What a week! October certainly decided to go out with a flourish, bringing a whirlwind of activity, unexpected encounters and moments that made me wonder whether the world had collectively lost its sense of proportion.

After weeks of preparations, an important event finally came together. There were last-minute adjustments, anxious moments and lessons for another day. But seeing everything unfold and watching people come together for a meaningful cause made it worthwhile. I even discovered that stepping outside my comfort zone can be rather enjoyable!

One of the week’s unexpected pleasures was a thirty-minute taxi ride with a woman from the Bohra community. Growing up in Mumbai, where the community is sizeable and the women’s distinctive attire is a familiar sight, I had never expected my first encounter with a Bohra woman in Singapore to happen in a taxi. We chatted about her community, its traditions and how its practices differ from those of the wider Muslim community. The journey flew by!

Meanwhile, regional politics provided its own entertainment, although I’m not entirely sure whether to laugh or cry. Between reduced gas supplies, remarks about the clean air that apparently accompanies the haze, and suggestions that religious travellers avoid transiting through Singapore and Malaysia, I found myself wondering whether international diplomacy had somehow wandered into a kindergarten playground. Surely neighbours can disagree without everything becoming a contest of words?

As October ends, I’m looking forward to a little breathing space, fresh possibilities and perhaps some genuinely fresh air. This week’s lesson? People can surprise us wonderfully, and occasionally, so can politics, although not always for the right reasons!

This quote, attributed to American essayist, poet, philosopher and leading figure of the Transcendentalist movement, Ralph Waldo Emerson, encourages us to approach life with a sense of purpose rather than allowing our difficulties to determine the direction we take.

Problems are an inevitable part of life. Whether they involve relationships, work, finances or personal disappointments, they demand our attention and can sometimes consume our thoughts. When we become entirely focused on what is going wrong, our decisions may be driven by fear, frustration or the desire to escape an uncomfortable situation. We begin reacting to circumstances rather than consciously choosing where we want to go.

Dreams, on the other hand, give us something meaningful to move towards. They remind us of our aspirations, values and the possibilities we hope to create. Instead of asking only how we can get away from our present difficulties, we begin asking what kind of future we want to build. This does not mean ignoring problems or pretending they do not exist. Some difficulties require immediate attention, practical solutions and difficult decisions. The distinction lies in allowing our dreams to guide our direction while dealing with problems along the way.

There is also something empowering about recognising that our circumstances need not define our entire story. A setback may change our plans, but it does not necessarily have to change our purpose. Ultimately, the quote reminds us that life becomes more meaningful when we move towards something we believe in, rather than simply running away from what troubles us.

This week’s verse, from the Bhagavad Gita, verse 18.66 is one of the most famous verses in the Bhagavad Gita. It is often misunderstood as a call to abandon responsibility. In reality, Krishna asks Arjuna to release the burden of believing he controls everything. There are moments in life when effort alone cannot guarantee an outcome. We do our best, make thoughtful choices and fulfil our duties, yet uncertainty remains. This verse reminds us that faith begins where control ends. Surrender is not a weakness. It is the courage to move forward without having every answer.

When several things seem to be changing at once, it’s natural to feel overwhelmed by life. Change is uncomfortable because it pushes you out of your comfort zone and brings uncertainty. You may find yourself wondering whether you’re making the right decisions when you no longer have the same things to rely on. You may even crave those moments when everything feels familiar again. At times, it can feel like you’re constantly trying to catch up. It’s okay if you don’t immediately know how to navigate everything. Take a breath, focus on the next step, and trust yourself to figure out the rest as you go. Give yourself time to become comfortable with the unfamiliar. You can handle the unexpected better than you think. From here, another reality is still possible.

And on that note, here’s to a fruitful November, one filled with joy, happiness and prosperity!

The Roman emperor, Marcus Aurelius who ruled from 161 to 180 CE and is remembered as one of the leading figures of Stoic philosophy is the author of today’s quote. This quote reminds us that goodness, compassion and inner strength are not necessarily qualities we must seek from the outside world. They already exist within us, waiting to be discovered, nurtured and expressed.

The imagery of a fountain is particularly meaningful. Just as water continues to flow from an underground source, our capacity for kindness, wisdom and integrity remains available, even when life’s difficulties make it harder to access. However, reaching that source requires effort. We must be willing to look honestly at ourselves, question our reactions and consciously choose how we respond to the world around us. There will inevitably be moments when anger, disappointment, fear or frustration threaten to overwhelm our better judgement. During such times, it may seem easier to react impulsively or allow circumstances to dictate our behaviour. Yet Aurelius reminds us that our character is shaped not simply by what happens to us, but by how we choose to respond.

