Going back in time to 2021, there was a period during Q3 when I was at a very low point, I wasn’t in a good shape, my mental health and well-being was probably at the bottom of that rabbit hole that I spiralled myself downwards into. 

The above photo was shot on 24th September 2021 by fellow photographer friend Ryan Cheng. A picture speaks a thousand words, on the state of my mental health and well-being during that period. My article on World Mental Health Day 2021 translates them into a pretty lengthy article if you like to know more.

A year has passed, my situation has definitely improved from that dark and down period in 2021, putting aside the normal routine high stress and pressure in running my own photography business in a swinging up and down economic cycle. I am not writing as much in this article (I try to not write as much), as compared to my 2021 article whereby my photography and visual story telling allowed me to unleash (rant) a lot of my thoughts, feelings and emotions at that point in time.

In a period of crisis, there are lessons to be learnt, for you to take note, be mindful and improve on. There is light at the end of the tunnel, there is a beautiful rainbow at the end of this storm. One of the bright sparks/rainbow omen that appear for me, is that my second photography zine (publishing soon) is based on my photography therapy journeys that I embarked during my route to recovery. 

Today on 10th October 2022, World Mental Health Day 2022, I am continuing to spread the message on taking care of your personal mental health and well-being. Please visit and check out this article my alma mater University of Queensland (UQ). “What the health: How do we maintain a healthy headspace”, published by UQ Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences, is a good read.    

Be aware and mindful of your personal mental health and well-being. Take good care and be safe as we rebuild a new future of living and work in a post global pandemic world. 

The post World Mental Health Day 2022 appeared first on TGH Photography and Travel Portal/Blog.

“You can’t wait until life isn’t hard anymore before you decide to be happy”, Jane Marczewski (Nightbirde). 

Everyone of us had own issues, problems and situations to manage, handle and resolve, we all have our ups and downs. Life is never easy, some had it tougher than others. Personally, I had my fair share of ups and downs, however last year 2021 was one of my most difficult periods, mentally and emotionally, there were huge struggles on both personal and professional aspects. I am still struggling (lesser as compared to 2021), I wasn’t happy even though I don’t show it on my facial expressions.

Recalling Nightbirde’s quote, we can choose and decide to be happy. A gentle reminder, a wake up call, I can choose and decide to be happy. This is not going to be an instant change, first and foremost, I am making the decision to be happy, while facing all the incoming headwinds and challenges head on.

Jane Marczewski (Nightbirde) passed away on 19th February 2022, her voice, words, positivity and courage will always be remembered. 

Rest in peace, Nightbirde.

The post Decide to be Happy appeared first on TGH Photography and Travel Portal/Blog.

Photography 

Business

Running any business, no matter whether it’s a small, medium or big business, it’s just very tough, very difficult and very stressful. Throw in a global pandemic situation that further transformed into an economic crisis, the magnitude increased exponentially. No educational textbooks can really teach you everything about running and operating a business, let alone a photography business. 

While I didn’t exactly started off properly in my photography business a few years back due to some unforeseen circumstances, when this global pandemic wave hit us in 2020, this was a major setback. I didn’t know exactly know what steps to take, it took me a while to navigate, adapt and change my photography services portfolio. 

In a harsh and brutal analysis, switching photography genres and services can be playing catch up with fellow photographers in those particular fields. Considering the ongoing and near future impacts of this global pandemic situation, I have switched my photography genres services as well as adding digital marketing/social media marketing into a digital agency setup. Therefore, I established TGH Digital Studio earlier in the year and I am working to expand on this in Year 2022. 

Personal/Leisure

Although I didn’t put more time into my personal/leisure photography as I would love to, I was glad to rediscover the art and wonder of nature therapy/forest therapy, a.k.a. Shinrin-Yoku (森林浴) – forest bathing. Entering into the world of nature, green spaces and the great outdoors was my haven for refuge during this particular period whereby I was in a rut, in a really bad emotional and mental health well-being. 

A big thank you from the bottom of my heart to my photography outdoors explorer friends that trekked together with me exploring forest bathing and offering me priceless and unwavering support and encouragement during my downtime. 

Travel 

Exploring my own backyard / Domestic 

The good and bad thing about us being unable to travel overseas, is that we explore our own backyard. For me, even though I have been regularly going out to explore my own backyard, it feels good and refreshing to re-explore my own backyard again, documenting and updating my collections.   

The bad thing to me is, everyone is now a hiker, cyclist, nature lover or heritage and conservation advocate probably because they can’t travel out of Singapore for their regular holidays. While they probably have good intentions, their actions and ethics prove/shown otherwise. 

