The Decode Diary

By Ray Low

The Decode Diary isn't just a podcast; it's your passport to the untold stories of the average-looking but extraordinary Joes who try their best to make it in life. I first stumbled upon the idea of p... more

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FAQs about The Decode Diary:

How many episodes does The Decode Diary have?

The podcast currently has 135 episodes available.

The Decode Diary episodes:

March 13, 2024 Snippet: "Are You Yearning For Success Or Love" & Gaining Self Acceptance
Many times when we are performing at our best, have we ever stopped and asked why we are doing it? Some of us do it because we find it exhilarating and stimulating to keep pushing our boundaries, but most do it because we want the reassuring look on the faces around us, whether we know them or not.

Speaking to Melissa enabled me to go deep into myself to find out the reason why I'm doing things I've been wired to do every day. It is no longer the reason for me to reach for the acceptance of others but only the assurance of myself. I am yearning not for success but the love of myself and therefore, I define my own success. You should too.

Listen to the full conversation: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5LetS779Lo68SsBV9hgwWg?si=fkjsHKgrQFOLvqOQv7HKsg
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16min
March 12, 2024 Snippet: "If Today Was The Last Day" And Her Deathbed Regrets
I think we will all have a long list of deathbed regrets even if we are taking the next flight to Bali or Paris. Sure, the list may have gotten lost as well at that very moment. If Melissa knows this, I'm sure you know it too.

Living as though today was the last day allows us to clear our list of deathbed regrets. Each new day we start off with a fresh list and at the end of the day, we evaluate whether we are happy by checking if the list has gotten shorter.

Question is, how are you clearing your list?

Listen to the full conversation here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5LetS779Lo68SsBV9hgwWg?si=8DA_XVUpSPug9nfBmiswxw
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17min
March 11, 2024 Snippet: "That's The Luxury That I Have", On Quitting Her Job And What She Was Doing
When she told me she quit her job during the meetup, I was dumfounded but also impressed by her courage to do so. You know we all can say things like "She could have found happiness even while working!". True enough, someone close to her said something along the lines of "When you are not working this past 10 months, you are not earning the money you are supposed to be making."

But in this snippet, Melissa shared with me how it is totally impossible to see what she might have gained if she didn't do it. She would only be trapped with the idea of what she might lose. The pressure she has to withstand, knowing the number in her bank account is going down day by day, is immense, but knowing that her level of happiness and self-acceptance go up every minute is just heart soothing.

