What Does Happiness Mean At 22?

Most of the time, people mistake ‘happiness’ as the life goal. A destination we have yet to reach. But you have heard of that ‘Instagrammable’ inspirational quote which says that happiness is, instead, the journey.

Unfortunately, quotes don’t solve any problem. And sometimes, they are so simplified that we tend to misunderstand them. Yes, I agree that happiness is the journey, but it doesn’t mean that our new goal is to now be happy all the time. That’s where people get the concept of happiness wrong: it is not constant. Your journey doesn’t have to be always bright and beautiful. There will be storms.

It’s time to delete that misconception from your neurotic pathways. Happiness is not constant. If, after reading the quote, you’ve set yourself to achieve 100% happiness in your day-to-day, you are bound to failure and disappointment. Happiness isn’t the destination, but it is not entirely the journey either.

So what is happiness? And how dare a 22-year-old like me lecture you on such ‘wisdom’?

I’ve Changed—Ever Since I Got Into Street Dance

In a nutshell, I’ve changed from this girl:

…to that girl:

I wouldn’t say that they are completely different from each other, but I would say that the transition from one to another made me rediscover who I really wanted to be, or how I really wanted to portray myself to the world.

3 Things That Inspire Me To #GOMO (Get Out More Often)

Back to one year ago, when I had this 1-month internship in Penang Island and got to live in the capital city, George Town: there were so many things to see and eat and experience that I would go out and do something pretty much every day!

This year, when my one month of school holidays came (ending today!), I decided to stay in my current town, having no particular plans in mind, no internships. However, it wasn’t an excuse to not do some local exploration and further create memories either with friends or on my own. Although it was mostly a ‘chill & board games’ holiday, I did manage to experience new things in the city, such as shopping at a huge book sale, going to an escape room and even becoming an eskimo in a theme park attraction!

The main point is, especially if you are still at school, to make the most of your holidays outside of your computer screen, and it doesn’t matter whether you are on a budget or lack transportation: there are so many ways to GOMO (get out more often!) and enjoy it… and nope, I’m not talking about Pokemon Go!

21 Lessons Learnt On Turning 21

On Tuesday May 3rd, I turned 21.

Although some might say the opposite, 21 years is a pretty long period of time. 21 years feels like a lifetime, for all the positive and negative experiences I’ve gained and endured. 21 years is 252 months of existence on this Earth. It is around 1,095 weeks. Approximately 7,665 days.

It is freaking 6.623e+8 seconds.

Of course, in comparison to the time of the universe, this lapse of time is very very very insignificant, but it is all relative anyway.

Without further ado, here are 21 lessons that I learnt (most of the time via the hard way) during those 21 years and that will probably stay on with me for a very long time. Moreover, I wanted to make this post a little special, therefore, each lesson is presented to you in a picture-text form, designed and personalized by me.

How To Find Your Life Purpose?

I recently stumbled upon this inspiring TedxTalk on YouTube, and thought it very critical to share it with the whole world. It’s all about finding your life purpose… in barely 5 mins! Here:

So if you watched it, you know that there’s 5 simple quick questions to answer to find out our life purpose, thus I’ve decided to share them here together with my personal answers 🙂

Feel free to answer these questions in the comment box below as well; let us know about your life purpose!

[Guest Post] Teenage Artists: A Young Perspective on Life

Hey everyone! I’m feel so overloaded this week, I don’t exactly know why… well I guess school and tuitions are too much of a great part of my life… Anyway, to keep you entertained on this blog while I struggled with time management and homework, here’s an interesting guest post by Ken Myers:

***

Teenage Artists: A Young Perspective on Life

Although age and experience can make a profound impact on art of any kind, a fresh perspective on life can become just as meaningful. Teenagers from all walks of life have been recognized throughout history in a variety of artistic talents that have been comparable to elites more than twice their age. They are a shining beacon to others and role models who prove that determination and hard work can pay off.

