Peaces of me
In 1982 Fiji, TV did not exist. I played outside. I read Enid Blyton. I didn’t read the newspaper. And I can’t bring to mind any specific billboards of that time, even though I’m sure there were a few in the city, where I did not live. Today, at forty-four years of age living in… Continue reading The case of Me versus Stuff (excerpt)
When the yoga teacher kept yammering away about practicing aparigraha (the Sanskrit word for non-attachment) and how to brreeeathe, I knew it was time for a change. Other than walking the dogs, yoga was my main form of exercise. I needed to mix things up a bit. To balance out the precise movements and life… Continue reading Why it’s more than dance
Some philosophers, like Nietzsche, believe that life has no meaning in itself, but that one has to construct it. I generally agree with this. But I feel one has to be in a position of privilege to contemplate the question: How can I create meaning? I arrived at this point of view after watching a… Continue reading Pondering the meaning of life is a luxury
A couple of weeks ago, I was on my way home from a writers’ retreat on the big island of Hawaii. In the last leg of my flight, from Sydney to Melbourne, I heard a repetitive chant being played in a foreign language. I turned around to see a middle-aged Asian woman sitting directly behind… Continue reading Forbearance is a form of kindness
I’m constantly jotting down ideas into one of my two notebooks – whichever I can reach first before the idea fades away. But while I capture many of them, they usually remain as ideas – wonderful ideas that hold meaning for me – instead of blossoming into blog posts, articles or even a book, should… Continue reading Make the habit the goal
In my previous article, I talked about creating boundaries so that I can have freedom. A noble, yet challenging aspiration since it relies on one’s own discipline and will. It’s only when I watched this 10-minute Ted talk last week that I had an ah-ha moment, because I realised I was missing a key ingredient:… Continue reading Can breaking unhealthy tech habits be this simple?
Until recently, my friend Art did not have data on his phone – or, rather, he didn’t realise that he did because it was not switched on in his phone’s settings. But once he turned it on, all hell (aka: the world wide web) broke loose into Art’s life 24-7. Now, instead of waiting to… Continue reading Overcoming online hedonism
“You’re so pretty”, Sally had said. I can recall the day like it was yesterday. It was our very first day of moving into the university’s halls of residence. We were both 17. And it was a warm summer’s afternoon in February 1992. This was the first time I ever met Sally. And that was the… Continue reading (Am I) ugly or pretty?
You have a lot to give yourself and to the world. Be kind and be patient – with yourself and others. It's okay if you do not know your purpose. There's more to life than 'werk' and money. Although you do need those things to a degree in the conventional world, there are other ways to… Continue reading A note to self
In between your thoughts, in between your actions, in between your inhale and exhale, there is a space. Notice it. And... ...take a pause. Before your next thought. Your next action. Your next breath. It'll change your life.
