It’s not an exaggeration to say that Asia is famous for its deeply rooted and rich cultures and rituals. The long-standing traditions integrate into our everyday lives, even in modern times. It’s not far-fetched to say that there are a lot of things we can learn from those rituals. Taking the essence of the ancient wisdom from Asian rituals, we might just be able to learn a lot about mental well-being.  

All of us inevitably face some form of adversity, struggle and setbacks in life - it’s one of those things we can virtually all agree on. In fact, we may sometimes face pain and hardship so overwhelming that it seems to crush us. But what if we could re-orient our perspective toward suffering? By not only seeing it as a negative experience to endure, but as an opportunity to grow as a person and develop our character?

Overwork is not a new issue, but what now poses a growing threat to our mental health and work-life balance is the glorification of overwork culture in Asia. These days, “overwork” is not only acceptable, it’s inspirational.

If you have anxiety, then you are likely familiar with the feeling of racing thoughts. A thought can appear suddenly, brought forth by the smallest of triggers. It then links to another thought, and then another one, and so on. Just like a frog leaping from one lily pad to the next, and the next, and the next...

Growing up, I never knew that anyone would bother to listen to me. Many years later, I am now recovering from depression. The process of treatment and recovery has not been the smoothest, shortest, or easiest. But wherever I turned, I found that being listened to and heard helped me best to work through what I had buried in my head. So, I have been on a journey to learn to listen.

It’s natural to judge people quickly based on their facial expressions, mannerisms, and behaviour. These implicit judgements, formed automatically based on observation, help us navigate social interactions. But while first impressions are powerful, they don’t tell the whole story. Over time, as we share experiences and truly get to know someone, our initial perceptions can change dramatically.