juliana ong

That said, I find myself in a season of my life where I am no longer seeking what is 'big and loud'. I'm not interested in trends, virality, job promotions, or epiphanies. Instead, I'm looking for what is timeless, what remains under-appreciated, and what is quietly profound. I'm seeking opportunities to nurture what's important to me, improve the... See more

People either pursue an interesting or a happy life (that does not mean you are either boring or miserable; it means these values guide your decision-making). Penelope Trunk has a test I came across years ago. People who fall in the ‘interesting’ camp move away from family for career reasons, are maximisers of looks, status and experiences, have... See more

I’m not sure you can instruct someone to become religious, even if you believe it’s the way out. I think it’s something that happens to you, when you’re open to it.

Love asks for heat. Left cold, we harden into our existing shape. But under the steady warmth of attention, we soften, loosen, and take on new form. The right gaze reorganises the self; you begin to recognise yourself more clearly in their eyes, and they in yours. Each becomes more singular by being seen, a longing to inhabit the silhouette cast by... See more

But without any legitimate external authority to shape the self, whether cultural or familial, there can’t be any real stability for the individual. There can be no real constraints on the desires of the self, since that would have to come from an authority beyond it; nor can there even be any awareness—let alone shame—that what the self desires... See more

We’ve been told that the meaning of life is self-actualisation, to achieve some perfect state of mental health and productivity. Don’t commit until you have perfect control. But I think that way of thinking will backfire. Because the end point of trying to control everything is you become like a machine: emotionally detached, hyper-productive,... See more

“You can create a lot of meaning in your own life by helping someone else do something that is meaningful to them.”