thoughts repeatedly. Usually, they were evil and stress-creating thoughts. She couldn’t control them. However, by understanding her situation, accepting it, and taking corrective actions, Olivia transformed her physical and mental health and developed excellent relationships with her loved ones, friends, colleagues, and clients. Olivia used to be a social worker dealing with disadvantaged people. Even though it was her dream job initially, this job was killing her in her words.
10 — A Vegan Airbnb Owner
I was late to arrive at the premises. So, I emptied my car and decided to cook some meat and fish that I had purchased from the local fresh meat market on my way. The host was not there, but she left a key for me outside. I was hesitant to leave the oven, so I had to go to the bathroom. When I was in the bathroom, I heard the outside door open. In a few seconds, the house echoed with the scream of a woman. My meat and fish were cooking halfway through. I quickly washed my hands and left the bathroom. The host was looking at me with an angry face. She looked half my age.
11 — A Virtual Mentor Who Died Recently
When I heard Larry died at 87, a few tears appeared in my eyes unconsciously. Tears in my eyes were an unusual occurrence because I had not seen any tears in my stoic eyes for many years. After some thinking and checking my journal, it became clear. I had multiple entries about Larry King in my diary starting from 1995. The most flagrant one was when I discovered Larry’s book in an old bookshop in Australia. Unfortunately, the bookstore does not exist anymore. I used to do a lot of public speaking as part of my job. Toastmasters initiated my courage in the early 1990s.
12 — An Angel Who Taught Me My Priorities
My silver-headed wise supervisor recognized my stress symptoms, detecting the root causes as he had been there and done that. Each time we met, my supervisor asked what important tasks I planned to undertake that day. He kept asking me about my priorities and wanted to review them, and he provided instant feedback. He was like an angel disguised in human form to me. He emphasized it was the critical focus to complete my studies on time “effortlessly” with care and compassion. The word effortlessly was paradoxical and sounded too good to be true.
13 — A Deaf Friend Who Died on New Year’s Eve
My friend, Jeremy, was born in 1919 as a deaf child in Australia and died on 31 December 2021 as a special friend in my life. His parents died over a half-century ago. He survived his life with a trust fund created by his parents. He dedicated his life to studying humanity and supporting his local community with charitable activities. He did not earn a single cent from his contributions to society. But he gained many intangible benefits, which made him a centenarian. When he was 80 years old, 22 years ago, I met Jeremy in our local sauna, which was introduced to me by Janine and Algor.
14 — One of the Richest Man
When asked about tech stocks, Warren Buffett made one key point. Tech stocks are dependent on interest rates. He thinks that valuations for tech stocks are not crazy if interest rates remain low. However, he believes that if interest rates rise, they could result in a sharp decline in the price of tech stocks trading at high price-earnings ratios. Mr. Buffett is not extensive in technology. He does not pay much attention to computers as he does not like them much. I understand that he doesn’t see much value in his personal and business life. However, Mr. Buffet focuses on a few tech companies.
15 — Top 10 Stock Market Investors
From their insightful books, I collected hundreds of quotes from these famous investors and thought leaders. If these investors resonate with you, you can find many more published quotes from them online. To make this article more useful, I also share my understanding and interpretation of the quotes from my review of their books or other content. You might interpret them differently, and I’d love to obtain your perspectives too. These people are leaders and practitioners in stock market investing.
16 — A Principle-Oriented Financial Leader
When I read about Ray Dalio’s childhood story in the first chapter of his book, I instantly connected with him and got hooked to the book as he was mirroring and reflecting on some memories from my past. Reading his 70 years of experience summarized in 210 principles in a few days has been an excellent investment in my education and growth. Unlike some billionaires, Mr. Dalio did not inherit wealth. He was not a prodigy. Instead, he grew up an ordinary kid in a middle-class family. His father was a musician and supported him in being creative and independent.
17 — Two Global Technology Leaders
These two global leaders, Elon Musk and Jack Ma, inspire millions of people for various reasons. First, they have a proven success record in creating, implementing, and running innovative solutions. Their contributions make a substantial impact on a global scale. They have different backgrounds and personalities. At the highest level, one represents Asian culture and the other Western culture. However, despite many differences in their perspectives and approaches to business and life, they also have a lot in common, especially artificial intelligence. They both are ardent supporters and opponents of artificial super-intelligence from different angles.
18 — Two Teetotalers
Alcohol has been a mystical drink throughout history. It is a complicated drink that affects the body and mind. Alcohol can make substantial changes in the brain by altering its biochemistry. Many of us enjoy alcoholic beverages. Nothing wrong with it. It may work well for some, but it can be a problem for others. The problem was about the metabolization of alcohol in my system. I was one of those who couldn’t metabolize alcohol properly. Thus, it created complications for me when I was younger. My body did not tolerate alcohol nicely. I tried drinking alcoholic beverages at the age of 18. My reason for starting was due to peer group pressure.
19 — A Cold Enthusiast Shakes the World
I obtained energetic alertness, improved mood, increased courage, improved immunity, reduced risk of depression, improved sleep, enhanced tolerance, fast recovery, reduced pain, reduced body fat, and even increased lean muscle, all with a natural hack based on a challenging habit. From my experience, I believe that one of the best skills for entrepreneurs and leaders is to learn to tolerate cold exposure, starting with cold showers. One of my most significant inspirational role models is the legend Wim Hof who broke several Guinness records in the field. He is not only a practitioner but also a science-focused collaborator sharing his knowledge with others.
20 — A Young and Famous Medical Doctor
This is a short story to reflect the controversial thoughts of Dr. Paul Saladino for society in 2020. I don’t agree with all his opinions, but he provides valuable perspectives, especially encouraging us to think beyond the box. Previously working as a psychiatrist, he now focuses on functional medicine.
21 — Centenarian Dancers
I introduce a centenarian dancer living in Australia. At age 106, Eileen Kramer seems more productive than ever. Eileen is known as the oldest living dancer currently. I also introduce another legend, centenarian Tao Porchon-Lynch, “born in 1918 and died in 2020, an American yoga master, dancer, and award-winning author of French and Indian descent. At age 101, “Tao taught a weekly class in New York and led programs across the globe. She was the author of two books, including her autobiography, Dancing Light: The Spiritual Side of Being Through the Eyes of a Modern Yoga Master, which won a 2016 IPPY Award and three 2016 International Book Awards.”
22 — Extraterrestrial Life Experiences
I share eye-opening perspectives of extraterrestrial life experiences via intuition from Dr. Russell Targ, Dr. Steven Greer, Dr. Ramin Skibba, and Michael Jaco. The critical point from Michael’s experience is having and developing intuition as we desire. As part of my previous studies in cognitive science, I have a strong interest in intuition coming from our subconscious mind. I touched on it in several articles related to reality and consciousness from various angles, such as mental health and spirituality.
23 — Friends at Postgraduate School
One of my favorite classmates, Kylie, hugged me firmly for a few minutes with no words, which felt like an eternal hug to me. I felt like I was in the arms of an angel. However, suddenly, it was as if ten thousand kilos of load had disappeared from my shoulders. The suppressed beach ball surfaced on the water. I felt so euphoric. I felt no shame, no guilt, no embarrassment, even though my behavior logically looked weak and absurd. The tears turned into joy. The ecstatic moment was an indication of my healing. The lecturer felt terrible about his comments and apologized as he did not mean to hurt my feelings. His apology also became a catalyst in this healing process.
