Category Archives: Nonfiction

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#59 Blogging after a holiday

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Being stressed about something simple

Having not published any posts for two weeks made me frustrated.
“Calm down, nobody missed your posts anyway…” whispers my brain. It’s the low-self-esteem part of my brain speaking—the part that always sounds like that bully from high school we wished would break his leg in an accident… and he never fucking did!

BUT there is truth in what that part of my brain has been telling me. It’s actually not that big of a deal, if I skip some publications. Right?
Right!

I’m doing this because I enjoy writing, correct? I don’t earn shit when posting a new article, right?
Right!

And yet, my diligent, disciplined, and consistency-oriented side doesn’t want to let go of the disappointment stemming from losing the “weekly track record,” a self-made goal.
Maybe, deep down in the unconscious, this has something to do with my childhood, and a desire for predictability and control… Isn’t everything related to that? Our childhood.

Then there is the other part of my brain speaking—the part that justifies every single missed opportunity with nonsensical, misapplied Stoic-inspired quotes like “there is no right or wrong”, “everything happens for a reason”, or “keep calm, trust the process.” After all, even when I don’t post, I am devoting time to improve my work. I am working on new ideas, polishing my old posts, analyzing my content, trying to figure out the SEO stuff… And I have a list of open tabs in my head all the time. Things I want to do in my blog that don’t include writing. So technically I am always kind of working on this project.

And yet, unless I write and post something, there is a lingering feeling of non-achievement, stinging me like a mosquito, over and over.

This is why I’m coming up with this spontaneous reflection, which sounds more like a rant than anything else.
Let’s try to make the most out of it, though.

Planning the break

First, we have to act before it even happens: it’s important to plan.
Having a clear idea of how we will handle the blog break matters. Do we want to schedule a few posts in advance? Warn our audience (if we have one) about our temporary absence? Bring moleskine and pen with us and take some random notes from time to time?

And that, right there, was my first mistake. I didn’t prepare a plan, anything. Or better, I deluded myself (by bringing moleskine and pen) that I would prolifically write neat posts, which I would then transcribe and publish right away on my return. Well, guess what happened? I had fun on my holiday. I just relaxed and enjoyed it. And throughout the whole week, I had no intention whatsoever of being productive in any freaking way. As it’s supposed to happen. It’s a holiday!

The return and acclimatizing again

Key is keeping in mind the transition phase from holiday to real life. Responsibilities, day-to-day errands, the oppressing energy of the city, the change of seasons—all these things hit you hard.
Personally, I feel like shit the first two, three weeks after a holiday, as I would love to stay in it. Accept it, do things that make you feel better, and don’t take real life too seriously. At the end of the day, we are all hustling, trying to survive while enjoying life a little, without too many worries, especially when there’s a freaking season change in the middle. I can’t begin to explain how my brain is being fucked up by all these.

So, calculate a couple of extra weeks to acclimatize upon return from a holiday.

Restarting to write

Forget about the big projects and fancy posts—just forget about it.

Instead, wait until something spontaneous—something that feels true to you—comes up, then throw the words on paper (or on the screen) and start piecing together the puzzle as you go.

If you are blocked

Accept it and try to chill. It’s also a good chance to read what other bloggers are up to—what are they writing? Is there a topic you’ve been wanting to explore as a reader? Do you follow someone inspiring you’ve been wondering what they were up to? This is a perfect time for “stalking.”

What else?

Out of curiosity, I checked some articles on the same topic. I checked them after writing mine, as I didn’t want to be influenced by existing material, even though SEO experts suggest doing research before you write, to get a sense of what it takes to be on the top ranks. Screw that! Haha.

Anyways, here are a couple of articles that I found actually useful (and a very similar take to mine, even though more concise) and that I will keep as a reminder for the next time I will go on holiday.

