Dear Younger Me, You’re probably lying awake in your little room, staring at the ceiling, wondering—what am I supposed to do with my life? You think everyone else seems to know. You scroll through your social media feed and see peers with straight-A grades, polished resumes, confident smiles, and dream schools. And there you are—still […]
28
Jun
Jun
Ironman training isn’t just about endurance. It’s about transformation. When I first signed up for my first Ironman 70.3 more than 2 years ago, I thought I was preparing for a triathlon. What I didn’t realize was that I was about to undergo a complete mindset shift. This journey became more than just swimming, cycling, […]
27
Jun
Jun
A Valley That Didn’t Exist—So I Created It Some journeys don’t begin with a bold announcement. They begin quietly—with a question, a moment of pause, a longing we don’t yet have words for. For me, Sunny Valley began like that. I was sitting with a cup of green tea one morning, as the soft hum […]
25
Jun
Jun
Introduction When people ask me what experience changed my life the most, I always go back to the same memory: the day I boarded a plane at 17 years old and flew across the world from Vietnam to Canada. I was heading to Pearson College UWC, one of the schools in the United World Colleges […]
24
Jun
Jun
I still remember the first time I created a vision board. It was during my secondary school years, in my hometown in Vietnam. I had a big dream—to study abroad. That dream felt far away, but something in me believed it could be possible. So I gathered old magazines, cut out inspiring words and images […]
23
Jun
Jun
The Power of Pen and Paper I love writing. In an age of constant noise, swiping, and scrolling, journaling has become my way of pausing—of listening inwards instead of outwards. It’s a practice of returning to myself. Over the years, I’ve experimented with many types of journal prompts. Some were simple reflection questions, others were […]
21
Jun
Jun
It’s always peaceful about waking up early on a Saturday morning, especially when you know most of the world is still under the covers. That quiet moment before the city stirs feels like a small victory, like you’ve overcome the temptation to snooze and gifted yourself the day before it even begins. I cherish Saturdays […]
18
Jun
Jun
When I look back on the journey that brought me from a small town in Vietnam to studying and living in different countries, I can trace much of it back to a simple but powerful tool: a vision board. It may sound like magic, but it isn’t. A vision board is a mirror of your […]
17
Jun
Jun
Tonight, I wrapped up my second training session of the day—swimming practice with Coach Khoa at 8 PM. As I walked home and sat down to unwind, I felt an overwhelming sense of pride. It’s hard to describe the calm that follows a tough but fulfilling workout. Today’s session was full of leg drills and […]
16
Jun
Jun
Happy Monday! My heart is still glowing from the incredible conversation I had yesterday with Nguyen Hoang Minh Hieu, our very first guest on the Sunny Valley Podcast. His story is nothing short of extraordinary, and I’m honored to share it with you. Hieu and I are both alumni of UWC Pearson College. Although we […]