24 — Highlights from My 14-Day Journal
We called an ambulance that arrived in eleven minutes. Two paramedics performed initial tests and quickly decided to take my wife to the hospital. The lead paramedic called several hospitals, which were full at the time. He finally found a hospital that could accept her. The moment they moved my wife to the ambulance created an intense emotional burst in family members and neighbors. The lead paramedic said: “This is a serious situation. You better say goodbye to your patient as she might be away for a while”. This brief remark brought sudden tears to the people around the ambulance. An adorable neighbor started crying very loudly, breaking the silence. It caused several others to cry when the ambulance started the sirens. Even though I had internal tears, I had to stay calm and composed to keep family members and neighbors integral.
25 — Hackers and a Beggar
I was joyful with getting the essentials. I walked with the trolley towards my car. It was only a meter close to my car a person stopped me abruptly. He started talking to me with highly emotional and confusing words with tears in his eyes. I finally understood that he was asking for money. I tried to explain my situation, saying I had no cash. Then I remembered the $2 coin in the emergency section of my wallet. When I am in a fasted state, I usually feel more alert and compassionate with a high level of ketones in my brain. I removed the coin and handed it over to the beggar. He got the money and instantly threw it toward my head in slow motion.
26 — Fitness Guru Who Used to Hate Exercise
This is an interesting story of a friend who psychologically disliked exercise. Her disgust started in her childhood between the ages six and ten. Her parents were fitness enthusiasts. Her siblings competed to be better than each other in sports. However, she never enjoyed their behavior, especially showing off and bragging about their fitness achievements and sports competitions. She did not want to be friends with kids she called “fitness freaks”. They turned her off. Isabella hated exercise and sports. Furthermore, she never liked physical education in school. In fact, she hated her teachers, who forced her to do exercise at school. She created excuses not to join classes. Sometimes she pretended to be sick, saying her tummy hurt.
27 — Ariana’s Sad yet Empowering Story
When she was five years old, Ariana’s teachers identified her as a child prodigy. This realization made her parents and siblings proud. She learned much faster than her friends. Her cognitive brain processed information quicker. However, her limbic (emotional) system was average, which no one detected. Thus, like many vulnerable kids, she was put into an unnecessary race that dented her psychology at a tender age. Ariana is a successful scientist and entrepreneur now. When I asked her what she learned from her psychologist at middle school, she shared three points that resonated with me as I also had these problems in my childhood and resolved them in my adult years.
28 — Fixing Three Health Conditions Accelerated Rosalia’s Fat Loss Journey
Rosalia has had significant digestive issues. Her parents migrated from Italy and had a solid hedonistic tendency toward food. Her immediate and extended family considered food as entertainment than nutrition for the body. When they were having family gatherings, the house was full of pastries and cakes. One of her family’s rituals was to visit all-you-can-eat budget restaurants once a week. Having three elder sisters and two brothers, she was not only encouraged to eat almost every moment with the words “try this, try that” with abundant snacks, but her grandparents and other relatives also tried to tug food into her mouth with affection.
29 — Ten Practical Steps Fixed Lucy’s Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Lucy felt tired and sluggish in her mid-twenties. When she was younger, Lucy was a passionate musician and opera singer. She spent hours learning to learn, playing new instruments, and improving her unique mezzo-soprano voice. After completing her post-graduate degree in music, she lost her motivation to perform it even though she still loved playing the piano and singing arias. Her body was stopping and forcing her to sit and sleep all day. She lost her mental clarity showing symptoms of brain fog. Her family doctor couldn’t find any obvious reasons. Her blood tests showed a standard range of the population. She finally convinced her physician to refer her to specialists for further investigation.
30 — Heather, a 37 Years Old Female Body Builder, Cured Insomnia
Heather tried many techniques such as herbal supplements, herbal teas, 5-HTP, GABA, Tryptophan, Phenibut (β-Phenyl-γ-aminobutyric Acid), Pilates, dancing, sleeping pills, and even hypnosis. However, she confirmed that nothing worked for her. Some of the supplements and sleeping pills caused addiction and withdrawal symptoms. In addition, her insomnia persisted despite all her efforts, including bodybuilding workouts. Her situation resonated with me as I suffered from insomnia and sleep deprivation during my younger years. It was an awful experience for me.
31 — How Albert Found the Direct Path to Enlightening Moments
Since his childhood, Albert has felt an unbearable void in his psyche. Something was missing in his life. He did not know what it was. The world did not make sense to him. Coming from a wealthy family, he always had the objects that others envied but made him vulnerable. Therefore, Albert was in constant search. Nothing he tried satisfied his metaphorical thirst. Thus, his suffering was growing despite his wealth and opportunities in his life. Neither he nor others understood the crisis of Albert. It was like a universal enigma.
32 — Three Health Foods Ruined Juliana’s Health When Used Excessively
Coming from a Spanish background, Juliana grew up in a family that ate three meals a day, mainly using a Mediterranean type of diet, including vegetables, fruits, meat, fish, poultry, dairy, eggs, and healthy fats. Her mum mainly used to cook with olive oil and sometimes with butter for specific meals. They didn’t have the concept of snacks in the 1970s. She regrettably started snacking and supplementing nutrients in the mid-1980s by the influence of her friends. Interestingly, until the 1980s, she has no digestive issues or weight problems.
33 — Charlotte Lost 40 Pounds of Visceral Fat After Winning the Battle Against Chronic Fatigue and Stress
Fifty-two-year-old Charlotte, a biotechnology consultant in a private company, struggled with weight gain since her teenage years. She initially blamed her genes, hormones, and family issue caused by losing her mum due to dementia and her dad because of a heart attack. However, when she took personal responsibility for her health and obtained the necessary support from professionals and friends, she created her new reality and transformed herself into the desired state.
34 — 10,000 Steps with German Shepherds Gave Amanda a New Life
It would have never occurred to me that a dog and a smartwatch could be the catalyst to a transformed life, said Amanda emotionally when I met her during a joint dog walk session. Since childhood, Amanda had developed a special bond with dogs, particularly German Shepherds, that she first encountered on her grandparent’s farm in Shepperton, a small town in Victoria state, Australia. Amanda’s parents used to live in the Western suburbs of Melbourne, operating their small family fish and chips shop. She had to help her parents during the school holidays. However, she constantly desired to visit the farm, where she felt lively and joyful watching the animals grazing and playing with dogs. City life was not appealing to Amanda.
35 — Guidance from Barbara, a Mental Health Professional on Emotional Self-Defense
Working in diverse and complex corporate environments, I struggled to manage emotions triggered by some strong characters. However, doing my job according to the process was not enough to protect my sanity. I lacked strong emotional self-defense mechanisms. Barbara diagnosed it. She was the first social worker I consulted based on a referral. She had a postdoctoral psychology degree with many years of social work in the corporate environment. The first question Barbara asked was, “How can I help you?”
36 — My Australian Son and Wife Gave Me Anguish in Singapore
As the next day was a weekend, we decided to go to the city center of Singapore. My wife loved the clean and orderly streets of the. My addicted son asked for a piece of gum. My wife gave it to him and told him to chew it as long as possible, as we didn’t have many of them. He nodded and started chewing it with pleasure. After half an hour’s walk, he threw the gum in a rubbish bin, falling on the pavement. We did not notice it as we got fascinated by the beautiful and exotic scenery of the street. Then, we heard a middle-aged man screaming as if something terrible had happened behind us. He was so aggressive that he pulled my wife’s bag shouting at her. He said, “lady, look what your bad boy did, and you ignore it!” Neither my wife nor I understood what he was referring to.
