Category: Thoughts

Ally’s Thoughts: Ten Years with WordPress? Already?

~ Ally L. ~ 1 Comment

Hello, friends and readers!

Today, I received the 10 years anniversary notification on WordPress! To be honest, I mostly put up my writing diligently from the first to the third year. The rest are just random, whimsical, and probably neglect. I want to take this opportunity to thank you for visiting and reading my blog. I also want to apologize for the lack of interaction and content.

I just want to share some thoughts that I had after getting the notification. Ten years may sound like a long time but being in the present time, it feels like a blink of an eye. Memories rushes in filled with curiosity, excitement, safe space, community, creativity, regrets, friendships and so much more. I’ve interacted with so many people here. Strangers became friends, where some became strangers again. Some are no longer with us. I pray that you will always be blessed.

I remember the reason I write here is to share my thoughts and writings. Whenever I read back some of my poems, I can’t help to criticize myself. At the same time, I can see the growth along the way. Ten years may feel like a blink of an eye, but the experience is enormous! I have gone through so much, like a non-stop tragedy filled with twists and plot written by a jester.

Somehow, I never stop feeling sad, lonely, depressed and tired of trying. Yet here I am. Living day by day, be present and get up again to walk this journey called life.

What about your life? Are you doing well? Let me know in the comment.

Please consider supporting me on Buy Me a Coffee; your contributions will help to sustain my website and financial needs! You can click here.

If you enjoy my work do download my ebooks. It helps me a lot if you read it and share it with others. I really appreciate it.

For inspiring Life Coaches, you can get 50% OFF from Transformation Academy courses and membership by using the code ALLY50 during checkout.

Get Your 7-Day Journey To Build a Strong Growth Mindset here. With the right mindset, you can overcome challenges, see things in different perspectives and ultimately, be the better person!

Live well friends and readers!

Ally’s Thoughts: HÔN LỄ CỦA EM (Solo Version) by Hiền Hồ is A Sad Yet Beautiful Song

~ Ally L. ~ Leave a comment

Hello friends and readers!

How are you? I just want to share a song that became an earworm for me. It’s a Vietnamese song and I don’t really speak Vietnamese. I may learned one or two words thanks to Duolingo and some online Vietnamese friends but I rely on Youtube’s translation and lyrics translation to fully understand it.

Even before reading the translation, the melody, the lyrics and the emotions conveyed really well that it immediately caught my attention. I can’t remember how many times it has been playing and it has been a comfort song ever since I discovered it. I personally feel that it is special and I have to share it here! I believe, it has been a recurring topic about what songs or singers that I’ve been listening to.

HÔN LỄ CỦA EM (Solo Version) by Hiền Hồ

For this song they have the original version, which is a duet. Then, they released a solo version which I must say, heartbreaking yet elegant! The link to the YouTube video.

Why I’m describing this song as sad yet beautiful?

This song is about a couple that has gone through so many things together for years. Somehow, it didn’t work out and one of them will be married to someone else. You really have to appreciate the lyrics to understand the message mixed with grieves, appreciation, hopeful and wishes. I can’t help to relate so much, of course it’s not just in romantic ways. It can be about the friends that we make and feel connected together.

I relate it in a way that there are friends I met along the way, we clicked and spend time together. Sharing so much hardship and difficulties then somehow, we are drifted apart. The breaking up was not malice, it’s more of a realization that it is needed for the both of us to grow. While it hurts, there is nothing more that would make me happy to see them find happiness, success, and successful in their life.

I hope everyone is having a good day and wishing you all great blessings! Take care and stay safe everyone.

Please consider supporting me on Buy Me a Coffee; your contributions will help to sustain my website and financial needs! You can click here.

If you enjoy my work do download my ebooks. It helps me a lot if you read it and share it with others. I really appreciate it.

For inspiring Life Coaches, you can get 50% OFF from Transformation Academy courses and membership by using the code ALLY50 during checkout.

Get Your 7-Day Journey To Build a Strong Growth Mindset here. With the right mindset, you can overcome challenges, see things in different perspectives and ultimately, be the better person!

Live well friends and readers!

Ally’s Thoughts: Looking Back 2025

~ Ally L. ~ 4 Comments
Photo by Shane Kell on Pexels.com

Hi fellow friends and readers,

It has been a while since my last post! I’m sorry for the absence and thank you for your time reading this post. It is the last stretch of December and it will be a new year soon. I want to take some of my time to do a little bit of reflection. Hopefully, there are useful things that we all can learn together in hope to be a better person in life.

