Travel | HELLAGOOD

As I spent my afternoon trying to catch up on some reading, I overheard a conversation by 2 teen girls while they had their afternoon brunch. It made me think about some problems that I/we, being born and raised in a first world society, are currently facing.

1) Discipline

Honest question: Have you been on a diet? have you succeeded?

That is one of the most frustrating challenges we face. In undeveloped part of the world, people either do not have the money to buy these luxurious food or they are constantly working out “physically” to burn off the calories. No one complain that they are eating too much.

Losing weight is not a hard thing to do at all but the trick is discipline. Many times I remembered walking into the mall passing the basement food stalls and I became hungry all of a sudden. Many companies has spend millions of dollars hiring expert to sell you on stuff we do not need. With all the surplus in cash and ever enticing food; laid stalls by stalls in the shopping mall, it is hard not to be hungry.

This is just one example. The list goes on.. Trying to save up but we can’t stop shopping because of the Great Singapore Sale, wanting to learn a new craft or finish a project but “my friend’s birthday is today”, want to travel but money, family or whatever excuses you have is stoping you.

Next time when you are on a diet and you gave in to the piece of delicious cake. Ask yourself, why can’t you be slim and have that good body?

The small habit we cultivate in life that make the biggest different.

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Hurray for the launch of my new blog! There still some editing to be done but I’m too excited – here goes. This has been a project that I have been working for a long time.. way too long with too many delays but I have also learnt a lot from it. I just want to say a big thank you to some people!

Jessie Chew – Thanks for the awesome logo
Linda Sim – Thanks for your patience and the photos! *also for just being wonderful
Philipp – Thanks for so much for all advice you have given
Ezen Ho – Thanks for the introduction to Fiverr
Everyone else – Thanks for your energy and positive criticism

For the rest of you guys who might not have know, I am embarking on a one-way adventure out to the land of hip-hop, jazz, google and many other wonderful thing, USA and traveling down to South America. I told my parents it is going to be a one year trip (they freaked out!). Truthfully, I don’t know how long it is going to take me. It is going to be trip of a lifetime, experiencing the world and grow in a way that I never know. Below are some of the preparation I have been doing over a spam of one year and I glad to say the are almost all checked.

– Start a blog (checked)
– Save $10,000 (done)
– Get my driver license (Passed on the second try)
– Learn Espanol (Currently learning at Rosette Stone – level 2)
– Prepare my resume and bio (checked)
– Gather my contacts
– Get a wedding planning internship (In the midst)

So, why wedding planning? I’ve been working in the event and performing arts industry for a while now (love it to the max). At the same time, working with business cooperation needs to deal with people and their evil KPI. Hence, after a while it just became another generic event. Enough spoken, I am tired of another event. I want something personal that relates to people. Therefore, Wedding. A place with many thing I love.. food, music, craft, people, emotions, good vibes.. most importantly, making people happy.

For anyone who is inspired by me and decided to pull the plug, the biggest hurdle I had is to convince my family about the crazy idea. Here are some tips to save you a lot of trouble:

1) Be firm on your decisions
You need to have the resources and mental strength to do it even if it is without their approval.

2) Have good reasons for your decisions
Think of some reasons that your parent can relate to and some personal ones so that your parent can understand you.

3) Time the release of information
I didn’t tell my parents about this trip one day and just fly out of Singapore the next week. It takes time. Plan small release of information to your parent but don’t make it seems like it is certain to allow space for discussion. For example, when I started telling my parents this idea, I have already brought my plane ticket in April. I came to mum and told her.. I want to go traveling.. I want to go to the States… I want to travel for some time.. I want to travel after my birthday.. I want to travel for one year.. And lastly.. Mum I got my plane ticket. She was shocked but also she had ample time to know and accept the fact of my departure already.

4) Parents are parents
They just want you to be safe. If you can prove to them that, they would be half as worried as they should be.
Good luck to all you good people!