Michael Jackson with ice, please
If Life were easily black and white, we wouldn't encounter decision paralysis. Go means go. It's hard to put aside what's been drilled into our heads since young; it's easy to laugh at the 5Cs, which a senior leader in Singapore once coined as a must-have for success "in the generation that followed his", but when asked point blank what does success look like in your country's script?
Here's Singapore's:
https://twitter.com/lesley_pizza/status/1399253619052990466?s=20
You dig a little deeper to ask, why are these important? Who decided these? $2 goes to the next door aunty judging you as you grew up. Yes, education is important, to a certain extent. Hats off to those who worked, scrimped and saved their own money to do late-stage studying in order to catch up.
A little piece of hope comes from the fact that we are starting to open up our minds and hearts to other people's differing journeys in life. Then it fizzles out just as quickly when you realise that for all the enthusiasm and dollars we throw at artisanal craftsmanship (and very tasty 10pm fried chicken wings), not many will say, yes, I'll be proud and supportive if my child wants to start this as a business.
Following someone else's script doesn't guarantee success or happiness. Like the ladder doodle above, maybe you're afraid of what'll happen if you decide to pause, maybe the barb wire will come and bite your butt. Success isn't guaranteed if you climbed ladder after ladder to rise, that only if you do so, you can be better than the "other person". There is no "other person" living your life, so you need to come to terms with the fact that only you can make yourself happy.
Lastly, I really like author Matt Haig's take on ladders: "The trouble with ladders is they give you no room to move around. Just room to fall."
Being vulnerable isn't a sign of weakness. It means you know and are willing to state your boundaries.
https://twitter.com/naomiosaka/status/1399422304854188037
Drink names that I really like
If anyone was wondering about the subject of today's email, in Singaporean terms, a "Michael Jackson" is a mixture of soya bean milk and chunks of grass jelly. It would be super good as an iced drink in the past week of scorching heat!
I also like "Milo Dinosaur", which is a chocolate malt drink topped with the powder and if anyone needs a sugar rush, please go ahead.
But because these days, old already, I'm sticking to teh siu dai (lit. tea, less sweet), and my last cup is usually by 4pm otherwise the caffeine does keep me up. Oh, age.
Breathe and let go
Needing a cold drink now,
Medhā