Author: Ululatetravels

An individual built with way too many contradictions. Historian by training, but I hate reading books. Adrenaline junkie with a fear of heights. Loves cooking, but hates washing. National Park person, but hates camping.

#20- One year wiser

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Funny how happiness is something so simple. I had it in me, all the time. (My lifelong dream still remains unchanged, to be a park ranger in America. grin emoticon )

I’ve never worked this hard or put in this much effort in my life consistently. Yes, it’s really tiring, but the people and the inquisitive mind keeps me going.

Last week I had a small gathering with my birthday as an excuse, with all those who have at some point in my life, made a difference. It was an amazing sight seeing all of these people in one single setting. super thankful to everyone for turning up despite it being a super last minute one. Initially I was worried that it would be awkward, but I think everyone had a really good time and I felt really good!

I’ve never felt this happy before in my life, despite everything that has happened this year. Super thankful for everything that I have right now.

Very very thankful for everyone who is in my life at this moment. Maybe one day we dont hang out; maybe we lose touch one day, but for now, thank you for making my life so awesome!

Happy birthday to me and I really like the new wisdom I’ve gained, shaping this new version of me! smile emoticon

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#19- Happiness Comes From Within

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“Happiness comes from within.”

This is something I’ve tried to “religiously” remind myself of since the beginning of this year. I’ve had plenty of down moments this year, but these are definitely decreasing as I try to fill myself with more positivity each day. Today, I was drowning in nostalgia, and was feeling pretty damn terrible as I allowed myself to dwell in self-pity.

What saved me was a text message from a really good friend in the states. He told me that this photo is now the newest piece to their household in the form of a canvas print.

After seeing this photo, his father commented, “It’s something I’ve seen for over 30 years and took for granted. For someone who’s from outside the US to come here and caption that photo as the American Dream makes you appreciate more and realize it is all about perception.”

I never thought that my photos would make that much of a difference to someone. I was really happy. This sense of happiness came from within, from genuinely being happy that my photos got people thinking deeper. At this moment, all that negativity I had been feeling today dissipated. The happiness that I am feeling comes from me, and nobody can take this away from me.

And yes, it is all about perspective. Do I want to keep myself happy with positive thoughts, or to dwell in self-pity and negative thoughts? I think, the choice is clear. Funny how a simple change in perspective brings about so much more happiness.

That being said, Happy Mid Autumn Festival to all!

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#18- Thoughts on why we go through unhappiness

Queenstown, NZ-1We are all shaped by the experiences that we go through, or the people we meet. You can never erase the impact that people leave on you when they come into your life, both positive and negative.

Maybe there are life experiences that you think were too painful, and you think it would have been great if you didnt have to go through it. However, without those periods of pain and agony, would you be who you are today?

We all emerge stronger after going through difficult times, and that is all part of being human. Without going through the pain, would you be able to fully appreciate the moments of happiness? If you were always happy, would you take happiness for granted, and stop growing as a person?

Everything happens for a reason, and all of it contributes to making you a better person. As you work towards a better version of yourself, you will also start appreciating life so much more.

“The more you know, the more you don’t know”, this quote encapsulates everything that I feel right now. After the last few months of soul searching, I find myself a really different person, but I am definitely loving this new version of me so much more, even though I am still trying to find out more of this new person residing inside of me.

Xoxo

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#17- Defining Yourself

“The more you know, the more you don’t know.”

The above encapsulates everything that I feel right now. After the 3 months of traveling, I thought I had a much better understanding of myself, and would be more than ready to face the world again. However, whilst traveling, I think I have changed so much that I am struggling to understand myself again. Certain things that I used to enjoy have become a burden to me.

Comparing myself to how I was before, I definitely love who I am now so much more, and I feel increasingly at ease with my identity. However, I have a problem trying to understand the way I analysed and behaved before the “enlightenment”. There are certain elements of me which I find ridiculous right now, and on hind sight, I cannot believe that I thought that was normal. Who was that person that I used to be?

To me, the process of finding yourself includes defining your identity, what you believe in, and what you care about. I guess I am still in the process of coming to terms with this new person residing inside of me, and I hope to enrich my life experiences so that I never forget to live everyday with counting my blessings.

