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Sunday, January 20, 2019

Farewell, 2018


Happy 2019 !
While 2018 was filled with nasty lessons one after another, it is time to review the chapter and move on for the next. A few days ago, I sat down with my BFF, Adel, to do a quick recap for 2018 and vision-planning for 2019.  Each year both of us will take a day to talk about the previous year and visualise what we intend to do for the new year and we have been doing this activity for a couple of years now. Because both of us are trained to facilitate conversations, we were able to conduct it to push for better and clearer insights, and set it on an action plan. We then complete it with a vision board, where I did mine using Pinterest.com. 

Here’s the questions we asked ourselves this year. 

What did I learnt In 2018 ?

2018 has been a difficult year for everyone, I’m no exception. I had almost half the year of downtime as I tried out new business ideas as I expand and shifted my role as an agent. And I was broke AF oh gosh. Took more exams to up my game in the finance industry and saw/hear negative things of me from people I looked up to.

In 2018, I learned that it is okay to put yourself and your interests first, walk out from toxic environments and that only you will love yourself the most. I started to spend more time with myself and catching and watching the balance of my mental and physical health. I no longer is in guilt for what I do, neither do I owe anyone a living.

In 2018, like I said earlier, I made use of the downtime from my transition by taking up courses, read more and gain more. When this is published, I should have gotten my certificate for being a Certified Facilitator for The Leadership Challenge. ( Been procrastinating on the assignment! Argh ) Also, I cleared all my General Insurance papers which I’ve always wanted to do since I joined the industry.  Not just that, I up-ed my game in numberology. (Wakao it is so difficult la) 

p/s : Typing this made me so happy already. 

 I gained to know more about myself, my struggles and ways to make myself better. I’m so thankful. :) 

What is difficult to do in the start of 2018, but is manageable now .

  • Getting off work to self- love
THIS is the toughest of in the list. I was pretty much always living in the shadow of someone else’s ( eg my boss my friends etc ) and constantly felt guilty when I take time off to do things I want to. Often, I get negative comments and they suck. After my career shift in the middle of the year, I decided to just f*ck it. I need to stop living for others and my past.

  • Attracting financial abundance
An extension from the previous point, I was also constantly feeling that if I don’t work, I would be poor and then no time/ resources to take care of the rest. I was having hard time with my finances especially when you have about half an year of having barely no income/ surviving on very little money. It created a lot of anxiety problems for me. Thankfully, I’ve shifted my mindset. It is okay to get off work/ earn less  to do things that can make me happier and when I am happier, the rest of the things would flow. Money will also come naturally. 

  • Change for being more present.
I came to a point in my life that I realised that I was either living in my past or I was in my future. I was a dreamer. Probably the reason why I couldn’t link my thoughts and actions together to turn it into the reality. I wasn't really paying attention to people in my life cause I was not present at all. I'm still learning so give me some time. For now, I take baby steps to access my present situations and think through of what are the actual useful steps for me to make.
  • Take care of yourself and the universe will take care of the rest.
Yup. As real as it is.
  • Acknowledging problems, be aware and resolve it.
Being part of positive living is to acknowledge the existence of problems, feelings & emotions and circumstances. It is only when we acknowledge them, we can let go and move on. That would also help to gain more awareness, and resolve issues easier. Thus, improving in our problem solving skills and adaptability.

What do you want to achieve in 2019 ?
  1. Be more present and be grounded
  2. Feel the fear and do it anyway.
  3. Better discipline
  4. Spend time and attention wisely
  5. Plan for my retirement.
  6. Travel more; see more; experience more;
  7. Converting my business ideas into reality
  8. Read more
  9. Sponsor a child.


Can't wait to experience what 2019 has for me . 
Loves,
A.
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Friday, January 18, 2019

Ten years down.


Ten years, quick and easy - just flies like that.
Thanks to the #10yearchallenge , I thought it would also be nice to pen down my thoughts at this moment while reminiscing what I've been through the past ten years and to see whether I had a drastic change ! :D 

Ten years ago, I did my O'levels and graduated , I had a boyfriend, and I was looking forward to what life had installed for me. Within these ten years, I did my diploma, I fell into depressed mode, broke up with my then boyfriend, I had my down time. It was tough, real tough and I hated those days. Never a day was a looking forward to school, but thankfully I managed to strap it through. I met my BFF in school, and I'm glad we held hands and pull through those dark days and that we are in a much better place now. I spent a lot of time on the internet, there's when I made a lot of friends from the internet got closer with some of them. I remember a period when I was very active in blogging and I had products sent to my house weekly for product reviews!

