Blog

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Hard times

10 things to say to someone instead of: ‘If you need anything, let me know,’

I decided to share a list I created a few months ago, and had saved in my ‘notes.’ I save a lot of things saved in my ‘notes’ but this one felt important to share, as I believe we can all relate to it on some level. Do you remember a time you witnessed a friend who was going through a hard time, someone you wanted to reach out to and help, but simply didn’t know how? Perhaps someone you know has gone through a depressive period and just wasn’t herself? Or maybe you know a new mum that is completely overcome by everything? Hard times come in all shapes and sizes, and unfortunately no one is immune.

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Life

You’re not alone. How to ride the rough patches in life

A few months ago, I published a post titled: When hard times hit. It was about going through rough patches in life. It clocked up more views than any other post I’ve published here. Which got me thinking: maybe people can relate to it because we all go through difficult times? This past week I hit another one of those rough patches. I didn’t want to write about it because I didn’t think I had much to say about it. (It sucked, life sucks sometimes. What else is there?) But it’s only now that I’ve come out the other end that I have a bit of perspective. So I’m sharing my thoughts. 

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woman swimming alone in body of water
Swimming

How sharing the pool with a 90 year old man gave me a burst of perspective

This is a story about how I found myself sharing the pool with a 90 year old man. It’s also about finding your rhythm, setting your own pace, and not worrying too much about what other people think in the process. It’s about small realisations that hold weight. But above everything it’s about people, and why I believe there is more that unites than divides us.

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Creativity

Do more of what you love — But how?

It feels like I haven’t written a new post here for a little while. It’s probably only been about a week, but it feels like longer. The reason? I simply haven’t felt like it. I’ve been preoccupied — with the mundaneness of life, the get up and go of work, and the freezing temperatures here in Melbourne, and I haven’t felt particularly inspired. When I started this blog over a year ago, I knew I never wanted it to feel like ‘work.’ Instead, I wanted it to be something I elected to do, for no other reason than because I was in the mood. In the mood to write? Write. Not in the mood? Then don’t. I wanted my writing to be the ultimate hobby. And, for the most part, it has been.

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woman in white red and black floral dress standing on gray rock near body of water
Imperfection

Does thriving on routine equal a balanced life?

Hi, my name is Chanee, and I thrive on routine. I’m one of those boring creature of habit types, who like things done a certain way. And once I have a system for it, I stick to it. Naturally, my day is full of systems. I’ve got a routine for mornings and for bedtimes, for showers, lunches, and everything in between. I even listen to exact same playlist that I created when I write these blog posts, the one I’m listening to right now, in fact.

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Passover

Passover: the festival for second chances

Every year, no matter how mentally prepared I am, Passover comes upon me too quickly. In my head, I’ve got a plan, and on paper I have lists. Many lists. But all too soon, the boxes are being dragged up from the garage, the cleaning borderlines on obsessive and the kitchen gets turned into a spaceship. And just as quickly, too, that familiar sense of dread sets in.

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Memories

It’s been a year

It hit me tonight that it’s been a year. Last year, we didn’t gather together around big family Seder tables. Last year the streets were quiet, pin-drop quiet. You could cut through the silence with your footsteps at 9pm at night. The city was hushed, like after a big snow storm. Except it’s Melbourne and it never snows. It was strange.

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woman in pink dress standing on brown grass field during daytime
Real Talk

Conquering fears and managing phobias: A lesson in letting go

For as long as I can remember, I’ve been afraid of anything medical related. When I was younger it was almost debilitating. It felt shameful and embarrassing, like a secret I didn’t want to share. I tried not to let on how much it horrified me. So I lived with it instead, and it weighed me down without me even realising it.

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Life

How to find your rhythm in a world that refuses to pause

When I was ten years old, I took a little notebook I found and turned it into a book of lists. I can picture the notebook. It was floral, kitschy 90s, small and narrow, like an address book. I titled the book “Chanee’s Helpful Handy Hints.” In it, I wrote myself detailed instructions about what to do in the event of things like fire, and the water system not turning off. I wanted to be prepared in any emergency, big or small.

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oil tanker ship
Real Talk

When hard times hit

I started this blog with a silent pledge to be as honest and as open as I can be. I wanted it to be a place where I could tackle hard topics, and not shy away from being real. I wanted to use my writing to reach people who may benefit from it in some way, if only to make them realise they’re not alone. And to this day, it’s one of my motivators to continue writing. Because no matter how small my platform is, I recognise it still exists, and I want to use it for the good. I want to use it to promote change. And all change needs to start somewhere.

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