Fine Print

Many of us have ‘occupational hazards’ or habits from work that bleed into daily life—what’s one such habit for you?
I tend to ponder over the words I see and hear around me. That’s not always a bad thing though! When I come across something good, I get to pick up bits of inspiration on the go.

Share with us your favourite project you’ve worked on so far.
My favourite project wasn’t work-related, but a personal one—I used to write a style blog. I put a lot of work into it and had lots of fun styling new looks and writing about my fashion finds. I also connected with a lot of people from all over the world, some of who I’m still in touch with today and are doing amazing things like publishing books and launching their own podcasts.

You spend a good part of your day crafting words—personally, what do you think are some of the hardest words to say?
Saying “no” can be hard sometimes. Expressing your boundaries isn’t always easy, but I hope that, like most things, it gets better with time and practice.

How do you keep yourself going when the going gets tough?
I let myself feel down for a little bit. Bad feelings suck but sometimes they’re rooted in something deeper, and identifying that helps to change the way I respond to the things that happen around me. Working out with friends also helps. It’s a healthy escape from the world and being around people with good vibes is a great mood lifter.

What are some important traits you treasure in a good friend?
Openness, kindness and respect. I surround myself with friends who embody these traits wonderfully and for that, I am thankful.

Share with us a place you were extremely fond of as a child! Do you still revisit that place?
When I was growing up, my family, extended family and I used to spend our holidays in Malaysia. I have awesome, vivid memories of those trips. My family and I went back a few years ago and it was a strange experience. The people who owned the place never renovated it or did any upgrading, so everything looked the same as it did 15-20 years ago, except that I was experiencing it all as an adult for the first time. The child in me still remembers the magic, but the present “me” saw nothing special about it, so it was quite a disorienting experience.