Live Love Life Leisure

  Acknowledge Your Emotion -  Photo by ROMAN ODINTSOV: https://www.pexels.com Have you ever looked forward to something for days, only to have it canceled at the last minute? It’s not the end of the world, but it does sting a little, doesn’t it? That’s exactly what happened to me yesterday. My friend had to cancel our long-awaited plan because she had just been informed about a family dinner she needed to attend. Of course, I completely understood and reassured her that it was okay. But deep down inside, I felt disappointed. I had been looking forward to spending time with her, and suddenly, the day felt emptier. The Morning After: A Moment of Clarity The next morning, as I sank into my couch having my probiotic, my mind wandered back to what had happened. I was surprised when my mind was playing with that memory. I didn’t realize that I still carried that feeling. I had thought what happened was nothing, that I had brushed it off without a second thought. But I guess deep ins...

Relax and unwind -  Photo by Viktoria Alipatova: https://www.pexels.com It’s finally raining again this morning. I turned my body away from my desk to face the door that I had opened, letting the cool, soothing breeze drift in. A wide smile stretched across my face as I whispered a heartfelt thank you to the rain for coming by to see us again. After the blazing heat of yesterday’s relentless sun, the rain felt like a balm for my soul, a welcome companion that seemed to wash away the lingering weight of all those jarring construction noises still replaying in my mind. I stared at my computer screen, a single sentence typed there, and then, without hesitation, I turned it off. Why would I let work keep me tethered indoors when such a rare and precious moment awaited outside? I felt a tinge of silliness at my earlier dedication but quickly let it go. This morning rain was a gift, an invitation to pause, to breathe, to simply be. In no time, I was in the kitchen, brewing myself a fresh...

Morning Habit - Photo by Aphiwat chuangchoem: https://www.pexels.com This happened some time last month. On that day, I remembered waking up way too early. Unlike my usual sluggish mornings, I instinctively went straight to the bathroom, washed up, and did my morning prayer. Then, I returned to bed, snuggled under my duvet, and planned to steal another hour of rest before heading out for my morning walk. As I lay there, a realization hit me: something had changed in me. The way I started my mornings felt different. At first, I was confused. Why did I rush off to the bathroom the moment I woke up? That wasn’t how I normally did things. I usually spent a few minutes (still on my bed) greeting good morning to God and thank Him for the great night sleep, then did the same thing to my body. But that morning? What happened to me? While thinking about that, suddenly, like a floodgate opening, memories from my past came rushing back. They were memories of my 9-to-5 life that I had left nearly...

The Suffocating Feelings - Photo by Yan Krukau: https://www.pexels.com Have you ever woken up in the middle of the night, haunted by thoughts that just wouldn’t let you rest? That was me a few nights ago. Something was bothering me, something that had been lingering in my heart for the past week. No matter how much I tried to shake it off, it kept resurfacing, demanding my attention. When I traced back to the root of my discomfort, I found the source. The memories played fresh in my mind, as if they had just happened yesterday (even though, in reality, they were from years ago). And the trigger? A recent conversation with a friend who saw me as misguided and attempted to “bring me back” to what she believed was the right path. I regretted engaging in that conversation. I could have stayed silent or changed the topic, but instead, I challenged her viewpoint. I wanted her to realize that we were no longer on the same journey, so she would respect me and let me walk my path. But just as I...

  Freedom -  Photo by Olga: https://www.pexels.com/photo Last night, even though I went to bed at my usual time, I found it hard to actually fall asleep. I wasn’t sure what time I was finally asleep, but for sure I was still awake the next hour. Therefore, I expected that this morning, after a restless night, I would wake up a bit later, or at least at my usual time, given the lack of sleep. But no, I woke up an hour earlier than usual.  Mathematically, actually I spent roughly the same amount of time sleeping as I normally do, despite the rocky start the night before. Yet, the difference in how I felt today was striking. Yesterday, I woke up with a heaviness that lingered in both my mind and my heart, but today, I woke up with a profound sense of gratitude and lightness. It felt as if I had been reborn. like I was starting a fresh, new chapter in my life. What changed? I think the Sedona Method I practiced the day before worked its usual magic. This method, if you’re not...

  Pleasant surprise - Photo by Alena Darmel: https://www.pexels.com A couple of weeks ago, I was suddenly in the mood to watch Emily in Paris again. The last time I had watched it was during Season 2, and since then, I had taken a long break from subscribing to Netflix and HBO Asia. As I scrolled through my options, it hit me. I hadn’t watched any TV shows for a year and a half. That realization made me reflect on my journey with television: how it evolved, how I let it go, and how I eventually found my way back to it, but this time, with a different mindset. The Decision to Unsubscribe Around 1.5 years ago, I decided to cancel my subscriptions. At the time, my life was packed between work and personal commitments that made me barely have time to sit down and watch anything else on TV. And even if I had time, I’d rather watch my favorite game, badminton, when there were tournaments. So, I guess…paying for something I rarely used definitely felt like a waste of money. But years bef...

Say Thanks -  Photo by Kelly: https://www.pexels.com/photo Have you ever wanted to say something to someone, but never did? Maybe it’s telling someone how much you appreciate them. Maybe it’s confessing your feelings to that one person who makes your heart race. Or maybe it’s something as simple as thanking a loved one for always being there. But for whatever reason, the words never leave your mouth.  And what if this is the time, the moment for you to let it out of your chest, even if it is only through a simple note or letter that you don’t even need to send it to them? I wasn’t actually thinking about it. But the other day, I found myself in one of those reflective moods, something I hadn’t really anticipated.  It all started when I decided to break from my usual habit of listening to podcasts while doing chores. Instead, I stumbled upon an app and tuned into the radio. The shift felt refreshing, exposing me to an entirely different experience that I hadn’t encountered...