Every March 8th, the world is reminded of International Women’s Day.

It’s a celebration of women and their allies especially in the world where the system is rigged for women to participate in their own term without sacrificing a part of themselves.

(Cough capitalism and patriarchy cough).

The theme of this 2026 is Give To Gain, with the aim to encourage a mindset of generosity and collaboration to women’s advancement.

According to the International Women’s Day website (as of March 2026):

Give To Gain emphasizes the power of reciprocity and support.

When people, organizations, and communities give generously, opportunities and support for women increase.

Giving is not a subtraction, it’s intentional multiplication.

When women thrive, we all rise.

Sounds great, but how do you “give” exactly?

I propose we use the lens of Human Design to elaborate on this.

What is Human Design?

Human Design is a fusion of ancient and modern sciences to guide one with their own unique internal navigational system.

On its own, it is not a religion, a belief system, or a cult.

At its core, it’s a metaphysical science that rely on experimentation to discover what’s true for you, instead of relying on authority figures to tell us what’s good and what’s not for us.

The framework acknowledges our personal way to make decision and to process information from the body level.

It goes beyond what your mind think is logical, but acknowledge how our body seems to already know things, even if it doesn’t make sense at the moment.

You determine your Human Design using your birth information (birth date, time and place) into software such as this.

It will then come up with your Human Design information.

What I like from this framework is that it acknowledges our personal way to make decision and to process information from the body level.

It goes beyond what your mind think is logical, but acknowledge how our body seems to already know things, even if it doesn’t make sense at the moment.

(Although usually it will make sense after some time, but there is no way you’d consciously know in that moment).

If you’re new to Human Design, the best entry point would be Types.

Types is useful to know in regards to how we interact with others and how they experience us from the energetic level in the most basic form.

There are 5 types, and how they differ from each other energetically (from Rachel Lieberman’s A Modern Guide to Human Design):

1. Generators: open, magnetic, enveloping

2. Manifesting Generators: enveloping, magnetic, dynamic

3. Manifestors: selective, protective, repelling, closed

4. Projectors: focused, penetrating, probing, absorbing

5. Reflectors: sampling, resilient

Alright, but how is this relevant to IWD?

We’re going to use the Human Design types to determine how we can Give to Gain.

Let’s Do An Experiment

Whether you identify yourself as a woman or an ally, below is a list of giving activities to inspire you (from International Women’s Day website):

• Give respect

• Give donations

• Give visibility

• Give knowledge

• Give funding

• Give justice

• Give resources

• Give a voice

• Give protection

• Give truth

• Give equal pay

• Give celebration

• Give sponsorship

• Give mentoring

• Give credit

• Give budget

• Give introductions

• Give workshops

• Give opportunities

• Give safety

• Give training

• Give stretch assignments

• Give momentum

• Give role models

• Give growth

• Give access

• Give time

If you know your Human Design type, find your type below and follow the prompt.

If not, feel free to skim through the prompts and follow the one that you feel excited to try.

For Generators & Manifesting Generators

Skim through the above list, select the ones that you feel immediate YES to. The key here is not to overthink it.

Immediate YES can look like an inner “Aw yeah“, an internal “Uh-huh“, or an expansive feeling.

Narrow the list down into 3.

(Optional step: Come back to your list again after a week or a month.

See if you still resonate with them.

If something changes, that’s alright and you can redo the step until you find something that clicks).

For Manifestors

While you are welcome to skim through the list, you might already have your own idea of giving.

Or you might notice something crucial is missing from this list that has not been addressed yet elsewhere that you feel strongly for.

If you feel the call to act on that idea, make sure to inform the parties that would be impacted from your acting on it.

Not to ask for permission, but to reduce possible objections.

For Projectors

As you skim through the list, notice the ones that you feel strongly for or the ones that you already have a sense of inner knowing.

It might also worth to talk through the list with people you trust with, and see what comes up from the conversation.

The key here is to notice how each idea feel like for you as you process the information, even if it takes a split second or a few weeks.

It’d be even better if it’s something you’ve already been recognized for or invited to do in your community.

For Reflectors

Skim through the list, and narrow down the ones you feel interested to do.

Commit to do one or two that can be done in the following month or so, and check how it feels for you throughout the month.

If it makes you feel expansive and it’s something you can do consistently, keep it up!

If it doesn’t, take note on what didn’t work and try a different idea for the next month.

Hope you enjoyed this exercise, and feel free to write down in the comment what comes up for you.

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Today 17th February 2026 marks the beginning of new year according to the Chinese metaphysics.

You might have already heard about it: the Fire House. Apparently it supposed to be the year where things go high-speed, momentum goes up and everything that’s all about high energy.

While that’s the case for the collective, each person will experience the year differently. So it’s not just about go, go, go.

Would you like to know why?

(Scroll down to 2026 & You if you want to go straight to the insight and recommendation).

The Year that Resets

Before I explain further, we’ll need to know first why this new year in the 17th February 2026 is a BIG deal.

There are 12 animal zodiac signs in the Chinese metaphysics, with each animal representing one of the five elements: Wood, Fire, Metal, Water, Earth.

With each animal sign has in each element, that makes 60 variations of the whole zodiac sign in total. This means it takes 60 year before the cycle restarts.

While the Fire Horse doesn’t signify the beginning of the 60-year cycle per say, the point is on the Fire element.

Remember I said earlier how each animal represents one of the five elements?

Horse happens to be Yang Fire (think of it as a more active, dynamic energy, as opposed to the more internal, receptive Yin).

This means the Fire Horse year is a double active Fire energy, and this is rare because the last Fire Horse year was 1966.

Here are some events that happened in the 1966:

• The commencement of China’s Cultural Revolution.

• The rise of women liberation movement, especially on the increased popularity of birth control pill.

• Massive escalation of the Vietnam War, along with anti-war sentiments and protests worldwide.

• The long-running President Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana was overthrown in a military coup.

