Another year around the sun, lessons learned and a personal invitation to celebrate with me!
So I’m gong to let you know now that this going to be a bit of a long post - so I’d recommend brewing a cup of green tea and getting cosy.
Each year I celebrate my birthday, I go inward, I question my reason for being and tend to go deep into questions like…
Why am I even here? (Maybe don’t do this one on your own because it led me to an identity crisis 🤣)
What makes my heart sing?
What impact am I making on the lives of others? How have I served well?
What lessons have I learned?
How far have I journeyed? #CelebrateTheWins
And where do I want to go with intention in this new year of my life?
If I can get into #RealTalk mode, this year, I felt like my birthday was reminding me of all the ways I don’t measure up, of all the things I haven’t achieved. I know right, not exactly ‘Happy birthday to me’ vibes. So I decided to gently nudge myself to re-wire these thoughts and pull together a trip down memory lane, reflect on the lessons I’ve learned over the last 365 days and spill the tea on a couple of things I’d love to have you part of.
For my last birthday, it’s surreal to think I was living in another continent and I had these photos taken to remember my time in Singapore and what I loved about it! Photo Credit: Nigel Lau
CELEBRATING THE WINS AND HIGHLIGHT REEL OF 2019!
1. Journeyed with Facebook as a Facebook Community Leader, where they named me as “one of the most inspiring community leaders in the world”.
I was able to participate in two more leadership meet-ups which made my heart burst even more than I thought it could - once in Singapore and then Facebook HQ in Silicon Valley in July. What a beautiful movement and community to be part of. I hold so much love and respect to the people I’ve been able to nurture meaningful relationships with.
One of our final community photos taken together!
2. With the support of Twitter APAC, I pilot launched, P.S. You’re Awesome…
A leadership series I led and facilitated that centred around convening leaders in Singapore to come together to share stories, experiences and have safe space to say what they’ve always wanted to or to seek support, inspiration and resources.
A candid snapshot to these intimate in-person gatherings to hear from changemakers, commmunity leaders and mission-driven entrepreneurs in Singapore sharing a very real picture of what it looked like behind-the-cenes.
3. I traveled to the land of Moomin, ‘Sisu’ and Saunas…Finland
I am inspired by it’s people, the values they have as a society and how they embrace ‘sisu’ - this inner resilience and the fact that nature and community are big parts of who they are. Their education system is inspiring, too! I headed into the Arctic Circle to rest my heart and mind…and it is by far one of my favourite experiences ever. Definitely one for the memory books - and to be able to witness a dazzling display of the Northern Lights - I am definitely celebrating that win!
Photo credit from our amazing group lead, Theo, of Wild about Lapland. Click to view their experiences!
4. Selected to join ‘Our Singapore Leadership Programme’ which is specially curated by National Youth Council and MCCY
A programme that focuses on how to build up the national perspectives of Singaporeans young working adults as well as develop them to become more effective leaders as Singapore enters the next phase of growth. It’s a place for youth leaders and change makers from various sectors to have the opportunity to understand the different national and community issues, their considerations and trade-offs.
A community snap taken on our first day together with other OSLP participants!
5. Out of over 1000 women in the South-East-Asia region, I made the 2% and was selected to represent in 2018’s United States Mission to ASEAN - Young South East Asian Leadership Initiative, Women’s Leadership Academy.
I represented Singapore and I’ve enjoyed getting to meet and become friends with other women in leadership across the region - I have loved seeing everyones personal journeys over the years and hope to continue learning and growing together!
6. Generation T gave me the honour of being one of just 400 movers and shakers across Asia…
…and recognised me for harnessing the power of community to help people in need and listed me as“One of the leaders of tomorrow who are shaping Asia’s future”
Deeply appreciative of the opportunity and the honour to represent the Asia region - wearing my heart on my sleeve and continually finding out ways to serve people!
7. I followed my heart and made the leap of love and faith to leave all that is familiar to me in Singapore…
…after living here for over a decade) and moving to the other side of the planet, the San Francisco Bay Area.
