A blog about personal growth. A home for healing.
Hi there! My name is Elinor.
This is a storybook where each page is filled with a heart-felt human story. My hope is that they’ll inspire you to look at your own everyday events differently — with more hope, peace, and wonder.
Here’s to elevating your everyday!
xo, Elinor
Personal Growth
Latest reflections
We see things not as they are, but as we are. — The Talmud
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I woke up to seven unread WeChat messages—all from my mom, who lives halfway across the world in China. Opening the app, I saw pictures of a jacket and two blouses. “I think this shirt will look good with a pair of jeans,” one of her messages read. It was 11:15 p.m. in China. Having
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“Do you know where in the world coffee is grown?” our tour guide, Julio, asked as the ten of us huddled around him, the scent of roasted beans lingering in the air. It was our first time visiting a coffee farm in Costa Rica. Julio led us toward a world map on the wall. “Central
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It was a rainy Saturday morning. Since moving to my new home six months ago, I hadn’t really gotten involved in the community—until yesterday, when I volunteered at the local art museum for the first time. My role was simple: help check in guests as they arrived for a spring event. As an introvert who
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As the VP of Membership at my company’s Toastmasters club, I hold onboarding calls with prospective members to share more about the club and learn why they’re interested in joining. “I’m good at communicating one-on-one, but…” After speaking with 50+ prospective members, I started noticing a pattern—it’s what comes after the but. “But not in a
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During my MBA program, I was part of the Improv Club, where we’d meet every week to play improv games. One of the core principles of improv is “Yes, And.” It’s a simple but powerful rule: accept what another improviser has stated (“yes”) and then build upon it (“and”). It encourages openness, creativity, and the willingness to
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At 10 a.m., a last-minute “Team Communication” invite from our SVP popped up on our calendars—just three hours before the meeting. No context. Just a Microsoft Teams link. At 1 p.m., 300+ faces appeared on the call, engaging in lighthearted small talk. But really, we were all bracing ourselves for what was to come. It’s
Self-Discovery
Latest stories
At the center of your being, you have the answer; you know who you are and you know what you want.” — Lao Tzu
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A few weeks ago, I was FaceTiming with my grandma and telling her about some of the acupuncture points I’ve been learning recently. I shared them with her because she had been trained in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) as a young girl by her father—my great-grandfather. In fact, he was a renowned TCM practitioner with
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When faced with stress and uncertainty, many of us retreat into isolation—but what if connection is the key to resilience? In this episode, I share a personal experience of shutting down in response to workplace stress and the surprising shift that transformed my perspective. Through small moments of human connection—a shared coffee tasting, a lunch…
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This Valentine’s Day, prioritize self-love alongside loving others. Often, our inner critic undermines our self-worth, echoing past judgments from others. By approaching this critic with compassion, we can heal and embrace our true selves. Recognize this critical voice as not your own and offer reassurance, fostering a nurturing relationship with yourself.
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A ray of sunshine in the midst of a week-long of dreary gray skies. The bold, loud opening of Beethoven’s fifth symphony paired with soft and tender melodies. Light against darkness. The absence of sound when you wander deeper into the forest. The warmth and softness of your own bed after two nights of camping.
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During our company’s Lunar New Year celebration, I filled several red envelopes with candy for my team, feeling nostalgic as traditional music played in the background. Having grown up in China, I had so many heartwarming memories of celebrating Chinese New Year with my family: From wearing red from head to toe… To eating handmade
Health & Healing
Latest insights
“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” — Benjamin Franklin
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“Your vitamin D is extremely low,” Dr. K said, peering at my bloodwork. “I recommend a high-dose prescription. It’s taken once a week.” He paused before continuing, “Another thing that really concerns me is your cholesterol level. It looks hereditary, but I’d still recommend considering a statin—a cholesterol-lowering drug.” I sat there taking it all
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Elevate Everyday 