Note the theme of freedom, autonomy and political upheaval.

Can you see similarities in the recent world affairs?

This is not to say that Yang Fire energy brings chaos, because there is also another possible causes from the metaphysical side.

The Year of Many Beginnings

One of the modalities I’m familiar with due to its visual and psychological depth is Tarot.

There is a concept of Year Card in the world of Tarot, in which author and practitioner Mary K. Geer popularized on her books. This is mostly used to find out a year’s collective theme and energy, which could highlight challenges and opportunities in that particular year.

To count it, simply add “2026” together which makes 2+0+2+6 = 10.

Year Cards usually refer to the Major Arcana of a Tarot deck since it reflects the major, big happening/theme in one’s life, as opposed to the more daily life-focused Minor Arcana.

Card number 10 happens to be called the Wheel of Fortune.

(There’s a reason why it’s called “Wheel of Fortune”, but I’ll digress. Let’s just say when explaining to lay people, the “Wheel of Life” seems more appropriate. Or the “Wheel of Time”.)

The theme of “Wheel of Fortune” is about cycle, how things may change for the better or the worse. It’s about changes that is beyond the control of human, like the lunar cycles or the seasonal changes from Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter and repeat.

These changes could affect on one’s fortune in life. Fortune here being one’s standing in life.)

(I’m using the Gourmet Tarot version, because this version might be easily understood by people.

Sushi plates that go out in the conveyor belt would get around until they found their way to the lucky tummy, and then the plates get replenished, signaling a new cycle).

Still in the same threadline of Tarot’s Year Cards, you might also heard that we are in the Year 1 according to numerology.

The process is the same with finding Year Cards, only this time you also add 1+0=1. This is because there is only year 1-9 in numerology.

As Universal Year 1, this is truly about new beginnings, initiating and resets.

One last piece of metaphysical reasons, before we go back to Fire Horse: the solar eclipse on the 17th February. This particular solar eclipse is known as “Ring of Fire”, apt to the Fire theme. Although eclipse in general is about “letting go, before beginning anew” with the new moon.

Moreover, this eclipse happens at the sign of Aquarius, in which theme is about the collective evolution, innovation, and breaking through outdated social constructs.

Now that you see there are more than one reasons why 2026 is a BIG Deal on “resets”, let’s go back go the Fire Horse.

2026 & You

Earlier I said that each person will experience 2026 differently.

This is because each person has their own energetic mechanics, as well as their own aspirations, especially if you’re someone creating impact through your business or initiatives.

For you readers, I wanted to find out what you need to know for 2026 that can be applicable for your business, so I shuffled and drew a card from the Chinese Five Elements Oracle deck. This is what comes up.

I got “Water Tiger. A Reset Is Coming”.

I’m not making this up, because I drew the card before I wrote this piece.

When I put both current year’s card and the message card side by side, one thing I notice is the direction.

Fire Horse is galloping toward the left, usually alluding to the past.

Water Tiger is swimming toward the right, usually alluding to the future.

This is my interpretation:

While the peak vitality and dynamic drive of the Fire Horse year surround us, pause to observe your momentum.

Are you truly innovating, or simply moving fast to stay in place? Though we have entered a new cycle, it is easy to fall into the trap of doing “the same old things” at a higher speed.

The Tiger is a creature of pure instinct and of the Wood element.

In this Water Tiger energy, the Wood element is nourished and strengthened by Water, urging you to tune into your deep intuition.

Do not let the heat of the year rush you. Instead, move with the Tiger’s deliberate grace to ensure your actions build a sustainable, long-term future.

To align your impact, ask yourself:

• Where do I truly want to go?

• What must I let go of to get there?

• How can I trust my instinct over the noise of the crowd?

Especially if you’re in the business of creating impact, these are practical ways according to your Human Design:

If you’re a Generator, your business grows through alignment, not exertion. Stop “hunting” for new leads out of habit; instead, wait to respond to the opportunities that make your gut say “yes.”

When you use the Fire Horse’s energy only for projects that truly light you up, you become a magnet for the right clients.

If you’re a Manifesting Generator, channel your multi-passionate speed into the projects that lit you up, letting go of the urge to finish things that no longer serve your long-term vision by delegating them to others who may be excited to take over from you.

If you’re a Manifestor, while others are caught in the noise, use your Water Tiger depth to initiate bold, disruptive moves that shift the industry.

Remember to inform your team and audience of your vision first. This clears the path so your Fire Horse momentum isn’t met with resistance.

If you’re a Projector, do not try to out-work the Horse energy; you will burn out. Your role is to master and manage. Position yourself as the intuitive guide who sees the “big picture” others miss in their rush.

When you wait for the right invitation to share your systems or strategies, your impact (and income) will scale without the hustle.

If you’re a Reflector, don’t rush into a 2026 business launch or a major rebrand on a whim. Give yourself a full lunar cycle to feel into the Fire Horse energy, to talk it out with trusted people and to get clarity.

By waiting, you’ll mirror back the most innovative solutions to solve your current challenges.

I’m currently doing a limited-time personalized oracle insight, similar to what I did here.

This is for you if you’re curious how 2026 would look like in terms of entrepreneurship/career, and how to be impactful based on your Human Design.

Investment £10, delivered as an audio file of up to 5 minutes.

Write in the comment if you’re interested.

That being said, Happy Lunar New Year 2026 and may this year bring you health and fortune.

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Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

It seems fitting that 25th December 2025 has Sun transits in the gate 58 Vitality. Without going technical, think of it like a weekly weather forecast but for the planets. Here, I’m writing from the lens of Human Design.

Why does it matter?

Growing up, I’ve always heard of the Christmas season as the “Seasons of Joy” or the “Seasons of Festivity”.

Meanwhile, Gate 58 is the Gate of Vitality, or Zest.

It’s about the joy of life, especially when you know there’s something that worths putting your effort on. It could be a cause for impact, or a daily life thing that needs to be improved on.

