New Release ...... A new e-magazine ! ... Check our Shop for a free sneak peak.

Subscribe
Subscribe

This Is Why I Started Writing the SMR Book Series

What inspired me to start writing about our mental traps . our self-made rabbitholes !

SELF HELP & PERSONAL GROWTHSPIRITUAL GROWTH

Waleed Radwan

5/5/20263 min read

black and silver retractable pen on blank book
black and silver retractable pen on blank book

Let me start with something honest.

I didn't write this SMR book series because I've always been calm, clear, or emotionally wise.

I wrote it because I wasn't.

I've fallen into more mental traps than I can count. I've stayed in some of them far longer than I should have. And over the years, I've watched people I care deeply about - family members, close friends, colleagues - struggle with the same patterns, often without realizing what was pulling them in.

So what’s SMR? Well, it stands for Self-Made Rabbitholes. I call these mental traps “rabbitholes”. Because we jump into them easily and struggle to come out.

On my professional side, I've spent over twenty-five years working in lean management and operational excellence, mostly in manufacturing. My work has always been about identifying bottlenecks, constraints, and friction points - anything that slows systems down, drains energy, delays business results or makes processes and people struggle unnecessarily.

But with time, a pattern became impossible to ignore.

Most bottlenecks, in fact, weren't technical.

They were human.

They lived in assumptions, unspoken expectations, poor communication, silent resentment, fear of clarity, and issues that were previously unquestioned or silenced. Businesses didn't struggle because systems were broken - but because people were. And people struggle not because they are weak, but because they are human.

That realization led me to write and speak about the human side of work, including a Linkedin newsletter called Mr. Sage, where I explore workplace dynamics and the psychology behind them. For more about that, visit our Business Blog

But this book series, however, isn't about work.

It's about us.

Not us as employees or business owners.

Us as parents, spouses, siblings, friends.

Us when no one is watching.

Us when we feel lonely, misunderstood, disappointed, or quietly overwhelmed.

It's about how we spiral into overthinking.

How a small moment turns into a heavy story.

How we build expectations, assign meanings, replay conversations - and then suffer under them.

Those spirals?

I call them rabbit holes.

You don't fall into them because something is wrong with you.

We fall into them because we were not taught about how to recognize them early - or how to climb out of that rabbit hole once you realize.

This SMR book series blends two worlds that have shaped me deeply.

On one side, the science of psychology, supported by research, frameworks, and studies on human behavior, thinking patterns, and relationships. On the other, the spiritual dimension - the side that speaks to meaning, acceptance, responsibility, purpose and inner peace.

Because I am Muslim, many of the spiritual reflections in this book come from Islamic sources and scholars who have touched my heart and influenced the way I see life. That doesn't mean these ideas belong to one faith. In fact, I believe the core truths are shared across religions.

Take what resonates.

Translate it into your own framework.

The goal is clarity, not labels.

One more thing I'm genuinely excited about: the appendix of this book series isn't an afterthought. It's a bonus.

I've enriched it not only with additional sources for readers who want to go deeper, but also with practical ideas for creators - people who want to share, teach, or inspire. Whether through YouTube shorts, Instagram reels, motivational posts, or conversations, the aim is simple: not just to help ourselves climb out of rabbit holes, but to extend a hand to others as well.

If these books help you think more clearly, communicate more honestly, or suffer a little less - don't keep it to yourself.

Create a ripple.

Stay positive.

Make an impact.

Read each book honestly. Read it like a conversation with a friend who has walked the road before you - not to tell you how to live, but to help you see what's been quietly shaping your experience all along.

If you’re also interested in the content and want to chat, feel free to connect on email.

Photo from Unsplash by Mike Tinnion