Hi Mal,

I've been reading your messages and I'm really glad to hear you're feeling better.

I wanted to write something sooner, but didn't have an opportunity until now.

One thing you should try to do is take vacations often or take long vacations.

When I was doing maintenance I used to take one or two 3-week long vacations during the year. Remember, when you do maintenance, 99% of the times the phone rings, it means problems. I was able to keep my sanity (well, not that there was much of it in the first place!) by taking those long vacations.

As someone pointed out, you should do that.

Another thing, as I see you're wearing a lot of hats, would be to slow down a bit, and let the deadlines for your goals stretch a bit.

Think of life as a mortgage. If you look at the whole amount, it becomes overwhelming, but somehow you manage to pay a bit every month, and it will inevitably get paid in full.

One thing I noticed from my vacations is that every single time, I would come home anxious to do things. Kinda like going back to school after summer.

Another thing that might help you is to take on something new, completely different. Something at which you will really be a beginner (karate, quilting, or something trully odd). It will definitely make those thoughts about Visual-awkwardness away.

Wish you the best!!!!

Alex