5 Reasons Why I Prefer Evil Characters

Les « coeurs sur la main » n’ont pas d’histoire ; mais je connais celle des coeurs enfouis et tout mêlés à un corps de boue.

This French quote from François Mauriac very much describes my main motivation for siding with evil characters in my stories. I can’t really translate it though, because in English it won’t have that same impact it had on me, you see… The French language has a particular (charming and poetic) style that I just can’t reproduce in English. But basically, Mauriac tells us that he prefers to write on those who are ‘evil’ and unconventional instead of those who are good and virtuous.

I can totally understand why. (And I totally understand Mauriac thus that’s why I’m in love with his book, Thérèse Desqueyroux).

I Hope You Are Not Narrow-Minded

Narrow-mindedness kills, you know?

It prosecutes, with no mercy. It spreads fear and sadness. It divides.

My father once told me not to write controversial, unconventional stories or ‘blasphemous’ ones. I read between the lines: people will judge and condemn – their narrow-mindedness will crush me down.

So I tried. To do as he had said.

But I couldn’t.

In The Mind Of An Introvert

Today, we live in a world of extroverts. We, introverts, feel marginalised.

At least, I do.

Where To Find Inspiration?

With the final end of year exams approaching like a hare in a race, I feel more and more overwhelmed and at times it’s hard for me to find ideas for new posts, but thankfully, I have my ways.

Any type of artists, whether be a writer, a painter, a photographer or even a blogger, has had to face this handicap at one point in their path: block. Writer’s block, painter’s block… The lack of inspiration.

I’ve been talking about this in some previous posts, but they were especially directed to NaNoWriMo participants or writers only, if I remember well, thus I talked about taking a break from the story, setting goals everyday, and participating in challenges like NaNoWriMo to stimulate the desire for writing.

Today I’m going to focus on art in general and I’ll show you my tips to find inspiration again.

Vidding Is An Addiction

Hey guys sorry I could not post earlier or visit your blogs sooner than I’d like too, but this Friday I made a decision:

I’m getting back to vidding again! 😀

Don’t worry it won’t affect my blogging schedule as I’ve found back time. How? Don’t ask, I just don’t know. Just that, one day I wake up and I tell myself: I have time for vidding after all.

What is Vidding?

Vidding is a type of video editing, just that instead of making your own footage with your camera and doing a movie with it, you take already existing movies and TV series as your footage and you cut and adapt it to a song/melody. Just like my latest video:

The Wonderful World of Crystals

I have my own religion. But as most of you know, I’m a big fan of Wicca 🙂 Yeah it’s all the fuss about witches and sabbats and esbats, but also runes, rituals… and crystals. Gemstones. Did you know that they contain powerful energies that can help you in your daily life?

One day I was at a fair and there was a small stand of crystals. I’ve heard much about the quartz so I wanted to get one. Of course my mom didn’t want to buy the expensive ones so I have to be satisfied with a small rock crystal. I then searched his properties and all… (all this will be linked below) I copied everything in my Book of Shadows – a Wiccan diary let’s say –  and then, I forgot about it… School had just started and all.

But then I watched this:

A carrot, an egg, and a cup of coffee

This is a beautiful story I received in my mail lately… It’s a forward message that I think should be shared to everyone! Feel free to reblog this… and enjoy reading! 🙂

GOOD ANALOGY. What are we?? 🙂

A carrot, an egg, and a cup of coffee. You will never look at a cup of coffee
the same way again.
A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and how things
were so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted
to give up. She was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed as one problem
was solved, a new one arose.
Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water and placed
each on a high fire. Soon the pots came to boil. In the first she placed
carrots, in the second she placed eggs, and in the last she placed ground
coffee beans. She let them sit and boil; without saying a word.

In about twenty minutes she turned off the burners. She fished the carrots out
and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl.

Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl. Turning to her
daughter, she asked, “Tell me what you see.”