International 

At the start of 2021, I was cautiously optimistic that I would be able to travel out again around Q3 or Q4 2021. However, I got myself thrown into a spiral downwards into a rut due to various situations happening in mid 2021. The travel situation in the earlier part of the year wasn’t that optimistic as well. 

As time progressed into Q3 2021, there were vaccinated travel lane (VTL) arrangements between Singapore and a list of countries, opening up the possibilities for people to travel out. However, there were still many uncertainties with this ongoing global pandemic situation. The emergence of the new variant Omicron has put international travel back to a slowdown again.

As a co-host of Travel Talk on Twitter (TTOT) community chat on Twitter taking place every Tuesday 9:30am GMT and 9:30pm GMT, I learned a lot more about the international travel and tourism situations from fellow travel and tourism friends and networks. 

I was reminded on this life lesson, “Travel can be a privilege”, a constant reminder to myself. During this global pandemic crisis, this quote is even more prevalent, revealing the widening gap between the rich and the rest.

There are still many travel uncertainties, rules, restrictions and lockdowns can change at the snap of the finger by the respective authorities of the country. I also have a tight financial situation due to my photography business being affected by this pandemic. 

When can we really truly restart tourism again? I would share my thoughts and views in another article in January 2022, an update to my earlier articles “When can we Restart Tourism?” and “World Tourism Day 2021”. 

Last but not least

Year 2021 had been a very turbulent year of many ups and downs, disappointments and heartaches from unnecessary expectations. There were many life and business lessons handed out to me, priceless and painful.

Do visit my TGH Technology and Business Portal/Blog too! I have also published a reflection, thoughts and views article in my technology, business and personal segments.

Signing off Year 2021 with a beautiful sunset to say goodbye to Year 2021, good riddance to bad rubbish. It’s been a very painful time, very difficult and tough, mentally, emotionally and financially for me personally. I will learn, remember and apply the good and bad lessons from this year. I will also make sure that I will never let myself fall as low as what happened to me in 2021. 

Year 2022 is starting soon, a new year, a fresh and brand new start in an ongoing global pandemic situation. I would share more about my plans and directions in the Year 2022 for my photography and travel segments inside my upcoming Theme and Goals for Year 2022 article. 

To all those who had pulled me up when I was down at the bottom, as well as those who supported and encouraged me throughout this very difficult Year 2021, I sincerely thank you from the bottom of my heart, no amount of words can show my utmost appreciation towards what you all had done for me. 

It’s time to say Goodbye Year 2021 and Welcome Year 2022.

The post Reflecting Year 2021 (Photography and Travel) appeared first on TGH Photography and Travel Portal/Blog.

Photography by Isaac Ong

I am not going to share P2HA restrictions photos or talk much about the restrictions in place, the stacked up tables and chairs at kopitiam, cafes, food outlets or the taped up benches and tables at hawker centres, like what I published previously here. However, I would still continue documenting and photographing P2HA whenever possible. 

Photography by Ryan Cheng

Our mental and emotional health/well-being are receiving further and bigger impacts from the ongoing COVID-19 fatigue along with cabin fever. It’s more than a year now since 2020 when the global pandemic hit us, everyone is feeling very tired, it’s taking a big toll on our mental and emotional health. We can see more people around us getting depressed with news of three murder cases within a week in Singapore doesn’t bade well on our current mental and emotional health/well-being. My mental and emotional health/well-being took a hit in the earlier P2HA, I was depressed, in a rut and I was blessed to have friends who pulled me out. 

Through my own photography therapy, trekking into nature and outdoors for forest bathing, I found solace, peace and tranquility again during this ongoing battle against this global pandemic. While this was’t an immediate recovery, it was a slow and steady pace for me. If you are feeling mentally and emotionally burnt out, feeling depressed, you are not alone, you’ll never walk alone, you have your family, loved ones and friends beside you to help you through this.

Please speak to someone that you can trust, go for physical and exercise activities, get into outdoors and nature, return back to your hobbies. You can also do/start something new too. Mental health matters, your mental health and emotional health matters. Take good care of yourself first and you would be able to help other people, from your family, loved ones, to friends and others in the society that have fallen through the cracks.

I am working on a photography therapy project at the moment, I hope that my upcoming humble photography therapy book/zine can help you or play a small role in improving your mental and emotional health/well-being. 

Is there light at the end of the tunnel in this ongoing battle with this global pandemic? Initially, it seemed like we can see light at the end of the tunnel yet the return of P2HA again dampen the whole recovery journey. This is definitely a long and lengthy battle against this global pandemic COVID-19 with many turbulence of ups and downs, this dip might derail our recovery efforts towards a new normal. Let this be the time to unite, be strong and work closely together to continue our fight and recovery journey against  this global pandemic. 

Return of P2HA – Please Take Good Care!

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