I used to hate myself a lot back then

From broken relationships to broken dreams, I needed to find a way out of this pain. I began searching for a source of positivity in every nook and cranny of the internet. From motivational speakers screaming at my face to reading up on the secret of happiness for the price of RM9.99, I almost gave up on my journey... until I stumbled upon Soul.

Yes, that Soul, the Pixar movie on Disney+ with fluffy blue creatures... yeah, that movie saved my life. A spiritual voyage from beginning till the end, Pixar's Soul delivers a masterpiece of the ages with a powerful message of self-acceptance and self-love.

Without going into detail, Soul tells the story of Joe Gardner, a music teacher who is simply unhappy with the circumstances of his life, as he has always dreamed of being a famous jazz musician. Upon facing a near-death experience, Joe eventually discovers the beauty of living through an out-of-body experience and comes out being a better person than who he ever was.

The story sounds eerily familiar as this is my story as well (besides the out-of-body experience, of course). A man who was a young boy with all these big fancy dreams which never came true. Always bitter when things didn't go his way. Soul opened my eyes to a new way of living my life, a life where I don't have to punish myself anymore, where I can still do all the things I want to do and cherish every moment of it. This is our one shot at living, make the best out of it.

Head of Marketing

Embracing Your Unique Self

Among the billions of people on Earth, there is only one of us. There is no one else who has the exact same characteristics and qualities as ourselves. This makes us a rarity. A once in a lifetime gem that should be embraced and celebrated, and while current trends are designed to have people be of a similar mould, the harder, less easy choice is to be unabashedly and undoubtedly your authentic, genuine self. Here are some self reminders on how to embrace our uniqueness.

Remember that we all have different experiences

Each of us embarks on our own separate and individual journeys that shape us into who we are, which cannot be replicated. The challenges and triumphs that we face along the way, have a big influence on our beliefs, personalities and views.

Don’t change aspects of yourself to please another

Peer pressure is a constant struggle where everyone feels the need to hide or shrink aspects of themselves to fit in with the in-crowd. We should not have to pretend to be someone else to create bonds as it would then be based on inauthenticity.

Find those who support you as you are

True and meaningful relationships are built by having others accept us for our real and authentic selves. They accept us for who we are and not for who we pretend or portray to be.

Showcase your uniqueness

Whether it’s an eccentric fashion sense or a loud personality, we shouldn’t be ashamed of the things and activities that bring us joy. We should not let the perception of others dictate or hinder our access to happiness.

Love yourself

Finally, The most important step in embracing our uniqueness is to love, accept, and believe in ourselves. We have to remember that we are worth it, we are special, and we deserve to shine bright as our true genuine selves. If we don’t love ourselves for who we are, how can we expect others to do the same?

Section Head: The Harry Effect

Podcast: Infinite leverage, side hustles and ghostwriting - how to make extra income during MCO

Host: Daryl

Guest: Ash

 

Ash explains to Daryl the many ways to get some extra income during the lockdown

Podcast: Medieval kings, blackholes and racing - our favourite documentaries!

Host: Ash & Daryl

Daryl and Ash talk about some of their favourite documentaries!