-Some days feel heavy. And that’s part of the work.-

Good evening, dear readers. How are you?

Today I feel worn out.
It was my second early shift at work, and waking up so early is starting to take its toll. I feel very low on energy, and tonight — whether from real hunger caused by all the training, or from fatigue and stress — I felt a strong urge to eat. I could have eaten anything on the table.

But I controlled my hunger. I redirected my thoughts and reminded myself that I am strong and that I control my mind. So I told myself: Matteo, eat what you’re supposed to eat, nourish your body, and if you’re still hungry, try not to obsess over it.

Now that I’m writing this, the hunger has calmed down. I feel about 80% full.

This made me think about one of the principles of longevity in Japan, called Hara Hachi Bu. What I’m about to mention is based on tradition and research. Okinawa is considered one of the five Blue Zones — areas of the world where people live the longest. One of their main habits is eating large amounts of vegetables and plant-based foods, and most importantly, eating until you feel about 80% full, not completely stuffed.

It’s a mindful approach to food, one that helps avoid overloading the digestive system. It’s a cultural rule that promotes balance and moderation — and it can be applied to other areas of life as well.

Another very important factor is eating mindfully. Sometimes I manage to do it. I try not to use electronic devices while eating, focusing only on the food in front of me. Ideally, we should also eat slowly, savoring every bite to help digestion — something I still struggle with. When hunger hits, I tend to eat fast without thinking. I want to improve this. I want to learn to eat more slowly, not just for digestion or satiety, but because eating slowly helps build awareness.

After this reflection on food, I want to talk about how I feel today.

I’m truly tired. Not because work itself was intense, but because my sleep schedule is irregular. Some days I sleep 8 hours and wake up fresh and motivated. Other days I sleep 5 or 6 hours and reach the end of the day feeling like jelly.

This morning my alarm went off at 4 a.m. I know I could easily wake up at 5:15, but I don’t give up. My morning routine is too important to me — meditation, reading, journaling. It’s part of who I am now. Starting my day like this, with a ceramic mug filled with warm water, has become my mantra.

This is who I am: someone who gets obsessively attached to the things he cares about. I care so deeply about that mug that I’ve almost become obsessed with it. I see more than just a piece of ceramic. When I hold it in my hands, my mind travels to some place in Japan. I feel gratitude. I imagine myself in a ryokan, drinking a cup of hot tea. I’m grateful for having bought that mug.

After work today, I completed a very intense gym session and really challenged myself. I’m trying to increase the time I can hold a plank. I’m now at 1 minute and 45 seconds, starting from 1 minute just two weeks ago. I want to see how far I can push my body — but above all, my mind.

More than physical fatigue — which is obviously there — the real challenge is mental. There’s a moment when seconds stop flowing normally. Time slows down. And right when you’re about to give up, you start fighting your inner self.

So I decided to challenge myself, to compete with myself, to understand my limits. I want to go beyond them. I want to dominate my mind — not just as a challenge, but as training for control. I want to improve my mastery over my thoughts.

This is day three of trying to follow the advice from The Law of Attraction, but for the past two days I haven’t practiced visualization. I know I need to restart, but I need my place — my bench in the park. I want to sit there after my run, with no thoughts, and start creating in my mind, visualizing what I want to achieve.

Tomorrow I’ll start again. I promise. I want to test these universal laws described in the book.

Another day where I spoke badly about someone I don’t like. Another day where I didn’t fully control my thoughts. Another day where I visualized negative things I don’t want to attract — yet just by thinking about them, I attract them.

I need to learn to think positively and truly believe in it. It’s not enough to visualize what we want if, deep down, we believe we’re not capable of achieving it — because then the law cancels itself out.

Positive thoughts.
Positive thoughts.
Visualize.
Visualize.
Create.
Create.

I need to build the habit of thinking positively, not thinking about others, being kind to everyone. A healthy mind. Healthy thoughts. Healthy thoughts lead to what I want. What I want leads to joy, gratitude, and freedom.

Plan.
Learn.
Fail.
Execute.

I wish you a good evening, dear readers.
See you tomorrow.