Building Meaning, One Moment at a Time: Reflections on 2024

With just over a week left of 2024, sipping my morning coffee in the Canadian winter, naturally I find myself reflecting on the year’s journey - not just the achievements, but the lessons, the doubts, and the moments that made me stop and think. Gardner once said, “Meaning is something you build into your life.” This resonates deeply with me now. Meaning doesn’t appear out of nowhere; it’s in the connections we nurture, the struggles we face, and the purpose we try to infuse into our work and relationships.

It's the Moments that Count

This year, I rediscovered the simple yet profound value of human relationships. Too often, I’ve been guilty of interacting with my team only during meetings, ticking off tasks and chasing deadlines. But this year was different. I spent more time travelling with some of my key team members, sharing meals, waiting for delayed flights, and having those off-the-cuff conversations. It reminded me of how much trust and understanding are built in these quiet, informal moments.

I’m relearning that leadership is not just about delegation or strategy. It’s about truly seeing people, understanding what matters to them, and stepping up in ways that help them grow. These moments matter. They’re not the “extras”; they’re the foundation.

Age-old war: Impact vs. Income

At nearly 40, the debate of impact versus income feels louder than ever. Am I doing enough for my family financially? Am I truly building a secure future for my retired parents and my beloved nieces, Aurora and Aurelia? These questions often linger, especially as I pour myself out to build livelihoods and drive systemic change through Biji-biji Initiative and Mereka .

Needless to say, this inner conflict is unresolved, and maybe it always will be. But if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that meaningful work often comes with trade-offs. The challenge is to find peace with those trade-offs, without losing sight of what matters most. I am not saying to merely accept things as they are, but instead, find ways to make it work towards the reality that we truly want.?

Lessons from Mistakes: Facing the Consequences

This year, I made an emotion-based decision that I couldn’t reverse, and the consequences were real. For months, I pushed it under the rug, pretending that it would resolve itself. But, of course, what goes around comes around and eventually, I had no choice but to face it.?

Admitting to myself, and out loud, that I’d made a mistake was tough, but it was also the start of something important: accountability. It’s now shaping my resolution for 2025 - to confront my challenges, not run from them, and to hold myself accountable for the outcomes of my choices.

A Work-Life Perspective: Adding honey to the lemonade

This year, I had the rare privilege of working remotely for almost three months from Vancouver, Canada, for my own personal travels. To me, it felt like a blur of balancing work and travel, but some conversations shifted my thinking.

Before I left home, my dad said, “Not everyone has the opportunity to work from anywhere they want and still enjoy the work they do.” When I was in Vancouver, my best friend Elaine pointed out that I had essentially spent a quarter of the year working remotely, choosing my hours, travelling freely, and still getting the job done.

They added something profound: “You’re in a C-level role in your 30s. You’ve got your own car, your own house, and you have the freedom and the means to move around while maintaining your career. Not many people can say the same.”

That conversation was like a splash of cold water in the face. I realised that while I’ve often focused on what feels lacking, particularly my ability to provide for my family financially, I hadn’t considered how the world might view my position. And, how much abundance would I be feeling, if I viewed my situation through their lense?

Here’s the paradox: Not everything you see on the outside makes things peachy on the inside. At the same time, shifting your perspective can reveal just how much you have to be grateful for. Life is complex like that - make lemonades from the lemons, and always add the honey!

My Circle of Truths

This year, I’ve had moments where I had to lean on my closest friends - Mo, Peggy Chan , Kristy Ang , Chewi Chui Yi Ng , David H. Lim , and Elaine Koh . You’ve been my anchors, always offering honesty without judgement. Even when my decisions seem irrational, you let me find my own way, never once saying, “I told you so.” I’m endlessly grateful for your support and compassion. You’re each individuals and unique in your own ways, bringing depth and colour to our relationships.?

I can count on one hand (except maybe Elaine!) the number of times we’ve actually hung out this year. In the chaos of adulthood - careers, families, personal goals, geographical distances - friendship becomes an anchor. It’s no longer about constant proximity or shared routines, but about the ability to pick up where you left off, no matter how much time has passed.

True friendships are rarely about grand gestures. They’re about the quiet, consistent moments: the unspoken support when words fail, the inside jokes that make no sense to anyone else, and the ease of being fully yourself, flaws and all.?

A Wish for 2025

As I step into 2025, my wish is simple: to live in the moment and be fully present. To embrace life as it comes, with all its joys and challenges. And most importantly, to find peace. Peace in my decisions, peace in the obstacles, and peace in the unknowns.

Here’s to another year of building meaning - one moment at a time.