Let’s not forget that the word “zest” reminds me of an orange. In the Northern Hemisphere, you see lots of dried orange slices.

It supposedly reminds you of the sun since a dried orange slice looks similar to the sun.

Or a symbolic representation of the gold St. Nicholas (the real Santa Claus) left to the poor out of his generousity.

Or just for the scent, which when blended with cinnamon, made a festive essential oil.

Okay, I’ve digressed. Going back to the whole thing about zest, maybe this is the time to rediscover that passion in life you might have forgotten?

In Human Design, each person’s design is categorized into one of these 5 types.

Whether you’re someone who’s keen to create impact in the society, or someone who just want to navigate life, here are some suggestions to reflect on Zest:

1. For Generators/Manifesting Generators: Pay attention to what lights you up when it crosses your path. Not what should excite you, but what actually makes your body say “yes, that.” The thing that made you forget why you started? It might show up disguised as something small you respond to this week.

2. For Projectors: Pay attention to the invitations or recognition that remind you why your perspective matters. Vitality returns when you’re working on something where people actually get what you see. If an opportunity doesn’t bring that aliveness, it’s draining you, not fueling you.

3. For Manifestors: Pay attention to what you want to change or set in motion. The zest comes back when you remember you don’t need permission to improve what’s broken. What’s the thing you’ve been waiting to act on? That restlessness is information.

4. For Reflectors: Pay attention to what feels right for this phase of your life and work. Sample different ideas, environments, conversations. Vitality isn’t constant for you, it shifts with cycles. What brought joy six months ago might not be what rejuvenates you now.

Thank you for reading, and wishing you festive days!

You might have heard about 8/8 Lion’s Portal from contents on Youtube or Instagram.

It’s usually associated with manifestation.

(It’s called the Lion’s Portal because the Sun is in Leo, and it starts from August 8).

The energy of Leo is very much a fiery one, and all about being bold and dauntless.

In here, I’ll write about what leaders (or specifically, readers - that’s you) can take from this Lion’s Portal.

As like my other readings, I use cards to intuit the messages for the purpose of reflection and what resonate within.

This time, I’m using the Sacred India Tarot deck by Rohit Arya and Jane Adams. It’s very rich with stories from India’s spiritual traditions, in which I’m still studying about it.

So let’s get into it.

What old leadership story am I releasing?

In the upright position, 6 of Arrows (Swords) refers to a transitory position. Usually coming from a rocky place, into a calmer one.

Since this is a reversed, the old story leaders are being asked to release is being in the current state of denial.

What do I mean by denial?

It may be a situation where you compromise, telling yourself that “I’m happy here” while in reality there’s something within that tugs your heart.

In the card, we see a scene from the epic Mahabharata. This is the part where Bhisma was supervising the Pandavas in their training.

The story we're asked to release is staying stuck in the training phase. You know you're capable. You've been preparing. But you keep telling yourself you need more time, more skills, more proof before you step into true leadership.

The reversal asks: How long will you stay in the role of the eternal student when you're ready to become the teacher?

What power am I being called to claim?

The Lovers, contrary to the name, is about choosing between two options.

Each option represents different value. Let’s say a choice between comfort zone and challenging growth.

This is about making a difficult choice, as with Kacha and Devyani’s ill-fated love story.

In the myth, Kacha came to learn the secret of resurrection from Devyani's father for his divine mission.

When Devyani wanted to marry him, Kacha had to choose between personal happiness and his higher purpose, ultimately declining by calling her his sister.

His power came from choosing duty to the deities over comfort and desire. Sometimes claiming your power means choosing the path that serves your soul's mission over what feels easy or personally gratifying.

The power you’re being called to claim is the power to choose the difficult one, but it will push you out of the comfort zone to grow (and get unstuck).

How do I roar with authentic authority?

Now we reached the culmination of the previous two.

2 of Discs (Pentacles) is about balancing between the material and spiritual needs.

Here we see Prince Siddhartha (who will become Buddha Gautama), spending all his time within the palace wall by his father’s arrangement to surround him with pleasures.

Only when Prince Siddhartha went outside of the palace wall, he finally saw the reality of life where people got sick and passed away. This became the Prince’s motivation to leave the Palace and find enlightenment, which fulfill his soul purpose.

While this is not about telling you to be an ascetic, this is more about asking yourself, if you are truly alright with where you are.

To embody your authority, you’re invited to look within. Are you being authentic to your soul purpose, or are you staying in the comfort zone of the material pleasure?

Your authentic roar comes not from abandoning everything you've built, but from asking the deeper question: Is this path expanding your soul or contracting it?

The Lion's Gate Integration

This portal is stripping away your old story of "not ready yet" and replacing it with a new truth: you are ready now, in this imperfect, learning, growing state.

The Leo energy doesn't wait for permission. It simply shows up as itself, fully and unapologetically.

Your roar isn't about being the loudest voice in the room. It's about being the most authentic one.

The 8/8 activation is complete when you stop choosing between being prepared and being powerful, and start embodying both simultaneously.

Your leadership journey isn't about arriving at some destination called "ready."

It's about bringing your full self - prepared AND still learning, confident AND still growing - to every moment where your voice is needed.

The portal has opened.

The only question left is: Will you step through?

What old leadership story am I releasing? "Where in my life am I telling myself 'I'm happy here' while my soul is quietly calling me toward something bigger?"

What power am I being called to claim? "What would I choose if I trusted that being both prepared AND bold isn't a contradiction, but my greatest strength?"

How do I roar with authentic authority? "If I stepped outside my comfort zone today and saw my leadership potential clearly for the first time, what would I finally allow myself to pursue?"

"I should probably research this more before I say anything..."

Another brilliant insight dies in your throat.

Another meeting where someone else gets credit for the watered-down version of what you knew 20 minutes ago.