I was fancy. I liked my nails to be painted all the time. I always try to look my best, quirky, spends a lot of money on clothes and basically things that would make me pretty - it was to boost my self- esteem

Ten years down, I matured, I am no longer in a relationship with someone else but in a better relationship with myself. I now had a Bachelor Degree that I fought for, some skillset up my belt and a future that I'm not quite sure about. These days, I grown to care more for others, and I know, I have so much more to achieve.

I stopped my bi-weekly manicures. These days I would only have my nails painted occasionally over festive seasons. I stopped trying to impress people, I care for my own comfort more. I wear what I like, I make myself like myself more.

We all have come far haven't we ?
Life, what challenges are you going to throw me next ?

Loves, 
A.
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Sunday, September 2, 2018

25 things I've learnt at 25

  1.  Mahjong
    Oh gosh, this has took me long enough. I mean like "I'm Chinese! I should I know this at the back of my mind! "
     I'm still bad at it but hey! at least I've got some basics there.
  2. Be truthful towards your feelings

    I've been drowning myself with positive thoughts, positive vibes all these years while I keep myself out of my shit hole to realise that, hey! that's not how it works. And I realised that that's what people have been doing too.

    "Wrap yourself with positive people, positive vibes, positive every single thing"

    So much positivity that it can do harm than good. I've learnt to address my feelings like a little kid, by asking myself questions on what have I done right to have a great day and vice versa. Of course, on bad days, learning to grill myself with questions like : What's wrong, what caused me to feel in a certain negative way and then resolve it. ( Here you go, a good practice on Design Thinking! ) Basically finding the root of the problem and then a solution to make it better. :)

  3. Categorise your friends -  "Yes" / Sour / The Guide

    The "Yes" friend is anyone's favourite, they agree to everything you say and of course say what you want to hear. Everyone likes things that is pleasant to them.
    The sour friend on the other hand is someone who have gotten something nasty to comment about ANYTHING. A bad listener and a worst one to heed advise from.
    The guide is one like a life coach ; that friend that makes sure you are on track and make sure you are set for your goals.

    None of them are bad friends, they are good in their own way but knowing which category they belong to had made me a better person/friend/team player. It helped me respond better in situations and know who to look for when I need affirmation (to the YES friend!). Sour friends are good for gossips plus they are great people who have tons of great deals. It also makes ME reflect on what kind of friend am I too as well as to who I should hang out with .

  4. Create more than you consume

    I had to credit it to the original writer though I can't remember who. The thing is this, I've been "consuming" lot of content online, by consuming I meant reading articles, watching videos etc. I have been doing so much of that, I forgot to "return" the favour by contributing to the community with the knowledge I have! That's bad, and so I decided to share as much as I can, maximise my creativity and inspirations for and with the common good. Busy is just an excuse.

  5. Skincare first, Make-up second
    Aging is real, that's what I always say and that's freaking truth. With that, it means that I age and I have to spend more money on getting my skin right. Also, learning to be comfortable with my own skin. Uncomfortable, painful and disgusting process I'm putting myself through.

    I try to not wear any make up as long as I'm not meeting important clients, or events to attend while taking pictures without makeup is still a huge NO. I'll learn, I promise.

  6. Do what you need to do.
    If it's right or has to be done, do it, somehow.
  7. Change 
    Change is this scary shit friend that freaks us all out. But the only constant is, CHANGE.. Whether you change for the best or for the worst. So feel the fear, but do it anyway.

  8. Be adventurous 
    Do things that you have never done before, go places you've thought of before.
  9. Life's not a buffet.
    Can't have too much on your plate, woman. It causes ingestion and there's a drop in food quality. Some days we fall for greed, we just have to remember to climb out from that.
  10. Be Hungry
    Always remember for the days you do not have enough food, to remind yourself to appreciate what you have and be a better self.
  11. Everyone have something to teach you.
    And if you are not open about it, you are losing out.
    My takeaway from this : NEVER JUDGE, Be kind, put on a smile and strike a conversation. You'll never know the impact that person can bring to you.
  12. Fix things, mend things and not discard them
    Be it an item, or a relationship - learn from the problem first.

