lifestyle | organization | creativity
EDITED 05-17-21: Our Facebook book club now exists! You can join it here: Join the book club: https://www.facebook.com/groups/mistralspiritbookclub Original Post: Would you join a Facebook book club? Let me know… because I really, really want to start one for us! Some of my favourite moments from this past year have been chatting about a book… Continue reading QUESTION: would you join a book club?
There seems to be two global economic systems emerging with different institutions and goals, one led by the United States, one by China. Which system do you think will be more attractive to emerging and developing markets, and why? I just finished a course this semester called Business Government and the Global Economy. It was… Continue reading writing || Choosing Foreign Aid: Emerging Markets and the U.S. – China Battle for Strategic Global Influence
As thought-provoking as this book was, I am GLAD to be done reading, discussing, and thinking about it. "When Breath Becomes Air" was written by Paul Kalanithi after he was diagnosed with cancer at 36. He was in his last year of neurosurgery residency (read: he had his whole career ahead of him) at the time. The book is interesting in many ways. First, he's both the doctor and the patient, and he shares that perspective. Second, his writing is unique in that he was a huge literature lover and just all-around a very well-read person! Third, it puts the onus of answering some of the book's big questions on you: the reader. The odds of getting cancer in a lifetime are something around 1 in 3 right now. So it reads like a simple, universal story: this is his story, but it’s just as much your story, my story, everyone’s story. Really heavy stuff. I recommend it, but be mentally ready when you read it!
I catch myself feeling hyperaware of the present moment a lot lately. In my memory, an adventure I went on an hour ago has already taken on a nostalgic sheen. Next time, there's more music, more laughter, more beauty, and the adventure slows down. But not the memory. It's like reality can't keep up; I… Continue reading writing || 04-28-21 | short entry
Feeling behind? Stressed? Anxious? Overwhelmed? Too much going on at once? See that long list of "ongoing projects"? Yeah. This was a heck of a week back in November 2020. I went back in to decorate it and was thinking about how I managed to get all that stuff done in one week. I… Continue reading writing || hard truths on organization and productivity
I've started journaling again. In the past, I've journaled whenever I felt like it, which always translated to "when I'm feeling sad". Who wants to spend their happy time writing about how happy they are? Pssh. That's the time for living instead, isn't it? I have a few half-started notebooks filled with a few fun… Continue reading writing || my new habit, journaling every day in Scrivener
I'm a Queen's University Commerce (business) student in 3rd year, specializing in marketing, with my full tuition covered by 2 major scholarships and 5 GPA merit-based awards. Here is how I structured my application essays for Queen's, the 5 steps to get started & write winning scholarship essays yourself, and my advice to anyone going… Continue reading video || the keys to writing successful uni + scholarship essay applications | my 5-step process
I just finished reading The Midnight Library by Matt Haig, and filmed a short IGTV which I posted to Instagram yesterday. But there's one thing I briefly touched upon in those five minutes that I need to dive deeper into. There was something about his writing. https://www.instagram.com/p/CH50-sIBzym/ The book incorporates the science-fiction delight of parallel… Continue reading writing || i know who you are because of the words you use | The Midnight Library and my own emotional voice
The focus of this episode is on 4 tips to improve your relationships, conversations and meetings using your bullet journal, but I also steered into some personal growth territory! It's really just a long heart-to-heart chat and journal entry mixed into one (which you can now listen to as a podcast!). I chat about something… Continue reading video || a journal entry about journal entries + how i take notes to have better conversations
I started a new series on my Instagram page last month to share bite-sized life lessons. Here is a compilation of the thoughts I've written down so far... on breaks The key to being motivated and productive? Knowing when not to be. The past four months have been fantastic in teaching me this. Not having… Continue reading writing || a collection of quotes & reminders: on breaks, productivity, goal setting, simplicity, expectations, and doing