Maybe life is never about finding an answer about who you are, because experiences will shape your worldview, which would in turn alter your understanding of yourself again. I am still struggling to come to terms with who that person was before, and one thing I am sure of is, I am never going back to that person. We can only work towards becoming better versions of ourselves, and growing stronger with each challenge that life throws at you. And that, is my goal for the year, not bowing to the challenges that life leaves me with.

Keep moving,for life will not stop surprising you!

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#16- Disconnect to reconnect

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We are all addicted to the internet, social media, and the whole notion of staying connected. For those of you living in cities, take a look around you, you will notice that everyone is using a smartphone, laptop, tablet, etc. The onset of the digital age has fundamentally hindered our ability to live in the moment. When traveling, the one thing we look for upon arrival is whether we can stay connected, and whether the airport has WIFI connection, etc.  This desire to be connected seems to be an addiction. I am guilty of it myself. When I got to Myanmar, my first purchase was on a SIM card. I told myself that I needed Wifi lest I got lost, but come on, who am I kidding? I obviously wanted to get data so I could connect with my friends on whatsapp, facebook, instagram, etc.

In the last 3 months, the only times I purchased data was Myanmar and Hong Kong. Ironically, I think I enjoyed myself so much more when I was disconnected. I could take the time to think about my own life, where I am at, and soak myself in the sights.I definitely enjoyed the interactions with the locals so much more too!

When I got to Myanmar, there were many times where I had to stop myself from looking at my phone, and refocus my attention on everything that was before me. It was the interactions with the locals that got me thinking about how addicted I was to the internet. Most of the locals did not have Smartphones, and they connected with one another via interaction at the marketplace, which was a boatride away for most people. This was the point where I decided to disconnect and refocused myself on my trip. It was at that point that I began seeing so much more, and captured more precious moments on my camera.

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I doubt I will be getting data for my solo travels in the future. With a more stable schedule in place now, I think I need to #disconnect to reconnect when I travel, as these travels will now be the best time for me to be introspective. Moving away from narcissism and addiction to the social media, I hope to be someone with a bigger heart, focused on reconnecting with the people, the environment, and living in the moment.

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#16- In love

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I think I’m in love. Not with anyone in particular, but with this world. I think this world has way too much to offer. The nature, the people, the animals, the architecture, the history, the universe, everything comes together concurrently to create this world that we see before us. Ever since I got back, I find myself being able to appreciate the people around me better, being more aware of the things going on around me. I’m used to cruising through life here because it is so familiar that I take it for granted. Maybe it is time to start focusing and exploring home once again, with this sense of newfound awareness.

Thanks to those who shared my last post; I’m glad it meant something to some of you!

Xoxo

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#15- Moving on and letting go

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Had a discussion with a friend about moving on and letting go. In life, things rarely go exactly the way we want it to be.

Some words of wisdom from a really good friend that put things into perspective for me. People come into our lives for a reason, and every single person that you have met in your life was there for a reason. After you have been taught that lesson that you are supposed to learn, they leave, and you go on your separate paths. When that lesson is for a lifetime; they stay. The key is to focus on your path, rather than what could have been, might have been, because life is too short to focus on the negatives.

Also, what I realized is that it is not entirely bad when things don’t go your way; it is a stark reminder that you have taken things for granted. It might mean you have a chance to do something about it, or it might not. Either way, you learn a lesson about life.

With this said, I think I have finally found the door to continue my path on. I am going to take it, and make the best out of it.

Be kind to yourself, and live the life that you deserve, without the shackles of the past.

Xoxo

Uploaded more photos from my Myanmar trip !

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#14- Change is the only constant

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Looking back on everything that has happened in 2015, my greatest realisation is that change is the only constant. Heard of this statement before? Because it is so true!

People, feelings, circumstances, plans, jobs, partners, friends etc, everything in life is subjected to change. Nothing remains static. Personally,  I think the main reason why people feel pain when they end a relationship or when they lose something in their lives, is basically because of their inability to accept abrupt change, and the sense of attachment which they have with whatever they are losing. It is definitely easier said than done, and dealing with constant changes is a really stressful process.

