If you ask me if I’m happy in my life, I’d say definitely! And I owe it all to my family. I have a lovely wife and fantastic kids who bring joy on a daily basis. They give me strength, and knowing I can provide for them makes me tick. We spend quality time together and if need be, we make joint decisions – my children are welcome to express their opinions and give suggestions, too. We support one another and in times of crisis, we lend one another a helping hand. Luckily, thanks to communication we can forestall some bad situations. I know what we have is special and I value it. I hope we can have such a great relationship for years to come.

I feel much more alive after every workout. It gives me energy for the whole day. At first, I was sure I would never get up at 5.30 to have a run, especially when it’s dark and rainy but now nothing really bothers me. I do 10‑15 kilometres each day, sometimes shorter distances, but I always get a good sweat, feel adrenaline pumping, and a boost of endorphin – the happiness hormone. When I exercise, I feel like I could conquer the world and nothing is going to stop me from killing it at the office, not even my grumpy boss who complains about obstacles. It’s about time he gave sports a chance. He would adopt a positive outlook on the world in no time.

There are many things that help people live a good life but in my case, I believe in the power of comfort food. Whenever I feel down in the dumps, I indulge in nutritious food packed with vitamins, antioxidants, and fibre. I love Greek cuisine, so I often make dishes with a lot of vegetables, feta cheese, olive oil, and yoghurt. After such a meal I can control my emotions and know that my body is a temple. Nothing and nobody is able to knock me off balance. I stay sharp and focused and I can channel my energy into something positive. Everything works to my advantage then.

My doctor once told me that I felt grumpy because I didn’t get enough sleep. I was in shock because I used to get about 8‑9 hours of sleep every night. But then it turned out that I had to work on its quality. “It’s high time you improved your sleep pattern!” he said. So now I finally achieved my inner peace – I bought a proper pillow to support my neck, I installed window blinds, I never watch TV or use a computer or a phone before bedtime – I engage in some light reading and I switch off my phone completely for the night. I started using a regular alarm clock but I often wake up before it goes off.

There’s nothing like having a little circle of great friends who will have your back no matter what. When I’m blue, I can call them and talk my problems through. It has saved me a lot of troubles at school because if I didn’t have them, there would be no stopping me from ranting and raving about my classmates’ incompetence to everyone who would be willing to listen. Anyway, me and my besties spend a lot of time together, we laugh together and take comfort in one another’s company if someone needs to vent. Knowing that I can rely on them makes me feel accepted, understood and taken care of.

The key to staying positive is to do what you love, have a passion. It gives you the energy to overcome obstacles that life sends your way. So, after a busy and stressful day at work, I just go to my garden and take care of it. And when I hit rock bottom, I bounce back planting flowers, arranging flower beds, and trimming the hedge. You can’t believe what satisfaction you may derive from growing a beautiful plant, not to mention the fact that in spring and summer the area is eye‑pleasing. It makes you want to sit on a bench surrounded by peace and quiet with a book in your hand and just breathe the fresh air.