How was my 2025?

To summarize my year with a word, that would be ‘SURVIVE‘. To be honest, I have never been in a phase like this in my life. It’s something new and to navigate it is extremely demanding and challenging. I actually have written a few paragraphs about it but I decided to delete it and share the short version of it.

To be honest, I don’t really know what is going on with my life and why things are just so different from the people around me. My life this year are mostly unemployed, short courses, short project, started a passion project and started a small business.

How long I can keep this up? Who knows? However, what I know is I am trying and keeping up with life. I’m doing my best to keep on going and make things work for me.

What is Ember Spark Community?

You might have read about it on my post here. It’s a passion project I’ve started in March and still working on it. I must say that having a passion project helps me to stay sane and motivated. The first three months is crazy because I can’t help to question myself, why I keep working on it? And now, it has been 6 months and it’s growing!

Ember Spark Community is an online community raising awareness on loneliness and providing tools to make people feel less alone. Check out our Linktree sites here to find our YouTube channel, social media platforms and our toolkits.

Along the way, Ember Spark Community has shared two toolkits which can be downloaded on our Ko-Fi site here.

I really have hopes and expectations for this project because it is something that I relate to personally. It’s not easy to be in a place where we feel disconnected and lacking connections. Having no one we can relate in a personal level is a really lonely path to walk on.

To be honest

There are days when I feel like my life is totally falling apart and living is just not for me. However, at the same time, I can’t stop trying. Whenever I look back to all those years, I’ve been on a really long journey without any final destination. Like taking a train and walk out on the next station before taking the train again to the next one. It’s like I’m trying to see what every station has to offer.

I’m wishing everyone an early Happy New Year and may all the good things finds you! See you in 2026!

Please consider supporting me on Buy Me a Coffee; your contributions will help to sustain my website and financial needs! You can click here.

If you enjoy my work do download my ebooks. It helps me a lot if you read it and share it with others. I really appreciate it.

For inspiring Life Coaches, you can get 50% OFF from Transformation Academy courses and membership by using the code ALLY50 during checkout.

Get Your 7-Day Journey To Build a Strong Growth Mindset here. With the right mindset, you can overcome challenges, see things in different perspectives and ultimately, be the better person!

Live well friends and readers!

What Motivates You?

~ Ally L. ~ 1 Comment
Photo by Wendelin Jacober on Pexels.com
Daily writing prompt
What motivates you?
View all responses

Hi friends and readers,

Sorry for the absence, it has been some time. No worries, I am still here, doing well and trying my best.

This is a question that I’ve been asking myself. Also the kind of question that I have to go through every single phases of my life. I feel like I have so much to touch on the prompt but let’s see where this goes.

If ten years ago, you asked me this question, my answer would be passion. Passion drives me to write. I feel like I have so much to say, to express, to tell the world of my existence. That is also the reason I started to write in WordPress. I want to write my poems and thoughts. I want to share it. This idea, mind and soul of mine.

By having this passion, I believe I can do anything. A passion that was burning hot and over time, fizzled out in smoke. Do I still write? Occasionally. Do I still write poems? Not really. Why? The truth is I don’t know it too. Over time I realized that the reason I write is to express myself. It is an outlet for me to cope with the difficulties in life. The pure emotions in each word and sentences. Only for me to notice a pattern of how I experience emotion. I only see the pain that is so intense that it made me think, “I don’t need this kind of energy…”. No matter how many poems, I keep seeing the same theme, the same void and disappointment. I want change. I want a clear mind. I want a fresh breath of air. I want peace for myself.

On to the present, what motivates me now? I would say purpose. No matter how much this dreadful feeling is inside of me, trying to convince me that it’s better to tap out this so-called life, I found strength in purpose. As I used my energy and strength for this purpose, I found fulfillment. I found myself. I finally understand a little bit about myself.

Remember when I said I write to cope? It turns out, I was enjoying the process. The ability to translate my emotions and feelings into words comforts me. I feel satisfied by being able to create things. I feel satisfied by seeing the result of my work. It made me feel alive. It anchored me to the present. What does this have to do with purpose?

I think I have always been struggling about having a purpose. If I remember correctly, I did write a couple of entries about it. I always find joy in helping others and I have been a really good listener too. That’s why I started my journey to get the life coach certification. It motivates me so much. Just to be able to contribute something to others.

