We often talk about heartbreak after a breakup, but what about the heartbreak of never having had that kind of relationship at all? More and more, people are taking to social media to talk about the pain of being “chronically single” – the one who
There’s a certain kind of person who carries the world quietly on her shoulders.She learned early that love was earned through usefulness.That her worth was measured by how much she could hold without breaking.And that to need less was to be loved more. Many eldest
Understanding Why You Were Given (or Took On) So Much For so many eldest daughters of immigrant families, responsibility didn’t arrive with a ceremony. It wasn’t given like a gift; it crept in quietly, folded into the corners of everyday life. You learned to bridge
Defining the Eldest Daughter Experience When we talk about the eldest daughter, we usually mean the first-born girl. But often, the realities are more complex. The mantle of “eldest-ness” may shift (or be placed on someone) not always by birth, but by burden, by culture,
Let’s talk about something uncomfortable: the fetishization of Asian women. On the surface, it can look like a compliment – being called “exotic,” being told we’re “more attractive” than other women, being the “preference.” But if you scratch beneath that surface, you find a history
When someone dies by suicide, it leaves behind deep pain and heavy questions. For those who were close to the person whether family, friends, classmates, or coworkers, the grief can feel overwhelming, confusing, and sometimes isolating. The way we respond matters. Whether you’re an individual
From the outside, everything looks fine. You’re showing up to work, you’re keeping your relationships intact, and checking off milestones. Maybe you’re even excelling! But inside? There’s a quiet, heavy ache. A numbness. A thought that creeps in when you’re driving home or lying awake
Growing up with emotionally immature (EI) parents often leaves adult children with lingering confusion, frustration, and self-doubt. EI parents may have been reactive, dismissive, self-centered, or simply emotionally unavailable. They often lacked the capacity to attune to your feelings or needs. As a child, you
If you’re navigating recovery from disordered eating, you might find yourself stuck in a confusing in-between space—wanting to change, but also not wanting to let go. This is ambivalence, and it’s a completely normal (and often frustrating) part of the recovery process. Ambivalence sounds like:“I
Aging is a natural part of life, but when it begins to affect our parents, it can feel particularly disorienting and overwhelming. For many adult children, especially within Asian communities, navigating a parent’s aging process can bring up deep emotional responses, cultural expectations, and sometimes,