The instruction to keep digging also suggests that personal growth is an ongoing process. Goodness is not something we discover once and possess forever. It requires regular attention through self-reflection, patience, compassion and the small choices we make each day. Perhaps the most reassuring message is that we do not need perfect circumstances to become better human beings. Even during difficult periods, we can return to the values that matter most to us.

With October moving towards its final week, I can almost feel the year gathering speed. This week has been a curious mixture of urgency, reflection and the quiet satisfaction of recognising how far I have come. Work has been a combination of last-minute adjustments, conversations, preparations and the inevitable little fires that appear when something important is approaching. But amid all the details, there was a moment that reminded me why the work matters. Watching someone gradually find their confidence was a powerful reminder that behind every plan, spreadsheet and deadline are real people whose lives can be changed in small but meaningful ways.

Outside work, my creative world has been particularly alive. I’ve been revisiting childhood memories, thinking about ordinary objects and the stories they carry, and imagining what I want to write in the coming year. There is something comforting about realising that the smallest moments, the ones we barely notice while living them, often become our most treasured memories.

Meanwhile, the haze continued to be an unwelcome companion. Between checking air-quality readings and reconsidering outdoor routines, the changing skies have reminded me how easily we take ordinary pleasures, especially fresh air, for granted. At least there have been occasional improvements, even if the uncertainty remains.

On a more personal note, I’ve been reflecting on how my relationship with work, money and happiness has changed over the years. Perhaps growing older brings a different understanding of what constitutes enough. Family, familiar conversations, memories and the freedom to pursue things I love increasingly feel like measures of abundance in their own right. Perhaps this week’s lesson is that progress isn’t always about acquiring more. Sometimes it is about recognising how much we already have, how far we’ve travelled, and how comfortably we are beginning to inhabit the lives we’ve created.

This week, verse 2.64 of the Bhagavad Gita tells us that peace does not come from withdrawing from the world. Krishna teaches that peace comes from how we engage with it. We suffer when we cling desperately to what we like and resist what we dislike. The more balanced our relationship with life’s experiences, the more freedom we discover. True self-mastery is not about control over others. It is about understanding ourselves deeply enough that our peace is no longer dictated by circumstances.

This week I learned that we have to hold on to the part of us that believes things are still working in our favor. During the fiercest storms, when things are breaking down, plans aren’t working out, and everything feels so impossible that we can barely breathe, that’s when we need to hold on to that belief even more tightly. The belief may seem illogical at times, but the truth remains that our story hasn’t finished unfolding yet. Things can still fall into place in ways we never thought were possible. Through it all, our only job is not to let ourselves become consumed by fearful thoughts. Holding on to this truth can give us the strength to stay afloat. We have to remain open to possibilities that we cannot see yet.

To those in the region, still battling the haze, stay indoors, masked and safe.

This week’s quote is by Canadian mindfulness teacher, meditation guide, writer and storyteller, widely known for her work with the meditation app Calm, Tamara Levitt. In this quote, Levitt beautifully captures the essence of what it means to connect with another human being. Empathy is not simply understanding someone’s circumstances or feeling sorry for them. It is the willingness to step outside our own experiences and make room for another person’s emotions, even when we cannot fully comprehend what they are going through. Often, when someone shares their struggles, our instinct is to offer advice, suggest solutions or reassure them that everything will eventually be fine. While these responses usually come from a place of kindness, they may not always be what the person needs. Sometimes, the greatest gift we can offer is our presence. To listen without judgement, acknowledge their feelings and allow them to express themselves without immediately trying to make things better.

Empathy also requires us to recognise that another person’s experience may be very different from our own. We do not have to agree with every decision they make or have experienced the same difficulties to respect what they are feeling. It is about meeting people where they are rather than expecting them to see the world through our eyes. Importantly, feeling with someone does not mean carrying all their pain as our own. Healthy empathy allows us to remain compassionate while maintaining our emotional boundaries. Perhaps the most meaningful part of empathy is its simplicity. We may not have the answers or the power to change someone’s circumstances, but we can remind them that they do not have to face everything alone.