You sit there, fingers drumming silently on the table, watching that person from marketing present the exact solution you had mapped out in your head. Except they are missing three critical components. The ones you could have mentioned. The ones you didn't mention.

Because you needed to research it more first.

The Research Trap Is Real (And It’s Normal)

Let's call this what it is: you're not actually lacking information.

You're lacking permission to be imperfect in public.

The "I need more research" pattern isn't about thoroughness. It's about emotional protection.

It's your brain's socially acceptable way of saying "I'm terrified of being wrong, looking stupid, or being exposed as someone who doesn't know everything."

Impostor syndrome whispers: "They'll figure out you don't belong here."

Perfectionism adds: "You can't speak unless you're 100% certain."

Cultural conditioning chimes in: "Stay humble, don't be pushy, wait your turn."

So you research. And research. And research some more.

While opportunities evaporate and your insights get stolen by people with half your knowledge and twice your confidence.

The Truth About "Ready"

Here's what nobody tells you: you will never research your way to certainty.

Information doesn't eliminate vulnerability. More data doesn't make you bulletproof. Additional credentials don't guarantee you won't be wrong.

The people speaking up in those meetings? They're not more qualified. They're not more prepared. They don't have access to some secret knowledge database you've been locked out of.

They just trust their decision-making process more than you trust yours.

Your Body Already Knows When to Speak

You don't need more information. You need to trust your internal decision-making authority.

Your body has been giving you signals this entire time. You've just been trained to ignore them in favor of external validation.

Here's how each decision-making type recognizes their moment to contribute:

Emotional Authority: You've been sitting with this insight for days. The initial excitement has settled into calm certainty. There's no urgency, no reactive energy. Just clear knowing that this contribution feels right. The timing isn't rushed, it's ripe.

Sacral Authority: Your gut literally pulls you forward when the topic comes up. There's an unmistakable "yes" energy that wants to move. Your body leans in before your brain catches up. The response is immediate and embodied, not intellectual.

Splenic Authority: The insight hits like lightning and your intuition screams "now." There's no second-guessing, no weighing pros and cons. Just instant knowing that this moment is right for this contribution. The window feels urgent and clear.

Self-Projected Authority: When you hear yourself speaking the insight out loud, it sounds true. Your voice carries conviction you didn't know you had. The words flow naturally and you can feel their impact as they land. Your identity aligns with what you're sharing.

Mental Authority: You've discussed pieces of this with trusted colleagues and their responses confirmed your thinking. The insight has been refined through dialogue and feels solid. You're not seeking approval, you're ready to contribute your processed perspective.

Lunar Authority: You've noticed this pattern showing up consistently across multiple meetings and contexts. The insight has proven itself over time. There's no rushing, just natural readiness that comes from waiting through your full cycle of consideration.

The Permission You've Been Waiting For

You already have everything you need to contribute.

Your research phase is complete the moment your decision-making authority says it is. Not when you've read five more articles. Not when you've earned another certification. Not when you feel "ready enough."

When your body says yes, that's your green light.

Stop looking for external permission to share what you already know. Your internal authority is the only validation that matters.

The Shift: From Research to Trust

The next time you're in that meeting, feeling that familiar pull to stay silent, ask yourself:

"Am I researching to inform my contribution, or am I researching to avoid making one?"

"What is my decision-making authority telling me right now?"

"What would I share if I trusted that my current knowledge is enough?"

Your brilliant insights don't need more research.

They need more trust.

The difference between leaders and reluctant leaders isn't information. It's the willingness to act on internal knowing instead of waiting for external certainty.

You've been ready this entire time.

You just forgot how to listen to the part of you that knows.

Have you ever experienced moments like this in meetings?

P.S.: The authorities are based on Human Design. If you know yours, I’d love to hear how yours showed up in similar situations.

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I walked into the AI Summit London 2025 at the Tobacco Dock expecting to see the latest breakthrough that would change everything.

Instead, I saw something that made me understand why AI is finally working. This has nothing to do with the technology getting smarter.

AI adoption is getting global

Among the local and European-based startups that exhibit, I was surprised to see at least four Japanese startups exhibiting.

Moreover, two of them were among the pitch competition finalists.

Not because I doubted their innovation, but mostly because they flew all the way from Japan across continents to the UK.

(Okay I used to study in Japan so it does feel personal in a good way.)

As I went around the venue, something clicked.

Something fundamental must have shifted when a non-Western company creates conversational AI solutions that solve everyday problems through chat interfaces, being used by a tourism board in a city in Japan and made it to the finals.

The question I couldn't stop asking

Why now? Why not before 2020?

The technology for basic chatbots existed years ago. Natural language processing wasn't invented yesterday. So what changed?

Looking around the summit venue - past the Intel hardware displays and Deloitte's portrait-drawing robots - I realized the breakthrough wasn't technological.

It was cultural.

What really changed

But let's be clear: the technology did get smarter too.

The Natural Language Processing in 2024 is genuinely leagues beyond what existed in 2015.

AI can now understand context, nuance, and follow complex conversations in ways that early chatbots couldn't dream of.

The breakthrough was that both sides evolved simultaneously.

We got AI that could actually hold meaningful conversations, right at the moment when humans became willing (whether we liked it or not) to have those conversations.

Think about it. Every major interaction with technology before this required us to learn their language. Also known as programming language.

We memorized keyboard shortcuts, navigated menu trees, structured our thoughts to fit how databases wanted information.

We spent decades training ourselves to think like computers.

But somewhere around 2020, something flipped.

Maybe it was pandemic isolation making us crave any kind of conversation.

Maybe it was voice assistants finally working well enough that we stopped feeling silly talking to them.

Maybe it was just the collective exhaustion of learning new interfaces every time someone released an app.

Whatever it was, we stopped trying to become more computer-like and started expecting computers to become more human-like - right when they finally could.