37 — Audrey Eliminated Back Pain and Transformed Her Appearance Dedicating to Six Minute Planks.
Audrey is a 78-year retired office worker who suffered from intense back pain for many years, starting from her early 30s. She raised three kids, and all became professionals in different fields. Her athletic husband, a carpenter, was supportive and catalyzed her to find an unexpected solution. The primary issue for Audrey was sitting too long in the office in front of her typewriter and, in later years, in front of computers, besides spending most of her time on the phone. When Audrey got 60 years old, her back pain became unbearable. One day her husband gave her a pamphlet introducing a free seminar for mature citizens for a new health center opened in their suburb. Audrey joined the seminar introducing a new service about Pilates to the locals. The presenter’s focus was on cores.
38 — With 90+ Audiobooks Annually, Aria Improved Her Knowledge and Defined Her Body.
As her time was scarce, Aria calculated her exercise time to equal 730 hours a year. Then, she thought she could finish an eight-hour book every four days. So in a year, she estimated to complete around 91 books. This simple arithmetic inspired her to take action to use her exercise time efficiently. She loved exercising and learning new ideas from engaging and informative books. She also loved reading and listening to fiction books as a hobby. One day in the early 1990s, Aria heard about audiobooks in her public library. They were in cassettes. She borrowed a book in a set of cassettes and got hooked on the reader’s narration. She consumed all the audio collections in her public library. Then, in later years, she came across CDs and DVDs. They were even more convenient. The entire book was on a single device.
39 — After Fixing Sleep Issues, Frederick Lost 44 Pounds in a Year
I met Fredrick, in his early forties, over a decade ago in our local sauna, introduced by Janine. He wanted us to call him Fred. He mentioned working in a government department and living single. He had no intention of getting married and having a family. On the contrary, he preferred a quieter lifestyle. After one year, however, he changed his mind and decided to marry and start a family. Fixing a single health issue made a ripple effect causing a significant shift in his life. Fred’s main concern was his struggle with weight gain for many years. He looked overweight and perspired more than others in the sauna. He heard that the sauna would help him lose weight. Therefore, he joined the health club. I agreed with his belief as it helped me a lot. I told him having regular sauna sessions had many other health benefits.
40 — Why My Australian Wife Had the Urge to Slap a Danish Man
Reading hundreds of posts about Will Smith’s situation triggered my decade-old memories as I discerned similar patterns between the two incidents. The behavior of others can trigger pungent emotions and assertive urges to act on them, whether positive or negative. As far as emotions are concerned, it is impossible to see just black and white. The spectrum is broad, covering a gamut of sheltered shades. From the outset, a slap looks unnecessary and poor behavior many of us don’t approve of. However, it reflects a highly complex phenomenon from a physiological and psychological perspective. Whether male or female, partners have instinctive traits to protect them from danger, real or perceived threats. However, the amygdala cannot distinguish between real and perceived threats. Instead, it releases the same neurochemicals to cope with both threats.
41 — My Australian Wife Refused to Revisit Amsterdam After Two Dramatic Incidents
In the early 1990s, my wife and I used to work full-time and study part-time. When I was accepted to a doctorate study and she to a master’s program, we got delighted. Before having our children, we decided to have a proper holiday. Gratefully, I was granted by the Australian Federal government a scholarship covering my pricy study fee. Thus, we planned a one-month luxurious holiday by our standards before our studies started. We both enjoy traveling because it provides us with new perspectives, broadens our horizons, and improves our skills and experience. In addition, each travel experience taught us valuable life lessons. Interestingly, after each travel, we appreciated the opportunities in Australia, where we live, and became more grateful for our blessings. In this story, reflecting upon one of our Europe trips, I share two memorable yet sad incidents that happened to my wife in Amsterdam in the early 1990s.
42 — The Secret of an Orphan Who Built Rewarding Businesses Living as a Centenarian
When she was only a year old, Gisela’s parents working in the military, died in the last year of World World I in Germany. According to her, around two million German soldiers were killed between 1914 and 1918. Two diplomats with no children adopted her. Every few years, Gisela found herself in a new country, broadening her horizon and making her a citizen of the globe. I met Gisela at Algor’s home on a Sunday afternoon when she had attained the age of 93 years. Like me, Algor loves barbeque on Sundays and invites his close friends to have pleasant times. Interestingly, out of many friends, Gisela was a person who ate less than anyone and was the slowest in consuming her small plate. The family who adopted Gisela was originally from that city.
43 — Sarah Reduced Depressive Thoughts and Feelings, Leading to Joyful Ones
Sarah, a senior statistician, dealt with complex numbers and text, constantly observing trends and informing the executives of a private company in the medical field. She reviewed news, papers, and various written and verbal pieces to make sense of the content for around eight hours daily. She performed both qualitative and quantitative analyses. Most of what she read was disturbing and subconsciously affected her thoughts and emotions. When Sarah arrived home after work, she got exhausted. Many unwanted thoughts flooded her mind. Nevertheless, she kept watching the news and immersed herself in the recent stories on television, on her iPad, and even in newspapers. Besides subscribing to modern media, she also subscribed to two popular national newsletters and several local ones.
44 — The Tragic Situation of Naomi, Who Sacrificed Her Health for Entrepreneurship
Born into a poor family, Naomi faced financial hardship as an innocent child. She was the fifth youngest kid in her underprivileged family that migrated from Poland to Australia in the 1970s. The scarcity of money was the primary stress factor in their lives. Her mother worked as a shop cleaner in Melbourne city center, and her father as a construction worker in Geelong, later finding factory work in Ford’s Broadmeadows branch. However, she managed to get a scholarship to pay her college expenses after secondary school. She studied hard and became an electrical engineer with honors. This qualification helped her secure a well-paying job that she initially enjoyed. She supported her aging parents, who couldn’t work anymore. Also, she helped her four other siblings who couldn’t study and worked as laborers.
45 — Carla, My Family Doctor, Was Harshly Abused by Her Biased Patient
Yash, a 50-year-old South Asian activist, yelled at Carla in her clinic in front of many patients in the waiting lounge, saying he would do anything to cancel her medical license because he perceived Carla as a racist doctor. Carla is the last person to be classified as racist, from my observations. Even though Carla looks caucasian, she has mixed ancestors from Ireland, Germany, Spain, and Russia. For example, as a patient of Carla, I have an ethnic background. Yet, I did not see the slightest discrimination when Carla dealt with me for two decades. It is important to note that doctors are also human beings, and they keep learning based on progress in science. Australia, where I live, is a multicultural country. Several of my neighbors from different countries, including Asia and Africa, never experienced discrimination from Carla. However, Yash accused Carla when she mentioned his ethnic background was a risk factor for his metabolic condition, specifically insulin resistance.
46 — A Single Resource at Home Helped Norma Lose 20 Pounds in a Year
As a single mum, Norma lived in a two-story house with five kids, ranging between 2 and 12 years old. She was swamped with looking after the kids. Due to chronic stress mainly caused by financial difficulties, her husband had a nervous breakdown and left home to have care in a mental health hospital. As a result, Norma had to shoulder the heavy work at home, being a mother and father for the kids. Norma, hearing our conversations started raising her concerns about her weight gain, which had increased year by year. The main roadblock for her was her busy schedule, as she had to spend most of her time performing house chores and looking after five kids. Her concerns were valid, but I knew she could do something at home. I visualized Norma’s home out of the blue, which brought me an interesting idea.
