Today at the gym, something meaningful happened. A man I have exchanged brief greetings with over the past year approached me between sets. This time, instead of small talk, he opened up about his journey to quit nicotine. He shared how he had moved from cigarettes, to nicotine patches, to now using nothing at all.…
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We live in a world obsessed with labels. Rock climber. Runner. Weightlifter. Freediver. Surfer. Creative. Artist. Academic. Singer. Dancer. Introvert. Extrovert. Ambivert. Social. Silent. ADHD. High-functioning Autistic. High‑achiever. Adventurer. Sensitive. Empathetic. Some labels feel empowering. Some feel comforting. Some feel clarifying. Some may not resonate at all. But all labels, even the helpful ones, come…
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I ended 2025 experiencing my very first Australian Christmas — and to my surprise, the entire spread was cold. Cold meats, cold salads, cold desserts. A perfectly normal tradition here, but a complete shock to my system. Across three continents and countless family gatherings, Christmas has always meant hot food. In many Oriental cultures, hot…
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Artist & Academic 