“I do short-story writing, and I’m about to publish a personal development book. I started writing short stories a number of years ago to help me understand relationships better, and the struggles and joys of life. I’ve experienced some positive transformation in my life, so I wanted to share that.

“Psychologist George Pransky greatly influenced my life. He wrote a book called ‘The Relationship Handbook’, and it was the first book I ever read that was steering you away from techniques, and more towards mindfulness approaches to finding your own peace of mind, and your own self-confidence before resolving issues with other people in your life.

“When I was younger, it was strange because I had a twin brother and I was always known as the outgoing guy. I was confident with most people, but there were certain people who I would experience extreme anxiety around to the point where it would make me physically ill. They would say things that triggered old memories from childhood or old communication dynamics. That was stronger in my teenage years and in my twenties, but when I got into my thirties, I started to practice some of the stuff I was learning in books, and I started to develop more of the mindfulness approach that George Pransky was talking about. Now, I’m comfortable around most people, and it’s very easy for me to socialize with anyone I want — for the most part.

“I used to experience anxiety around my mother when we were communicating, and I’ve told her about that, but over the years, I’ve learned mindfulness and communication skills. Every time I was around her and she was communicating in this anxious or demanding way, I would repeat “let her be”, “let her have these thoughts and feelings”, and it would allow me to relax a lot more. Strangely, the more I relaxed around her, the more she began to relax around me. She’s actually told me about this. She has said “Thank you for holding space for me”, “I think more clearly when we communicate.” I’ve gotten a lot of feedback from people in my life about this.”