47 — Alan Detoxified His Body with 3 Self-Healing Mechanisms Lowering Health Risks & Accelerating Fat Loss.
Alan, who is 65 years old professional, was born a healthy kid. His parent paid utmost importance to his health and fitness. However, as he got older, he experienced severe autoimmune conditions, unbearable bloating, abdominal distension, heartburn, and eczema, causing intense itching and inflammation. In his words, these problems were caused due to misinformation. I had empathy for him as my 12 entangled and debilitating health conditions in my younger years were caused by misinformation and not challenging them. Even though Alan followed conventional knowledge, he also had an inquisitive mind to discover the truth by questioning the norms and attempting to understand the rationale behind touted ideas. Norms do not necessarily reflect the truth. Thus, like me, he had to unlearn and relearn to make sense of perceived reality, especially related to his health and fitness.
48 — How Adrian Shredded His Body Landing a Dream Job at a Well-Paying Fitness Company in a Month
Getting ripped or getting shredded means more than having defined and well-toned muscles. Fit people with these bodies also show the veins in their arms, legs, and abs. In other words, they have very low body fat, toned lean muscle mass, and no fluid retention. Adrian wanted this body-builder physique for a specific reason. Therefore, he needed to tone his muscles without bulking up. This goal required strengthening and toning his lean muscles and losing more body fat to show his blood vessels bubbling to the surface. Interestingly, in his 40s, he had seen a job advertisement for a number of special coaches for a large fitness company serving bodybuilders who want to get shredded, also known as getting ripped. The job advertisement grabbed his attention. The salary for this contract work for a year was three times more than what he was earning in his private practice. He did not want to miss this opportunity.
49 — How Tony Robbins Inspired and Influenced Luella to Shed 20 Kilos
Luella secured multiple thousand dollars of research funds, published in tier-one peer-reviewed journals, and got awards for her postdoctoral studies and professorial role. However, she failed to prevent her body from being obese, causing unnecessary suffering and pain due to conflict between her neocortex and limbic system. Her story reminded me of Juliana, a nutrition scientist who struggled with obesity despite her sharp brain and vast knowledge in the field. Tony Robbins, with no formal educational background, right or wrong way, inspired millions of people for decades, and he still does. Many people admire him. Undoubtedly, some people, like Luella, dislike him. I never heard everyone loves everyone on this planet.
50 — Bruno’s Diet Led Him to Loss of Visceral Fat and Gain of Lean Muscles
Still keeping his thick hair with the defined physic of a 30-year-old man, 68-year-old Dr. Bruno, was born in a small village in Italy. He was only seven years when his family migrated to Australia as laborers. His sister and brother were older than him. The core and extended family have been obsessed with food since his childhood. 90% of their food consisted of carbohydrates like pizza, macaroni, pastries, pies, cakes, and vegetarian lasagnas. He couldn’t remember a day in his childhood tasting fresh meat. He said perhaps he chewed a few slices of bacon in his pizza. His parents couldn’t afford meat in his original country. When his family migrated to Queensland in Australia, they couldn’t believe how cheap the quality beef was.
51 — Anna Fixed Her Leaky Gut Naturally with Five Steps and Lost 50 Pounds
Like me, Anna struggled with digestive issues affecting her physical and mental health for many years. Gut health is critical for our well-being and life satisfaction. The health of our gut also affects our thoughts, emotions, and behavior, as there is a connection between the gut and the brain. Thus, gut health and mental health are closely related. This article provides a high-level overview of the leaky gut syndrome and practical solutions for a specific case as an example. Anna’s common symptoms were heartburn, abdominal bloating, distension, fatigue, chronic stress, inflammation, and allergies, causing physical disturbances and emotional stress. After some meals, she felt worse. But, in her mind, she always ate healthy food. Anna practiced a Mediterranean diet, cooked at home, and refrained from fast foods and junk food. In addition, she gained sustained weight in recent years. Despite her so-called healthy eating and exercise, she could not lose weight.
52 — Betaine (TMG) Supplementation Improved Four Health Conditions for Steve (Scientist and Bodybuilder)
I met Steve at an expensive international conference bringing nutrition scientists, clinicians, private practitioners, and biohackers to one place. I usually get free tickets to these conferences as I serve on the editorial board as an academic reviewer. Some presentations by scientists usually bore the audience. However, Steve’s presentation on trimethylglycine was highly inspiring and exciting. He hooked the audience with his compelling presentation. While his presentation had robust scientific backing, Steve presented it as a passionate biohacker using his experience as a case study. He created a bridge between theoretical and practical aspects with data he collected from his biomarkers presented in attractive charts.
53 — Mastering a Single Skill Made Matilda a Champion
Matilda, a well-educated employee of a large business organization, struggled to build work relationships with her colleagues and clients. Her technical and service excellence achieved outstanding results during the performance appraisals; however, her interpersonal relations showed low marks. As a result, she got disappointed as she studied communication at an advanced level in college. Interestingly, the same poor performance was recorded in her appraisal in the next three years. First, she thought her managers mistreated her. However, seeing her other high scores, she understood that something must be wrong beyond her awareness. Thus, she decided to obtain feedback from her first-line manager.
54 — Sandra Lost 80 Pounds After Adopting a Minimalist Lifestyle
The first time I met David, Sandra’s mentor and coach, he said nobody ever imagined a hoarder and an obese person would grow up to become an expert in minimalist living and change the lives of many people who suffer from mental and physical clutter. This is a story of a stylish woman who transformed her sad life with help from serendipitous encounters and taking personal responsibility. Sandra dropped 80 pounds in her transition and never regained those pounds, staying at her ideal weight. Sandra was born in an impoverished family supported by a single mum struggling with three kids in a small and old house funded by the government.
55 — Lithium Orotate Helped Elaine Defeat Bipolar Disorder
Elaine was experiencing the symptoms of bipolar disorder. Unfortunately, her condition was not diagnosed and treated correctly. Unawareness of the symptoms and available therapies caused her unnecessary suffering. She was hesitant to seek support. Interestingly, bipolar disorder was one of the subjects I was studying in the early 1990s. Elaine’s words resonated with me. I shared my literature review to give her a perspective. She enjoyed learning about the condition. Moreover, she decided to obtain help from qualified healthcare professionals. Then we lost connection for a year as I was assigned to another client at the time.
56 — Edward Boosted Sluggish Metabolism with Three Solutions
As he got older, Edwards’s metabolism slowed down noticeably, causing him to gain substantial visceral fat. Besides, his waistline grew to indicate metabolic syndrome symptoms. As a result, he lost his energy and stamina to exercise. His family doctor diagnosed Edward with obesity at the onset of type II diabetes. Due to chronic stress and inflammation, he also felt joint and muscle pain, usually in his upper and lower back, similar to Audrey. While his waistline grew, his muscles shrank. Furthermore, his testosterone levels dropped. Thus, like Alberto, he lost intimacy with his partner. Consequently, day by day, his stress and anxiety increased. Fortunately, by taking personal responsibility, Edward sought helped and obtained support from qualified healthcare professionals timely.
