There was a time when life felt overwhelming. 

Most mornings, I gulped down my coffee and set out to brave the day wearing yesterday's burnout like a badge of honor. At times, I thought I was fueled to succeed to make my first-generation immigrant parents proud. But as one ambition turned into the next, I realized that I had been trying to prove my self-worth — not just to those around me, but also to myself.   

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      Growing up as a high-achiever, I was laser-focused on my future: get good grades, be accepted into the right colleges, land an impressive job and then add a professional credential (or two) next to my name — cue the memorable Elle Woods graduation scene from Legally Blonde.

 

      Big goals, even bigger expectations and yet, I felt something was missing. When the world shut down during the pandemic, I finally had to face the nudging questions I had been pushing down for quite some time. What is success to me, really? I realized I had never truly asked myself, I had just gone through life clutching a definition that a younger version of me blindly accepted. ​As I slowly began to unravel the thread of success that seemed to weave through my entire identity, I was afraid of what I would find at the core. Underneath all the wrappings of perfectionism and achievement, who was I? 

 

      "Maybe the journey isn't about becoming anything. Maybe it's about unbecoming everything

that isn't really you,

so that you can be who you were

meant to be in the first place".

- Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist

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      What I found was a curious girl who craved to be herself and connect with a world in a more meaningful way. That's when I realized: it was never about the big milestones, the promotions, the conventional successes. All those years as I pursued achievement, I had missed the little moments. That's where the magic was hiding. It was in the scent of my coffee, in the bloom of a beautiful flower, in a warm conversation with a stranger and in a glimpse of the evening sky. Gradually, I retrained my senses, to find *glimmers* in the present moment.

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​​​      As I slowed down, I developed a feeling of contentment that I had never experienced. My life was no longer measured by my professional success. Rather, my experience centered around living out my newly defined values: my intention to be deeply present, observe the world around me and become a more authentic version of myself. To my surprise, my work life did not suffer — it soared. My confidence grew and my coworkers noticed.

 

      I was most surprised, when I realized that discovering little joys began to rub off on those around me. First, I noticed it deepened my relationships. When we weren't living in our heads, we could connect more authentically and experience the unfolding of life together. Most importantly though, I saw how my family and friends seemed happier too. They began to take in the world through a sense of wonder I'd never noticed before. They were more curious about the world and willing to try new things.

 

      I'll never forget when I visited Longwood Gardens in Pennsylvania with my family, a place I had visited over a dozen times before. This time was different; I was noticing, not just going through the motions. I felt the rays of sun on my skin and laid down on the warm inviting grass. My Dad laid down next to me, grinning about how he used to do this as a kid.

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      I realized my parents had taught me to look for the beauty in nature since I was a kid, but I had forgotten. My Dad would point out the frogs in a stream (my favorite), while my Mom would walk with me by the ocean to collect seashells. My brother, too, had a keen eye for noticing details with his camera that could be easily overlooked. 

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      That's why I'm here, sharing my story. If you're craving to build a more fulfilling life, you don't have to start by making any drastic life-changing decisions (that would make pretty much anyone run for the hills). You can begin by simply setting an intention to notice the little things. Over time, it will enable you to slow down and find out what matters most to you. Maybe you'll end up wanting to make some big changes, or, maybe you'll just make some tweaks. 

 

      To document my journey and give you some inspiration for yours, I've created a space where curiosity and "discovering the little things" is encouraged. I'll share bite-sized discoveries from Psychology, Travel, Wellness & Home that you can infuse into your everyday life.​

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Come discover the little things with me! 
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