Why chatbots won

Every advanced AI application I saw, from enterprise knowledge management to luxury car configurators, had one thing in common: they let you ask questions like you were talking to a knowledgeable human.

Not because chat is the most sophisticated interface we can build. Because it's how humans naturally solve problems together.

When you're lost, you don't want to navigate a complex map application. You want to ask someone, "How do I get to gate B12?"

When you need information at work, you don't want to remember folder structures and search syntax. You want to ask, "Where's that document about the new pricing strategy?"

The timing was everything

This is why AI feels like it "suddenly" works now. The technology was ready years ago. But we weren't.

We needed to reach a collective breaking point with complicated interfaces.

We needed to feel comfortable having conversations with non-human entities.

We needed to stop seeing "talking to a computer" as science fiction and start seeing it as common sense.

The pandemic may have accelerated this. Remote work made us comfortable with digital-first interactions. Video calls normalized talking to screens. Digital assistants became household fixtures.

By 2024, asking a computer a question in plain English stopped feeling weird and started feeling obvious.

What this means

If you've been feeling behind on AI, here's what I learned from those two days of the Summit:

You're not behind. You arrived exactly when you were supposed to.

The AI revolution isn't about early adopters getting ahead. It's about technology finally meeting humans where we naturally are.

Those startups succeeding with simple, conversational solutions? That's not a consolation prize for not building something more complex.

That's them understanding something profound: the most powerful technology is the kind that doesn't feel like technology at all.

The real innovation

Reflecting back, I realized the biggest innovation of our time isn't AI becoming smarter.

It's AI becoming conversational at the exact moment we were ready to have those conversations.

That timing wasn't an accident.

It was a convergence 30 years in the making. Technology is finally catching up to how humans actually want to communicate.

Have you noticed AI conversations working better in your native language recently?

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This is not going to be a long post.

I’ve been working on this project since December 2024 and have been hush-hush about it. Except to my Instagram audience - I’ve mentioned about this a few times.

This is a project about something I’ve been baffled about, tried finding a solution online but couldn’t find any. So I decided to create one.

But apart from that particular solution, this project has a personal significance to me. By completing this project, it’s a proof that I am capable of starting and completing something.

As someone struggling with completing a project (and have a tendency to start new ones), this has been reflected on low self-esteem. For an overthinker, this becomes the main food for the inner critic.

By competing this project, this adds a written proof to the inner critic that “Hey, I actually finished this one project” and slowly building my personal power portfolio.

I’ve written the introduction piece to that project below, and recorded a video if you prefer to watch it.

Thanks for reading 🙏 (I told you it’s going to be short!)

P.S.: If you resonate with this, let me know how so in the comment below.

Bridging logic and intuition might seem a question mark.

Especially if you’re in an environment where hard data matters.

By the time of writing, I’ve probably done 100 oracle readings (based on the questions on my notes, combined with readings I did for other people).

It still surprises me when I find relevance to a past reading with a current situation.

This is what happened:

1. On 5th March 2025 - I did an oracle reading for the community in light of International Women’s Day.

   The theme this year was #AccelerateAction.

   To make it actionable (pun intended), I broke it into 3 questions:

   What am I letting go to accelerate action?

   What am I gaining by accelerating action?

   By integrating these two, who am I becoming?

   

   Three key insights emerged from the reading:

   1. Asana - Release Perfection: Let go of the pursuit of perfect conditions, timing, or ideas before taking action. Striving for flawless form can weigh you down, preventing forward momentum.

   2. Metal Rat - Be Aware of Projections: Accelerating action may attract attention, bringing both positive and negative projections from others. Recognizing these projections helps in maintaining clarity and staying true to your path without being swayed by external opinions.

   3. Two of Staffs - Embrace Patience and Passion: As you release perfectionism and manage external projections, you become someone resiliently walking your own path. Rely on your creativity, passion, and inner convictions to guide you, even if the journey sometimes feels solitary or uncertain.

   Remember these as we progress with our story. Especially the Two of Staffs.

2. On 6th March 2025 - I attended a IWD talk among women in tech in the co-working space I work from.

   We were discussing about what practical actions we could do in groups. Throughout the discussion I mostly played the role of jotting down in the sticky notes what others were saying.

   Here’s what’s come up in the discussion:

   

   Then it hits me - this feels like what the oracle reading was saying!

   “Challenging the (current) branding & practices” and “Being more upfront” corresponds to releasing perfection.

   “Letting go of people pleasing” with projections from other people.

   “Keep learning” with embracing patience and passions.

   Now these are the result of discussions by women that are working in tech industry who talked from their own experiences, and shared in order to inspire practical actions for other women.

   These advices are strong on their own. Even more so after the insights from the day before. But we’re not done yet.

3. On 20th March 2025 - I casually drew cards for a personal situation.

   I’ve been struggling with lower impressions on my LinkedIn, which means lower engagements than usual. (Okay I’ve been experimenting with new writing style.)

   Coaches and friends would say something along the line of “Don’t take things personally, likes don’t mean anything. Keep posting.”

   They are not wrong. Posting something when you’re starting something new means lower engagement, even when you already have followers.

   While from the logic side I understand what they were saying, receiving lower engagements trigger something primal: the desire to belong and fear of rejection.

   I can feel my anxiety writhing within whenever I checked on the notifications after I posted something and found nothing regarding my post.

   Which is why I resort to a non-judgemental insight I could count on: drawing oracle cards.

   

   This time I got 2 of Wands and Metal Dragon.

   What came to me was the 2 of Wands. Even though I used a different deck, it remindes me of the message from the first reading about the vast, empty desert and to own the “space”.

   I’m just starting so while “the surrounding still feels empty”, I’ll need to keep moving like the person with the 2 staves. Imagine walking under the scorching sun - it’s not easy!

   So while the journey may not be easy, it’s about trusting the process.

   Which is where the Metal Dragon comes in.

   I’m called to channel in my inner warrior in regards to my fear of rejection.

