Welcome to The Tea House — a sanctuary for my musings, adventures, and a kaleidoscope of tidbits that converge in delightful disarray.
Latest Blends.
The Surfer’s Mentality: What It Teaches Us And Why It Matters to You
I recently came across the ‘surfer’s mentality’ and it shifted something in me. When a surfer gets up on a wave, they’re not thinking about how long it will last. They enjoy the present moment, despite knowing it will eventually end, and might even crash down on them. They ride…
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When Your Mind Feels Like a Cage—And How to Set Yourself Free
A prisoner of my own mind Franz Kafka once wrote: “I am constantly trying to communicate something incommunicable, to explain something inexplicable, to tell about something only I feel in my bones and only be experienced in those bones.” Lately, I’ve been feeling this deeply. Recently, while lost in the…
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Reclaim victory over your creative monsters
A few months ago, a friend recommended The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron. I haven’t finished it yet (still chipping away at it), but the first few chapters were enough to help me overcome a creative block. One idea that really stood out was Cameron’s invitation to name your creative…
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The quiet art of cultivating hygge
In the relentless hum of a big city, it’s easy to get swept away by the noise — the deadlines, the crowded trains, the sense that life is always outpacing you. But lately, I’ve been thinking about how, even in the chaos, there are always glimmers — tiny, shining moments…
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A Living Memoir: Launching My YouTube Channel
A Dream Delayed Embracing City Life While Holding on to My Countryside Dreams My dream is to one day live in the quiet stillness of the countryside—somewhere like Wanaka, where the mountains kiss the sky and my days are spent with my hands in the soil or wandering glorious alpine…
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I’m Struggling with the Paradox of Being Human
Over the past few months, I’ve been feeling disconnected and unsettled. Nothing appears to be wrong — at least not on the surface. Work is stressful at times, but manageable. After the beautiful disruption of two wonder-filled weeks exploring Japan, I’ve finally eased back into a steady rhythm of adequate…
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Between Two Cultures: Navigating My Identity as a Chinese-Australian
Between two cultures A few weeks ago, we celebrated Lunar New Year—a time filled with love, joy, and cherished moments with family and friends. Yet, beneath the festivities, an unresolved tension resurfaced—a quiet struggle with my Chinese heritage that lingers year after year. Although I was born and raised in…
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Letters to You: Florian, thank you for changing my life.
Dear Florian, Have you been well? It’s been a year since we met in the hostel lobby in Christchurch. I still remember that morning so vividly—sitting by the window, scrolling through my phone in search of a cosy café where I could pass the time journaling before heading to the…
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Mastering Solo Travel: Tips for Your Journey
Recently, a few girlfriends have decided to embrace the beauty of travelling and hiking solo (yay!) and asked me for some advice. To my surprise, I really had to think hard about it! But this actually proved to be an excellent opportunity for me to reflect on some of the…
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From Survival to Revival: Reflections from 2024
In 2024, I meditated on the mantra: “2023 was about survival, 2024 is about revival.” Without question, revival became a core theme that shaped almost every decision, effort, and moment of growth throughout the year.
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Solo Road Trip in New Zealand: 16-Days in South Island
Before I begin, here’s a disclaimer: this is not a travel guide. There are plenty of helpful blog posts like that on the interwebs already. This is just a mere window into some of the most incredible days of my life, and if it inspires you to plan your own…
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Bridging Inner and Outer Worlds: A Journey of Self-Expression
An Internal Conflict of Expression Lately, I’ve been wrestling with a deep, unnameable sense of frustration. Then, last week, I stumbled across a quote: “Cursed are those who feel oceans but can express just a drop.” It was as if someone had peered right into my soul, and in that…
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What I Wish I Knew When I Was 20 About Failure
Have you ever stumbled upon a book that completely shifts your perspective on life? I came across Tina Seelig’s book, What I Wish I Knew When I Was 20: A Crash Course on Making Your Place in the World, while browsing Goodreads for my next read. At first, I was…
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When I finally realised I was burnt out from work, it was almost too late: the warnings signs I ignored.
Navigating the Abyss: My Journey Through Burnout. Exactly a year ago today, I was a full-time academic, pulling an all-nighter to complete two presentations for an upcoming conference in Melbourne. While I’m actually great at giving presentations (so I have been told), I find them arduous, stressful, and generally unenjoyable.…
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