8. I said ‘I do’ to my purpose partner and to an adventure of a lifetime…
in an intimate civil ceremony and in the presence of our parents and family.
9. I was selected for programming at Harvard Business School’s Social Enterprise Initiative…
…to represent Singapore and the work I do in leading Blessings in a Bag. I was in awe with everyone in the room and was moved to tears by some of the class lectures - so much of what I felt like a misfit and misunderstood for in Singapore, I finally felt seen, heard and like I wasn’t crazy.
10. I made my first hire over at Blessings in a Bag…
…with the support of friends, mentors and an amazing corporate secretary team (email me if you want their details because they have been such a guiding light for me behind-the-scenes). Blessings in a Bag now has it’s first full time employee journeying with us since November of last year.
This is a screen grab from one of our recent Community Happy Hour calls and we’re looking forward to continue these beyond Covid-19! If you’d like to find out how to be a part of our community, how to support or get involved, please visit Blessings in a Bag’s website or across any social media platform!
11. I struggled and journeyed through deep depression…
…with all the changes I was going through and aside from my circle of support, I was able to keep it ‘under wraps’. I say this, not because I was ashamed but because it was important for me to keep showing up in the best way I can and know how so that the many changes I was navigating through, wouldn’t cause the rest of the community to feel unsettled or uncertain. While I no longer feel like there is this heavy weight constantly that makes it incredibly hard to want to do anything and while the hopelessness has faded for the most part, I have to remind myself to be present with myself, my emotions, the thoughts and to ensure I set intentional time needed to support myself in the ways I’ve come to learn I need the most (like time in Nature!)
12. I launched the Global Community Connection Call series…
a monthly of facilitated but highly intimate conversations with leaders, mission-driven entrepreneurs and purpose-full people. We gather - distraction free - to talk about what's coming up for us on our personal journeys, what's important for us, what wins we have to celebrate, resources and best practices, what pain we can share and hold space in. Read some of the testimonials and words of praise by clicking here and come sign up (at no cost!) for the next one that’s coming up real soon!
This is a quick snapshot taken at the end of a recent Community Connection Call - we don’t take group photos as we honour the privacy and safety of the space but if someone wants to have a photo taken, I happily do so and love that this one was snapped together with a friend who joins the call each month!
13. Putting pen to paper and writing my first thought/opinion pieces…
…on my personal experiences of what it’s like to be a community leader and navigate the ins and outs and the ups and downs along the way. I was featured on Thrive Global and I’m excited to be contributing to the Singapore Kindness Movement’s The Pride.
14. Taking adventures together with mum and dad…
…and being able to take them to one of my favourite places in the world - out in the wilderness of Yosemite National Park.
I probably took a million photos in Yosemite but this one happened to be on my laptop at the time I write this! How unreal does the background look?!
And finally…Naming and claiming what my why and reason for being is:
“I journey with you to start where you are, cheerlead you to own your superpowers and change the world.” I continue to share my belief in all three things through a variety of ways - more below! AND! Launching my own website after many years of putting it off. Yes, it’s the website you’re reading this on!
The 10 Lessons I’ve learned
1. Start where you are.
That’s what I did when I started a career in radio at the age of 17. It’s what I did when I knew I wanted to do something more to help other people. I had to remind myself of this last year when I made the move to the San Francisco Bay Area. It was a really challenging time and I only confided in people closest to me - so holding onto this belief of mine helped to hang onto hope. Remembering that at any given moment, in any given place and any given time - you have all you need to start where you are is so precious and powerful. It’s scary to start again, to try something new but I believe it’s what makes life more beautiful and meaningful when you can look back and see how the dots connect.
