peace&niche

It’s wild to think it’s been two years since my last journal entry! Life has shifted in countless ways since 2023, but the intention behind starting those ’20 Life Altering Questions’ still remains the same.

Being back in the corporate world in 2025, feels like a real-life experiment in what I was journaling about then. It’s a stark reminder of how easily we disconnect from compassion and vulnerability when we’re constantly ‘on.’ And for me, that’s the thing I need to actively work on: vulnerability.

To be honest, it’s not my strong suit..especially when I’ve spent a lifetime building walls. At a very young age, I quickly learned that I needed to be independent because I had no sense of security from my parents. Not that they did not love me, they did, but they just had a lot going on in their lives and constantly worked. I learned to fall, make mistakes, cry, and move on, all in solitude. Even now, as an adult, that ingrained habit of self-reliance makes vulnerability feel uncomfortable.

Society doesn’t make it any easier either. We’re conditioned to conceal our emotions, especially in the workplace. We spend countless hours masking our true selves, putting on a brave face for 8, 10, or even more hours a day. That’s a huge chunk of our lives spent suppressing our authentic selves.

That’s why I’m revisiting those journal prompts. It’s a way to reclaim my vulnerability, to hold myself accountable to the person I truly want to be. It’s a reminder that vulnerability isn’t weakness; it’s a bridge to connection. We’re all in this shared human experience, and pretending we’re not struggling isn’t helpful.

Also, I’ve realized something profound: there’s no shame in vulnerability. There’s no shame in being open about our past, our mistakes, our failures. There’s liberation in vulnerability because it paves the way for authentic self-acceptance.

I think truly, deep down, my soul is reminding me again to continue to love, to be soft, when the world is harsh.