#2 Slow is smooth and smooth is fast

18th January 2025 Vibes: Rewatching sitcoms

This Week’s Whisper from the Universe

Slow is smooth and smooth is fast

Let’s Overthink This

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I have this thing for re-watching sitcoms. There’s something so comforting about it—it’s like a warm hug when you need to escape for a while and just relax. Some of my worst days have been salvaged by a good laugh from an episode of my favourite shows (Modern Family, Friends, The Office, The Big Bang Theory, Brooklyn 99, HIMYM…).

Sure, you’ve seen the episodes a couple dozen times, and you already know how the story ends, you know every twist and turn. You probably even know the cold opens or specific dialogues by heart. But somehow, it never gets old :)

The quote "slow is smooth and smooth is fast" is from Modern Family's episode “The Old Wagon.” Let that quote sink in. Make it part of your daily reminders, especially on days when life feels overwhelming, and you’ve got a million things on your plate. Instead of trying to juggle everything at once, take it slow, one step at a time. and well in no time you would have completed a lot of the tasks you set out to even though it seemed impossible at some point!

Now, about change. I’ve always struggled with letting go of physical things. You know, the little memorabilia—friendship bands, slam books, old tickets, old pictures from days where you had to carefully count how many shots were left on a film roll before clicking. I have this box of random knick-knacks that remind me of moments from my past. Some might call me a hoarder, and I am well aware of it, but over time, I’ve gotten better. I’ve donated some items, thrown a few things away, and held onto the ones that truly matter.

When I was growing up, my mom saved my first birthday dress and my 10th birthday dress. While cleaning the house when I was 13, we found them again. Of course, they didn’t fit me anymore, but my mom had kept them because they held sentimental value. Eventually, we decided to donate them because, as special as they were, they could be put to better use by someone else.

Last year, my parents sold the first car they ever bought. That car was a milestone for them, and the memories tied to it were irreplaceable. I still remember the excitement in our living room as we debated the color and model. Letting go of it felt like saying goodbye to a piece of our family’s history.

Nowadays, it’s so much easier to capture moments in pictures and videos on our phones—effortless, instant, and endless. But even today, physical objects carry stories in a way that feels different. There’s something about holding an old friendship band, a ticket stub, or even a faded Polaroid in your hands. It takes you back in time!

The hardest part of letting go, though, isn’t just physical—it’s emotional too. It’s about letting go of the stories we tell ourselves.

Have you ever realised how many narratives you create about yourself over the years? You tell yourself what you’re good at, what you dream of, what hobbies define you. Then one day, you realise maybe you’re not as good at that sport as you thought. Or you love painting, but you’re not quite an artist. Or maybe someone convinced you that reading fiction was a waste of time, so you stopped—but now, every time you pick up a cutesy novel, and life feels good again!

Even relationships evolve. You might think your parents will always be the same as when you were a rebellious teenager, but they change too. They adapt to the person you’ve become, they grow as individuals too, and in turn, you see them differently, you let go of maybe that idea that they were strict, that shift is subtle, almost imperceptible, but one day you wake up and realise your relationship has changed, you parents are like your friends again!

My conclusion from this not so well structured post was that letting go is sometimes a conscious decision (letting go of a friendship you outgrew) and sometimes an unconscious decision we make. The conscious decisions? Those feel especially tough—you know, the “rip the bandaid” moments.

This Week's Soundtrack

Freeze Frame

Nom Nom Nom

My friend bought me some buldak sauce from South Korea, and I use it on almost everything, it's my hot sauce/ketchup replacement and I LOVE IT.

Literary Main Character Moment

Finished reading the Vegetarian by Han Kang, and just wow. It's definitely a very dark and deep read, but here are a few quotes that I highlighted from the book, not a spoiler, so please read it regardless if you want to!

“Life is such a strange thing, she thinks, once she has stopped laughing. Even after certain things have happened to them, no matter how awful the experience, people still go on eating and drinking, going to the toilet and washing themselves - living, in other words. And sometimes they even laugh out loud. And they probably have these same thoughts, too, and when they do it must make them cheerlessly recall all the sadness they'd briefly managed to forget.”

“The feeling that she had never really lived in this world caught her by surprise. It was a fact. She had never lived. Even as a child, as far back as she could remember, she had done nothing but endure.”

“It's your body, you can treat it however you please. The only area where you're free to do just as you like.”

I have so many more, but this is enough for now, in case you plan on reading the book!

I have picked up Normal people by Sally Rooney now, let's see how that goes, have read some incredible reviews!!

What’s Cooking in Your World?

Take a 10-minute walk and notice 3 small, beautiful things around you (romanticise your life). Report back!!

Byeee, Don’t Forget to Hydrate <3