TODAY

Voices: Can we really afford to 'treat ourselves' this December without blowing our budget? "One treat won't break us, but letting it become a habit will. Don't let your December happiness turn into January regret," writes financial author Dawn Cher. 🛍💸 https://cna.asia/48tDU2h Follow https://cna.asia/telegram for more.

Voices: In the depths of my grief, I turned to social media for comfort. It only made me feel worse "I was even thankful for how (the social media algorithm), designed for prolonging engagement, kept me mindlessly scrolling and distracted me from the pain I was facing," writes CNA TODAY's Loraine Lee. 💔📱 https://cna.asia/4pjOmPr Follow https://cna.asia/telegram for more.

Adulting: Need a holiday after your holiday? Cramming in less on overseas trips can be more fulfilling You spend months saving TikTok videos and planning the "perfect" itinerary but then come home more exhausted than when you left. Sound familiar? ✈️https://cna.asia/3XIYNjO Follow https://cna.asia/telegram for more.

Up Close: 'I need to pull off something amazing' – Thiruben wants to win Singapore's first SEA Games 800m medal in 52 years "I think the only thing stopping people from pursuing a sporting career in Singapore is because they don't have the opportunity to earn from it." Off the track, national record holder Thiruben Thana Rajan wants to help make a career in sports viable for generations to come. 🏃🇸🇬 https://cna.asia/49uenHk Follow https://cna.asia/telegram for more.

Ground Up: Built from sweat, stalled by succession: What happens when Singapore's SMEs have no one to take over the helm "Every day, they're solving problems, so succession gets pushed to 'later, later, later'. It's like exercise. You think it's not important, you say you have no time, but it's actually very important," one expert said. ➡️ https://cna.asia/4pkotiv Follow https://cna.asia/telegram for more.

Big Read: Meet the robot cats, companions and AI tools transforming the way Singapore looks after seniors "The residents are aware that they are robots. Even then, they make an attachment with them," said one rehabilitation manager at a nursing home, where robot companions are a regular feature of activities. 🤖👵 https://cna.asia/3K78KVc Follow https://cna.asia/telegram for more.

Dear readers, This account will be signing off from Dec 1, but we’re not going away! You can continue to enjoy your favourite features like the Big Read, Ground Up, and Up Close — your weekly dose of inspiring human interest stories, deep dives into key issues, and practical life tips on our website and on CNA’s social media accounts. Thank you for being part of the CNA TODAY community. Don’t miss a beat - follow us at: YouTube: @channelnewsasia TikTok: @channelnewsasia Instagram: @channelnewsasia Facebook: @channelnewsasia LinkedIn: https://sg.linkedin.com/company/channelnewsasia Telegram: https://cna.asia/telegram WhatsApp: https://cna.asia/whatsapp

Voices: Why I'm keeping an open mind about becoming a middle manager, even as many of my Gen Z peers aren't "There are still moments I think I should be wanting or seeking middle management. After all, that is what success is 'supposed' to look like. But over time, I've realised what I want more is space to grow, to learn, and to work in ways that feel meaningful," writes Ms Nicole Chan, a Gen Z worker. 💼🪜 https://cna.asia/49QiLAq Follow https://cna.asia/telegram for more.

Mental Health Matters: 'I'm manifesting': Does science back the idea we can think our way to positive outcomes? Experts say that when we imagine success, repeat affirmations or visualise our goals, we are not conjuring magic, but activating the brain's reward and motivation circuits. 🧠https://cna.asia/47IbXUh Follow https://cna.asia/telegram for more.

In Pixels: Meet the 81-year-old man behind the lens at one of KL's oldest photo studios "Even my children are not interested in continuing this business," said Mr Low Kok Kee, on the struggles of keeping the lights on at one of the oldest traditional photo studios in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.  📸🖼 https://cna.asia/43ppP3e Follow https://cna.asia/telegram for more.

Up Close: No awkward kisses, no risky nudity – this intimacy coordinator ensures actors feel safe on set "The idea that an actor is allowed to have boundaries wasn’t part of my vocabulary," said Ms Rayann Condy who used to be a freelance actress. Besides being the only certified intimacy director here, she also teaches a module incorporating intimacy skills at LASALLE. 🎭 https://cna.asia/4i31pT6 Follow https://cna.asia/telegram for more.

Big Read: Why Singapore's kids are no longer playing at void decks and corridors, and what's lost as a result Structured play programmes offer skill-building and supervision for time-scarce parents, but experts say spontaneous play remains essential for developing independence, creativity and social skills. ⚽️ https://cna.asia/49TQ9q3 Follow https://cna.asia/telegram for more.

Voices: Why I turned my lifelong fear of embarrassment into a public art display "Never in my life did I think I would ever be standing in a public mall, looking at my personal work plastered on the walls where hundreds of people pass by each day." CNA Digital graphic designer Nurjannah Suhaimi reflects on her chronic fear of embarrassment. 🙀✍ https://cna.asia/4nX2rBt Follow https://cna.asia/telegram for more.

Ground Up: 'Profit always comes second' – Amid silver economy boom, young adults are redefining care for Singapore's seniors As Singapore heads for "super aged" status, a new generation is stepping up – not as doctors or nurses, but as founders using tech, fitness and design to help seniors move, live and age with dignity. 👴👵 https://cna.asia/47W06AS Follow https://cna.asia/telegram for more.

Big Read: From guilt to financial woes, single parents face many challenges and need better support "I can spiral anytime, but I just don't for the sake of my children," says one single mother on the challenges she faces each day. ❤️‍🩹 https://cna.asia/4oBEd0B Follow https://cna.asia/telegram for more.

Voices: My kids are obsessed with '6-7'. Should I be worried about internet brain rot? Sick of "6-7"? The reality is that there's no hiding our kids from internet brain rot, says this mum-of-five. Instead, she's digging deeper into "Ballerina Cappuccina" and other brain rot to encourage her children to think critically about what they see online. 6⃣7⃣ https://cna.asia/47t71m1 Follow https://cna.asia/telegram for more.

Adulting: The office freeloader – Why some colleagues always seem to do less and get away with it Experts say tell-tale signs of a freeloader at work include repeated missed deadlines, vague or superficial progress updates, and a pattern of relying on others to complete shared tasks. 👨‍💼👩‍💼 https://cna.asia/4nIALjB Follow https://cna.asia/telegram for more.

Up Close: Rising to the occasion – How this heartland baker gained global recognition for her sweet treats A decade ago, Ms Joanne Huang was a hip hop dance teacher visiting Singapore on a working holiday. She found love in a club, became a heartlands baker and this year clinched the global Confectioner of the Year award for Singapore. 🧑‍🍳🥖 https://cna.asia/4qObyqO Follow https://cna.asia/telegram for more.

Big Read: When healthcare becomes a buffet – How to stop the cycle of rising costs driven by private health insurance For this knot to become untangled, everyone – insurers, healthcare providers and consumers – have to move in tandem, with regulators leading the charge, experts said. 🏥💵 https://cna.asia/4qKwcYM Follow https://cna.asia/telegram for more.

Voices: I'm a millennial who cannot cook at all. Here's why I have no plans to learn "I had to admit that the 'domestic goddess' blood simply does not run in my veins." A handful of half-hearted attempts aside, this millennial writer has neither the time nor the interest in learning how to cook. She wonders: Is that so bad? 🍳 https://cna.asia/3WJyEB1 Follow https://cna.asia/telegram for more.