Katharsis: Week 1

A new category is launching on the blog that you have loved and embraced in this almost a year. It is our real pleasure to read your comments and interactions. That's why we thought we'd make the blog even more personal to bring you a little closer to our thoughts and our daily lives. This category will be designed to take you through the conclusions that each week leads us to with a photo that depicts all the images of our experiences. Of course we want your participation so that you can help us with your own thoughts, your own experiences and conclusions so that together we can feel a close-knit and helpful group a community. 

This section will include questions and answers. Something like an interview so that it is also interactive and allows you to answer the same questions and interact with each other. 

Are you ready?

What moment this week made you feel most connected to yourself or others?

Family moments are often the ones that make you feel part of a whole while allowing you to be truly yourself, surrounded by warmth and care. The same feeling can arise when you’re with friends who accept you as you are.

This week, one of those moments came when Mary, little Tiger, and I sat in the living room of our village house, laughing and playing together. The little one's smile and our conversations made me feel deeply connected to myself. I felt that same connection during a conversation with a young mother in the town square, a comforting reminder that others understand the struggles we face and are navigating their own as well.

Did you experience any unexpected challenges or breakthroughs?

This week included a visit to the dentist for me. It might sound silly, especially since I am a psychologist, but it brought me face-to-face with fear, the fear of what could go wrong, how much pain I might feel, and the unsettling sense of not being in control of my health. I ended up leaving a little early, even though it was just the initial diagnostic test, which left me with a lingering sense of insecurity. Naturally, that feeling made me focus even more on the comfort of the past once I got home, moving from a state of complete vulnerability and uncertainty to the familiarity and safety of home.

What’s one thing you observed in nature that stayed with you?

It was a remarkable experience, or rather, a realization. The moment of calm in my mind came so instantly when I was in the forest, surrounded by the sounds of nature. The rustling of leaves, the song of birds, it all brought an immediate sense of peace, making me reflect on the constant noise of city life that we’ve come to accept as normal.

What stays with me this week is the deep sense of calm that nature, our true house of peace, gave me.

How did you handle stress or discomfort this week?

By talking to the person who understands me perhaps more than anyone else my wife, by analyzing as much as I can what I fear the most, by saying freely how bad I feel from the anxiety to the doctor, by focusing on the moment and what I feel grateful for once I've completed the appointment. And then from there, organizing things with my family to focus on what God has given us.

What emotion defined your week the most — and why?

Let’s see if I can choose the right path, the emotions of fear, love, security, safety, clarity, and joy.

Is there a lesson you learned this week that you’d carry forward?

Difficulties last longer when you analyze them and less when you experience them.

What’s one thing you’re letting go of from this week?

I throw away (faaaaaaaaaaaaaaaar away) the moment of stress at the dentist when my whole body was overwhelmed by a cold feeling.

How did you make space for rest or creativity this week?

During the times when the little guy is sleeping or resting I find time to blog and interact with all of you. The unplug and thrive family is a safe place and I am there as much as I can.

That’s how this week unfolded. We’re looking forward to hearing your thoughts, reflections, or anything else you’d like to share with us. Moments of regrouping and introspection are essential, they help us uncover the inner strength that carries us through challenges. After all, difficulties aren’t always meant to be fought; sometimes, they’re simply a deeply personal extension of ourselves, waiting to be accepted.