The Decode Diary

This statement is true to a certain extent. In fact, in the Asian culture, many couldn't agree more. But I think this shouldn't be seen like that, maybe something should change. Faye thinks so too.

In this snippet, Faye shares with me how there are people who want to come out but are trapped by the bounds of their religion. What's worse is the side-eyes that people give after they do come out.

What do you think of this statement? There is a lot to reflect on.

Listen to the full episode before responding!

https://open.spotify.com/episode/4r4BziT5pjE6091ZJS983q?si=3UQuAgqBR6-ruCQ-HVaQRA

I have never given enough thought about women’s rights and their overall development in the workforce until this episode and of course my personal encounter with discrimination against women at work. Faye has taught me more than I had expected to learn in this conversation. I've always thought it is a survival instinct that women at work do not come together and stand up for themselves, but there is actually more to that. 

In this episode, I sat down with Faye and talked about women’s rights in the workplace and what we can do as a collective whole to help women. Also, ever since Faye came out as gay years ago, she has since started a podcast together with her co-host surrounding this topic, aiming to provide a safe space for people in the community. It speaks a lot about her personal goal to live as freely as possible without compromising her values. It still ruffles some feathers when people hear about the LGBT community in this day and age in our country, but if you ask me, Faye is just like you and me, living her life with unwavering honesty.

We talked about:

[00:00] How Faye realized writing from her own perspective and not from someone else’s perspective is important

[09:42] How Faye got into the world of political science and governments and the effort needed by today’s society in shaping the next capable leadership team

[19:59] What needs to be done to stand up for women and to combat discrimination against women, the many occurrences of discrimination against women in the workplace and how our previous generation is OKAY with some level of discrimination 

[53:08] What it felt like when Faye came out

[01:12:18] The LGBT community in Malaysia

If you are interested in everything queer, check out Faye’s podcast here: https://open.spotify.com/show/5MKzOCYRxaqmSLO9s59OQ9?si=1fc1f3e5d85d4e0a

Sound effects obtained from https://www.zapsplat.com

On most days in a week, Shyam stays back in the office to work overtime. As a fresher, I didn't understand. A friend of mine enlightened me when he said one is inefficient when he needs to work overtime every day. I took it to Shyam to understand his thought process behind this action.

The assumptions that we make about people every day may well amount to hundreds, or even thousands of unjustified misunderstandings. But we only get the answer if we seek to understand the reasons behind.

In this snippet, Shyam shares why there are often longer work days for him. The reason he shared made me realize how fortunate I am. For young adults like you and me, it may be the reasonable thing to do.

Listen to the full episode here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5juo1t9FkKHYG933NKankr?si=18W8JRvQTI2IfdIHhgA_Bw

In this snippet, Shyam shares with us why he moved from India to Singapore despite having to be away from his family. From then on, he knew what he wanted and how he needed to achieve his goals. Much more was at stake when his girlfriend could not make the same move.

It is not everyday we could see ourselves persevering through the hardships life throws at us, but Shyam embodied the values required to be patient with challenges. The dilemmas he had had to deal with show how much he had to put behind himself in order to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

For anyone out there who is persevering through hardships for the same reasons as Shyam, he suggests to have a solid plan for both short term and long term. Plans do change, but the deviations are insignificant when viewed through the lens of your goals.

Listen to the full episode here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5juo1t9FkKHYG933NKankr?si=18W8JRvQTI2IfdIHhgA_Bw

If you are navigating unfamiliar territories, seizing opportunities and sculpting your own path, this episode is for you. 

In this episode, Shyam, a software engineer who spent 6 months during his lowest times crafting his technical skills in order to prepare for the upcoming challenges in life. One of the most humble individuals I know lets us into his earlier days when he had only $100 in his bank account, eventually making his way into a stable and sustainable life. This is Shyam, someone you’ve never heard of but he’s just like you and me. 

We talk about:

How he designs his own life

How having $100 in his bank account turned his life around

How he spent 6 months trying to prepare for a job 

Why he moved from India to Singapore

Why he hesitated when he met the girl of his life

Why he won’t stay in Singapore for the long term

Sound effects obtained from https://www.zapsplat.com