The Decode Diary

After her career started, she felt she needed to do more. For the money, of course. But also to share and teach while learning. According to her, we resonate on the notion that we learn best when we teach. Belle seems to be confident she will continue to work towards giving her own workshop whenever she has the chance.

I think there is just something about people who talk about their goals and their eyes light up the moment they see their vision come true. I hope this one does for her too.

Listen to the full conversation here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3W9fVRmkEyohLYj6f7VAxc?si=DsByOhT1T0SSij4PgFrZjg

When I first heard about her job as a reservoir engineer, I didn't think it was something to do with the oil and gas industry. I thought it was closely related to reservoirs and waste water management. As if I didn't know enough about the field, she shared with me how on a high level overview the oil and gas industry works.

Of course, there is the drilling, then the extraction and filter before the transportation which feeds into the network of energy sources we have today. I take this as a small step towards understanding how other fields work through the real life experiences of others and it is interesting to see the stories coming out of them.

Listen to the full conversation here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3W9fVRmkEyohLYj6f7VAxc?si=DsByOhT1T0SSij4PgFrZjg

When asked about her role in her field, her eyes lit up and that is when you know someone is purely interested in what they are doing. Or maybe they are good actors, except I don't think Belle was acting up. From this conversation alone, I got to know the different streams in the oil and gas industry, specifically from her role as a reservoir engineer.

In this snippet, we talked about her problem-solving skills in the field and how she leveraged what she learnt back in university in her job. It is the small detail that she cares about and that I have to observe in order to find out that it is the reason why she is well-versed at her work.

Listen to the full conversation here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3W9fVRmkEyohLYj6f7VAxc?si=DsByOhT1T0SSij4PgFrZjg

When I saw Belle’s graduation on her Instagram story, I reached out to her to know her story. Despite being a fresh graduate, she is very well-versed in her field of chemical engineering. To be more exact, she is a reservoir engineer. If you are like me wondering what a reservoir engineer does, this conversation is for you.

In this episode, we dive deep into her journey from developing interest in physics and chemistry back in high school to selecting chemical engineering as her major and then being a reservoir engineer. To her, by her own words, science is everything and can explain everything. More importantly, Belle is just like me and you, trying to grasp a foothold of her career.

Timeline:

[00:00] Graduating with a chemical engineering degree

[06:57] The most valuable lesson from university

[12:16] Problem solving skills in chemical engineering

[28:11] The economics of the oil and gas industry

[37:26] The challenges in her role as a reservoir engineer and her long term career goals

[40:04] She gave her own workshop in university

[43:32] On coaching and giving her own workshop in the future

[46:00] Her bad academic history

[53:59] Her big plans on coaching

[58:44] Her advice to university students

[01:02:00] Her short term plans

Although hitting the gym has been a trend for many years, for many reasons, I want to talk about this because I want to find out why people are taking to social media to show a picture of their biceps when things like this wouldn't have happened 50 years ago.

Maybe social media played a part, maybe the idea of sharing the perfect workout routine that leads to the perfect body shape makes sense, maybe it is to promote a healthier lifestyle among the hustle and bustle, whatever it is, I'm here to find out with Joshua.

Listen to the full conversation here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4bx2rGLsElpFqbFV8IfaUj?si=HLQGc6jlRI-2pTfxAxs-Ng

I have only recently started going to the gym because for my whole life, I have stuck to a home workout routine. Probably because it is cheap and you get to be the sole user of all the equipment. The sad truth is there are not a lot of options, be it equipment or exercises. The way to get serious in working out is to at least know the fundamentals before any injury hits. 

Joshua, a financial advisor turned gym personal trainer, comes onto the show to share what he feels like is the perfect workout routine. Even if there is none, he prefers a set of routines that may very well be the best-bang-for-your-buck workout. More than just that, we discussed what the trending gym culture is like and how it impacts gym goers like he and I. 

If you are into gym sessions, this is probably the conversation to listen to.

Timeline:

[00:00] How the gym culture has evolved

[14:44] Can anyone be a gym personal trainer?

[20:00] What is his daily routine like?

[23:39] Feeling burnt out working out or coaching

[32:32] Fear of judgment in the gym

[39:33] Self-compassion vs self-critical in the gym

[48:18] The ideal workout routine

[52:57] Is there a real need for a personal trainer?

[58:50] Workouts that we shouldn’t do

[59:43] Exposing my workout routine

[01:25:07] Stretching - how should we do it?

[01:29:59] Hitting the gym with your friends

[01:33:12] People who groan and grunt in the gym

[01:35:20] Can everyone push hard or is it genetics-bound?

[01:40:40] His advice to gym goers

I don't know how, and I don't want to know how. But Jennefer did it in an elegant way. She chose the way many wouldn't and I'm not saying this should be the only approach, but I hope anyone who has to go through a heartbreak chooses to forgive and let go.

Cry a little, be sad a little, go through the 7 stages of denial, and then as a closing to the event, try to forgive a little.

Listen to the full conversation here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6586CgeMD0srbpiPdZl3Xy?si=l1DJIfEpTlOQpqiTxOMgdQ

I have always wondered what people do on dating apps like Tinder. I mean, it is a chatting app where you get to know people and talk to them based on primarily their looks. I am lucky to have Jennefer on the show to describe how she dates on Tinder.

Fun fact: I went on to the app to try it for awhile, only to be put off by the surface-level chitchats and unintimidating topics that I didn't have the time for. Moreover, there were a lot of scams that I almost fell for and it is imperative to stay vigilant because I know how dangerous it is to love at first sight.

Listen to the full conversation here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6586CgeMD0srbpiPdZl3Xy?si=l1DJIfEpTlOQpqiTxOMgdQ