Reflections of 2021: The Year of Exponential Growth
Hey people!
If I could sum up Year 2021 in two words, it would be 'exponential growth'.
Pic credits to pch.vector (https://www.freepik.com/vectors/people)
2021 was the year when I overcame challenging projects as well as new roles at work. I led two milestone programmes, and saw myself grew tremendously in my facilitation skills. I went from speaking too fast to pacing myself, speaking naturally and becoming more personable along the way.
This is a big deal to me because self-efficacy is what keeps me going in my job. A job cannot be too overwhelming and stressful such that all you experience is burnout; but it cannot be boring and simple too. I need to be adequately stretched and watch myself blossom from it all to know that I am heading in the right direction.
After all, challenge-related stress is part of our learning journey to becoming excellent. We will never be able to grow if we do not step out of our comfort zone. With new projects awaiting me in 2022, I will be prepared for the bumpy ride ahead, and ride with the waves when they come.
My growth as a content creator parallels my growth at work too.
I have never been more overjoyed to witness my day job and my passion working interdependently in harmonious synergy to produce fruitful results. I am someone who holds on strongly (and stubbornly) to dreams. Nothing can cause me to waver once I've set my mind on pursuing something I love wholeheartedly. At times when it feels like an internal conflict, I press on anyway. Now, I no longer feel pressured to choose between one or the other because I know that I could pursue both with utmost confidence, and excel in them too.
My work identity is as strong and in congruence with my social media identity. The professionalism I bring to work translates to my social media, where I treat the latter just as importantly as I treat a job. My passion to create translates back to my dedication at work, and they both feed into one another, creating this upward spiral of productivity, inspiration and joy.
I am immensely grateful for the steady stream of collaborations with brands, and the opportunities to venture into new interests. This year, I shot my first ad with a renowned skincare brand in front of multiple cameras and a production crew (oh, the nerves!). I collaborated with a greater variety of local brands, from featuring small new businesses to doing campaigns with established ones. I went beyond local collaborations to take on international collaborations, working with beauty and fashion brands from other parts of the world. I discovered the joy of creating reels and videos. Who knew that I could do much more in this exciting space? I am looking forward to what 2022 has for me, and the opportunities it might bring!
Pic credits to dollarsandsense.sg
This year, I never expected that I would STILL be waiting for my BTO to be ready. It has been 4.5 years of waiting for a house to be ready! :(
In the middle of the year, we received an apology email from HDB informing us that our BTO would be further delayed. All these further delays were making me regret purchasing a BTO, and I really detest regrets.
Sure, getting your house later means having more accumulated finances to pay for it. But that also means sacrificing time and personal space, both of which are highly important to me as an independent adult. At 33 AND married for two years, I have never felt more ready to build my own home and rescript my family culture as well as values. I am a bird that needs to leave the nest in order to grow and thrive to my fullest potential.
Don't get me wrong - I love my family and I'm not insinuating that they're holding me back. Nonetheless, loving my family doesn't mean living together has been a bed of roses. I am a perfect example of what this Channel NewsAsia article has captured, that is when adult children choose to move out, relationships can improve. It is not in any way being less filial to your parents. Just as in any healthy relationship, whether in a family unit or between couples, providing one another space is essential for deeper relationships. Absence does make the heart fonder. Absence can make conversations more meaningful when you finally meet again on your weekly visits.
Of course, there will be sacrifices and I'm fully aware of that. Independent living also means allowing yourself room to struggle and make mistakes. Instead of my mother cooking for me, I might burn my food when I start preparing my daily meals, but that's how growth happens right? You only get better when you give yourself a space to experiment and learn from failures (or in this case, screwed up meals). On the contrary, you don't get better when you have someone hovering over you, micro-managing the way you toast your piece of bread, or cook an egg. To become better in a skill, I need to do it on my own.
The home living brands I have the blessings to collaborate with in 2021.
Overall, I remain positive about the future, and I trust that a new life awaits as I leave the nest to build my own home.
As of today, we are waiting to get a hopeful call from HDB for key collection within the next few months, so Year 2022 should be exciting for me as I become a homeowner. I have been fortunate to collaborate with some home living brands as a soon-to-be homeowner this year, and I am looking to take this further next year with more social media features of my renovation and home furnishing journey.
If you're a renovation/furniture/appliances/home living company looking to collaborate with me next year, feel free to drop me an email at liyeewong@gmail.com and we can work something out! :)
Looking forward to an exciting year of change and personal milestones! Wishing everyone a Happy New Year!
