Yesterday, I passed the Nursery class after dropping Noah off at his classroom for the day. The kids formed two lines, with their Chinese teacher demonstrating how to, if I understood their gestures correctly, walk properly within their lines. Their hands at their hips, the taller assistant standing behind her, the Nursery teacher spoke her…

I’m still wrestling with the idea that twelve long months have already gone by. So many things happened and changed, so many goals accomplished and failed, it’s hard not to wonder what the new year could bring to the table this time. My 2017 ally is my undated Passion Planner and it enabled me to…

I read that asking a child, or anyone for that matter, what they would like to be growing up is problematic. The question demands that you select and identify with one specific occupation. It leaves no room for changes in decision, interest, or preference. Moreover, if you come from a family that expects you to…

I’ve come to believe that important life lessons are learned through either advice or hands-on experience. The latter, more often than not, is the best and most painful teacher. It’s also the teacher whose classes I keep attending with or without intention. ? This week’s lesson I had to (re)learn is to read before you…

Every time I log in to Twitter (@heysstef), I get distracted by the 18.4K tweet count glaring at me from the side of my feed. I couldn’t shake off the urge to bring that number down, no matter how senseless and time-consuming the task was. Did I really post that many tweets? What were those…

If you peruse through my 2017 planner, you’ll find a section called “Good Things That Happened” where I note down my small-big wins in life and work. The past few months these Good-Things-That-Happened boxes are filled up with all kinds of achievements and events that kept me away. It’s wonderful and frustrating at the same…

The black elastic bracelet—its wooden pendant carved 04/21/09 I left inside the drawer with printed copies of his conversations. They’re peppered with sweet good-night wishes, promises of a future where we’d always hold hands. I included the pair of innocent silver promise bands he bought for us. These lasted longer than my wedding ring. For some…

Over the weekend, I worked on this small fun project to help me achieve two things: enjoy my passions to the fullest and celebrate life through focus and accomplishment.  I created this to address and eventually silence a crucial personal issue. For so long I’ve felt like a lost hummingbird darting to and fro, dabbling…

For three years, I’d wake up to a pair of brown closet doors that stood across our bed. They’re covered in scratches and wouldn’t close on their own. I’d sometimes secure them with a spare hair tie, yet their flaws seem to amplify each time I see it on my way out of my bedroom.…

If something is of no value to me, I throw it out. This is my principle when tidying up the house and, well, pretty much my whole life. It sounds ruthless, but this mindset enables me to throw out trash and give things I don’t use away: receipts, expired warranties, badly written books, scented stationery,…