   Dragon is a noble and benevolent beast that protects us mortals (at least the Chinese dragon version), so it’s also a calling to approach LinkedIn with the intention to serving others, using my intellect (metal symbolizes intellect).

These insights were originally intended for the community.

But I can already see its relevance for me personally.

Some people might call this coincidence, and they might be right.

Even so, what matters is the message each occassion presents.

Thanks for reading 🙏

P.S.: Which of this resonate with your current situation?

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Which made a great oracle reading, following the last live reading on Lunar New Year.

To make it relevant with the IWD’s topic #AccelerateAction, I did a live oracle reading on “Becoming to #AccelerateAction” for the community.

The decks I’m using this time are what I’ll call as “the Heritage decks”:

1. A Yogic Path oracle deck

2. The Chinese Five Elements oracle deck

3. The Sufi Tarot deck

Hinduism, Chinese metaphysics and Islam can be seen in Indonesia’s history and culture.

Being Chinese Indonesian, this is a way for me to recognise my cultural roots.

Going back to the oracle reading, I used this spread:

1. What am I letting go to accelerate action?

2. What am I gaining by accelerating action?

3. By integrating these two, who am I becoming?

Here is the result, from left to right:

Three key insights emerged from the reading:

1. Release Perfection: Let go of the pursuit of perfect conditions, timing, or ideas before taking action. Striving for flawless form can weigh you down, preventing forward momentum.

2. Be Aware of Projections: Accelerating action attracts attention, bringing both positive and negative projections from others. Recognizing these projections helps in maintaining clarity and staying true to your path without being swayed by external opinions.

3. Embrace Patience and Passion: As you release perfectionism and manage external projections, you become someone resiliently walking your own path. Rely on your creativity, passion, and inner convictions to guide you, even if the journey sometimes feels solitary or uncertain.

Overall, the reading encourages releasing perfectionism, understanding the nature of external perceptions, and confidently progressing on your unique path.

If I can summarise the insights into a few sentences, these would be it:

Keep walking the path you’re on
By letting go of the need of perfection 
Be mindful of projections you may encounter
Especially when actions have been taken.

Thank you for reading until here 🙏.

P.S.: Have you seen any oracle reading for International Women’s Day before?

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2025 is the best time to be human. Notice that I didn't say "to be alive." You can be alive without being truly human.

As computers and AI get smarter at handling data and creating content, it's important to understand what makes us special as humans.

Let's explore these 5 unique human qualities and see how people have used them to do amazing things.

1. Wisdom - Learning from Life

Wisdom is different from just knowing facts - it comes from living through experiences and learning from them.

Think of Reed Hastings, who started Netflix.

Back in 2000, he offered to sell Netflix to Blockbuster for $50 million, but they said no.

Instead of getting discouraged, Hastings used the wisdom from his past experiences to see that the way people watched movies was changing.

While Blockbuster looked at their current success with stores, Hastings saw the bigger picture of how technology was changing everything. He transformed Netflix from sending DVDs by mail to the streaming service we know today.

What makes wisdom special:

• Seeing patterns across different experiences

• Understanding how decisions affect people

• Knowing when rules help and when they don't

• Learning from other people's experiences

2. Empathy - Understanding Others' Feelings

Empathy is like having a superpower - it means really understanding how others feel.

Look at Satya Nadella, who runs Microsoft.

His experience raising a son with cerebral palsy helped him truly understand what people with disabilities need.

Because of this personal experience, he made sure Microsoft created technology that everyone could use, no matter their abilities. Under his leadership, Microsoft grew stronger because he understood what people really needed.

Good leaders with empathy:

• Can tell how their team is feeling without asking

• Understand what customers really need

• Make people feel safe to share new ideas

• Build real, lasting relationships

3. Intuition - Your Inner Compass

Ever had a "gut feeling" about something? That's intuition.

Sara Blakely, who created Spanx, is a great example. When she had the idea for better shapewear, market research said there wasn't much demand. But she trusted her gut feeling about what women wanted. Without any business training, she built her company into a huge success worth billions - all because she listened to her intuition.

Intuition comes from:

• Years of seeing what works and what doesn't

• Picking up on small signs others might miss

• Understanding how people behave

• Combining different pieces of information in your mind

4. Values - Doing What's Right

Values help us make good choices, especially when things get tough.

Take Yvon Chouinard, who started Patagonia. In 2022, instead of selling his company worth $3 billion, he gave it away to help fight climate change. He chose to do what he believed was right instead of what would make the most money.

This decision actually made people trust and like his company even more.

Strong values mean:

• Making tough choices that might not pay off right away

• Building trust by always doing what's right

• Creating a workplace where people want to be

• Thinking about people, not just profits

5. Originality - Your “Secret Sauce”

Think of originality as your own special recipe that nobody else has - it's your "Secret Sauce"! Just like how every chef has their own way of making a dish special, every person has unique experiences and ideas that make their work different from everyone else's.

Chef Roy Choi started the food truck revolution with Kogi BBQ. Growing up Korean-American in Los Angeles, he had a special view of food that nobody else had. He took Korean BBQ - something his family made - and combined it with Mexican tacos - something he loved eating in LA.

People thought he was crazy to serve Korean BBQ tacos from a truck, but his unique background gave him a secret sauce nobody else had. He didn't just create tasty food; he changed how Americans think about food trucks and street food forever.

Your Secret Sauce comes from:

• Your unique life experiences

• The special way you see the world

• Different cultures or ideas you've been exposed to

• Problems you've faced and solved in your own way

Working Together in the Future

The Year of the Wood Snake in 2025 is all about change, just like a snake shedding its old skin. In the “Unlocking Abundant Flow” Instagram Live I did, there was another specific message for people in my network.

That message would be “to embrace change”, which makes this even more interesting when combined with the whole snake shedding its old skin!