That brings me to my latest venture. Which is to align my purpose, my passion, and bring myself the fulfillment that I need. It is called Ember Spark Community. I am advocating on the awareness of loneliness and how to feel less alone. I will share more about this in my next post.

In conclusion, what motivates me is my purpose. I see what I want to do and how to do it. It helps me to take steps, carve my own path, and brace me for the unknown. That’s what keeps me going. That’s what motivates me to do the things that I do right now.

If you’re struggling to find what motivates you or your purpose. Reach out. Seek help. We are here for you.

Please consider supporting me on Buy Me a Coffee; your contributions will help to sustain my website and financial needs! You can click here.

If you enjoy my work do download my ebooks. It helps me a lot if you read it and share it with others. I really appreciate it.

For inspiring Life Coaches, you can get 50% OFF from Transformation Academy courses and membership by using the code ALLY50 during checkout.

Get Your 7-Day Journey To Build a Strong Growth Mindset here. With the right mindset, you can overcome challenges, see things in different perspectives and ultimately, be the better person!

Live well friends and readers!

Top Songs That Got Me Through 2024

~ Ally L. ~ Leave a comment
Photo by jonas mohamadi on Pexels.com

Hi friends and readers!

The year 2024 is leaving us in a couple of weeks and a new year is coming! The ‘2024 wrapped’ trend is still going strong either it is about your most played songs or your dating journey. However, I’m not covering for the ‘wrapped’ trend specifically, I just want to share songs that get me through the year of 2024.

Personally, the songs that I am about to share holds strong emotional connection and tied to certain events that happened to me. Some of the songs triggers some memories. While I may or may not suffering emotionally from the songs, I just want to share these songs with you all.

Enrique Iglesias, Maria Becerra – ASI ES LA VIDA

I’m kicking out my list with a song that really keeps me going through the long tiring shifts at work. Of course it is a bachata song by Enrique Iglesias, Maria Becerra – Asi Es La Vida. Immediately I want to start working on my bachata footwork whenever I listen to this song. I have not been attending dance class, so I’m probably started to get rusty with my bachata and salsa.

Griff – Astronaut

I found this song by Griff – Astronaut based on Su San’s recommendation. I don’t have any particular events tied to this song but I really love the hook. “Yeah you said you needed space, go on then Astronaut…” The perfect words to say for people who wanted space when things doesn’t work out for them and totally ignoring their partner’s feelings. In a way, this is a good reminder for me, just feels like the right reminder.

Su San – Cruel

I admit that I am super fan at this point. The most talked artist in my website would be Su San. Again this year, I’m her Top 0.001% listener in Spotify. Su San – Cruel is a song that resonate so deeply to me. Being someone that is always on the unrequited side of love and full on delusional, being ignored feels like the cruelest thing one can do. So, this song really got me through 2024 with 11,955 times played on Spotify. Simply Mad!

Hacken Lee – Half Moon Serenade (月半小夜曲)

Somehow this classic Cantonese song got into me this year. This song by Hacken Lee – Half Moon Serenade became my comfort song for a few months this year. Thank you!

Caleb Hearn & ROSIE – Little Bit Better

Out of all the songs I shared, I guess this one hits too deeply in a way. This song feels like an embrace that I need so much in my life. It giving the same vibes to a song I’ve shared last year by Ghea Indrawari – Jiwa Yang Bersedih. While this song by Caleb Hearn & ROSIE – Little Bit Better sounds like it is made for lovers, I would like to invite you to look at this song from a different perspective. Imagine that you are singing to yourself. When you only have yourself to make you feel love and supported. I must say, this song fits perfectly. I guess that’s why this song made it to my list.

What are the songs that get you through 2024? Share it in the comment!

Please consider supporting me on Buy Me a Coffee; your contributions will help to sustain my website and financial needs! You can click here.

If you enjoy my work do download my ebooks. It helps me a lot if you read it and share it with others. I really appreciate it.

For inspiring Life Coaches, you can get 50% OFF from Transformation Academy courses and membership by using the code ALLY50 during checkout.

Get Your 7-Day Journey To Build a Strong Growth Mindset here. With the right mindset, you can overcome challenges, see things in different perspectives and ultimately, be the better person!

Live well friends and readers!

What are your favorite physical activities or exercises?