  13. Be curious
    Have an open mind,always
  14. Never Mind
    But never mind. Never mind about what people say and their opinions, never mind about mistakes.
    Never mind about the judgement.
  15. Keep learning. 
    Learn from everything that comes your way - Feelings, mistakes, any life lessons
  16. Numerology
    I guess the most interesting subject that I've got in touch would be to learn about numerology. Yup, upgrading my witchcraft one step at a time.
  17. Do the right thing
    The world is small, the world is connected.
    Don't do shit cause people will find out.
  18. It's ok to be alone
    I am totally fine with being alone, and people needs to know that.
    People needs to know that we don't need other human to be with us to survive. We came to the world alone and we will leave alone too.
  19. Love yourself first
    <3
  20. Fundamentals of The Leadership Challenge
    and putting the five practices into daily use. It is not something new in my life, but knowing it in-depth and finally practicing it daily is. There are still so much to become a better leader to my peers and especially towards myself.
  21. The Science of Meditating
    At 25, I finally took the time off for meditation and it was one of the best decision made. It decluttered my mind, helped me be more mindful and showed more gratitude to the earth and universe.
  22. Be Sincere
    Always. Be. Nice. Sincerity will lead you to great things.
  23. Kindness always triumphs 
    Be Kind, even if the world fails you.
  24. Take Care of yourself.
    And the universe will take care of the rest. It is only when we take care of ourselves, respect our body, communicates with our minds, the best will find its way to us.
  25. You make your own happiness.
    You are the one that would put a smile on your face and you are in full control of that, and your life. 
Happy Birthday, me. 

With a lot of love, 
A.
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Monday, June 4, 2018

Me VS Decluttering


Recently I have been very into like decluttering (???) and I was like "oh shit is this the start of my auntie life" hahaha. And I'm hooked. Well it has nothing to do with my auntieness thou, I found myself reading articles and  more articles , videos after videos about how clutter or rather mess at home have an impact on one's mental Heath and how it does affects the mood and productivity, and I found joy doing it. 

OMG Angie , what have you become to.


" tidy home is a tidy mind"


Then, I chanced upon this lady by the name of Marie Kondo, where she introduced the Konmari Method - an organization style to simplify and organise. She is also the author of " "The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up." It's crazy I tell you. 

Here’s some of the things that I've learned throughout this process
  1. Get rid of duplicates
    We often buy things that are similar or even repeated without us realising and that is mainly just out of habit ; we like we buy.

  2. Get rid of things you have not use in a year.
    During my first attempt to declutter, I didn't want to let go of anything. Like why would I want to! I spent money on them and I want them in my life. However, I realised that there were more than 50% of the items that I've never touched them for years.They were just sitting in the wardrobe/drawers/basically some corner in the house and doing nothing, totally serving no purpose at all!


     Meanwhile, I'm determined to build a classic wardrobe with quality pieces that I hope to last me for years (of course still have some fashion pieces to spice up the look.)
  3. Don't keep things out of guilt
    I still keep items that are sentimental for me ; like all handwritten cards and gifts from friends/students etc. There were other items that it's just there and you would want to throw.
  4. A home for everyone
    There should be a place for everything, which then leads to being organised. Efficient tip! In her books/videos, she shared that every item should have a place to where they belong and thus not having a mess afterwards. Personally, I still struggle to keep the different things in place and even when I do, I realised that the lazy bad habit would make it tough -  "Aiya just left it on the table first, later then put it back" This shit never happens wtf.
  5. Plunge, then decide the next home for that itemThis is an important factor in the Konmari Method, Marie Kondo shared in her books and videos to set up 3 stacks - Keep , Give/sell, Throw. To begin decluttering, one can have three baskets, and then decide where each item belongs. Items belonging to the give/sell or throw section can be to sold via various platforms, donated/ give away or worst condition throw away or do some sorta recycling. It can be a painful process at the start, but would be something so fruitful and would also feel lighten up afterwards.

It's been an amazing journey to declutter and hopefully better in the future! 
Loves, 
A.
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Sunday, June 3, 2018

Things to Plunge


Since I've been doing so much decluttering in my life right now, it was also an indication of how my money should be spent wisely. And because I'm so into it right now, I had to influence my friends to do the same. I realised that these are some of the common things my friends and I had to get rid of and you really have to remove the guilt in order to do so. People come and go, so do your items.


TL;DR : What Comes after decluttering :)



Make up

I think most girls would have this problem - buying too much make up. I personally don't really spend much on make up itself but sometimes you would really need variety and that's when horror comes in. I threw away one whole box of expired make up in such some has not even been opened yet. 


Clothes

Oh dear, it's like never ending wtf. There are always clothes that has to go. With taobao and fast moving fashion, I could easily say that most girls would have clothes that they never wear it more than 5 times. I know like it's bit painful for the wallet but you know what, Carousell and refash is here to save the day. 

At the same time, it is also good time to perhaps start a habit to invest in clothing that are more versatile. 