57 — A Man Holding a 7 kg Watermelon
He asked whether I had a knife by any chance to cut his seven-kilo babe. My old brain immediately created a stormy reaction causing me to freeze. The knife is associated with injury, suicide, or mortality. But a knife is also a neutral tool for our needs. My amygdala hijacks usually happen in a frozen format. I rarely fight or flee due to my upbringing and education. Since my neocortex is familiar with the frozen feeling generated by the old brain, the cognitive parts of my brain quickly took over. I asked the man what kind of knife he needed. He said, “perhaps a pocket knife,” elaborating, “I wanna cut this baby.” My amygdala attempted another hijack, but I did not allow it by smiling and softly asking, “do you mean your watermelon?” He nodded with a hopeful smile.
58 — Tina Quit Caffeine, Nicotine, and Alcohol and Replaced Them with Healthier Options.
In her younger years, she smoked in the back office while cataloging books with her colleagues. The office even had a tea lady who offered the employees tea and coffee hourly. Tina always drank her coffee by smoking cigarettes. However, after the mid-eighties, like many organizations in Australia where I live, her workplace banned smoking in closed environments. So she was unable to smoke in her office. This ban created an inconvenience for her. Thus, she attempted to stop smoking, but her coffee addiction prevented her from succeeding. Her brain created robust pathways associating coffee with cigarettes.
59 — After Defeating Arthritis Pain, Shane Lost Visceral Fat and Gained Lean Muscles in Five Steps
When experiencing arthritic pain, Shane could not perform resistance training, a high-intensity workout, or even simple exercises like walking or swimming. His body was sore, his energy was low, and his mood was gloomy. He constantly had to focus on his unbearable pain in desperation. The only hope was gradually increasing high-dose painkillers, even in injectable and suppository forms suppressing his symptoms and hiding the root causes.
60 — How Hilda Benefited from an Omnivorous and Concurrent Lifestyle
Unlike in her younger years, Hilda (pseudonym) gained an astounding body and sharp mind with outside-the-box thinking as she got older and wiser. Hilda is now a professional dancer, athlete, and painter, making her happy.
However, gaining her current physical and mental abilities took years of hard work, experimentation, and a mindset shift. Even though she pursued an understanding of scientific theories to improve her body and mind, her preference was an experimental approach to reach her desired life satisfaction.
Hilda’s experiments empowered her to have a prosperous life with excellent physical and mental health.
61 — My Perspectives on the Murder of Shinzo Abe
Unfortunately, the former prime minister of Japan, Shinzo Abe, was assassinated in Nara earlier on 9th July when delivering a campaign speech. Working in Japan for several years, I know Japan has zero tolerance for guns. As far as I know, citizens do not carry guns. During my work, I had never heard of a gun-related incident in the country. I haven’t read any news on them either. This story is a special tribute as I met Mr. Abe in 2008 during an event and was impressed by his hospitability.
62 — Here’s How a Mature-Age Couple Reversed Diabetes and Trimmed Their Bodies with Lifestyle Habits.
I wanted to share the inspiring success story of this retired mature-age couple who lost significant visceral fat and reversed their diabetes after adopting a new workout and eating regimen for three reasons. The first reason is to inform my readers that there are always solutions to deal with metabolic health conditions. The second is to inspire the reader to seek solutions by learning from the success of others. And the third is to pass along this valuable knowledge and contribute to reducing obesity in society, as we are all connected.
63 — Here’s How Georgia Defeated Clinical Depression in 10 Steps
Who could have thought that someone experiencing clinical depression might eliminate the condition and transform her physical health? Georgia was fortunate to have supportive friends, family members, and healthcare professionals who opened the path to her healing and transformation. By taking personal responsibility and committing to her goals, Georgia managed to activate the self-healing and self-protecting aspects of her body and mind to get healthier, fitter, and happier with a satisfying life. Since I found Georgia’s experience inspiring and empowering, I felt obliged to pass along this precious story to my readers, who might gain valuable perspectives.
64 — Here’s How a Mature Couple Stopped Alcohol Addiction and Built a Multi-Million Dollar Business
For the first ten years, they were happy almost every day with no responsibility and just having casual fun. Nevertheless, after a decade, Patricia and Robert started feeling empty. They lost some friends. Some of them left because they established families and businesses. Some got sick, and some died from addiction problems. The constant change in their circles started disturbing and depressing them. They were too dependent on their friends. When they couldn’t find affection from their new friends, they started feeling disappointed and unsatisfied. As they got older, some health problems knocked on their doors. These wake-up calls made them reflect on their lifestyle. Alcohol and cigarette addiction was ruining their lives. They wanted to give up, but it looked impossible at that stage. They needed serious help.
65 — An Anorexic Boy Becomes a Top Bodybuilder After Fixing Physical and Mental Health Issues.
His unhealthy relationship with food since childhood contributed to Stephan’s disordered eating. Some foods disgusted him. Everything smelled terrible, and he feared chewing food despite the support and encouragement from his parents. His parent took him to a pediatrician (child doctor) who diagnosed him with an eating disorder. The specialist helped him to improve his condition. After a while, he improved. However, in his hindsight, the situation was not treated fully in his confirmation. Even though he started eating some nutritious food, he was highly concerned about his body. He constantly thought that his body was unattractive and believed that he needed to reduce eating and increase exercise.
66 — Polymath Entrepreneur Builds Unicorn Business in 3 Years Using Combinatorial Innovation
This story introduces critical points from a successful entrepreneur’s personal and professional life. The key points are leveraging his polymath and combinatorial innovation capabilities to rapidly scale up his startup business with mass collaboration and create a billion-dollar company.
Born in a low-income family, Hector struggled with his physical and mental health for many years. As a result, he had a painful childhood and adolescence, making him a resilient and appreciative person.
However, his inquisitive mind and a strong appetite for knowledge brought serendipitous encounters to his life. His parents did not have enough money to support him, but they gave him an abundance of love, optimism, and hope that nurtured his mind.
67 — How an Elderly Couple Eliminated Anabolic Resistance and Lowered the Risk of Sarcopenia in 7 Steps
This article explains anabolic resistance and sensitivity and highlights the importance of sarcopenia for the aging population. I provide seven practical tips leveraging holistic health principles that anyone can customize with support from qualified healthcare professionals. In addition, this piece summarizes a protocol many friends and I used to address anabolic resistance and prevent sarcopenia.
I met Lawrence and Jill at a barbeque in Eliza’s beach house over a decade ago. Lawrence was 67, and Jill was 61 years old with two grandchildren. Eliza cared a lot about the health and well-being of these relatives and was concerned about their declining muscles.
Both Lawrence and Jill looked weak and unhappy. They were on strict plant-based diets for many years, thinking their eating regimen was best for their health. Eliza, as an omnivore, convinced them to eat both animal and plant-based food after their 60s.
68 — Here’s What Happened to Gloria After She Did Laughter Yoga for a Year.
This is a story of a middle-aged woman who struggled with childhood traumas causing chronic stress, anxiety, depression, and weight gain. However, her life pleasantly changed after discovering laughter yoga. Laughter yoga is an exercise including voluntary laughing, body movements, and close eye contact with playfulness in a group, usually coordinated by a facilitator. Some practitioners also use chanting.
69 — Here’s How Amy Entered Ketosis without Following a Ketogenic Diet.
This is a story of a middle-aged woman who achieved ketosis without using a keto diet. She greatly benefitted from mild and occasional deep ketosis giving her metabolic flexibility, ideal weight, and better mental health. Ketosis is a unique metabolic state of the body. When the body has lower glucose from glycogen stores or food in the digestive system, it creates ketones from fat molecules.
