In this episode of the Heart to Heart podcast, host Dr.Mike Hart welcomes author Serena Choo, who delves into her journey of writing and overcoming imposter syndrome. They discuss Serena's second book, 'The Monkey and the Way of Zen,' which contains 28 short Zen-inspired stories aimed at providing readers a relaxing and reflective experience. Choo shares insights into the origins of her work, the importance of letting go and subtracting complexities from life, and how personal transformation can be achieved without the burden of constant goal-setting. Additionally, they touch upon topics such as her career transition, the specifics of dealing with imposter syndrome, the concept of emotional intelligence, and the potential benefits of neurolinguistic programming (NLP).

Serena Choo is a transformation coach, author, and thought leader in personal growth and self-discovery. With over two decades of experience spanning corporate finance, executive coaching, and nutritional therapy, Serena has dedicated her career to helping people break free from self-doubt, imposter syndrome, and burnout.

She is the author of Letting Go of Imposter Syndrome and The Monkey and the Way of Zen: A Transformation Journey in 28 Short Stories, books that blend practical wisdom with storytelling to inspire reflection, inner peace, and authentic living. Drawing from her background in executive coaching, functional medicine, and NLP, Serena's work emphasizes radical surrender, self-awareness, and creating fulfillment through subtraction rather than constant striving.

Learn more about Serena at serenachoo.com Books available on Amazon: Letting Go of Imposter Syndrome and The Monkey and the Way of Zen

Links:

• Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy – Stoicism

• NLP Association

• Functional Medicine Coaching Academy

Show Notes:

00:00 Welcome back to the Hart2Heart Podcast with Dr. Mike Hart

00:30 Discussing Serena's books

02:00 The inspiration behind 'the monkey and the zen'

02:00 Serena's writing journey

04:30 Finding nemo and storytelling

05:30 The essence of zen stories

06:00 Mike's reflection on reading

07:30 Goal setting and personal fulfillment

08:30 Serena's career background

10:00 Transition to coaching

17:00 Imposter syndrome explained

21:30 Techniques to overcome imposter syndrome

27:30 Changing thought patterns

31:30 The role of fortune and stoicism

33:30 Imposter syndrome and self-doubt

34:00 Personal anecdotes and overcoming challenges

38:00 Accepting compliments and authenticity

48:30 Emotional intelligence and reactions

48:50 "To me, emotional intelligence is first about understanding what's going on within yourself — not pushing away the feelings, but being aware of the programs running underneath."

55:30 Coaching differences between genders

01:00:30 NLP and its benefits

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The Hart2Heart podcast is hosted by family physician Dr. Michael Hart, who is dedicated to

cutting through the noise and uncovering the most effective strategies for optimizing health,

longevity, and peak performance. This podcast dives deep into evidence-based approaches to

hormone balance, peptides, sleep optimization, nutrition, psychedelics, supplements, exercise

protocols, leveraging sunlight light, and de-prescribing pharmaceuticals—using medications only when absolutely necessary.

Beyond health science, we tackle the intersection of public health and politics, exposing how

Policy decisions shape our health landscape and what actionable steps people can take to reclaim control over their well-being.

Guests range from out-of-the-box thinking physicians such as Dr. Casey Means (author of "Good Energy") and Dr. Roger Sehult (Medcram lectures) to public health experts such as Dr. Jay Bhattacharya (Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Dr. Marty Mckary

(Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and high-profile names such as

Zuby and Mark Sisson (Primal Blueprint and Primal Kitchen).

If you're ready to take control of your health and performance, this is the podcast for you. We cut through the jargon and deliver practical, no-BS advice that you can implement in your daily life, empowering you to make positive changes for your well-being.

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