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By Andrea Lo | May 5th, 2020

All Tea No Shade with Andrea Lo

As a freelance journalist specializing in lifestyle media, covering topics like F&B and travel, my work has taken a considerable hit. 

But somehow, in the midst of all of this uncertainty, I have found joy and peace. 

For a long time I placed pretty much all of my focus on my work. Because of this, I lived in a near-constant state of stress and anxiety. I tethered almost all of my self-worth to the projects I worked on, the commissions I received, the pitches that got the green light. Thinking back, I must have been not a very pleasant person to be around (sorry, friends!). 

With the loss of work, and — for the first time in years — a lot of free time on my hands, I started shifting my attention to what should have been the most important focus all along: myself. 

Our new reality has forced my hand in slowing down and spending time on thinking about I want in life, where I want to take my career, building my relationships with family and friends, and most importantly, letting go of negative vibes. 

In a way, I look at this time as something I’ve always secretly wished for: A time to slow down, practice self-care, and indulge in guilty pleasures. 

I craft pitches for stories I’ve always wanted to write, dive into topics I’ve long been interested in exploring, and even get in touch with my spiritual side. (I also have a newfound appreciation for how nice it is to sit alone and channel my energies towards things like writing in a gratitude journal, planning all the travels I’ll be doing when restrictions are lifted, and manifesting happier times when I’ll be reunited with loved ones from around the world. (Yes, I am now transforming into what my friend C accuses me of becoming: a “new age auntie”.)

My takeaway from all of this? One day, when everything goes back to normal, I know I’ll look back on this time and remember it as a period that might have seemed stagnant on the outside, but was actually the perfect opportunity to sit back and self-reflect. 

 

All Tea No Shade with Andrea Lo

    • By Andrea Lo | May 5th, 2020

    All Tea No Shade with Andrea Lo

    As a freelance journalist specializing in lifestyle media, covering topics like F&B and travel, my work has taken a considerable hit. 

    But somehow, in the midst of all of this uncertainty, I have found joy and peace. 

    For a long time I placed pretty much all of my focus on my work. Because of this, I lived in a near-constant state of stress and anxiety. I tethered almost all of my self-worth to the projects I worked on, the commissions I received, the pitches that got the green light. Thinking back, I must have been not a very pleasant person to be around (sorry, friends!). 

    With the loss of work, and — for the first time in years — a lot of free time on my hands, I started shifting my attention to what should have been the most important focus all along: myself. 

    Our new reality has forced my hand in slowing down and spending time on thinking about I want in life, where I want to take my career, building my relationships with family and friends, and most importantly, letting go of negative vibes. 

    In a way, I look at this time as something I’ve always secretly wished for: A time to slow down, practice self-care, and indulge in guilty pleasures. 

    I craft pitches for stories I’ve always wanted to write, dive into topics I’ve long been interested in exploring, and even get in touch with my spiritual side. (I also have a newfound appreciation for how nice it is to sit alone and channel my energies towards things like writing in a gratitude journal, planning all the travels I’ll be doing when restrictions are lifted, and manifesting happier times when I’ll be reunited with loved ones from around the world. (Yes, I am now transforming into what my friend C accuses me of becoming: a “new age auntie”.)

    My takeaway from all of this? One day, when everything goes back to normal, I know I’ll look back on this time and remember it as a period that might have seemed stagnant on the outside, but was actually the perfect opportunity to sit back and self-reflect. 

     

    All Tea No Shade with Andrea Lo