Live Love Life Leisure

  Fresh start - Photo by Nik on Unsplash As the new year approaches, I've made a bold decision. This time, I won’t complicate things with my New Year’s resolution. No long lists, no lofty ambitions spread across different areas of my life, and no detailed breakdown of goals or targets to hit every month. Not this time. Not again. I’ve learned it the hard way. For years, I approached resolutions with high hopes and structured plans, only to end each year feeling disheartened and disempowered. The meticulously crafted roadmaps didn’t align with how I naturally operate, leaving me feeling demotivated. The thing is… I refuse to give up. I want to give myself another chance after another chance. So, here I am, compassionately giving myself a fresh opportunity to start over. Learning from the above experiences, this year, I pivot. I’m taking a completely new approach—one that feels liberating and authentic. Also read: Your Guide to an Effective End-of-Year Journaling Session Two Priorit...

  New Year's Resolutions -  Photo by freestocks.org: https://www.pexels.com Do you like making New Year’s resolutions? But do you sometimes find yourself get stuck even before mid year? If you do, I got you. Well, I used to love crafting mine, imagining a fresh start filled with all the positive energy. Yet, over the years, I started to acknowledge the same pattern repeated: m y resolutions often turned into little more than beautifully penned aspirations in my journal, forgotten weeks later as life swept me away. Funny, though... how each year I’d tell myself, “This time will be different.” But it never was. I don’t know how you see it, but I found myself amusing knowing that I still didn’t give up doing it. I wanted to improve myself, and I knew that I shouldn't play the broken old record. I mean... wouldn't I just be a fool: doing the same thing but expecting different results? I turned to every piece of advice I could find. I attended seminars hosted by inspiring speak...

  Enjoying a cozy morning -  Photo by Vlada Karpovich: https://www.pexels.com It was a peaceful Saturday morning in December, the kind of day that felt like a gift in itself. The sky outside was a moody gray, the perfect backdrop for a cozy day indoors on the weekend, especially in a holiday season like this. The usual neighborhood bustle—the hum of cars, the sound of kids playing, or the murmur of chores—was notably absent. It felt like everyone was wrapped in the same blanket of tranquility that cradled me. ‘ Such a perfect moment! ’ I told myself. Everything seemed to be in harmony with nature. I settled into my favorite spot on the couch, next to the window where a gentle breeze sneaked through the slightly open pane. A steaming mug of hot cocoa rested in my hands, the rich scent mingling with the crispness of the air. On my laptop, the latest episode of my favorite anime Detective Conan was waiting for me. But before I hit play, another suggestion caught my eye: a Christ...

You are worthy -  Photo by Pavel Danilyuk: https://www.pexels.com As I continue my end-of-year reflection, I want to share a story that has been a significant part of my journey this year. This is a story I’ve written intentionally, not only to share but also to keep as a personal reminder. It’s a story about discovering self-worth, my journey from self-criticism to self-love. *** Three journals from three years ago sat on my desk, their presence raising a question: should I keep them or let them go? A while back, I had discarded one journal because it held nothing of value—no lessons, no insights—only memories I wanted to leave in the past. Using the same reasoning, I wondered if I should do the same with the remaining three. One by one I opened my journal and randomly read some pages. I reckoned that something about my writing had changed. I could see I’d begun to analyze things differently, with more depth. So, I thought those journals felt worth holding onto, at least for now, ...

Finding Balance in Communication -  Photo by Alex Andrews: https://www.pexels.com People often say that communication is the foundation of any relationship. A strong, lasting bond can be built on the practice of good communication skills. And yes, this theory sounds logical. It’s easy to nod along and agree: open communication should lead to better understanding, fewer conflicts, and stronger connections. But the reality? It’s not always that straightforward. My Point of View about Communication Changed I used to believe in this theory wholeheartedly. Not just believe in it, but practice it diligently. I thought that as long as I communicated openly: shared my thoughts, feelings, and concerns, everything would work out for the better. Well, it worked for a while, until it didn’t. I got stuck, tangled in a web of words and emotions that didn’t seem to bring the clarity or resolution I’d been promised. Soon, I reached a point where I didn’t know how to bridge the gap between communic...

  One atomic habit Do you practice self-reflection at the end of the year? I do, and it’s something I really enjoy. For the past four years, I’ve been religiously making time to look back on everything that happened in that year—the highs, the lows, and the small wins worth celebrating. It’s my way of appreciating myself and the journey I’ve been on. As I was going through my journal this year, I noticed something interesting. There was one thing I never wrote about. Maybe because it wasn’t something that bothered me a lot to the point where I needed to complain in my journal. However, while trying to look and think back about my small win this year, I realize that it’s worth recognizing as a valuable part of my life journey. It was a small habit—an “atomic habit” to borrow James Clear ’s term—that worked wonders for me. A small win that deserves appreciation: my writing practice. How It Started For the longest time, I always wanted to write a blog. And I sort of did—except I never...