Books

Come on, who still read books nowadays. 
Opt for e-book or audio books instead, it's not only better for the environment, it is also more convenient to bring around.  You can either sell them or just donate it to the community library near you. I've donating mine to my students, cousins and lastly to the community library. 

Nail polish

I'm not sure about about others, but there was a period that I was all about nails and I had tons of nail polishes all in different shades of Colours. They all had to go. Who has time to wait for them to dry anymore? 

Anyway they are bad for the nail bed too.

Electronics

When I as going through my own apartment, I took out so many things , like the old Nokia phones(that you can't even charge) and the webcams and the never ending spoilt cables and earpieces. Keep for what, really.

I also later found out that these electronic waste should be dispose properly.


Costume Jewellery

There are like clothes, elements that enhances the outfit wtf. Even if you don't have make up, you would still have costume Jewellery, price ranges from $1 to maybe hundred over dollars for better quality or designer items. I'm so guilty of this cause I had so much and I don't wear them anymore. I try to sell those designer items on Carousell while the Taobao/77th street ones, I just throw.


Decorations

For the house, for the room - they are all just collecting dust now. So, Throw!


Knicks Knacks 

Same for this. it's crazy to look at them, think back about the dollars spent on it. Bad habit that gotta go! No more shopping and impulse purchases on knick knacks!


Magazines

I've ton of magazines, from idol magazines and J-pop ones, where I picked up my Japanese makeup and fashion skills, they all have to go now. Let's be honest, no one opens them up to read anymore. *roll eyes*


Gift bags 

Awwww, those pretty paper bags that could have cost $2 for one. They are really pretty, unless you found a way to give them a second life, then get them out of the house. It's painful to get rid of them I know! T.T


Expired medication

 I researched and articles said that they are still good for use even after 15 years, but isn't it weird and not worth the risk for taking expired medication? And also, how often we do go back to old medication when we are not well. Certainly they have to go, just for safety. 


Receipts

 The thing about receipts is we just keep them for no apparent reason. We pay and then we chuck it into our bags or wallets and they will be there for as long as we don't remember them. For myself, I keep them for filing taxes, but otherwise, they have to go too. 


p/s: Ways to get rid of plunge items.


So grateful that life have been easier with all these platforms! It's like garang guni man but modernized.
  1. Carousell 
    Game-changer ; I've sold countless things on the app, so did my friends. From camera to phones to my luxury bags, just blessed that I barely have any carouhell moments and glad that I managed to make friends with my buyers!

    At the same time, I manage to get some steals too! Need something? Carousell it first.
  2. Flea market
    Interesting experience ; It's expensive, dusty and troublesome but I feel that it's worth the experience. I did my first flea at Lucky Plaza where there are tons of people who really appreciate what you have to offer at a low price and gives the items a new life. Flea markets are a good place to get rid of clothes, accessories, shoes, or even suitcases. The demographics are lucky plaza are domestic helpers and our customers were buying for themselves or their family members in their hometown.

    Thing to note : Be nice, fleas are not really for you to make money, be prepared to spend the whole day standing and shouting and handle people who haggle for lower prices. Remember that you are there to get rid of plunge, your aim is to not bring home anything but cash.
  3. Facebook Marketplace
    Relatively new and great place to sell anything! I could easily get 10 or more enquiries in a day when I posted about selling my iPhone 7 plus. The Facebook Marketplace is like flea market, but virtual.
  4. Donate it away!
    Not into selling or getting cash back ? Then donate it! There are many avenues for donations, Salvation Army, religion groups, thrift stores etc.
  5. Just throw it away wtf.
    If item is damaged and beyond hope for a second life, no explanation needed. Just into the bin . 

It does take some guts to part with the items, but once it's done , I promise that you will feel a little lighter overall. :)


Loves, 
A.
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Thursday, May 24, 2018

10 things I did to save more money

I mean like it's quite obvious that this is semi occupation hazard but also good practices that I would always keep in mind.


