Life as a Googler, Start-up Founder & Miss Singapore; 3-in-1

How do your friends introduce you to someone new? The running theme in my life is probably that I lack me-time.

Over the years, people have gone from introducing me as their “church friend” or “classmate”, to “Photographer”, “Googler”, “Founder of Gulliver” and “Miss Singapore”.

While none of these solely define you as a person, they contribute to your identity. You will start to notice that people start to introduce you to others using the persona that stands out the most to them. It made me wonder whether I was doing too much, or whether I wanted some of these labels at all. (I much rather identify as a pasta fanatic)

The running theme in my life is probably that I lack me-time.

This article has been sitting in my folders for the longest time and I only ever hack away at it when I’m feeling overwhelmed. And while I am grateful for the opportunities thus far — I have been incredibly burnt out and out of character.

The first quarter of 2021 was, a lot (an understatement). There were shifts in my social circle and question marks on my career direction, dating life (or lackthereof) and travel plans. That’s excluding catwalk trainings, workout sessions, freelance photography projects and figuring out the direction for Gulliver.

Generally speaking, I’m someone who absorbs the energy of the people around me — if they are excited and pumped up, I am too. If they are stressed, I get anxiety as well. But to the best of my abilities, I have tried to show up consistently in the lives of people I care about, and deliver on tasks that I have to.

By the end of March, I hit a mental wall, so I took time off for myself; I deleted my social media, cut alcohol, and swapped out my social time for books and workouts. It has been a month since, and while I cannot say I’ve bounced back to my peak productivity and mental health, I have felt less chaotic. I stick to a smaller, more trusted circle, and prioritize the work that is truly meaningful and impactful.

One of the biggest doubts I had was whether representing Singapore for Miss Supranational would…