5 questions you need to ask yourself before taking off — I’ve always known I would never stay in one place. I love to travel and explore new places, and I’ve literally dreamed of making a living somewhere unfamiliar. A year ago, my husband and I were given a once-in-a-lifetime chance to move to the US. While we knew the opportunity…

Nourishment beyond the physical — “I’m just going to cook for our future,” says my husband as he lets me sleep in on a Sunday afternoon. The “future” he is referring to is the week ahead. Cooking our meals for the next five days has been part of our weekend routine since we started living…

Recent reads that helped me improve my social skills — As an introvert, I always dread new and unfamiliar conversations. I tend to stutter and scramble for the right words for fear of saying the wrong things and risking giving the wrong impression. But as introverted as I am, I cannot change the fact that conversations are important in life…

Learning to Embrace the Journey — “Dependent, huh.” I read the description next to my name on the health insurance card which my husband handed to me. My US visa also says that I am a “dependent.” The past year has been nothing short of adjustments and hard resets. …

Notes for the 9–5 grind — Here’s my unpopular opinion: before you “follow your passion,” you must work the 9–5 grind known as the corporate world. It can be a daunting place but trust me, it’s where you will have the opportunity to learn and develop soft skills, build your network, and ultimately, find what you…

And stop feeling like a hot mess — If you were thrust into adulthood without a fundamental understanding of how to live on your own, I hear you. Or maybe, just like me, you purposely did this to yourself just so you can prove to yourself that you can make it on your own. More often than not…

Lifelong friends to the core — Probably the biggest challenge for me as a 30-something new immigrant in America is making friends. At this time, most people my age have already established their friend groups and how they prefer to spend their time. According to this study, it can take about 80–100 hours time spent for…

Start with your network — Upwork is a popular platform for freelancers to find work and connect with potential clients. Back when it was still Odesk ten years ago, I’ve had my fair share of success on the platform. But today, a lot has changed. While Upwork still offers access to a large pool of…

A beginner’s guide — I started my yoga practice in 2013 when a friend recommended I try a de-stressing workout to help me recover from a life-shattering breakup. My first time wasn’t as smooth as I wanted it to be. Ten minutes into the practice, I thought I was going to pass out and…