Family means everything—no matter where you’re from. But the way we define family and the role it plays in our lives can look very different depending on the culture we grow up in. As someone raised both Filipina and American, I’ve experienced the beauty and complexity of living between two worlds.

So how did you end up here—hyper-responsible, always “on,” and unable to say no? The answer usually lives in those early lessons about love: that it had to be earned, that your worth came from what you could do for others, that taking care of yourself wasn’t a priority. And those lessons are stubborn. They stick around long after the original reasons for them are gone.

Have you ever bent over backwards for someone, hoping they’d finally appreciate you? Maybe you’ve felt like if you just do a little more – cook the perfect dinner, say yes to every request, smooth over every conflict – then you’ll earn the love and respect you crave. It’s an exhausting way to live.

When I think back on becoming a mom, it feels like a mix of pure happiness and really tough moments. Holding my newborn for the first time filled me with a kind of love I didn’t even know was possible. But along with all that joy came feelings I wasn’t ready for—anxiety, total exhaustion, and this nagging self-doubt that I couldn’t shake.

When you hear the word intimacy, your mind might go straight to romance—but emotional intimacy is about so much more than having a crush or being in love. At its heart, it’s the feeling of being understood, supported, and accepted by someone. It’s when you feel safe enough to be your real self—no filters, no pretending.

After years of sitting with people in therapy—teens paralyzed by perfectionism and FOMO,  parents drowning in responsibilities, couples stuck in the same fight—I’ve discovered something surprising: The strongest people aren’t those who never fall apart.

We’ve all had moments where our thoughts spiral: "I’m not smart enough. They don’t like me. Nothing ever works out." It’s like your mind suddenly becomes your own worst critic, replaying doubts on loop. Psychologists call these “cognitive distortions,” but let’s be honest—Stinkin’ Thinkin' captures it perfectly.