micro memoir

Too Big a Bicycle, Endless Determination

Our family shared a single bicycle. It stood outside our kampong house, leaning against a wooden post.

When I was about twelve, I decided I would learn to ride it.

The bicycle was too big for me. When one pedal reached the bottom, my foot could barely touch it. I wobbled down the rocky path in front of the house, gripping the handlebars as tightly as I could.

The bicycle seemed to have a mind of its own.

It tilted left.

Then right.

Then crashed onto the ground, taking me with it.

The sharp stones scraped my feet and left my knees bleeding. I pushed the bicycle upright and tried again.

And again.

One afternoon, something changed.

The bicycle rolled forward.

The handlebars stayed straight.

For the first time, I was no longer fighting it.

I pedalled past our house and kept going down the path.

The Power of the Written Story

A speaker may share a story with 20 people in a room. But when that same story is written and published online, thousands may read it. One of my stories published quietly reached more than 5,000 views. A speaker spoke once. The written story continued speaking long after the

The MEL Framework: The Easiest Way to Write a Micro-Memoir

Have you ever wanted to write your life story but didn't know where to begin? Start small. Write one memory at a time. I teach a simple framework called MEL. Moment Emotion Lesson Every good micro-memoir has these three ingredients. Here's an example. I was

Studying is Hard

I hated studying. I simply didn't know how to learn. I spent an hour trying to memorise one page, only to forget it after turning to the next. Every poor exam result made me believe my future was doomed. My mother warned me that without a good school

Playing to My Strengths

I joined officer cadet training but failed to graduate. I spent a long time reflecting on the reasons. Perhaps I was too shy, spoke too softly, feared making mistakes, and lacked the boldness expected of a military leader. I was more of an analytical strategist and planner than an infantry

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The Power of the Written Story

The MEL Framework: The Easiest Way to Write a Micro-Memoir

Studying is Hard

Playing to My Strengths