~ Ally L. ~ 1 Comment
Daily writing prompt
What are your favorite physical activities or exercises?
View all responses

Hi friends and readers!

My favorite physical activities and exercises would be walking. Yes, just walking anywhere. It can be in the park or a city as long as it is outdoors. Personally, I feel a sense of freedom whenever I walk and it helps me to be present.

Other than that, it’s hiking. For hiking there are times it is enjoyable and there are times it’s totally challenging. However, I love to be in nature and the serenity calms me down. I would love to be able to trek or hike on different continent and seasons. Surely the time will come.

What about you? What are your favorites?

Please consider supporting me on Buy Me a Coffee; your contributions will help to sustain my website and financial needs! You can click here.

If you enjoy my work do download my ebooks. It helps me a lot if you read it and share it with others. I really appreciate it.

For inspiring Life Coaches, you can get 50% OFF from Transformation Academy courses and membership by using the code ALLY50 during checkout.

Get Your 7-Day Journey To Build a Strong Growth Mindset here. With the right mindset, you can overcome challenges, see things in different perspectives and ultimately, be the better person!

Live well friends and readers!

What will your life be like in three years?

~ Ally L. ~ 2 Comments
Photo by DreamLens Production on Pexels.com
Daily writing prompt
What will your life be like in three years?
View all responses

Hi friends and readers!

At first, I would like to answer by saying I don’t know. My argument is simple, I don’t know what will happen to me in three years. While so many things can happen, nothing can happen as well. However, I decided not to go there. It’s all about what kind of mindset I have.

Three years is in the future and nothing is certain. However, the things I do in the present will shape where I will be then. Of course, that gives me a little bit of idea on what my life should be then. There is nothing wrong with it, to have goals. So, what will my life be like in three years?

I will probably still go on hikes. I most likely completed most hikes in Malaysia, it won’t be entirely impossible if I hiked most of the popular spots in Southeast Asia too. So, I might hike somewhere else, like the Scottish Highland or the Swiss alps. Probably more European hikes!

To be able to afford that, of course I am doing well financially. Most likely having a job that allows me to earn a lot and happily give my time and energy to it. Or if it’s not from a job, probably from my side gigs! Offering life coaching sessions, sales from my guidebooks, and affiliates too! Or perhaps generous souls support me by treating me too much coffee! Who knows right!

What about you? How will your life be like in three years?

Please consider supporting me on Buy Me a Coffee; your contributions will help to sustain my website and financial needs! You can click here.

If you enjoy my work do download my ebooks. It helps me a lot if you read it and share it with others. I really appreciate it.

For inspiring Life Coaches, you can get 50% OFF from Transformation Academy courses and membership by using the code ALLY50 during checkout.

Get Your 7-Day Journey To Build a Strong Growth Mindset here. With the right mindset, you can overcome challenges, see things in different perspectives and ultimately, be the better person!

Live well friends and readers!

What are you most proud of in your life?

~ Ally L. ~ Leave a comment
Daily writing prompt
What are you most proud of in your life?
View all responses

Hi friends and readers!

What am I most proud of in my life? I believe I am proud of myself because I made it this far.

If I look back and count all the steps I’ve taken to even get this far, it’s impossible not to be proud. To look back and remember the pain and suffering, the tears and screams, the feeling of heartbroken and feeling empty, I deserve to be proud of myself.

Even if I am still not where I want to be now in terms of success. But hey, staying and still living is also a success. If you are reading this and you have been struggling so much in your life, I hope you are proud of yourself. You made it this far. You did not give up on yourself. Good job!

Consider supporting me on Ko-fi; your contributions help sustain my website and financial needs!

If you enjoy my work do download my ebooks. It helps me a lot if you read it and share it with others. I really appreciate it.

For inspiring Life Coaches, you can get 50% OFF from Transformation Academy courses and membership by using the code ALLY50 during checkout.

Get Your 7-Day Journey To Build a Strong Growth Mindset here. With the right mindset, you can overcome challenges, see things in different perspectives and ultimately, be the better person!

Live well friends and readers!

Ally’s Thoughts: I just smile when they said I have it easy

~ Ally L. ~ 2 Comments
Photo by Daniel Abbatt on Pexels.com

Hi friends and readers,

I feel like I want to talk about something that keeps on bothering me recently. I’ve been talking to different people, friends, acquintances and all. Somehow, I can’t help to shake this feeling that they think I’m having it easy in life. I mean from a stranger perspective, I can understand in a way.