If I could sum up Year 2021 in two words, it would be 'exponential growth'.
Pic credits to pch.vector (https://www.freepik.com/vectors/people)
2021 was the year when I overcame challenging projects as well as new roles at work. I led two milestone programmes, and saw myself grew tremendously in my facilitation skills. I went from speaking too fast to pacing myself, speaking naturally and becoming more personable along the way.
This is a big deal to me because self-efficacy is what keeps me going in my job. A job cannot be too overwhelming and stressful such that all you experience is burnout; but it cannot be boring and simple too. I need to be adequately stretched and watch myself blossom from it all to know that I am heading in the right direction.
After all, challenge-related stress is part of our learning journey to becoming excellent. We will never be able to grow if we do not step out of our comfort zone. With new projects awaiting me in 2022, I will be prepared for the bumpy ride ahead, and ride with the waves when they come.
My growth as a content creator parallels my growth at work too.
I have never been more overjoyed to witness my day job and my passion working interdependently in harmonious synergy to produce fruitful results. I am someone who holds on strongly (and stubbornly) to dreams. Nothing can cause me to waver once I've set my mind on pursuing something I love wholeheartedly. At times when it feels like an internal conflict, I press on anyway. Now, I no longer feel pressured to choose between one or the other because I know that I could pursue both with utmost confidence, and excel in them too.
My work identity is as strong and in congruence with my social media identity. The professionalism I bring to work translates to my social media, where I treat the latter just as importantly as I treat a job. My passion to create translates back to my dedication at work, and they both feed into one another, creating this upward spiral of productivity, inspiration and joy.
I am immensely grateful for the steady stream of collaborations with brands, and the opportunities to venture into new interests. This year, I shot my first ad with a renowned skincare brand in front of multiple cameras and a production crew (oh, the nerves!). I collaborated with a greater variety of local brands, from featuring small new businesses to doing campaigns with established ones. I went beyond local collaborations to take on international collaborations, working with beauty and fashion brands from other parts of the world. I discovered the joy of creating reels and videos. Who knew that I could do much more in this exciting space? I am looking forward to what 2022 has for me, and the opportunities it might bring!
Pic credits to dollarsandsense.sg
This year, I never expected that I would STILL be waiting for my BTO to be ready. It has been 4.5 years of waiting for a house to be ready! :(
In the middle of the year, we received an apology email from HDB informing us that our BTO would be further delayed. All these further delays were making me regret purchasing a BTO, and I really detest regrets.
Sure, getting your house later means having more accumulated finances to pay for it. But that also means sacrificing time and personal space, both of which are highly important to me as an independent adult. At 33 AND married for two years, I have never felt more ready to build my own home and rescript my family culture as well as values. I am a bird that needs to leave the nest in order to grow and thrive to my fullest potential.
Don't get me wrong - I love my family and I'm not insinuating that they're holding me back. Nonetheless, loving my family doesn't mean living together has been a bed of roses. I am a perfect example of what this Channel NewsAsia article has captured, that is when adult children choose to move out, relationships can improve. It is not in any way being less filial to your parents. Just as in any healthy relationship, whether in a family unit or between couples, providing one another space is essential for deeper relationships. Absence does make the heart fonder. Absence can make conversations more meaningful when you finally meet again on your weekly visits.
Of course, there will be sacrifices and I'm fully aware of that. Independent living also means allowing yourself room to struggle and make mistakes. Instead of my mother cooking for me, I might burn my food when I start preparing my daily meals, but that's how growth happens right? You only get better when you give yourself a space to experiment and learn from failures (or in this case, screwed up meals). On the contrary, you don't get better when you have someone hovering over you, micro-managing the way you toast your piece of bread, or cook an egg. To become better in a skill, I need to do it on my own.
The home living brands I have the blessings to collaborate with in 2021.
Overall, I remain positive about the future, and I trust that a new life awaits as I leave the nest to build my own home.
As of today, we are waiting to get a hopeful call from HDB for key collection within the next few months, so Year 2022 should be exciting for me as I become a homeowner. I have been fortunate to collaborate with some home living brands as a soon-to-be homeowner this year, and I am looking to take this further next year with more social media features of my renovation and home furnishing journey.
If you're a renovation/furniture/appliances/home living company looking to collaborate with me next year, feel free to drop me an email at liyeewong@gmail.com and we can work something out! :)
Looking forward to an exciting year of change and personal milestones! Wishing everyone a Happy New Year!