Back to writing after turning a year older! (Haha)

I took a short break to Japan and Thailand with my loved ones. Some moments stretched me mentally, others were physically taxing—but thank goodness, our love tanks (and tummies) were filled!

Honestly, birthdays have never really been my thing. I used to wonder what there was to even celebrate about my life. It also felt kind of superficial when people only showed up on that one day to express their kindness and friendship. Phyllis once argued, “Well, they could’ve just not bothered to greet at all.” And you know what? That’s true. You know what else is true? I may look like I’m great at building relationships… but I really wasn’t. 🫣

At some point, I got tired of having shallow connections. I had plenty of relationships—just not the kind that felt real. When I removed my birthday from social media, only a handful of people reached out. When I pulled back from socials after my diagnosis, it was like I disappeared. It hurt at first, but I’d rather face the truth than keep living in denial.

Starting from scratch.

The best part about being alive? We can rewrite our story whenever we choose to. I may not be able to get back lost time or reconnect with everyone I’ve drifted from, but I can learn and do better now. We have the power to be reborn—today. And that alone is worth celebrating. That alone is a new birth day.

So, happy birthday to all of you, and happy burstday to one of my favourite artist groups, Seventeen! 😬 And most importantly—happy World Mental Health Month. 💚