2. Ask for help.
When you find people you can trust, lean on them, confide in them, share with them. Sometimes, it can feel like you’re at the end of the rope - your friends, your mentors and your support pillars will often see things in a different perspective. They will speak to your strengths, to your superpowers and remind you of where you’ve been. I made it an intentional decision to create new support systems as soon as I left Singapore and I’m so glad I did! From the healthcare providers I turned to for information on my prescription refills to the church community that bubbles over with hope and love to the leadership coaches and counsellors that constantly remind me of my own light and the truth I can centre on.
3. Find your community. If you can’t, create it.
For years I felt like a misfit, misunderstood or like the underdog. In late 2018, I had one of the few experiences of feeling seen and understood - like I could walk into a room and people would just ‘get me’ and vice versa. And I know that you may feel this way, which is why I’m so passionate about making sure I continue to nurture community, safe spaces and make groups inclusive. It’s why some people have joked that I remind them of Professor X - seeing the mutants, the misfits, the lost and the forgotten and seeing the beauty in each of them.
4. Celebrate the wins.
This one has been hard. Even as I take stock at celebrating all the wins, the over-achiever in me and my Asian cultural expectations are never content with ‘enough’. Which is why taking time to reflect is so important. You don’t want to miss all the small wins, all the in betweens and the minutes or days that you should be celebrating. These all add up and I look forward to hearing about what they are for you!
5. Nature is calling.
‘I love nature’ is probably an understatement - if I could be outdoors in the wilderness every day of the week and bringing people together - I would! I realised how much I longed for more of it when I made the move over and was able to enjoy hours and days of exploring the coast of Northern California, wandering through trails and listening to the sounds that I didn’t necessarily hear every day when I lived in Singapore. With each day, I find intentional ways connect with nature - even as I’m experiencing ‘shelter-in-place’ as a response to Covid-19. If you’re interested in this, let me know!
6. Gratitude is not (just) about attitude. It’s about cultivation!
For the longest time you would have hear me say: “Attitude of Gratitude” - but last year, I realised that it’s not just about attitude, it’s about practice. It’s about cultivating the rituals, the habits and the intentions needed to create a grateful heart. It’s why this list is lengthy because when I practice it more often, I notice that there are so many things to celebrate and be grateful for. From the daily prayers my now-husband and I share together to the praise and worship we get to join in at least on Sundays - if not throughout the week…and then there’s the morning and evening rituals and the habits I’m experimenting to allow me to be present and live in contentment. What habits, rituals and practices would you like to cultivate?
7. Remember your why when all seems lost.
I went through deep depression last year - it was incredibly debilitating. Did I think about my ‘why’ everyday when I experienced those dark times? Absolutely not! But it definitely helped to pull me out and ‘lift the clouds’ that seemed to follow me everywhere. I sat down to journal about it many times - writing lists, doing brain-dumps, verbally expressing it, visually drawing it out. I’d also like to point out that my ‘why’ did not come immediately - it’s taken years of leading Blessings in a Bag, mapping all my experiences and pulling it together with trusted friends and sounding boards. I share ideas and thought bubbles on this over on my Instagram. And you can also discover your superpowers with this free downloadable workbook.
8. Love is leadership.
Love is not a fluffy word. To me, love is one of my superpowers. And it is what fuels my leadership and the way in which I choose to do things. Especially in the current climate where there’s plenty of fear and uncertainty rolled in one - I’ll circle back to love. Leadership is an inside job and I would love to support you in nurturing your inner leadership and how you can lead with heart and soul. Scroll down to find out more!
9. Gift of presence > Gift of presents.
As I’ve gotten older, this is something I’ve appreciated more. With Covid-19, it’s been a blessing that I totally live this one out because it’s just my husband, our two dogs and myself going on Week 9 of not leaving our home to physically meet with anyone. I’ve appreciated the gift of time and presence that friends and my community have shared with me - whether a video message recorded on Marco Polo, a DM on social media, a hand-written note or the voice on the other end of the line - it means so much!
