Time for reflection

My 2018 was definitely more exciting than any other years as I cross into the married zone. As my boss says, I'm now officially an Auntie. *rolls eyes* Hence justifying the brand Auntie Ariel. *rolls eyes again*

I still have to get used to married life, taking care of a big (adult) baby, learning to cook and do my own chores. But all that doesn't scare me. Just like a newborn learning to walk, this is just another part of life that I'm moving into.

2018 also taught me how to persevere to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Learning to deal with all sorts of people in the work space was definitely the biggest challenge in my career in the last 12 months. The backstabbing was painful. The pretentious concerns was vomit-inducing. The unappreciative (or lack of) appreciation was disappointing. All in all, I come out of it stronger and fiercer.

What doesn't kill you only makes you stronger.

Going through major changes in my life open my eyes to the true friends I have around me. Over the years we may have gotten into arguments, hated each other due to misunderstandings, etc. At the end of the day, these people who stood by me through it all are the truest friends of all.

May people will walk in and out of your life,
but only true friends will leave footprints in your heart.

- Eleanor Roosevelt

Cheers to the year that has passed, and the year that is to come!

Day 1 of the Adventure

Today is the start of my adventure.

It's not called a journey because I don't have an end goal (yet). I hope to discover what I want to do, even though the obvious choice now is to revive and grow Auntie Ariel.

The above screenshot is taken from the movie Up. I hope I have a daring adventure like Carl, but I don't want to be walking with my crutches when I do that. Opportunities don't come easily, and not everyone is as lucky as me. I may have my husband's blessing to do this but I definitely don't want to waste my time away.

When everyone goes on leave, the first thing you would do is probably to sleep in. And then go travel, or do all the things you've always wanted to like going for high tea, pamper yourself with a spa, or simply sit infront of the tv all day. If you have to take a block leave (a continuous 5 or 10 days of leave with no contact with work) and you don't intend to travel, it's easy to just sleep and be a potato couch during the entire time.

Well you can do that because you'd think you're recharging yourself for the arduous journey ahead when you gotta go back to work. It's justifiable. And that is precisely what I'm afraid I will sink into doing when I leave my job.

So when I've decided to hand in my letter, I promise myself (and my husband) this - I will have a timetable to discipline what I do everyday and make sure I accomplish one big and one small achievement by the end of the day. I am an adult, but I am going to discipline myself like a child. I have seen how I am capable of wasting 6 hours with Netflix and it's continuous play function, or spend hours trying to complete 3 stars in Overcooked (a very addictive playstation game).

And writing is one thing I'm going to do once more. I think a lot, observe a lot and talk to myself alot. So all those thoughts are going to come here, the good old trusty blogspot.

Taking the leap of faith

A year ago, I started developing the idea of leaving the working world entirely. Well, you must think that I'm simply frustrated at work and seeking for an easy way out.

That's only a third of the story. With any decisions I make, there is always multiple push factors behind it. Frustrations at work is commonly the first and most important reason for most people. I don't deny that in my case. The situation at work isn't the most favourable at that point in time but it was still manageable.

Secondly, I don't belong there. I'm a creative soul. I may not do well as a fashion designer, or draw very well. But I love all things DIY. Look at the christmas dress up I do every year - Avatar, Mystic (X-men), and this year Ursula. My skills in baking is amateur but there is talent underneath it all. I used to make Birthday, Christmas and New year cards for my friends in school.

My mind is constantly swirling around creative ideas about anything under the sun. Why should I stay in the financial industry?

The last reason is a mantra I always live by - Never have regrets. When it comes to dating, I always take initiative. Cos if there's a guy I like, I wouldn't want to live the rest of my life thinking "What if I'd confessed to him?". Same reason why I took off to studying fashion design and subsequently worked 2 years in that industry.

Since I met my husband, I've been slowly exploring the world of dessert making. I started Ariel's Cookies but it wasn't much of a success. Taking a break this year during my wedding preparation gave me sufficient time to think and reflect. Then many opportunities came and went for us to open a shop selling my desserts. I never felt confident enough because I haven't had enough experience and a sufficient customer base.

Then, a sad thing happen to my colleague. Her husband's brain tumour relapse out of the blue after being cured many years ago. All of a sudden her life came to a stop. She couldn't pursue her dream job and could never try to be the makeup artist she dreamt of being. Her situation was like a wakeup call for me. What if one day I'm in her shoes? I will never get the chance to start my own baking business. What if one day I'm the one in a precarious situation where I'm no longer physically able to do anything at all? I would live the rest of my life sighing why did I let my fear stop me from trying.

After months of discussion with my then-fiance-now-husband, I decided to hand in my letter. With his support, I will take a short break, then dedicate my time to experimenting new bakes and trying to revive Ariel's Cookies as Auntie Ariel.

So this is the story of how my brand Auntie Ariel came about.