Listen to the full conversation here:
https://open.spotify.com/episode/5LetS779Lo68SsBV9hgwWg?si=Fj3oTr2QTH6Fl3IbgLHWZQ
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9min
March 10, 2024 [FULL] Melissa: “I’m A Lot Happier Than Before I Quit My Job”, Self-Acceptance & Finding Her Purpose
I couldn’t fathom the idea of quitting a job and saying “I’m doing some reflections in my life”. But Melissa did it and the many realizations can be seen from her thought processes and actions in life ever since she quit her corporate job as a project manager. If I was her biographer, I would say she is in a happier state than ever before. She does not need the acceptance of others, rather her own. She does not need to yearn for success, rather the love and care from her loved ones. She does not need to look forward to the future, rather the present moment. She does not need a lot to be happy. So does everyone else.
I think the conversation with Melissa ignited a feeling of compassion within me. Interacting with the outside world only after I’m honest and brutally honest with the inside me is something I picked up lately, whether it is to express gratitude or to make inquiries, I’m sure my future self will be thankful for the present self. If you haven’t read her blog posts yet, I recommend you give them a read.
Redbeanbread blog:
https://redbeanbread.com/
Timeline:
[00:00] Quitting her job made her happier
[02:51] Life after quitting her job
[04:18] What was it like in her household before she quit her job?
[06:42] Melissa’s childhood
[07:59] Revealing her decision to her family
[13:44] Discovering self-acceptance after quitting her job
[15:18] Facing the reality: What is she doing now?
[16:09] Hand-written letters
[17:38] Her blog - Redbeanbread
[18:51] Writing a letter to her Airbnb host in Japan
[20:19] Her behavioral change to connect deeply
[21:41] Emotional setting in the office - are emotions important at work?
[27:17] Is Melissa an emotional person?
[27:42] How I felt writing the letter to her
[29:38] Expressing gratitude
[31:47] “If Today Was The Last Day”
[39:44] About me stuttering
[41:05] The 25 Deathbed Regrets
[43:55] Purpose in her day job
[47:58] “Are you yearning for success or love?”
[53:41] What is her definition of success?
[57:14] Yearning for her own approval
[01:03:24] “Serendipitous Encounters”
[01:12:05] “From My Younger Self, To My Future Self”
[01:15:01] Her definition of happiness
[01:23:29] What is next for her?
Sound effects obtained from https://www.zapsplat.com
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1h 25min
March 06, 2024 Snippet: Being Lost In A Night Dive And Achieving Advanced Open Water License
Aside from taking photos as a hobby and a business, Jun Kit loves to go diving as well. I thought it was going to be a fun and uplifting conversation about diving adventures until he told me he got lost once in a night dive.
I cannot imagine getting lost in a normal daylight dive, let alone a night dive where your mind might be playing tricks with you. The actions he took might have saved him, but the adventure of getting lost in the sea is not a fun memory for him.
Listen to the full conversation here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1dAtFvAMbhRZl2WPxgDTXa?si=-HZe8SYWTHiFqmK2qjTodw
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17min
March 05, 2024 Snippet： Dealing With Clients And His Entire Workflow In The Photography Business
When you are running a business, there is a high chance you will meet demanding clients. This is not to say they are in the wrong, but dealing with demanding clients require a set of different skills. Specifically in the photography business, clients have all the rights to be angry about a single photo, and it is up to the photographer to make backup plans when things do not go as planned.
In this snippet, Jun Kit shares with me how he deals with his different types of clients, his entire workflow of getting clients to shooting photos on the event day and to editing hundreds of photos in post, only to feel anxious when the job is delivered.
Listen to the full conversation here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1dAtFvAMbhRZl2WPxgDTXa?si=-HZe8SYWTHiFqmK2qjTodw
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13min
March 04, 2024 Snippet: Turning Photography From Hobby To Business & Getting Support From Parents
I think anyone with the support of their parents in the journey of pursuing a hobby they love doing, regardless of whether they are going to continue doing for a long time, is lucky. Most do not get to choose what they do, let alone do what they love.
In this snippet, Jun Kit shares with me how he turned photography, which is a long-time hobby of his, into business. Of course, this wasn't his personal choice, but when the stars aligned, he was there to start bringing clients in.
Listen to the full conversation here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1dAtFvAMbhRZl2WPxgDTXa?si=d24tmns0TkuIYL40TyfFwg
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17min
March 03, 2024 [FULL] Jun Kit: “I Recently Came Across This Thought Process Of Delaying Gratification”, His Photography Side Venture And How Diving Has Transformed His Life
For my entire life knowing Jun Kit, he has been the go-to senior for photos mainly because he’s always seen with the fanciest camera gears ever. When he started getting into the photography gigs and made it quite a name for himself in Singapore, I never doubted him. This is the Jun Kit I know. But the curious cat in me purred and I wondered how he was doing. In fact, I seldom see his photography masterpieces anymore and it is for a solid good reason. In his own words, he is slowly transforming his Instagram to a dive channel.
In this episode, we sat down and had the conversation of our lives. It was a lightweight and uplifting one as we touched on his hobbies - photography and diving. I used to think hobbies like these are expensive and I would need to get enough money and wait for the right opportunity to do something crazy like this. At this rate, the conditions are never going to be fulfilled. It turns out, delayed gratification is not that glamorous because these hobbies don’t have to cost a ton. The experience that his hobbies have brought him has been out of the world and if you believe me, you too can do it. Quite frankly, he is just like you and me, living the best life he can.
If you are ever looking for a photographer, here's one:
https://www.instagram.com/decode.gram/
Timeline:
[00:00] The real life Jun Kit compared to the glamorous IG Jun Kit
[02:29] As a photographer, what moments does he regret not capturing?
[05:13] How did he start a photography side hustle?
[11:14] How did his camera setup evolve over time?
[13:45] Getting nitpicky about his photos
[19:27] Were his parents supportive of his hobby?
[21:03] How did he get his clients?
[22:58] The role of social media accounts
[31:00] Scaling up his photography business
[32:53] Sustaining it as a hobby instead of a job
[40:45] Handling the stress of needing to deliver
[41:47] How does he charge his clients
[42:44] His entire workflow
[45:33] Dealing with challenging clients
[48:06] Did he have to do free jobs in the beginning?
[51:34] Smartphones for his photography business?
[55:46] How is the decode.gram business doing?
[57:25] How did he get into diving?
[01:01:21] Recalling his first dive
[01:03:25] His dive setup - Asian fit and non-Asian fit
[01:08:46] Preparing yourself for a dive mentally and physically
[01:10:59] A shark didn't come close to him, lucky?
[01:15:48] His buoyancy after 60+ dives
[01:18:06] Being lost in a night dive
[01:22:03] Night dive excitement
[01:24:47] Advanced Open Water
[01:26:58] How has diving changed his perspective on life?
[01:31:58] What’s next for him
Sound effects obtained from https://www.zapsplat.com
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1h 39min
February 28, 2024 Snippet: The Whip-Diplomat System From MBS And The North Star Of Luxphoria Media
Being a leader does not mean you have to always be in a commanding position. It simply means you have to serve the team. But how do we put ourselves in a lower position when we know our personality speaks differently? When all alternatives have been exhausted, I think this can bring some benefits to the table.
If you know you are one of them who cannot speak calmly and is quick in pointing out mistakes of others, get someone who can do the opposite. That's the whip-diplomat system here that Puvan and his cofounders are using to help grow his team.
Listen to the full conversation here:
https://open.spotify.com/episode/1OeNpgDMy5U46fO71g4y3O?si=oqEkWHXgSLuTwGwYL2-DIw
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14min
February 27, 2024 Snippet: "Without Them, I'm No One" And Stepping Out Of Lane Ventures
He has started multiple companies. At the age of 25. Surely, some of them failed, some of them are struggling and he is doing his best every single day. But I want the spotlight to land on how he handled the breakup with his previous venture. That, in my opinion, says a lot about his character.
Puvan talked to me how there were underlying problems during one of his earliest ventures and eventually things had to come to an end. From there, we could tell that a support group is immensely vital for anyone to bounce back up.
Find your support group.
Listen to the full conversation here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1OeNpgDMy5U46fO71g4y3O?si=bPExUHsfTEaJbXOyEAhabQ
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12min

FAQs about The Decode Diary:

How many episodes does The Decode Diary have?

The podcast currently has 135 episodes available.