"Trust yourself, it’s not easy to push through the fear but once you do, the right things fall into place and that's the beauty of life, reinventing yourself again and again."

Galissa has built her life in layers, marketer, model, co-founder of Singapore's first acai soft serve café, and now a mother navigating the beautiful chaos of doing it all at once. Each chapter arrived differently than the last, but every one of them was chosen with intention.

Split between Singapore and Bali, her days are full in the truest sense. Team meetings, content shoots, home-cooked meals, and the sacred fifteen minutes alone on the couch.

In this edition of PORTRAITS, I'm glad Galissa finally said yes. Her story is a reminder that sometimes the next chapter arrives when you're finally ready to meet it.

All photos in this post are courtesy of Galissa, @galissas.

01. Hi Galissa, could you share a little about yourself?

Hi, I’m a mum to a 2-year-old little girl, model and a Community Manager at a boutique agency in Singapore. I love spending my days by the beach and split my time between Singapore and Bali.

02. Your journey hasn't followed a very traditional path. How did you come to shape a life that feels true to you?

To be honest, the roles I had after University didn’t spark anything in me, I didn’t enjoy living for the weekend. After a couple of years of working, I wanted to pursue fashion which is still somewhat my first love, I did, and then a completely different opportunity presented itself - to co-found and run Singapore's first acai soft serve café. As tough as that was, working 14-hour days and feeling exhausted, I felt fulfilled. I knew my life was meant for more than a 9-to-5. I enjoyed dabbling in different areas and thats how I’ve landed at this stage in life.

03. You move between many different roles. How do you navigate without being pulled in too many directions?

I think becoming a parent just alters something in you, especially being a mum. Even when you think and feel you can’t keep going, you somehow just do it and push through. Before becoming a mum, I had non-negotiables — small self care rituals. Be it a workout, skin care routine, making time to block out the noise. It very much applies and is something I’ve learnt to apply to prevent becoming burnt out, so I can be the best version of myself. 

04. What does a day in your life look like these days?

Lots of multitasking, juggling a never-ending task list and trying to manage the 150 tabs open in my brain at any point in time.
But it consists of team meetings, shooting content, planning posts that most of the time never make it to my feed (work in progress), spending quality time with my daughter, cooking as many home cooked meals as I can and trying to balance it all while being a good wife. 

05. You share a lot on self care and lifestyle, what does taking care of yourself look like for you in practice?

These days, cooking for myself and my family feels like the biggest form of self-care, we all have to eat. I stopped making it feel like a chore so I can actually enjoy the process. Occasionally it involves a massage, but most of the time it's skincare while my daughter naps and I check 4 things off my to-do list at the same time.

06. How has becoming a mother shifted your relationship with time, rest, or yourself?

I think this will forever be a work in progress at every stage, but I do try to carve out time for myself and the key is to romanticise the small things. Your time alone as a mum is sacred, even if it's just eating ice cream alone and sitting on the couch for 15 minutes, it can be enough to  fill my cup. I guess it's also perspective so you appreciate what you have.

07. What do you find most challenging about this season of life, and how are you learning to move through it?

So many things, but I think now that I’ve taken on a new role and having more responsibilities while trying to be a good mum, being kind to myself is important. No 2 days look or feel the same, some days I can power through but I always remember to be kind to myself in this season/transition because I’m doing my best. Having some solo time in the heat of the crazy also always helps. Actually I always keep the Eartha roll-on in my bag and when I’m anxious, I roll it on my wrist and inhale, a quiet reset no matter where I am.

08. Having experienced some of Eartha's rituals, was there anything in particular that resonated with you.

Perhaps a scent, a moment, or feeling it brought.

I’ve loved Eartha for so long, I've been a customer since the Slow Rituals days, and the roll-ons have always been something I’ve kept in my bag, I think especially during post-partum, when I often find myself alone. There’s no way I can walk out for a massage whenever I want, but the scents always kept me grounded. Anything with geranium is something I especially love. The scent always brings me back to a time where I remember how important these quiet resets are.

09. For someone who feels lost or a little unsure about their path, what advice would you gently offer?

As someone who has always been very candid online, I felt a little jaded for a while figuring out my next steps, but everything happens at the right time and I’m glad that I trusted myself.

I’m growing in a new role and figuring out the juggling act of being a mum while pursuing something I enjoy. It is a challenge but one I'm glad I'm taking on because I have an extra pair of eyes watching me now and I want to lead by example.

Trust yourself, it’s not easy to push through the fear but once you do, the right things fall into place and that's the beauty of life, reinventing yourself again and again.