#5 Moved by authenticity

1st March 2025 Vibes: I don't feel creative

This Week’s Whisper from the Universe

“Anyhow, the older I get, the less impressed I become with originality. These days, I’m far more moved by authenticity. Attempts at originality can often feel forced and precious, but authenticity has quiet resonance that never fails to stir me.” ~Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert

Let’s Overthink This

Hello! I’m three days late with this week’s newsletter because I wrote the first three words… and then hit a complete mental block. And now, here I am on a Monday evening, trying my best to string thoughts together. So, here goes—a collection of the random thoughts swirling in my head.

First of all—how are we already in March?! If I said I didn’t know where the time went, I’d be lying. I spent most of it in recovery from my injury, and honestly, if I had to journal my progress, the past two months have been a mix of work, healing, reading, filming, and writing. And that’s a lot. If you feel like the months have flown by without anything to show for it, try sitting down and listing out the small things you’ve done—you’ll probably find more wins than you realize.

I’ve said this before, and I’ll say it again—adulthood is weirdly unstructured. There are no grades, no clear milestones, no "leveling up" like we had in school. That’s why it can sometimes feel like time is slipping away. But taking a moment to acknowledge what you’ve done and where you’re headed makes a difference.

Speaking of perspective, I came across this great line in a YouTube video last week: "You’ve only been an adult for X years, where X is your age minus 20." So technically, as a 23-year-old, I’m just a 3-year-old adult—and somehow, that thought was so comforting. It’s a nice reminder that we’re all still figuring things out.

Lately, life has been busy with work and other commitments, and in the little free time I’ve had, I chose to rest, watch YouTube, read, and just exist. I also started going out more to ease my fear of walking on roads after my injury. Even though I can only manage a few hundred meters at a time, it still feels like a victory.

And circling back to being moved by authenticity—I’ve been watching a lot of long-form content on YouTube in the background while doing mundane tasks like cleaning out my wardrobe (video link here!). I’ve found myself drawn to slower, more real-life vlogs, the ones that aren’t always on the go. Being home all day frustrated me at first, but watching these vlogs helped me appreciate a slower pace, making peace with how I spend my time. And that, in itself, felt like a win.

Maybe that’s why Elizabeth Gilbert’s words resonated with me this week. Big Magic is all about embracing creativity without fear—letting go of needless suffering and allowing authenticity to lead the way. Authenticity isn’t about striving for perfection or forcing originality; it’s about showing up as yourself, fully and honestly. Whether it’s acknowledging small victories, embracing a slower pace, or simply existing without the pressure to be more, there’s something deeply freeing about it. And maybe, just maybe, that’s enough.

This Week's Soundtrack

Checkout all the songs from the previous editions of the newsletter

Freeze Frame

Nom Nom Nom

Bingsoo(a Korean dessert of shaved ice and sweet toppings) is my favourite dessert ever, it's light, refreshing, and mostly quite healthy!! Also made kadai paneer for the family 2 weeks ago, it was delicious, I didn't know I could cook it so well <3

Literary Main Character Moment

I started reading Everything I know about Love by Dolly Alderton. It's a really fun book, there a few things I cannot relate to in it, but for the most part, it's very enjoyable!

Checkout my videos from last few weeks

I baked brownies for valentine's day, the picture is in the last newsletter, if you're interested in the recipe, here it goes!

What’s Cooking in Your World?

Tell me about your favorite hobbies or things you’ve been loving lately—I’m looking for something new to try or just learn about! Could be anything—books, art, sports, niche internet rabbit holes… let’s hear it!"

Byeee, Don’t Forget to Hydrate <3