“Why do you blog?”

I get this question a lot from those who are curious about this blog. There are a few reasons why I blog and these very reasons shape what the blog is today. I blog because I:

1. Love writing. Always did

Growing up in Malaysia and Singapore, I loved writing fictional fantasy stories about kids saving the world from fire-breathing dragons. When I moved back to Australia and was finishing my last year of high school in Melbourne, I noticed my Aussie classmates blitzed me at English, my favourite subject. Discouraged, I focused on acing my maths and science subjects. But I never really connected with numbers and formulas.

When I was doing my Bachelor of Arts at The University of Melbourne, I realised I enjoyed writing essays as part of my university assignments. The world of words beckoned to me again and my love for writing was rekindled. Something in me comes alive when I craft sentences and weave them into stories.

2. Want to share stories

For a very long time, publication after publication knocked back articles that I pitched and wrote for them. Some of us don’t get much representation in mainstream media. But we are all unique individuals with our own unique stories. Through this blog, I get to add to the diversity discussion and make a difference – even if it’s just one person who reads this blog.

3. Inspire others

A lot of us struggle to feel confident and accept ourselves, be it the way we look, what we are passionate about and where we come from. As an Asian Australian, I’ve always felt out of place on so many levels. Over time I’ve learnt to be comfortable with my kooky self and today share my stories with you so as to inspire you to love yourself for who you are.

4. Connect others

We’re all social creatures of some sort. We get by each day mingling with those around us, such as family and friends, colleagues and even online acquaintances. Here in the blog world, there’s endless spontaneous discussion to be had about anything under the sun to lift our day. More often than not, it’s conversations and even small talk that give meaning to our lives.

5. Because of You

We’re all from different backgrounds, living in different parts of the world. We all have dreams, hopes, problems and feelings. We’re all different yet so similar. And we’re all so similar and yet so different. There’s no doubt that we all have something to learn from each another.

Updated January 2017.