1) https://www.exprance.com/how-to-return-to-blogging-after-a-break/
2) https://www.productiveblogging.com/how-to-juggle-blogging-and-holidays/
3) https://www.nosegraze.com/vacation-post-or-not-post/

One last thing

At the end of the day, blogging after a break isn’t about punishing myself for lost momentum—it’s about embracing the reset and letting creativity return at its own pace. Next time, maybe I’ll plan a little more, or maybe I’ll just let the holiday do what holidays are supposed to do: help me enjoy life, recharge, and come back when inspiration strikes.

La subversión de Beti García - Alianza Editorial

#58 Reflexiones sobre poder y corrupción en ‘La Subversión de Beti García’

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#56 Pagine di una Moleskine 1: Vivi e lascia vivere

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Berlino, 1° febbraio 2020

Di tanto in tanto ripenso al tormento che ho vissuto durante la mia relazione precedente. Non ho saputo creare un equilibrio, né tantomeno marcare dei sani confini. Mi sono lasciato sopraffare da una persona nervosa, sospettosa, incapace di comunicare in modo costruttivo e triste. Lei si portava dietro una dolorosa ferita mai del tutto guarita, provocata da qualcuno venuto prima di me.

La memoria di quel tormentato periodo riaffiora ancora e, con essa, le emozioni legate a quel momento della mia vita.

Alcune emozioni affaticano lo spirito e ci trascinano in una dimensione oscura e mostruosa. Sono sintomi di mali che hanno radici profonde nel tempo, nel cuore e nella mente.

Ho — o meglio, ho sempre avuto — la strana tendenza a credere che le persone che incontro abbiano un grande potere su di me, soprattutto quando possiedono un’energia negativa. Forse è così per tutti. Il male è come una malattia estremamente contagiosa: è bene vaccinarsi e, se la si contrae, è fondamentale curarsi prima che ci debiliti o, peggio, che ci uccida.

Forse ci vorrà del tempo prima che guarisca del tutto, ma è positivo notare che ho la consapevolezza di non essere nessun altro se non me stesso.

Non ripeterò l’errore commesso da altri nei miei confronti: la donna che amo sarà libera di vivere come vuole, e così sarò io. All’insegna del rispetto reciproco, della tolleranza, dell’accettazione e della libertà.

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#55 Liberte sua mente escrevendo histórias inspiradas na sua vida

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Às vezes acontece de eu ficar bloqueado em certos pensamentos, e lentamente eles se tornam obsessões. Isso sempre aconteceu, agora que reflito sobre o assunto, mas antes acontecia inconscientemente. Hoje em dia, não demoro a tomar conhecimento do que está acontecendo dentro da minha cabeça.

Embora assim seja, quando pensamentos e emoções se misturam de forma indissolúvel, é mais difícil pensar lucidamente e manter o controle das próprias reações.

Hoje em dia, somos muito bem informados sobre várias técnicas de relaxamento, como exercícios de respiração, meditação, etc. Mas tem uma técnica sobre a qual não leio muito e que poderia tornar todos nós calmos e únicos escritores: escrever histórias baseadas nos pensamentos que nos atormentam.

Sim, claro, escritores usam com muita frequência acontecimentos pessoais como inspiração para as próprias histórias, mas quem não é escritor não sabe disso. Tudo que acontece conosco é material criativo para futuros livros.

Escrever sobre nossos pensamentos, sobre nossas histórias, relações, etc., relaxa e nos ajuda a canalizar nossa vida de forma construtiva, suponho, ou pelo menos é assim para mim. Por isso, eu aconselharia: em vez de escrever seu próprio diário dos acontecimentos, escreva histórias inspiradas na própria vida. Obviamente, respeitando a privacidade das pessoas envolvidas na vida real, usando animais como personagens, outras épocas, nomes fictícios, etc.

É muito divertido e ajuda a processar o que mantém sua mente ocupada de forma desagradável.