70 — After 50, Jim Shrank His Belly and Gained Stronger Muscles with 5 Lifestyle Changes.
This story summarizes a case study of a man who gained an astounding physique with healthy lifestyle changes after reversing his type II diabetes in his mid-50s. Undoubtedly, our metabolism gets slower, and telomeres get shorter as we get older. So aging is inevitable. However, reducing the effects of aging is possible with healthy lifestyle habits. We can learn from our ancestors and indigenous people.
71 — Here’s Why Resistance Training Isn’t Exclusive to Men, and It Can Be a Gamechanger for Women Too.
This is the sad yet inspiring story of a young woman discriminated against by her loved ones. She struggled at first with trauma but achieved her dreams by taking personal responsibility, increasing her adversity quotient, and support from unexpected encounters. Hanna grew up in an athletic and caring family who migrated from Asia, but ironically she felt disadvantaged by detrimental gender discrimination disguised under cultural love and care.
72 — Judy Conquered Major Depression Using TMS Therapy in Six Months without Medication.
This story introduces Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) for depression treatment. I documented a case of a friend who suffered from clinical depression and found the solution in TMS. I met many more people who used it successfully. TMS creates hope for depression and several mental health disorders that I will cover in other posts. This post only focuses on its use case for clinical, also known as major depression. Depression is widespread globally. “Approximately 280 million people in the world have depression,” according to WHO. Since 2005, depression has significantly risen globally.
73 — A Grieving Widow Learned to Live a Meaningful Life and Impacted the Lives of Others.
Angela had a lovely childhood growing up with creative endeavors and having had a chance to study design and marketing in a college. After practicing as a designer and marketer for a while, she married her sweetheart. However, after having a happy marriage and being blessed with three healthy kids, 1, 5, and 9 years old, life threw an enormous setback to Angela. When the youngest kid was only one year old, her loving husband died from a heart attack at work. This shock was unbearable initially. Losing her lovely husband shattered her psyche and threatened her wellness. She felt vulnerable as a young widow with three children.
74 — Here’s Zayla’s Six-Step Process to End Food Cravings, Reverse Metabolic Syndrome, and Trim Her Body.
Food cravings and emotional eating are well-known causes of gaining unnecessary weight and accumulating visceral fat, leading to metabolic disorders. Zayla stopped food cravings, reversed metabolic syndrome, and gained a trimmed and defined body in six steps.
75 — Malala’s 6 Lifestyle Routines Reversed Childhood Obesity, Giving Her an Attractive Physique and Clear Mind.
Childhood obesity is widespread, affecting the lives of millions of innocent children and causing unnecessary suffering to families.
However, preventing and treating childhood obesity with healthy lifestyle choices, parental care, guidance, encouragement, and professional support is possible.
I provide an inspiring case study with practical takeaway points in this short story.
76 — Dominic Naturally Doubled His Testosterone in 3 Steps After 40 and Shrank His Waistline.
With healthy lifestyle modifications and timely support from qualified healthcare professionals, Dominic doubled his testosterone levels, shrank his waistline, strengthened his muscles, boosted his mood, and improved his relationships.
I can imagine that some readers would expect to see a list of expensive supplements or unnatural solutions like pumping steroids in this post. But it is not the case.
Everything in this post revolves around healthy lifestyle habits reflecting the truth of a typical mid-aged male with no extraordinary power.
77 — 7 Lazy Steps to Lose Fat and Boost Health After 70
This story briefly introduces seven easy steps that can contribute to fat loss, lower the risks of metabolic syndrome, and improve overall health using a case study of a mature man who became captivating to his wife. The practical protocol (aka lazy man’s regimen) is principle-based and can be customized by others.
When I met Richard at a conference organized by sensible biohackers, he was 71 years old and overweight. He had signs of metabolic syndrome lowering his energy and mood. He also lost his intimacy with his wife.
78 — Here’s How Calories Caused Fat Gain for Arleth in a Keto Diet and How She Solved the Issue.
Arleth’s low-income parents migrated from Spain to Australia when she was six years old. Then she worked as a model in her 20s, having a defined and trimmed body and gifted with a beautiful face attracting the audience to her shows.
Since her teenage years, she has been on diets to keep her form. The fundamental principle for her was to eat less and move more.
Even though this principle worked for her until her late 20s, she faced a nervous breakdown due to excessive stress. Her stress was both physical and mental.
Unfortunately, this unexpected and undesirable setback in her life ended her career as she quickly gained too much weight and lost her confidence to return to work as a model.
This disappointment further increased her stress and caused more weight gain due to emotional eating to suppress her unpleasant feelings.
79 — Here’s How David Reversed Fatty Liver Disease After 65 with Lifestyle Changes.
Until his 60s, David had no weight problems, and he felt healthy. After retiring from his work, he started gaining weight. He had no symptoms for several years.
In hindsight, his slowed metabolism due to factors such as aging, sedentary life, and increased anxiety with his broken relationship with his partner looked like the primary culprit.
However, after a while, he noticed significant discomfort in his upper right abdomen. His skin got itchy, and he felt a lack of energy.
His caring family doctor ordered blood tests and noticed abnormalities in his liver function. His blood tests showed severe inflammation of the liver.
80 — My Tributes to Beloved Twitch Who Sadly Ends His Life, Leaving Us With Hard Questions
It is difficult to write a piece like this for anyone as it can bring tears to those with broken hearts. I have been watching the performance of lovely Twitch since 2005. His shows have become an essential part of my entertainment life through the virtual dance world.
Unfortunately, Stephen Boss, known by the nickname Twitch as a reputable dancer, choreographer, and DJ on the Ellen Show, died at the age of 40 due to suicide on December 13, 2022.
81 — The Striking Impact of Negative Body Image on Vulnerable People — Juergen’s Suicide at Age 17
It was a sunny late afternoon when the doorbell interrupted my study. I answered the door seeing my friend Alicia, who was usually bubbly and smiling, standing there with tears in her eyes.
Alicia told me that Juergen G, a friend from our high school, had died earlier that day. The news hit me like a ton of bricks. I couldn’t believe it, thinking it was a nightmare. Alicia hugged me as she cried. I was shocked and couldn’t process her words.
At 17, I wasn’t used to hearing about death, especially of someone my age. Juergen had been the epitome of success in our high school, always getting the highest scores in science and math classes. I felt a mix of envy, admiration, and respect for him.
82 — An Inspiring Story of Brendon, a Senior Executive Who Reversed Metabolic Syndrome.
The Simplicity and Power of a Mantra Made an Uptight Exec a Zen Master in 10 Years.
Who could have thought that an overweight man with metabolic syndrome could achieve a slim body, sharp mind, and tranquil demeanor in less than a decade?
I had the privilege of meeting Brendon when he was appointed as the senior executive of our department in a reputable international technology company. He was 30 years older than me.
Gaining a fit body and sharp mind, he improved his quality of life, increased his life span, and motivated many people to live healthier and happier. He lives peacefully, inspiring and encouraging others to find their better versions with healthy lifestyle choices.
83 — Jane Reversed Her Metabolic Disorder By Systematically Mitigating 7 Risk Factors.
I met Jane in a client’s office when she was 47. She was the manager of the sales team, which was mainly male-oriented. Her friendly and professional approach made us good friends in a short time. While she excelled in her professional life with diligence, she struggled in her personal life.
One day during a social occasion, she volunteered to share her struggles transparently with me. The major problem was her metabolic syndrome, detected by her family doctor. However, the physician in that busy clinic asked her to make some lifestyle changes but did not create a plan for her.
