Wishing all my readers a very Happy Chinese New Year; may this new year bring renewal, abundance, good health, and meaningful moments with the people who matter most. As homes fill with reunion dinners, red packets, and the hopeful energy of fresh beginnings, may the year ahead unfold with steady progress and quiet joy. As we welcome the Year of the Fire Horse, may it bring courage to chase what excites you, momentum to move past what holds you back, and the confidence to trust your instincts. The Fire Horse is known for passion and drive, a reminder that growth sometimes requires both bravery and motion.

At the same time, this week also marks the beginning of the holy month of Ramadan, a sacred period of reflection, discipline, generosity, and spiritual renewal for Muslims around the world. May this month bring peace, clarity, and strength to those observing it, and may the spirit of compassion and community it nurtures ripple outward to all of us. The month of Ramadan is rooted in reflection, discipline, compassion, and spiritual renewal; it’s a month that asks us to slow down inwardly even as life continues outwardly.

In Singapore, where cultures and faiths stand side by side, it feels especially meaningful to honour both occasions together. May this season remind us of the beauty of shared spaces, mutual respect, and the richness that diversity brings to our lives. One festival calls us to gather, celebrate, and step boldly into a new year; the other calls us to turn inward, reset, and deepen our faith and empathy. May this season, shaped by both fire and reflection, bring renewal, resilience, and meaningful connection to us all.

Today’s quote is a Chinese proverb that is a practical lesson about preparation, patience, and strategic effort. At first glance, it sounds counterintuitive. If your goal is speed, why would you spend extra time not chopping at all? But that’s precisely the point. Rushing into action without preparation often leads to wasted energy, frustration, and slower results in the long run. Sharpening the axe represents planning, learning, practising, and refining your tools, whether those tools are literal skills, knowledge, systems, or even your mindset. When you invest time in preparation, your work becomes more efficient and effective. Each strike counts. Without preparation, you may swing repeatedly with little impact, exhausting yourself while making minimal progress.

The proverb also challenges our obsession with constant activity. Busyness can feel productive, but activity without clarity or readiness can be ineffective. Taking time to think, strategise, or improve your approach isn’t laziness; it’s wisdom. The person who pauses to sharpen the axe understands that thoughtful preparation saves far more time than impulsive action ever could. Beyond work, the proverb applies to personal growth as well. Strengthening your discipline, emotional resilience, or communication skills is like sharpening your inner tools. When challenges arise, you are better equipped to handle them calmly and decisively. Ultimately, the message is simple: slow down to move faster. Invest in preparation so that when it’s time to act, you do so with precision and power. Effort matters, but prepared effort matters more.

This week, if I’m honest, I’ve felt a little like I’m underwater. Not drowning, not in crisis, just submerged. I can see everything I’m supposed to be doing. The tasks are clear, the plans are mapped out, but there’s a strange heaviness, as though every movement requires more effort than usual. It’s been a week since I got back from India, and my body seems to still be catching up. I’m tired in that lingering way that sleep doesn’t immediately fix. Sleepy at odd hours, and slower than I’d like to be. There’s also that quiet frustration of knowing what needs to be done and not quite having the spark to begin. It’s not confusion, it’s not avoidance; it’s simply low energy. Like trying to move through water, possible, but resistant. Maybe this is just a transition. Travel has a way of stretching you emotionally, physically, and socially, and perhaps I’m still recalibrating. Instead of fighting the fog, I’m trying to observe it. To give myself a little grace. To trust that the surface is there, and I will rise back into full momentum soon. For now, I’m allowing this slower rhythm. Even underwater, you’re still moving.

Today’s Bhagavad Gita quote gives one of the most beautiful and comprehensive portraits of a spiritually evolved person. Notice how the qualities Krishna lists are emotional and relational, not intellectual brilliance, ritualistic perfection, or strict asceticism. The emphasis is on how we show up in the world: without hostility, with kindness, with generosity of heart, and the ability to stay balanced when life swings between sorrow and joy. Compassion is not sentimental softness here; it’s the strength to stay open even when life gets messy. Forgiveness is not naïveté; it’s choosing not to poison your own heart. Being nirmama, or free from possessiveness, and nirahaṅkāra, or free from ego, means you don’t cling to people or outcomes. You appreciate, you love, and you care, but you don’t bind others or yourself with expectations. Krishna teaches that devotion is a way of being. When your mind is guided by inner clarity rather than ego, every interaction becomes gentler, wiser, and more peaceful.

Today’s weekly motivation is about the weight of unmet dreams. The longer you carry the weight of unmet dreams, the harder it becomes to tap into the new possibilities life is constantly offering you. Honour what those old dreams once meant to you, acknowledge their place in your journey, and then let them go. Make space for something even more aligned to take their place. No matter how difficult letting go may seem at first, trust that eventually a positive outcome will come out of it. Make the most of what you have now, and allow yourself to enjoy the natural flow of events. The unexpected turns will still lead you exactly where you need to be. Life has a funny way of surprising you in the best possible ways.

On that note, here’s to a wonderful Lunar New Year to all those who celebrate and to those fasting and praying during the holy month of Ramadan, wishing you a month filled with prayers, reflection, discipline, compassion, and spiritual renewal. and