Elastic Bands and Comic Books - Triumph Beyond Adversity

To a lot of people, especially in Australia, apples are a very common fruit. It is even given away for kids to snack on at major supermarkets and there is a saying that “an apple a day, keep the doctors away”. It is a saying that implies that something easily attainable can help maintain our health. I haven’t always had this experience with apples. To me it means more than just a piece of fruit. To me it was a lifestyle that is a s...

“I am not in this world alone; you make up chapters in my story.”

In the 90s, a real estate agent named Kieran became an unexpected hero in my family’s life. At 15, alongside my 11-year-old brother, I stood outside a real estate office, hoping to secure a one-bedroom flat for my hardworking mother. She was already at work, unable to stand in line, and this wasn’t the first time we found ourselves in this situation.

When we were told ...

When you are good at doing certain things and have decided to do something new, you tend to expect that you will quickly get really good at doing that new thing too. And sometimes you take shortcuts because you think I need to produce the output quickly because I don’t want to seem incompetent or seem that I am not a quick learner. This, I have found, is an extremely unrealistic expectation to put on yourself because when feedback ...

Have you started doing something and get yourself to a point where you are struggling and you really want to quit. When you started, it felt like it was manageable and the risk are minimal but once you are in it, you start seeing things go wrong or even not go according to plan? What do you do? Do you quit and turn back? Do you call for advice or help? Do you talk yourself out of it? Or do you keep going, even though it is difficul...

Have you ever heard a member of your family, a work colleague, a friend, or someone you know talk about someone that they clearly have on a pedestal. If you don’t know what I mean, it’s basically someone who they really look up to and can do no wrong. When they speak about this person, it’s like they feel so grateful to just know them or be associated with them. It might be someone with an impressive title, someone who is in charge...

Mental clutter can have an impact on mood and emotional well-being. There are people walking around with a cynical mindset because they are holding on to memories of bad relationships, failures, and bad decisions. It gets so bad that they can’t even allow others to enjoy life, they have to say something negative as they can no longer conceal their bitterness. That is not the way to live life. There is so much good, yet it cannot be...

A few days ago, I watched a documentary on Netflix. It was a Chef’s Table series on noodles and the chef featured was Evan Funke. I have heard a lot of stories where people came out of underprivileged homes and their search for a better life leads them to discovering their purpose. Evan Funke’s story is different. He had a comfortable upbringing in Los Angeles, and his parents encouraged him and his siblings to pursue what they lov...

When I see people go through a situation that unfamiliar, uncomfortable, or just plain painful, I think about the times I went through the same. It really is horrible to feel alone in your situation. It really is heartbreaking when no one shows compassion. And yes, everyone is fighting their own demons and struggling with their own situations but I think if we try to just be open to understanding others and empathise with the fact ...

We live in a world where we are raised to be independent. Since the 1960s, there have been thousands of songs released about being independent which equates to being strong, resilient, being able to function, and make decisions without relying on others. There is a sense that being independent is a quality that every person should strive for. It’s almost a badge of honour to say I don’t need anyone.

It's no wonder that when we are g...

There are two groups of people in this world. Those who are comfortable staying in their comfort zone or staying in an environment where they are considered the most talented, the most successful, or the most admirable. But there are those who are quick to outgrow this environment and feel the need to search for opportunities where they are not the smartest in the room because they want to surround themselves with people who are be...

Thinking through this, I have also realised that as individuals, we are sometimes constrained by trying to fit ourselves into the titles of the jobs we have studied for, we have worked before, or what we tend to call ourselves. I’m an accountant, I’m in finance, I’m in tech, I’m in retail, I’m a pharmacist, I’m a teacher, and as we navigate jobs and careers, we tend to limit ourselves in thinking this is who I am, and this is all I...

Whilst it is important to acknowledge that an unfavourable change has occurred, it is important to recognise that it doesn’t have to be the end of your story. It is simply a change that was unexpected and undesired, but it is a change, nevertheless. Focus on being grateful for the little things. Set yourself realistic goals and work towards achieving them. Celebrate as you do because you need to remind yourself that you are capable...

It’s easy to say you can lean on me, but have we given any evidence to prove that people can indeed lean on us without repercussions.

How do you react when someone close to you comes to you with a problem or an issue?

Are you able to listen without judgement?

Are you able to be there without making them feel like they are a burden?

Are you able to just listen if that is all they need you to do?

Are you able to listen without ma...

Expectations are tricky. Sometimes, we are our own worst enemies as we set expectations for ourselves that are extremely unrealistic, and we also allow others to set the same for us. I realise now that it is important to teach others how to treat us, to teach others that they should not have any expectations on us because we are all human beings and there are days where we can be givers and there are days where we must be takers. E...

Yesterday, I played my first ever game of basketball. Everyone in my family plays basketball however I have never played in an official basketball game as part of a team. It was absolutely out of my comfort zone. I am not competitive when it comes to sport, I never played in a team in school, and I don’t know the rules. I joined a team because I wanted to challenge myself to feel the discomfort of not knowing, of not being able to ...

It doesn’t take much for me to be content. I’d like to say that I have learnt the ability to be content but I think growing up with so many challenges and adversity has made me extremely attuned to what is worth complaining about and what is worth enjoying.

I read a story that Anthony Bourdain wrote about his father. One of the sentences that struck me in that story says “the value of a dish is the pleasure it brings you; where you...