10. No-one has it all figured out either.
For a little while, I kept thinking to myself that a lot of folks had it all together. They seemed to be able to manage it all, to lead well and be full of wisdom at any given moment. I’ve now realised after having many heart to hearts in the last year with people that this is an absolute myth! And I’m so glad I know this for sure now because I have really come to appreciate when people get real and raw with me. It’s why I will always show up imperfect, messy and not-all-together when you meet me or catch me online.
BONUS! Cheerlead yourself as much (if not more) than you cheer others on.
Okay, last one! This one is a complete work in progress, I’ll own up to that. But every year, I recognise how much compassion, love and care we need for ourselves before we even think about cheerleading someone else on. It’s a marathon, not a sprint!
AND NOW…A FEW THINGS TO SHARE WITH YOU AND - AND YOUR PERSONAL INVITATION TO CELEBRATE MY BIRTHDAY MONTH WITH ME!
While I continue to lead Blessings in a Bag remotely, I am giving myself time and space to continue in the flow of inspiring and meaningful work. What does inspiring and meaningful work involve? What exactly am I doing? To be completely honest, I don’t have all the answers right now and I might not have my Point A to Point B figured out - but it’s okay. For now, I’m dedicating time for myself to flex my creativity and curiosity, to Play with Purpose, to slow down and get quiet enough to hear what’s being whispered to me, to allow myself to re-connect with what inspires me. Here are a few of them that you can be a part of!
What’s unfolding for me is the space, the time and unwavering support of my loved ones to step into a new chapter of dedicating more of my heart towards my passion project(s) that is rooted in love and service to the world.
👉COMMUNITY WISDOM CIRCLES
As the saying goes, we are better together. In today’s context, the global pandemic has caused us to experience a powerful shared human experience. While there is suffering, grief, loss, anxiety and a swirl of emotions that go through the day with us - there is also the gift of being, the ability to be present for each other and to learn from each other. These are my monthly Global Community Connection Calls - I do this to for all at no charge (if you sign up to my newsletter, you’ll get the ZOOM details), however, if you’d like to make a donation to support a cause, you can sign up here.
👉PEOPLE x PLANET x PURPOSE
A virtual summit series with the vision of convening global community leaders, mission- driven entrepreneurs and people who want to live life purposefully. Whether it's servant leaders, community leaders and builders, care-givers, first responders, social workers, non-profit sector folks, corporates looking to lead with heart, individuals who are on the search for purpose - it is clear that we need to support the future leadership that the world needs. To be the first to hear news and watch the series, sign up here.
👉START WHERE YOU ARE
I continue on in my mission of encouraging you to start where you are. The dream on your heart. The idea on your mind. The career you’ve been considering. The project you’ve been brainstorming. The non-profit you want to create. The community you want to build, serve and impact. The life you want to lead. All this and more. Maybe you’re asking “Am I the only one feeling this way?” I want to ask: “Are you ready to take the road less traveled with me?”
Here are some ways you can get started right away:
Download my free Discover your Superpowers PDF
Share your personal experience and stand a chance to win a free book of your choice, delivered to your door-step*
Follow and Slide into my DM’s on Instagram - I commit to hanging out there each day to speak with you!
As I wrap this loooong post (your mug probably needs another refill of hot tea by now!), I’m excited to welcome this new chapter, new season and in a way, a new version of myself. I’m diving into experimentation and exploration mode as I discover what it means to build a thriving community, how to create a movement of heart-led leaders and most importantly…
How I can continue to be of service to you to Start Where You Are, Own your Superpowers and Change the world.
Keep leading, loving and dreaming with all your heart….
P.S! If you made it all the way down here - THANK YOU SO MUCH for taking the time to journey with me through the last 365 days. There are so many gems, wisdom, lessons and resources I continue to grow from each day and I look forward to sharing them with you - either through this website or on my Instagram. It’s an adventure for sure - and I’m excited to be able to jump on this beyond awesome journey together!
P.P.S! If you know someone who makes a meaningful impact in the world through what they do - I would so appreciate if you could share this page with them. I’m looking forward to connect!