She felt lost and had no idea how to lose the excess visceral fat that had accumulated over the years. Her stress levels were high due to personal relationship issues which also caused her smoking addiction and excessive caffeine use. In short, she lost her work-life balance and needed help to regain her metabolic and mental health.
84 — Six diplomacy skills that Andrea shared with me as her life lessons
After years of formal education, Andrea became a neuroscientist and a polymath. However, she decided to become an entrepreneur to make a better impact on the lives of many people. Thus, she created a startup company that boomed and became an award-winning entrepreneur in her field.
In this story, I documented six diplomacy skills that Andrea shared with me as her life lessons. She asserted that these skills were as necessary as her technical and business skills for entrepreneurship. I hope budding entrepreneurs might find these simple yet powerful lessons valuable.
These points mainly revolve around people and communication skills. Andrea also was coached by Matilda, who became a communication expert. I mentioned her in a previous story titled Here’s How Mastering a Powerful Skill Made Matilda a Champion.
Andrea sharpened her communication and people skills with input from her grandparents and support from Matilda. A combination of her technical, communication, and people skills made her an award-winning entrepreneur.
85 — Lethal ALS Disease Killed My Father
Watching this movie felt like the universe was signaling something. I intuitively knew something would happen related to this movie. But I did not know what the essential message was for me.
A few days later, my family’s life unexpectedly turned when my father was diagnosed with ALS. The neurologist first revealed it to me as he perceived I was the oldest and strongest of my siblings. But the news hit me like a truck. I couldn’t find words to express the sudden rush of emotions.
Then my sister living in another city, heard about it and came to visit our father. She couldn’t hide her tears for days while talking with him. My innocent father, who did not know his condition, kept asking why she was crying. My younger brother was confused and kept asking me questions I had no knowledge to answer.
86 — Here’s Why Joseph Closed His Lucrative Candy Factory.
I met Joseph at a health conference over two decades ago, where he stood out among the attendees. Not only had he been awarded for his community contributions as an entrepreneur, but his story touched the hearts of everyone in the audience.
I was immediately drawn to him, finding him approachable, knowledgeable, experienced, and altruistic.
As we talked, Joseph revealed that his wealth had come at a high cost. His father’s candy factory, which had been his inheritance, ultimately caused his father’s death at a young age from a heart attack after suffering from diabetes for many years. The problem did not stop there.
87 — When Dave Died from a Heart Attack at a Young Age, I Was Deeply Sad But Not Surprised.
As his team leader, I had a chance to observe his behavior. He initially got along well with everyone, but people started to be concerned about his workaholic attitude. Then his behavior noticeably changed. He looked irritated, frustrated, impatient, and dissatisfied with his life.
Team members started complaining about his disappointing behavior. He stopped looking after himself and started risky behaviors like smoking and consuming too much alcohol. He looked awful in the morning, showing sleep deprivation.
Finally, after a year, he submitted his resignation and informed us he had found a much better-paying job moving away from technology to a project management role.
His abrupt career change decision sounded too radical to the team. Everyone was concerned, but no one was able to influence him.
88 — Here’s Why Tom No Longer Does Extreme Bodybuilding or Shredding.
Unlike his school friends, he stopped studying or looking for a job. Instead, he spent hours at the local gym daily. He meticulously tracked his macros and relied on fitness magazines to guide his diet, overlooking the importance of micronutrients.
His parents were initially concerned and disagreed with his ambitious behavior and saw it as irresponsible and risky. But they financially supported him since he was their only child and an adult.
After two years of intense weight training and strict dieting, giving him a toned and shredded body, Tom joined a bodybuilding competition. Disappointingly he didn’t place well. His gym mates encouraged him to continue as they believed Tom had the potential.
89 — Insights from a 102-year-old medical doctor and the literature review on the importance of letting go versus resistance and illusion of control
Dr. Gladys McGarey is a globally known holistic medical doctor called the “Mother of Holistic Medicine” for valid reasons like her contributions to the field and inspiring thousands of people to activate self-love and show their love to others in their works and lives.
Dr. McGarey was born in 1920 in India and grew up in the United States. She completed a medical degree and practiced medicine for over 70 years.
Reading her books and articles, I understand that Dr. McGarey, like everyone else, has experienced significant personal challenges throughout her life, demonstrating her remarkable resilience and strength. Unlike potential perceptions, her century of life was not easy and cozy.
90 — Here’s How Colonoscopy Saved Peter’s Life
Colorectal cancer is deadly and widespread, yet it is relatively easier to detect, which can lower the risk of metastasis and increase the chance of recovery.
Under the skilled guidance of medical specialists, Peter’s rectum and colon were meticulously examined during the procedure. Their vigilance paid off when they stumbled upon a small, inconspicuous tumor that, if left undetected, could have unleashed havoc on Peter’s life.
91 — How Henry Dealt with Overqualification Hurdle
Henry’s achievements in software engineering were above and beyond. He authored several peer-reviewed papers published in high-impact journals. He co-authored two books on Data Science and Data Analytics. He also designed an interesting iPhone iOS application on his own time and monetized it through his website. The app generated lucrative passive income for him. After working 14 years in a large business organization as a software engineer, he was retrenched from his full-time job because of downsizing. His employer adored him as he was loyal and productive.
92 — Here’s Why a Neuroscientist Decided to Become a Mystic
During scientific exploration, an extraordinary transformation occurred in the life of a brilliant neuroscientist, Benjamin. This captivating tale unfolds when a sad yet serendipitous encounter leads him to mysticism, leaving behind a promising career in neurobiology and medical science. Set against a backdrop of intellect, friendship, and a mystical party, this story delves into the depths of intuition, tragedy, and the pursuit of a deeper understanding of the human soul.
93 — Jane Shed 40 Kg with Creative and Short-Term Use of an Effective Medication
Jane was a 34-year-old woman when she received disheartening news from her family doctor — years of yo-yo dieting and excessive stress had led to her becoming obese.
Naturally, this sad news left her feeling upset and frustrated. She had diligently followed the advice propagated by popular media and magazines, consuming fat-free products and doing hours of cardio at her local gym, yet nothing seemed to yield desired results.
Seeking a solution, Jane’s doctor referred her to a specialized weight management clinic known for its expertise and reputation in reversing obesity. She encountered a compassionate and experienced integrative medicine doctor with a high success rate.
This doctor took the time to investigate Jane’s medical history thoroughly and ordered various tests to assess her biomarkers. The results revealed that Jane was dealing with metabolic syndrome and imbalanced hormones.
Her body was insulin resistant, her leptin hormone was dysregulated, and her cortisol levels were higher than average.
94 — Here’s How Alan Gained Better Cognitive Health as He Aged.
I introduced Alan last year in a story about detoxifying his body naturally. He is now 66, and like his body, his mental abilities are sharper than before, thanks to his healthy lifestyle choices, optimism, emotional maturity, and growth mindset. In this story, I summarize critical points of Alan’s inspiring routine, which improved his cognitive health as he aged. He feels younger than before. First, I give a brief background about cognitive health performance so that his adjustments can make sense to you. Then, I explain his routines.
95 — Here’s How Emma Defeated Her Midlife Crisis
Emma had always been a go-getter. She had worked hard, climbing the corporate ladder and achieving success beyond her wildest dreams.
She chose to stay single due to her career orientation. She was always healthy and happy. But as she entered her 40s, she began to feel restless, uncertain, and unfulfilled out of nowhere.