How to embrace change in the context of 2025:

• Trust your gut feelings when making choices - deep down, you already know what's right for you

• Use the energy of fire (like excitement and passion) to take action and be creative

• Even if things feel messy during changes, stick to what you believe in

• Don't just let things happen - make active choices about your future

So, how to combine these insight when working with tech, specifically AI?

• Find ways to work together, instead of competing with AI

• Let AI handle the numbers and data

• Focus on using your human qualities like empathy and creativity

• Build bridges between human understanding and computer capabilities

If computers are like the brain that processes information, humans are like the heart that understands feelings and the soul that provides wisdom. We need both to create something amazing.

What's Next?

In 2025 and beyond, success won't come from trying to be better than AI at what they do best. Instead, it will come from being more fully human - using our wisdom, empathy, intuition, values, and originality.

What human quality would you like to develop more this year? How will you use your unique human qualities to make a difference?

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Rani is a transformation guide and intuitive mentor who helps individuals and organizations find clarity and purpose through their stories.

After exiting the tech startups she co-founded, she discovered the power of intuitive approaches to growth and transformation through her own healing journey.

Drawing from various wisdom traditions while maintaining a grounded perspective on modern challenges, she explores how everyday experiences illuminate deeper truths about human connection and emotional wellbeing.

Her mission is to empower people to rediscover their authentic selves after trauma, transforming their struggles into sources of strength for meaningful second chances.

Website | Instagram | My Services

The Year's Energy: Renewal & Transformation

The Wood Snake year brings powerful energies of renewal and transformation. Just as a snake sheds its skin to emerge renewed, 2025 carries the theme of personal transformation. The Wood element, associated with spring and rejuvenation, amplifies this energy of new beginnings.

Community Reading: Fire Monkey - "Time to Embrace the Change"

In our community reading, the Fire Monkey card emerged, perfectly aligning with the year's transformative theme. The card depicts a monkey contemplating two pathways under the sun, suggesting that:

- Trust your intuition when making choices – deep down, you already know the way

- Embrace the energy of fire to take action and fuel your creativity

- While transitions may bring temporary chaos, stay committed to your path

- This is a time for active choice rather than passive acceptance

I also did a personal reading for a community member, Magda, emphasizing on simlifying life especially to embrace abundance.

Whether you're celebrating Lunar New Year or simply navigating the energies of 2025, these insights offer guidance for embracing change and transformation in the months ahead.

It’s 2025, and as we transition from the Wood Dragon to the Wood Snake year in the Chinese lunar calendar, you might be wondering about these zodiac animals’ significance. Let’s explore their origin story.

Before we dive in, here's a quick primer: The Chinese zodiac combines 12 animals with 5 elements (wood, fire, water, earth, and metal). Each year corresponds to both an animal and an element, creating a 60-year cycle before complete reset.

I'm particularly excited to share this story, as it complements my "Unlocking Abundant Flow" oracle reading for Lunar New Year 2025. But there's another reason too - I've woven in a special twist that reflects my work with 2econd Chance. See if you can spot it as the story unfolds...

Once upon a time,

the Jade Emperor wanted to assign guardians for each hour of the day.

Every being who crossed the celestial river would earn their second chance at greatness.

Here’s how the race for redemption unfolded…

First Place: The Cunning Rat 🐀

Clever little Rat hitched a ride on Ox’s back, only to leap ahead at the last moment to claim first place. Sometimes the smartest path to a second chance is not the most obvious one.

Second Place: The Steadfast Ox 🐂

Strong and determined, steadily carried others across the river but finished second due to Rat’s cunning. Even when others take advantage, one’s reliability builds lasting trust.

Third Place: The Brave Tiger 🐯

Powerful swimmer who emerged third, fighting against the current. Strength and perseverance can overcome life’s strongest currents.

Fourth Place: The Lucky Rabbit 🐰

Hopped across stones and caught a lucky log to float to fourth place. Sometimes a second chance comes from combining skills with unexpected help.

Fifth Place: The Noble Dragon 🐲

Could have won easily by flying, but stopped to help others and make rain for Rabbit’s log, finishing fifth. True greatness comes from lifting others.

Sixth Place: The Stealthy Snake 🐍

Slithered onto Horse’s hoof and surprised them at the finish line to take sixth place. Sometimes success requires strategic timing.

Seventh Place: The Resilient Horse 🐴

Startled by Snake near the finish line, galloped to seventh place. Even sudden setbacks can lead to valuable lessons.

Eight Place: The Gentle Goat 🐐

Found friends to cross the river together, reaching eight place. Asking for help is a sign of wisdom, not weakness.

Ninth Place: The Resourceful Monkey 🐵

Used quick thinking to gather materials for a raft, securing ninth place. Resourcefulness can turn challenges into opportunities.

Tenth Place: The Team-Player Rooster 🐔

Spotted a raft and joined others to cross, finishing tenth. Recognizing and joining others’ momentum can propel us forward.

Eleventh Place: The Playful Dog 🐶

Got distracted playing in the river but still managed eleventh place. Joy in the journey matters as much as the destination.

Twelfth Place: The Authentic Pig 🐷

Found food and took a nap but still finished the race in twelfth place. Staying true to yourself is more important than competing with others.

While these twelve animals became the official zodiac guardians, legends speak of a thirteenth participant whose story teaches us perhaps the most important lesson about second chances...

Bonus: The Cat 😾

Missed the race entirely due to Rat’s betrayal. Betrayal hurts deeply, it can fuel one’s determination for a second chance - as long as one’s awake for it!

I've woven elements of 2econd Chance throughout this retelling because every zodiac animal's story represents a different path to seizing new opportunities - whether through cleverness like the Rat, persistence like the Tiger, or authenticity like the Pig.

Which animal’s journey do you feel most aligned with? Share in the comments below!

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I love APIs. There's something simplistic yet genius about it when it comes to authentic connections, whether technical or real life. Let me show you what I mean.