Some weeks seem determined to remind me that even the best-laid plans must occasionally surrender to circumstances beyond my control. This was one of them. With October gathering pace, there was plenty to keep me occupied. Work continued its steady march towards important milestones, with details to finalise, conversations to navigate and decisions that needed attention. There is something satisfying about watching months of planning gradually become reality, although the closer things get to completion, the more those little unfinished details seem to multiply!

At the same time, I found myself thinking about transitions, both the ones happening around me and those I am quietly preparing for. Change can be exciting and unsettling in equal measure, particularly when the next chapter hasn’t quite revealed itself. And as if the usual uncertainties weren’t enough, the haze decided to make its presence felt across Singapore. The grey skies, unpleasant air and constant checking of air-quality readings have made even ordinary activities unnecessarily complicated. Outdoor plans have been disrupted, familiar routines reconsidered, and everyone seems to be waiting for the day we can breathe comfortably again. It is remarkable how something as simple as fresh air becomes precious when it is no longer guaranteed.

Perhaps this week’s lesson is about making room for what I cannot control without allowing it to overwhelm everything I can. The skies may be hazy, and parts of the future may be equally unclear, but there is still work to be done, joy to be found and life to be lived. And hopefully, clearer skies ahead.

In this week’s verse from the Bhagavad Gita, verse 17.16 speaks of austerity. When people hear the word austerity, they often think of physical discipline. Krishna offers a different definition. Mental discipline matters just as much. A calm mind, gentle speech and pure intentions require constant practice. This verse reminds us that spiritual maturity is not measured by appearances. It is reflected in how we think, how we speak and how we treat others when no one is watching.

Falling apart is ugly and excruciating. There are tears, anger, and hopelessness. But even amidst all of that, there is hope, light, and balance. This state of vulnerability can become the foundation for a new chapter in your life that makes room for new gifts and enriching experiences. Even in the darkest seasons, light can be found in the most unexpected places. Sometimes, that light is reflected in the smallest choices you make each day; choosing to get out of bed, taking a deep breath while you cry, or simply holding on to the belief that tomorrow can be better. Hold on to the truth that your pure being, despite everything it has endured, is still capable of feeling, loving, and beginning again.

So to those in Singapore and the region, stay home, stay safe if you are going outside and hopefully we see clearer skies very soon!

This week’s quote attributed to the Chinese philosopher and teacher whose ideas profoundly influenced Chinese and East Asian thought, Confucius invites us to think about beauty as something that depends as much on the observer as on the thing being observed.

We often associate beauty with conventional ideas of attractiveness: a spectacular sunset, an impressive building, a perfect flower or a beautiful face. Yet much of what makes life beautiful is quieter and easier to overlook. It might be found in an ageing face that carries decades of stories, weeds growing through a crack in the pavement, the sound of rain against a window, or an ordinary moment shared with someone we love. The difference is not necessarily that some people are surrounded by more beauty than others. It may simply be that they have learned to notice.

This makes the quote as much about attention as beauty. When we move through life hurriedly, distracted by what comes next or preoccupied with what is missing, we can become blind to what is already around us. Slowing down changes our perspective. Curiosity helps too. Something initially unremarkable can become fascinating when we look closely enough. It also reminds us that beauty does not require perfection. There can be beauty in imperfection, ageing, change and even things that don’t immediately appeal to us. Seeing it sometimes requires looking beyond our first judgement. Perhaps beauty isn’t particularly rare at all, our attention is.

This week felt like an exercise in balancing the things I can control with those I simply cannot. October is barely underway, yet the final quarter of the year already seems to be gathering momentum. At work, there were plans to refine, conversations to follow up on, and pieces of a complicated puzzle that needed to fit together. Some things are finally taking shape after weeks of effort, while others still require patience, persuasion and perhaps a little creative thinking. I am learning that progress isn’t always about doing more. Sometimes it is about asking better questions, making thoughtful decisions and knowing when something is good enough to move forward.

Outside work, there were reminders that life doesn’t always provide answers according to our preferred timelines. Uncertainty has a way of occupying far more mental space than it deserves, particularly when the questions matter. But I am trying to resist the temptation to write stories about outcomes that haven’t happened yet. There were smaller moments of curiosity too, the kind that sent me down unexpected paths of thought. I find myself increasingly interested in understanding not just what happens, but why I respond to things the way I do. Even the most ordinary experiences can reveal something interesting when I pay attention.

Perhaps the biggest lesson this week was that not everything needs an immediate resolution. Some things need action, others need observation, and a few simply need time. As the year moves towards its conclusion, I am beginning to realise that growth isn’t always visible in what I accomplish. Sometimes it is reflected in how I handle what remains unfinished. And perhaps that is progress enough for now.