One of my girlfriends just got out of a long term relationship recently, and conversations about life with her always get me reflecting about some of the changes I’ve had to go through this year.

When someone we love decides to leave us, the first thought that occurs is usually, “I cannot live without this person”. That, in essence, is resisting change. In life, there is no one person who is indispensable, and the moment you start accepting that change is a constant, the time taken to heal shortens by so much, because it means you are placing the focus back on yourself. More often than not, when we fall in love, we lose sight of who we are, and you find your identity becoming a collective one. When you do not evolve together with your partner in a relationship, then the identity crisis comes along. Eventually, when one party decides to leave, one resists the change, because it would mean that the collective identity that one is so comfortable with gets removed, and it is hard to readapt back to life on your own. The whole process of “moving on” is in essence, accepting the change, and then realigning the focus of your life back to yourself. At least this was the case for me.

How do we keep ourselves unfettered by these changes? The answer is, we cannot.  The only way to go about it is to basically embrace change as a constant. Sounds simple, but it is in fact an uphill task. Humans have a tendency to stay attached to the things they have and letting go actually entails accepting that life will change from now on. Tough, but I think a good thinking to have is to live in the moment, and be grateful for everything that you have. This thought on its own, will put you back on the path of healing, and leave you amazed at how far positivity can take you.

I hope those who are struggling to cope with change will have positivity to guide them to greater happiness!

~~ululatetravels

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#13- Because home makes me smile

DSC_0355-1Been back in Singapore for awhile now. I think I am slowly integrating “back” into my life. Much as I try to think that things will be the same as before, it will never be the case. I think I have grown on so many levels the last 8 months, having gone through many major changes which required a huge level of maturity and commitment. Time continues to move, people change, and things change so quickly these days that I find it really difficult to continue where I left off before I started my journey.

One big change upon returning here is the newfound sense of appreciation and gratefulness for my life in Singapore. Indeed, I think I have been fortunate enough to have had the opportunity to grow up in Singapore. I’ve been checking out my own city skyline in the last week a couple of times as I’ve had friends visiting, and suddenly I realised how beautiful home is. The people, the sense of familiarity, food, and everything else is really amazing. I have to admit I have always taken all of these for granted.

Even though I still miss the simplicity of village life in Myanmar, coupled with the innocent laughter I hear each time I see kids there, I am still really happy to be back at home, with my family, friends, and everything else. Life is beautiful, and everyday, there is a reason for me to smile.

~~ululatetravels

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#12- Beginning of a new end

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Its the beginning of a new end. I’m taking a break from traveling to return to some sort of stability. Reflecting on the last 3 months, I think I have grown a lot mentally. The world is so big, and there is so much out there, just waiting for me to discover it. I am very thankful for all the new friendships built across the world, and the new lessons that I’ve learnt from everyone I’ve met, regardless of how brief the encounter was.

The trip which left the biggest impact on me has got to be Myanmar. Interacting with the Burmese people just made me realize how futile it is to keep hanging on to the past, and hopefully, I can give back to them someday somehow. Taiwan was the one trip where self-discovery took flight, and where I started to really connect with the me deeper inside. USA made me realize that love exists everywhere in the world, despite the distance, and distance is never a factor to deter love. Hong Kong made me rediscover my own roots, and also gave me the best friendships I could ever ask for. Thailand reconnected me with my passion for history. Every footstep in the last 3 months has shaped me differently, and I am thankful to emerge a stronger and wiser person after these travels.

One of the biggest takeaway I’ve had was that you don’t need everything in the world to be happy. Sometimes, being content and grateful for things that you already have is enough on its own to fill your heart with happiness. I am immensely thankful for a supportive group of friends, both in Singapore and all across the world, my family, and everybody else I’ve met, even if I didn’t catch your name. The adventure hasn’t ended, and I don’t intend to end it because life is a process of constant discovery. Each day, I am still learning more about myself.

Can’t wait for the next series of adventures! smile emoticon 

If you are interested, here are the Myanmar Photos !

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