The Hyggelig Journey

When my father fell ill in his final days, the lyrics of Shawn Mendes’ In My Blood became an unexpected refuge, helping me process the reality unfolding before me. The song’s plea — its raw, urgent cry against the weight of helplessness — resonated in a way that felt almost too personal. “Help me, it’s like the walls are caving in” — those words captured the suffocating dread that gripped me in the small hours, waiting for news, hoping for a miracle I already knew would not come. The song does not offer easy comfort; nor does it deny the pain of endurance. Instead, it acknowledges the struggle — the desperate search for strength when every instinct urges collapse. “I just wanna give up, but I can’t.” That was it, exactly. The exhaustion, the emotional erosion, the moments when hope felt like a cruel joke. And yet, beneath it all, an unspoken defiance: the fight continues, not because it is easy, but because surrender is unthinkable. The grief that followed those long hours ...

Exhausted. That was the abiding sentiment as I closed the final patient file of the day. My hand brushed against my bag with the air of a man signing his own eviction, and I set off, making my way out of the consulting room. I trudged forward as though bearing my own coffin, lost in thought. The day had been fruitful. Those who arrived in pain departed unburdened, and those who had lost their sense of purpose returned home as if waving to the sea — only to find the sea waving back. And yet, why was I so utterly spent? Perhaps my hands ached, robbing me of action. Perhaps I granted myself the right to claim the prize — the heavy trophy — of one who had made a difference. But none of it truly mattered. Sometimes, weariness alone suffices — a quiet reminder of life passing by. After all, every mark left upon the world carves its consequence into the skin.

When you control what is possible and reasonable, you demonstrate discipline and determination. When you try to control the impossible and unlikely, you demonstrate desperation. Anxiety often stems from this very struggle—the urge to control what is beyond your reach. In itself, anxiety is an adaptive phenomenon, preparing you to navigate daily life. However, when you attempt to suppress it at all costs, you not only hinder your ability to adapt but also create another obstacle. Rather than seeking control over your anxiety, seek acceptance. This means allowing yourself to think and feel whatever arises, even when it is uncomfortable. When you try to suppress anxious thoughts, you create a problem greater than the thoughts themselves—leading to procrastination, fear, withdrawal, and despair. This, in turn, can give rise to pathological anxiety and coping mechanisms such as alcoholism or compulsive shopping. Recognising yourself as an anxious person is probably quite dif...