The Australian author of Being Happy tried studying law but didn't find it suitable. So at 25, he decided to write a book and his first attempt was rejected 77 times. Andrew Matthews, 66, tells Joel Chua why failing many times is better than not trying and what he thinks is the secret to being happy.

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For decades, the veteran actor and entertainer has made Singaporeans laugh but when Suhaimi Yusof was struck by a rare form of stroke, he went back to the place that gave him the greatest comfort. He shares how letters he wrote to himself made all the difference in bouncing back.

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In 2014, a car crash in New Zealand left the then 31-year-old Jean Ling with a serious spinal cord injury. When she woke up, she was forced to rebuild her life. Now married with two children and expecting a third, she shares how she found the mindset to triumph over despair.

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After his mother died, Ganesh Kumar planted a hibiscus on a bare hillside in Woodlands. Today, it is a vibrant, 4,000 sq m oasis for stressed-out urbanites, the elderly in wheelchairs, and ex-offenders. In this episode of A Letter to Myself, Ganesh reflects on the garden’s transformation, its deep connection to the community, and how his own grief made space for the healing of others. 

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When Alison Lim was diagnosed with primary progressive aphasia in her fifties, a form of dementia that affects speech, she feared losing everything - her words, her mind, her active life until then. But in her daughter, Jamie Buitelaar, she found a pillar to lean on. In this episode of A Letter to Myself, Alison and Jamie recount how humour and resilience trumped darkness and despair. 

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For more than 40 years, Russell Wong captured the faces of some of Hollywood's most iconic stars – from Robert De Niro to Michelle Yeoh. But as a student in Singapore, he found himself thinking he was not good enough. Until his father, a doctor, gave him a camera before he left to study in the US. In this episode of A Letter to Myself, Russell opens up about how he discovered photography and what he would say to that young man. 

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Today, Syamlia Sri Dewi is a dedicated peer leader with the Singapore Anti-Narcotics Association. She was 22 when she started consuming methamphetamine — known as “ice”. In this episode of A Letter to Myself, Syamlia opens up about the pivotal turning point in her addiction, and how her deep love for her children changed the course of her life.  

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At just 25, Matthew Tay is Singapore's youngest bus interchange supervisor. His fascination with public buses began as a child, yet his unique passion didn’t always make it easy to fit in. In this episode of A Letter to Myself, Matthew opens up about his journey — from discovering his love for buses to overcoming challenges and finding his place in the industry. 

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Aidli Mosbit, an award-winning actress, playwright, and director, is a prominent figure in Singapore’s Malay arts and culture scene. In this episode of A Letter to Myself, Aidli and her husband Lezan share their delightful and dramatic story of finding love in their 40s and 50s, and how theatre set the stage for them to find a more mature love in each other, later in life. 

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Cynthia Ong, otherwise known to thousands as "tiredgenzmum" on TikTok, is a devoted mother who works tirelessly to provide her children with the love and care she lacked growing up. In this episode of A Letter to Myself, Cynthia shares her journey of overcoming a tumultuous childhood and has a powerful message to her younger self.

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