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^{Taylor’s Transformative Journey: From Feeling Lost to Finding Confidence and Purpose}

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My personality is so introverted but I am not hesitate to go and try for the things I am so passionate. However, growing up as a favorite child in the family and maternal side, I am living with aunties from paternal side. The reason why I mention it is because moving to another country and living with so-called relatives who are not so closed with me, make me so stressed and physically and mentally uncomfortable. During 3 months in SG, I feel like losing my voice, control, power and losing everything which is a major stressor blocking my creativity and capacities.

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To get back to feeling like myself again, I decided to sign up for the “BetterSelf” programme, before starting the 3-week journey, I took a test to understand the mental habits that hold me back. It showed that my biggest challenges are perfectionism, overthinking, and always pushing myself too hard.

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I’ve noticed these patterns in myself for a long time, but never find a way to manage them effectively - until this programme. The learning, discussions, Q&A sessions, and self-reflection exercises were so effective for me to take action. The main facilitator was knowledgeable and kind, and the other facilitators were great too.

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One big change I made was setting boundaries with my relatives and clearly communicating my values and priorities. Instead of avoiding conflict, I choose to speak up and address issues directly. I’ve been using the 1-minute rule to start my tasks. It wasn’t easy at first, especially as a perfectionist, but I’m learning to focus on progress instead of perfection. Now, I go to bed earlier, sleep better, stay present, and enjoy my hobbies without overthinking or stressing about unfinished tasks.

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I’ve reconnected with my Social Work network in Myanmar, contributing to their projects again, and I’m exploring ways to connect people in Singapore and Myanmar for future projects. I’ve regained my confidence, clarity, and strength with the knowledge, social support from SELF, and my own dedication. I’ve also learned to be mindful of my emotions and show myself compassion throughout this journey.

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To wrap up, currently I got my voice, control, power and everything that I own with both knowledge and social support form Self and also with my own dedication. I also keep in mind that as emotions are in and out process, I need to be aware of them and be compassionate to myself along the consistent journey. 

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Thank you Ms. Wei Ching Ong and the team and the classmates for your support along my journey. I would recommend my friends to join the workshops from Self.

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