FEEL. OBSERVE. BE AWARE. SWIM?
The greatest teachers and supervisors of work and rest balance!
SEPTEMBER 2025 newsletteR
Hey folks,
How’s August (and most of September) been treating you? As you can see, I’m still in delayed mode writing this a week (or 2) too late! Been busy with work, which I’m extremely grateful for. Also been busy scouting my options for further studies. I have been participating in a few coaching programs to explore what’s available and what people are looking for, as I would love to expand my skills to be more of a help in today’s demanding world. It’s been interesting but also a bit sad. A lot of help available is based on even more apps and more data collected by different devices. People are expected to record their activity, sleep, food, moods, and other bodily functions via different devices, and then look at the results and decide how they feel based on that. Sometimes this information can be handy, but it should all be based on how you feel by observing and being aware. The body is smart, and it will tell you what you need. The question is, are you capable of listening?
I’ll give you an example of my own life. I was struggling to form my morning routine in a way that serves me in both weeks, as we have my partner's kids every other week, and the schedule is, of course, different. So I decided to go back to my old life and wake up earlier, work out more,with the result that I wasn’t getting enough sleep. Being more tired snowballed into more coffee, and more coffee resulted in more stomach pain and headaches, which ended up being a huge stressor, “Why are my 4 pm pain cramps returning” after being mostly pain-free for quite a few years now. All that added to a couple of external and social stress factors, several ponderings of what I should and should not be eating, and what supplements to take, has resulted in a sore or painful stomach for over a week now, and falling asleep at 7 pm, still waking up tired at 7am. So I am paying my wellbeing tax atm; Sleep, no supplements, no heavy workouts, no TV, gentle foods, and long fasts. All because I wanted something that I had already gone through and ditched cause it didn’t work for me. I am jealous of a lot of you who can wake up crazy early and function well, but I just need to accept the fact that this is not me, never has been. My body can cope with a lot in other fields, but it needs sleep, darkness, and quietness above all other things.
We are all different and in different stages of life, and we can’t always optimize everything. But observing and being aware are always available. Feel. Observe. Be aware. Think of the reasons behind actions, emotions, and sensations, and take a moment to really feel. Then, if possible, make notes by hand, so you need to put thought into creating the notes, not just tap into a box or read a measurement from the screen. A smart watch is not there to decide how you slept, and according to that, how you should feel today, nor is it there to give you info when you should next work out. That information is in you based on how you individually feel that day. Some days are better than others; others are there just to survive through and start again the next day. The world is too busy for basic human functions; we should have way more silence, stillness, and real connections. Our minds can’t handle the constant stimulants, artificial foods, smells, and lights. I know I live in the wrong century, but I also know I am onto something here. A lot of things are easier for us than they ever have been for past generations, yet we struggle way more, with weight issues, anxiety, depression, and several other diagnoses. I’m sure every one of us has several people in their lives with one or more of these issues, and occasionally struggle themselves. Let’s tackle this together, since we can’t all just turn into cats, no matter how much we would like to, haha.
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I’m really hoping to provide more help in this battlefield called the modern world. I just need to get some studies done and structures created before that’s available properly. In the meantime, I am available for good chats and, of course, treatments and advice for wellbeing as usual. Take care, everybody, and sit in silence staring into nothingness, like a cat!
PS. Let me know if you would be interested in a swimming group in Cromwell? Trying to lure a good coach from Queenstown to coach here, but I need some fellow swimmers to make that possible. No skills required; he coaches all levels. Would most likely be on Thursday mornings, if this ends up happening.
Love
Kaisa❤️🐾
While I’m still trying to put thoughts into action, counselor Keke is ready to go! Pretty good session we had the other day, she really knows her stuff. I’m reading through her recommendations atm. After she was done with me, the next patient was already waiting behind the door.
And no, they should not be allowed into the treatment room, but if I leave the door open for 1 second, this is what happens.