APIs allow you to pull data or content from different services, making them relevant and useful without having to construct new technology or unnecessarily break your bank account.

What exactly is an API?

In the web application world, API stands for Application Programming Interface. Think of it as a bridge between two applications, allowing them to exchange data and function seamlessly together.

You've probably used APIs without realizing it - like that weather app on your smartphone that pulls data from a weather server, or the Stripe payment gateway embedded in e-commerce websites that processes payments like a trusted contractor.

The Connection Between APIs and Human Relationships

At its core, APIs need authenticated connections for applications to interact properly. And you know what? The same applies to us humans - we need authentic connections to live healthily.

Let's explore how the concept of APIs can teach us about authentic connections (pun definitely intended):

1. Authentication - Setting Clear Boundaries

Not everyone gets full access to your time and attention, whether in personal or professional life. Just like how APIs require proper authentication for secure interactions, we need to set boundaries for healthier collaborations.

Think about how you treat your regular clients with more familiarity while keeping professional boundaries with new ones until trust develops.

2. Documentation - Expressing Needs Clearly

Ever noticed how experienced developers create documentation for their digital creations? It's like an instruction manual for others who want to use their work.

Similarly, for relationships to work well (and for effective leadership), we need to express our needs and boundaries clearly. No more guessing games!

Just like good API documentation makes integration smoother, clear expression of expectations empowers relationships.

3. Rate Limiting - Knowing Your Capacity

APIs have this cool feature where they can limit the interactions an application can handle - it's like having a bouncer for your server to prevent overload.

In the same way, we need to recognize our limits before hitting burnout. A healthy interaction understands the power of saying no to things that push us over capacity.

The Power of Connection

The genius of APIs lies in their ability to create efficient, secure, and sustainable connections between applications.

When we apply these same principles to our relationships - setting clear boundaries (authentication), communicating our needs (documentation), and respecting our limits (rate limiting) - we create the foundation for authentic connections that energize rather than drain us.

Food for Thought

When you're using your favorite apps today, think about this:

• How well do you authenticate your relationships?

• Have you documented your needs clearly with others?

• Are you mindful of your rate limits, or are you running your personal server on overload?

Thank you for reading, and happy authenticating 🙏

New Year in January, according to the common wisdom, is the time for new resolutions.

So I tried them sporadically in the past years.

In less than a week, they fell through.

There are various tips for creating a new resolutions.

One example would be it takes 21 days to form a new habit.

But what I wanted to say here is that:

Winter time, at least in the northern hemisphere, is the time to rest and reflect. Not the best time to start something new. It’s not impossible, but I’d hold much compassion when slacking off.

I talked more about this in an episode of my podcast.

What New Year resolutions have you started and not followed through?

It all started with entrepreneurship.

There were not a lot women entrepreneur role model when I grew up in Asia, so that’s the topic I started creating content with.

Being a multipotentialite that I am, I soon found other interests that hook my attention.

My work relates with digital technology: coding, cloud computer, UI/UX, headless CMS, you name it.

I have been playing video games since I was in primary school. My time playing has been on and off throughout college until now. Only recently I’ve started to play again (this was 2020; we know what happened).

Given the nature of playing a story-based video game, I know enough by now that just playing it would be a waste of time. The 5-hours or so dedicated to play, while it’s entertaining and satisfying, does nothing else in terms of productivity especially when it’s a game I’ve played previously.

If that’s the case, then why not create content based on the gameplay? That way it’ll have more than one benefit while doing one thing. There are LOTS of creators doing it anyway.

Since then I’ve watched, observed, studied creators who produce game-related content. Because I couldn’t understand why people would watch someone playing video games, at the beginning at least. Now I can see the common points these creators have: they are entertaining, plus engaging especially if they are streamers with big followers.

Since 2010s, watching gameplays have been a form of entertainment. This was unthinkable back in the 90s or in the early 200s. Like it or not, that’s the fact.

But there must be some other value beyond entertainment, surely? How can I reconcile the entrepreneurship topic, which I’m still committed to, with playing video games?

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The answer: it’s the time we live in - the 21st century.

The skills and needs required to survive in the current environment have changed. What we’ve learnt in school 20+ years ago have become less relevant to survive and matter today.

Since then, academia, researchers and governments have formulated on frameworks that constitutes the 21st century skills.

There are some variations, but the core ones are:

1. Critical thinking

2. Creativity

3. Collaboration

4. Communication

5. Information

6. Media

7. Technology

8. Adaptability

9. Leadership

10. Initiative

11. Productivity

12. Social and cross-cultural skills

So, how do these relates to entrepreneurship, digital technology and video games?

Here’s how these three are relevant in the 21st century:

1. Entrepreneurship

   Lifetime employment is no longer guaranteed in most countries. Some of us might have to do side hustling even after working one job, just to make ends meet. We’ve seen the rise of people starting their own business or freelancing.

   While it’s mostly related to starting businesses, entrepreneurship is a mindset to be creative, resourceful and innovative when solving a problem / challenge. This is something I believe should be taught at schools, if not at home.

2. Digital technology

   Governments and companies are encouraging training and bootcamps to equip their employees as well as the lay people to have sound IT skills. Closing the digital gap, as they say. We’re surrounded by tech anyway, especially if you’re reading this.

3. Video games

   More video games are starting to have narratives relatable to the current situation. Plus, indie developers from non-Western countries have started to bring their voices.

   Games like Raji: An Ancient Epic showcases a young girl as the protagonist with the background of Hinduism lore.

   I’d argue that this would contribute to one’s global view and cross-cultural skill, on top of being a role model for young girls. Plus, playing video games on PC serves as an introduction to digital technology in general. Which brings me to point number 2.

Open thread discussion (write in the comments below)

• Video games used to get negative vibe in terms of its effect on children. Now there is a research publication on the positive effect of playing video games. Do you agree on this, and how does your experiences contribute?

• What 21st century skills that should be there but not on the list?

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