I only have a part-time job, I get to take 3 days off, I went hiking whenever I can, and I rarely talk about my personal issues to anyone. I will mostly listen and giving them moral support. There was even a time when I went for a hike with a friend, he told me that I don’t have any problems.

To tell the truth, I don’t even know if I supposed to feel triggered or proud. I think this is why I can relate so much to the song Last One Standing by Skylar Grey featuring Polo G, Mozzy & Eminem. Here is the link if you feel like listening to this empowering song.

I may have it easier compared to other people, that doesn’t mean my journey here was invalid. I struggle with depression for so long. That’s the general of it not the specific ones that I sometimes forgotten. The self-destructing behaviour, the unhealthy addiction, the spiraling negative thoughts, the unregulated emotions, the constant mental struggle and arguments inside my head and the constant expectations of others. You know how hurtful it is when people came to you and threw their assumptions to your face that you know it’s not real. They don’t know the struggle I have to go through to even stay sane at some points.

I’m here. That’s what matters right now. I want to live in the present and living it the way that makes me feel fulfilled. I may not think too much about the future but I know this, how I am working my present is how my future will be. I’m doing my work now. This kind of peace that I have right now is priceless. I wish to keep it this way.

Plus, if they read my blog, they will pretty much know almost everything about me and my struggle. I wrote them as thoughts and poetry. My poetry is my story, feelings and existence.

Consider supporting me on Ko-fi; your contributions help sustain my website and financial needs!

If you enjoy my work do download my ebooks. It helps me a lot if you read it and share it with others. I really appreciate it.

For inspiring Life Coaches, you can get 50% OFF from Transformation Academy courses and membership by using the code ALLY50 during checkout.

Get Your 7-Day Journey To Build a Strong Growth Mindset here. With the right mindset, you can overcome challenges, see things in different perspectives and ultimately, be the better person!

Live well friends and readers!

What principles define how you live?

~ Ally L. ~ Leave a comment
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com
Daily writing prompt
What principles define how you live?
View all responses

I have a few principles that define how I live my life.

Kaizen – continuous improvement

The first one that I hold true would be from the Japanese principles called Kaizen meaning continuous improvement. I believe in this concept because personally for me, that is how life should be. What I love about this concept is, it doesn’t force improvement. Usually, when they introduce the concept of Kaizen, they would offer the word innovation. Are we seeking continuous innovation or continuous improvement? Innovation usually refers to offering a new concept of something new whereas improvement is trying to improve something close to perfection. If you have a different opinion, I understand. I’m not trying to argue, it is just how I understand this concept.

So, I apply Kaizen in my daily life like trying the things I’ve never tried. Developing growth mindset. Ultimately for me, it’s not to be perfect or something like that, more like I’m open to try and accept failure.

Qanaah – the feeling of contentment with the Allah’s blessings

In general terms, it is the feeling of contentment in the things that we have. To me, the same concept of happiness comes from ourselves and not from external factors. I teach myself to feel content and it helps me to feel gratitude too. I believe feeling content and gratitude comes together.

Embracing imperfection

I stopped looking for perfection and I embrace imperfection. Perfection is never the end goal for me. I somehow believe that if we only chase perfection, we will miss out on so many other things in life. I’m not perfect, I accept my imperfection. Does that mean I’m not trying to be better? No, I refer back to the first principle which is Kaizen. That’s where I am right now and moving forward.

Amor Fati – love of fate

Things happened, move on or at least try to move on. There are so many things in my life that happened without any warning. Sometimes, it took me some time to process the things that happened. Even before I had the time to process what happened, other things started to pile up. That’s life. That’s how hard it is for some people. And that’s fate.

I’m willing to accept the things that have happened and I know I cannot turn back time. What’s important is to look forward and move towards that direction. Trust me, listing all the things that happened will only make myself miserable, so I choose to accept and move on.

Consider supporting me on Ko-fi; your contributions help sustain my website and financial needs!

If you enjoy my work do download my ebooks. It helps me a lot if you read it and share it with others. I really appreciate it.

For inspiring Life Coaches, you can get 50% OFF from Transformation Academy courses and membership by using the code ALLY50 during checkout.

Get Your 7-Day Journey To Build a Strong Growth Mindset here. With the right mindset, you can overcome challenges, see things in different perspectives and ultimately, be the better person!

Live well friends and readers!