Here executive role no longer not gave her pleasure. She started questioning her choices, wondering if she had sacrificed too much for her career.
At first, Emma tried to ignore these feelings. She repressed them. But they kept coming and continued to gnaw at her.
96 — How Jenn and Tom Found the Fountain of Youth After Their 70s
This presentation is a mental journey that promises to be as illuminating as it is entertaining. But here’s the twist — I won’t present this tale with a straight face and a list of dos and don’ts.
Jenn and Tom will help us navigate the twists and turns of holistic health, a groundbreaking field that doesn’t just concern the body but delves into the intricacies of the mind, heart, and soul.
Imagine health as a high-stakes game show! In one corner, we have Medicine 2.0, frantically tackling symptoms like a firefighter armed with a water pistol. But wait! [Drumroll] Enter stage left: Health 3.0, the grand virtuoso of the future healthcare circus.
It’s like upgrading from a flip phone to a warp-speed quantum communicator. This story isn’t just a tale, folks; it’s the VIP pass to Health 3.0, where holistic wellness takes the center ring, leaving those pesky symptoms scrambling for a job.
97 — What If Your Metabolism Acts Like a Snail and How to Turn It into a Cheetah
Revving Up the Metabolism From Crawling Snail to Sprinting Cheetah at Any Age
Today, I share an inspiring tale of a mature adult’s metabolic transformation that could ignite your motivation to seize control of your metabolism. It’s the story of Luke in his early 70s with a metabolism like a snail and turned into a cheetah at 75.
Prepare for a jaw-dropping tale that might rev up our motivation for improving metabolism. Luke’s story is not just about losing 40 pounds in a year. It’s about discovering the magic of vitality when we optimize our metabolism.
When Luke asked his doctor about metabolism, he said it was like the bustling traffic cop inside our bodies, directing all the energy and nutrients to their proper destinations.
98 — A 66-Year-Old Man Naturally Increased His Testosterone by Lowering Insulin and Cortisol
Meet Alan, a real-life icon on a health and fitness transformation journey. Alan accomplished terrific feats with simple lifestyle changes and experts’ caring guidance. His testosterone levels soared after his 50s, like mine and many other mature men in our community.
During this transition, his waistline shrank, his muscles grew stronger, and his mood lit up like a sunny day. He’s the star of our story today. His triumph over aging challenges will inspire you.
Imagine a time when Alan was a lively kid, full of health and vitality. His parents took extra care to keep him fit and well.
But as the years passed, things took a turn. His brain felt cloudy, his emotions were all over the place, and his body wasn’t quite right. He knew he had to make a change for his autoimmune issues, bloating, heartburn, and itchy eczema.
As I introduced in a previous story, a natural detox gave him a fresh start, like a clean slate for his health. But aging brought new troubles. These weren’t the golden years he had hoped for.
In his 50s, Alan faced a new challenge: stubborn belly fat that just wouldn’t budge. It affected his body and mind, and he wondered if it was just part of getting older. But he wasn’t ready to accept that fate. Fortunately, he fixed his cognitive issues in seven steps, as I documented in a previous story.
99 — How Small Changes Helped Ray Eliminate Brain Fog Completely
At 67, Ray, transitioning from a forced retirement as an executive to a new academic role, discovered the keys to dispelling brain fog and graciously left the door ajar for others. His expedition serves as a poignant reminder that within our minds lies extraordinary resilience, and each of us wields the power to conquer the challenges of brain fog.
100 — Ted’s 9-to-5 Comeback After a Writing Business Setback
With uncertainties, the pandemic ignited a spark in him to explore the writing world as his side hustle, first aiming to be a freelancer and then an entrepreneur. He believed he was ready to turn his writing into full-time employment opportunities as his own boss. Driven by a dream of financial independence, Ted boldly stepped into the online writing business world without preparation by resigning from his full-time job, which he was conducting from the comfort of his home office in 2020.
101 — 66-Year-Old Apollo Lost 40 Kg Fat, Built a Defined Body and Reversed Pre-Diabetes
He successfully migrated to Australia with his Italian wife. Two years later, he submitted an application for permanent residency, which was approved. In his first year, I introduced Apollo to my friend Adrian, a fitness coach with a track record of assisting many mature clients in shedding fat and reversing their metabolic issues. Adrian worked closely with Apollo, focusing on his fitness, diet, and stress management, and connected him with a dietician and a stress management psychologist. He became part of the community and met several friends like Mark and Lucy, who reversed their diabetes by joining fitness activities. Within two years, his blood sugar, blood pressure, insulin, lipids, and cortisol levels returned to normal. He was no longer considered prediabetic or metabolically disadvantaged.
Conclusions
Life offers us valuable lessons through serendipitous encounters. They offer symbolic miracles during challenging moments. Each person I met in these stories gave me new perspectives on life. I hope you find some valuable life lessons in these stories.
Thank you for reading my perspectives and experiences. I wish you a healthy and happy life.
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As a new reader, please check my holistic health and well-being stories reflecting my reviews, observations, and decades of experiments optimizing my hormones and neurotransmitters. I write about health as it matters. I believe health is all about homeostasis.
Petechiae, ALS, Metabolic Syndrome, Type II Diabetes, Fatty Liver Disease, Heart Disease, Strokes, Obesity, Liver Cancer, Autoimmune Disorders, Homocysteine, Lungs Health, Pancreas Health, Kidneys Health, NCDs, Infectious Diseases, Brain Health, Dementia, Depression, Brain Atrophy, Neonatal Disorders, Skin Health, Dental Health, Bone Health, Leaky Gut, Leaky Brain, Brain Fog, Chronic Inflammation, Insulin Resistance, Elevated Cortisol, Leptin Resistance, Anabolic Resistance, Cholesterol, High Triglycerides, Metabolic Disorders, Gastrointestinal Disorders, Thyroid Disorders, Anemia, Dysautonomia, cardiac output, and urinary track disorders.
I also wrote about valuable nutrients. Here are the links for easy access:
Lutein/Zeaxanthin, Phosphatidylserine, Boron, Urolithin, taurine, citrulline malate, biotin, lithium orotate, alpha-lipoic acid, n-acetyl-cysteine, acetyl-l-carnitine, CoQ10, PQQ, NADH, TMG, creatine, choline, digestive enzymes, magnesium, zinc, hydrolyzed collagen, nootropics, pure nicotine, activated charcoal, Vitamin B12, Vitamin B1, Vitamin D, Vitamin K2, Omega-3 Fatty Acids, N-Acetyl L-Tyrosine, and other nutrients.
Disclaimer: My posts do not include professional or health advice. I only document my reviews, observations, experiences, and perspectives to provide information and create awareness.
As part of my creative non-fiction writing goals, I’d like to share a few stories that might warm our hearts with a bit of humor into weighty topics.
Sample Humorous Stories
Finally, After Burning Her House, Georgia Found Enlightenment
Hilarious Tips to Prevent Brain Atrophy and Keep the Gray Matter Giggling
8 Psychological Points I Had to Unlearn and Relearn the Opposite
Based on my writing experience and observations, I documented findings and strategies that might help you amplify your voice, engage your audience, and achieve your desired outcomes in your writing journey.
I publish my lifestyle, health, and well-being stories on EUPHORIA. My focus is on cellular, mitochondrial, metabolic, and mental health. Here is my collection of Insightful Life Lessons from Personal Stories.
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