Birthday Bearrito

Let's Talk About Imposter Syndrome!

Lately, I've noticed a lot of people talk about impostor syndrome—like Anna Akana, Wong Fu and Ali Abdal—and I can't deny that I've been through it too. I thought I'd talk about it here, as I'm sure we've all been there. First of all, if you didn't know, impostor—or imposter—syndrome is, basically, the belief that you have in your mind that you are not good enough, whatever that may mean to you. In other words, it makes you feel like a fraud, because you think everyone else thinks you are better than you really are. Here's a little bit of fact for you: more often than not, it's not true. This feeling can be very alienating and make us develop self-doubt, but the truth is most people go through the same things—if not at the same time, probably at some point in their lives. And this is my story with impostor syndrome.

Abdi Sang Pusaka

10 Asian Books & Films You Might Have Missed

Happy Friday the 13th, all! Today I want to start a brand new series—if you could call it that—where I will recommend books and films from all the continents—excluding Antarctica, 'cause as far as I know, nobody publishes from there. I think I'd call this #LiteraturebyContinent, although I wouldn't include it in the title, as it won't fit. Basically, in each post, I will introduce you to 5 books and 5 films from each continent. I will try my best to find really good hidden gems and offer titles you might never have heard of before. And, of course, as we know, each continent tends to contain quite a number of countries and nations within it—excluding Australia, I suppose—so I'll try to offer diversity on that front as well. Seeing as I come from and live in Asia, I thought I would start with the largest continent on earth, with a wide variety of complex cultures and peoples. Let me just give a disclaimer here: even though I am Asian and I do still reside in Asia, I am in no way an expert on Asia. I haven't read all the books and watched all the films from all corners of the continent, so do forgive me if I may repeat recommendations from the same country and/or region. That being said, I hope these underrated titles will pique your interest.

5 Newly Discovered Podcasts that I Love

Lately, I've been finding it so much more fulfilling to listen to podcasts, especially during work. Sometimes watching a film or YouTube video, as well as listening to music, can be counterproductive, since they can be a distraction to the work at hand. With podcasts, that is not the case. In fact, it can be a form of multitasking, as you will take in the information shared within the conversation, as your hand and parts of your brain are occupied with finishing your task. When it comes to podcasts, I think it's very important to be able to create a certain atmosphere for the listeners. Personally, I prefer it if a podcast has more than one host, with somewhat vibrant personalities. Ultimately, however, it is most crucial to find a genuine connection among the hosts, to make us feel like we're listening in on a natural conversation—even better if such a connection is extended to the alternating guests. Well, I hope that gives you an idea of the kind of podcasts included on this list. While I've already shared some of my favourite podcasts before, I'd like to introduce some more that I've recently found and would listen to on end.