In this week’s verse, 12.18-19 from Bhagavad Gita, the Gita shares that most people are kind when circumstances are favourable. Character reveals itself when circumstances change. Krishna describes a person whose inner stability does not depend on praise, approval or comfort. Such balance does not make someone indifferent. Instead, it allows them to respond wisely rather than react emotionally. In a world full of constant judgement and comparison, this teaching remains deeply relevant.

This week, I learned that there is a quiet fire within you that glows even when life feels dark. It has carried you through moments you thought would break you completely. Stoke that fire by choosing trust, again and again. Despite the harrowing experiences you’ve endured, there is a resilient part of you that refuses to give in to the darkness. You can still care, still hope, and still respond to life with unwavering optimism. That is proof that even the hardest moments could not change who you are at your core. Stay true to your authentic self. Nourish the fire within you.

That’s all I have for this week. As always, stay safe, stay calm and be positive!

And suddenly, it is October. The year has slipped quietly into its final quarter, bringing with it that familiar feeling that there is still plenty of time left, while simultaneously wondering how there can possibly be only three months remaining. Perhaps appropriately, this week felt like a mixture of looking backwards, looking ahead, and learning to live somewhere in between.

Professionally, I spent time thinking about what has been built, what still needs strengthening, and what should be handed over so that someone else can continue without having to reconstruct the entire story. At the same time, new possibilities kept appearing. Conversations led to connections, connections hinted at opportunities, and something that had previously seemed distant suddenly became worth exploring more seriously. Sometimes the most valuable result of showing up isn’t what happens in the room, but who we happen to meet there.

There was also the end-of-month ritual of looking at numbers and being reminded that long-term thinking is considerably easier in theory than when short-term results aren’t behaving themselves. Patience, apparently, needs regular practice too. And then came a reminder that not everything can be planned, measured or solved immediately. Some questions simply need time before answers arrive. For now, all I can do is take the sensible next steps without borrowing trouble from a future that hasn’t happened yet.

Maybe that’s a fitting lesson as I enter the final quarter of the year. October doesn’t need to begin with a frantic list of everything still unfinished. There are three months left, yes, but they don’t have to become a race until December. Some things will be completed. Some will carry forward. Some may change entirely. For now, I can keep moving, one ordinary day at a time, and allow the rest of the year to unfold.

Today’s quote, often attributed to George Addair, generally described as an American real-estate developer and motivational speaker, suggests that fear often stands between us and the experiences, opportunities and changes we most desire. Fear is not always a warning that we are making the wrong choice. Sometimes it appears precisely because something matters to us. Starting something new, changing direction, speaking up, pursuing an ambition or allowing ourselves to be vulnerable all involve uncertainty. We cannot know exactly what will happen, and our instinct may be to remain with what feels familiar, even when familiar is no longer what we want.

The quote doesn’t mean that everything we desire will magically appear once we conquer fear. Nor does courage require us to become fearless. Courage is often much quieter than that. It is recognising the fear, listening to what it may be telling us, and then deciding whether we want to move forward anyway. There is also an important distinction between fear and genuine danger. Some fears protect us and deserve our attention. But many others are built around imagined failure, rejection, embarrassment or uncertainty. When these fears repeatedly determine our choices, they can gradually make our lives smaller.

Perhaps the “other side of fear” isn’t necessarily where everything we have ever wanted is waiting. It may simply be where possibility begins. We may succeed, fail, change direction or discover that what we thought we wanted wasn’t right for us after all. But unless we move through the fear, we may never find out.

This week, in verse 6.17, the Bhagavad Gita rarely advocates extremes. Krishna repeatedly points toward balance. This verse reminds us that spiritual growth is not separate from how we eat, rest, work and care for ourselves. Many problems arise not from lack of effort but from imbalance. We push too hard, rest too little, worry too much and neglect what sustains us. Wisdom often looks less dramatic than we imagine. It is found in small daily choices repeated consistently over time.

This week, I learned that at first, it may feel like difficult circumstances are breaking you down or pulling you away from what’s meant for you. In reality, they are pushing you to grow into the version that can actually hold what’s coming. When the timing is right, your gifts will meet the most aligned version of you. Some things need space to become what they’re meant to be. What once felt overwhelming will return to you in a way that better suits who you are. Let patience guide you during these uncertain moments.

Take care, stay positive and let’s finish the last quarter of the year with a bang!