Whole
Happy and Healthy
is one of many books you have written in the same genre. How does
this one differ?
Most
of the books I have written have been about leadership and social
change. Whole
Happy and Healthy
applies many of the same broad philosophical concepts but to a
different context. While I have written about mental health on my
blog and in a few other places, this is my first attempt to delve
deeply into this topic.
What
do you think makes a good self-help book?
I’m
a bit weary of the self-help label, although I personally have
greatly benefitted from many books I have read in this genre. A good
self-help book should provide readers with tools to improve their
lives without being overly prescriptive or limiting. I hope I have
offered this to readers in Whole
Happy and Healthy.
What
inspired you when writing Whole
Happy and Healthy?
The
book was mostly inspired by my own personal experience with mental
illness. During the three years it took me to write the book, people
asked whether or not I would be comfortable sharing my story in
public. This further inspired me to publish Whole
Happy and Healthy
to help break down the stigma that surrounds mental illness and
prevents people from seeking help.
What
are your ambitions for your writing career? Full time? Part time?
I
am very fortunate that I am able to do a lot of writing throughout
the day in my various roles. I have a backlog of at least 50 titles
that I would like to write in my lifetime and that list will probably
keep growing! My goal is to find ways to integrate writing into
everything I do while also being able to find the time to explore my
own unique interests in-depth through the written word.
When
did you decide to become a writer?
I
think I have been a writer from the time I could hold a pencil! I
can’t remember a time that I didn’t identify myself as a writer.
I wrote my first book in 2003, but prior to that I wrote quite a bit
privately while also sharing some poems, essays, and articles along
the way.
When
writing Whole
Happy and Healthy
did anything stand out as particularly challenging?
Writing
the book was emotionally difficult at times. I had to push myself
beyond my own experience and ideas to make sure the book would be
helpful to others. As I edited the book, I read it through the eyes
of various people with very different perspectives to make sure it
would resonate with a variety of readers who might be interested in
the message.
How
did you come up with the concepts of Whole
Happy and Healthy?
Whole
Happy and Healthy
started off as an exploration of various holistic approaches to
addressing mental illness. As I wrote, I found the concept of
perception emerging as an underexplored but very important component
of understanding ourselves and healing. The concepts in the book
evolved as I wrote.
What
do you like to do when not writing?
When
I’m not writing, I like to do a variety of interesting things that
I can someday write about! I especially like to experience the arts
and nature.