Um exemplo concreto: se você tiver um problema com colegas de trabalho que te mantêm acordado e ansioso, escreva uma história. Seus colegas podem se tornar alienígenas com os quais você não consegue se comunicar, e daí você inventa um desafio, personagens, história, seguindo as bases da narrativa de forma simples.

Se você nunca tentou, tente e conte como foi sua experiência.

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#54 Using AI as a career coach to discover your professional future

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I want to keep this post brief and share the key insights without wasting anyone’s time with a story that isn’t necessary. I’ll just say that the tip I’m sharing is a prompt I created by feeding perplexity.ai some questions related to my CV, future career steps, closing learning gaps based on market trends, and my current skills.

At the moment, I have a stable position where I work mainly in German and French. I love languages, and especially German has been quite a barrier to get past for a long time, so it’s pretty dope that I get paid to keep speaking German and improving my skill daily! Also, after spending almost the whole of 2024 unemployed, I can only be grateful for my current professional situation.

Of course, I have ambitious plans for my future. As someone with insatiable curiosity who is always learning, I’m constantly considering my next steps. That’s why I asked Perplexity to analyze my CV and give me some tips on career advancement, learning new skills, and planning a shift in my professional life. I also believe this prompt could be useful to those aiming at getting back to work after a period of unemployment.

Anyway, enough introduction! I wrote much more than intended. Here are some of the most effective prompts for supporting career development when someone provides their CV, along with examples for planning next steps, recommending relevant courses, suggesting career transitions, and outlining practical steps.

1. Assessment & Goal Clarification

“Using my CV and current role as context, identify the responsibilities, skills, and behaviors where I consistently perform at a high level. Then highlight tasks, environments, or role expectations that appear misaligned with my strengths, energy, or long-term career goals, and explain why.”

2. Gap Analysis & Skill Mapping

“Based on my professional experience and the roles or industries I’m targeting (e.g., XYZ), map my existing technical and soft skills against common job requirements. Clearly identify skill gaps, emerging competencies, or experience areas I currently lack, and prioritize them by importance and market demand.”

3. Targeted Course & Certification Recommendations

“Taking into account my background, transferable skills, and target roles, recommend specific skills, certifications, or learning paths that would most improve my chances of securing interviews. For each recommendation, explain why it matters and whether it’s best suited for short-term impact or long-term career growth.”

4. Career Shift & Adjacent Role Discovery

“Review my past roles, cross-functional projects, and side responsibilities to identify patterns that suggest potential career pivots or adjacent roles (such as project management, training, content strategy, localization, or translation management). For each possible direction, explain which past experiences support the transition.”

5. Actionable Career Planning (90-Day Plan)

“Create a realistic 90-day career action plan tailored to my goals. The plan should include:
• Specific résumé or LinkedIn improvements
• Weekly or monthly networking objectives (with examples of who to contact and why)
• Recommended courses or skill-building activities
• Clear milestones to track progress and adjust strategy”

6. Industry & Role Exploration

“Based on current job market trends, identify roles closely aligned with my experience that show strong growth or resilience. For each role, outline typical entry requirements, key skills, salary range (if relevant), and realistic steps I would need to take to transition into it.”

7. Reflection, Motivation & Career Fit

“Analyze what appears to motivate me most professionally—such as problem-solving, helping others, creative work, autonomy, or working with technology—based on my career history and preferences. Then suggest career directions or role types that align strongly with these motivators and explain why they would be a good fit.”

    Best Practices for Using These Prompts

    • Balance objective analysis with personal intent
    • Focus on actionable, short-term outcomes
    • Define measurable success criteria
    • Revisit and iterate regularly
    • Use prompts as decision support, not absolutes

    These prompts create a structure that helps you assess your present position, recognize growth areas, and build a plan that includes upskilling and networking, ultimately increasing the likelihood of successful career transitions.

    I would suggest printing your results and going with the flow, seeing how it works for you, and eventually make adjustments to align with your goals and current circumstances.

    Last update 30.01.2026