  1. Save at least 30-50% of your income automatically. 
    One practice that most of us don't practice and I'm kinda guilty for that as well. I used to diligently do that when I was holding an office job and things got off when I went back to school and doing freelancing work. It's a phrase and I feel that it does get harder as we grow older, but I'm striving to get this good habit back on track after my transition period as well.
  2. Have two jobs, save 100% of one salary
    Because I no longer have a fixed pay, every month I had variable amounts and they comes in at different days of the month. It makes savings much tougher and cash flow harder to keep track. What I did was to keep one incoming salary to a separate bank so it naturally become part of my savings :)
  3. Let your savings work harder.
    The simplest way is to do some "homework" and park your money in a bank that gives the best interest rate. An even better way is to set aside a portion of the savings and sign up for an endowment plan, I suggest a shorter term eg 5 years, and then review every five years, just in case of a disruption. A shorter term endowment plan works well for freelancers like myself since we do not contribute to CPF and we "lose out" from the employer CPF contribution portion too. The 5-year endowment plan serve as a "CPF contribution" with less flexibility compared to the bank but you know you can get it out in an agreed date (policy maturity date).
  4.  Buy things during sales.
    One of my shopaholic practices is that I would barely buy anything full retail price. While I am really very grateful that I have amazing family and friends around that are able to give me amazing discounts and deals, I am seldom tempted by impulse purchase which brings me to the next point.
  5. Only buy things you need 
    I'm a girl and I like pretty, fine things. I love my Louis Vuitton and Chanel bags and I cannot lie! People often buy things to impress and we don't think through when we are at the moment. If you really have to, do a price comparison first.

    p/s : Here we are talking about big ticket items.

    Some questions I usually ask myself before I buy :
    Q : Would I be able to use this item everyday ?
    Q : If not, will I see myself using it 5-10 years later ?
    Q : Is the price worth its quality ?
    Q : Do I really need it ?
  6. Do a price comparison - Taobao might not always be the cheapest!Don't get me wrong. I love Taobao and I've been getting my stuff from Taobao since my secondary school days. Back in those days we use agent to daigou for us and we have to send in our orders in excel format, for real. What I realise these days is that we have so many other e-commerce sites that makes taobao not the cheapest option anymore.
    For example , this LED lit mirror / lamp
    It was the same price on taobao and hipvan after the chinese dollar conversion, but! it was overall cheaper when I use Hipvan because there's free shipping/delivery plus there was a discount code on it. If I were to make the purchase through taobao, I would have to worry about the shipping fee and any complications (every electronic thing has this), the electric plug etc.

    Same situation for my purchase on my Xiaomi Air Purifier from Lazada too.

  7. Less is more. 
    Sell away things that duplicates or no longer in use. 
    Rarely use ? = sell.
    I could totally give it away or get some cash back for whatever item it can. The choice is up to individual, while I feel that it does make a person feel much better when you paid for a purchase and you get back cash for it.
  8. Learn to share
    Sharing is caring, indeed! One simple yet good example was carpooling, ride hitching and sharing accounts - opt in to share a Netflix Account or friends to come together for a Spotify Family account.
    Talking about gadgets, currently I had sold my cameras and is only solely using my mobile while occasionally borrowing Yongwei's #jennythedrone for travel or commissioned work. It IS an expensive toy but I think it is not whether you can afford one or not but more like the the chances of me utilizing.
    My friends and I sometimes share our wardrobe too (mostly my friends coming to borrow my clothes). There are days we need to attend one formal event once in maybe three blue moon so there's absolutely pointless to make a purchase for that occasion, so you borrow.
  9. Invest in quality productsI spend alot of money in quality items.
    Quality over Quantity anytime.
    I believe in the value of how it is made, the practicality of the material used and design behind it.That being said would need a lot of research to be done, on its brand, quality reviews etc.

    With the right brand, it is definitely worth the penny over the long run.
  10. Make more money to buy what you want.
    An extra side job, a small online business or investments instruments. No one relies on one income to make money - it is not possible. The toughest yet best way to gain more savings would be to make more money through investments or starting having a side income. 

"Savings & investment are all you're left with after a career. Education, certificates, experiences eventually become useless"  

I hope it's useful! Good luck!

Loves, 
A.



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Tuesday, April 3, 2018

Whirlwind

It's crazy, before I could update on the space about the start of my 2016, 2017 has ended and so is the first quarter of 2018. Here's a summary.

In 2016, I completed my unfinished business (overdue modules from school). Phew, no more crying and reading and studying at the same time. And also completed 4 basic sets of exams from SCI (Singapore College of Insurance). Became a financial services consultant at the end of that year, while I enjoyed the job scope as much as I did, I was still doing what I love - teaching and training.

I hope that answers everyone who's asking me about what do I really do. I train/coach, I give tuition (still, to my existing students) and I also I advise on financial planning.

And I still do, I have a clear vision for what I envision. The difference now? I left the company that I joined in Nov 2016.

There's so many things to say; it was not a decision I made over a fortnight, not influenced by any and most importantly - it came from the heart. While part of me still have mixed feelings for the change, I'm grateful and I'm excited for better things to come.


Loves,
A.
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