The Journey Within

Another bout of sickness. It’s just a short trip to Malaysia but the whole trip was spent indoors because I didn’t have much strength to go outdoors. With the body feeling weak, I just want to sleep all day, which gave me a headache that I can’t shake off, which makes me want to sleep again… aah… the all so familiar vicious cycle.

Today is a good day. I finally woke up feeling energised. Probably more energised than before I was ill. Whenever I feel this way, I think the illness was meant to wake up me up from some dreamy-lethargic state I am in. I don’t feel that way when I’m actually sick because then, you’re just trying to fight the sickness. But after that, I feel refreshed. So refreshed that I thought I can start to make some improvements to my normal days as suggested by Steve.

I started off with his first suggestion, to get an early start to the day. So I set my alarm to go off at 5.30am. I figured it has to be something drastic to actually make any dent to this goal. I woke up at 7.30am, officially got out of bed at 8am. I didn’t even hear my watch alarm. I think I need to change the alarm clock. ;P

Another one of his suggestion was to read habitually. So, I did the morning thing of washing my face and brushing my teeth, had some breakfast, and continued reading on the investment book. It’s taking me a while to read through this book not because it’s long, each chapter is on average 5 pages long! There’s only 20 odd chapters. But having read each chapter, I normally have to close the book to reflect what has been written, what I have understood, how has it applied to my own experience – basically to internalise what I have read. It’s a tiring process but the book just demands it. It relates so much more to the investment philosophy.

Next up, exercise! I’m going for a run. Lunch. Table tennis. and probably more reading.

All these activities immediately after I recover from being sick. It’s like someone pricked the lethargic balloon and all the gas escaped all at once. So, is this what sickness is suppose to do? To be a prick? (I just can’t resist to use that question in this context…

I believe there’s a 2-part answer to this question.

One, it’s suppose to remind me that I’m fallible. I make mistakes. I’m human. It’s part of the human condition. The body is trying to correct an error. Hence it shuts down some parts and make other parts work overtime.

Secondly, to adapt what Kennedy quoted, “ask not what the sickness can do for you, ask what you can do for the sickness”. It’s actually how we react to the sickness that’s important to any sickness. Let’s face it, everyone falls sick some time or another. The degree of illness varies. Some gets it more severe than others. It reminds us of the unfairness of life. If we surrender to this fact (that life is unfair), then, only then can we start to take positive action – be it something so common as sickness to the more challenging areas of life – career, wealth, family, relationship.

So, have you been sick lately? Try to be more aware of your feelings towards it. Maybe you can learn something amidst all the pain and suffering. Plus, it’s something to take the mind away from the pain and suffering!

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1. Getting sick of getting sick
2. Doctor, my phone is sick
3. Bookmarks
4. Write to heal
5. I hate sleeping