Becoming Me

EPISODE 59               

What do we do when our insecurity rears its head? When we feel vulnerable and exposed, incompetent but we still have to lead?  Denying, suppressing or bypassing our insecurities may give us short-term relief but will inevitably lead us to greater stress and disintegration.

In this episode I explain why learning to recognise and deal with our insecurities in a healthy, self-compassionate way is essential to leading effectively.  I go on to offer 4 steps we can take to become better at leading ourselves through our insecurities.

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RESOURCES
Safe Spaces for Becoming (with Edwina Yeow)
Being A Safe Space for Myself (with Edwina Yeow)
Counselling or Spiritual Direction (or both?)
Inner-child Healing (with Dr Jean Cheng)
Why Your Family of Origin Impacts You More Than Anything Else (by Adam Young)

CHAPTER  MARKERS
(00:00:54) - Introduction
(00:06:50) - Our Scripts of Shame
(00:13:48) - 1. Notice Our Feelings of Insecurity
(00:21:36) - 2. Become Aware of Our Coping Mechanisms
(00:26:30) - 3. Learn Different Responses to Emotional Dysregulation
(00:29:24) - 4. Develop External Resources to Support Us
(00:35:14) - Praxis: Listen. Ponder. Act.
(00:42:53) - Conclusion

TRANSCRIPT
Available here.

REFLECTION PROMPT
Refer to transcript for the full prompt.

PODCAST COMPANION WORKBOOK
- Downloadable & Printable
- 10 worksheets, over 30 exercises
- Helps you integrate and apply the foundational principles to Becoming Me
- Great for inner work and connecting with yourself in solitude
- Includes tips for partner and small-group sharing
- Free for all e-mail newsletter subscribers

FIND OUT MORE

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Follow Ann Yeong on Instagram or Facebook.

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If this podcast has blessed you, please leave a review by clicking here.

EPISODE 58             

In this special episode of the Leadership series, I share a conversation with a fellow interior pilgrim who had tasted the heights of success in leadership but found himself tumbling into the search for authenticity and meaning when the personas that had defined him were taken from him.

My guest for this episode is a former President and CEO of a global charitable organisation who now lives with the reality of the undeniable fact that true leadership is not only exercised with skilful hands but with integrity of heart. I hope you enjoy listening to this conversation with Timothy Khoo -  existential coach, sojourner guide, and founder of Desert Odyssey.

Articles by Timothy:
Falling Into Grace
Actio Sequitur Esse – Action Follows from Essence 

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CHAPTER  MARKERS
(00:00:37) - Introduction
(00:01:38) - Introduction to Timothy Khoo
(00:05:37) - Sojourner Guide
(00:10:24) - How Our Paths Crossed
(00:15:20) - Why is Leadership Challenging to Exercise?
(00:22:42) - Losing Myself
(00:26:44) - Misaligned Character & Charisma
(00:32:08) - How Different are People from One Another?
(00:37:32) - Purpose & Meaning
(00:38:13) - Content & Container
(00:41:22) - Masks & Personas
(01:00:32) - The Fraction Analogy
(01:21:34) - Giving Our Souls Time to Catch Up
(01:31:38) - Conclusion
Available here.

TRANSCRIPT
Available here.

PODCAST COMPANION WORKBOOK
- Downloadable & Printable
- 10 worksheets, over 30 exercises
- Helps you integrate and apply the foundational principles to Becoming Me
- Great for inner work and connecting with yourself in solitude
- Includes tips for partner and small-group sharing
- Free for all e-mail newsletter subscribers

FIND OUT MORE

Support the show

SUBSCRIBE | FOLLOW | SUPPORT

Social Media:
Follow Ann Yeong on Instagram or Facebook.

Newsletter:
Subscribe to Begin Again for Ann's updates and reflections.

Support the Show:
Monthly Support (starting at USD$3)
One-time Donation

Leave a Review:
If this podcast has blessed you, please leave a review by clicking here.

EPISODE 57           

Have you ever been so identified with a role that you lose touch with who you are apart from it? Playing an important leadership role can occupy so much of our lives that we forget that our True Self is so much deeper and more multi-faceted than the role(s) we play.

In this episode I talk about the importance of having a strong and integrated core identity so that you lead out of who you are instead of allowing your leadership role to limit your identity. I also talk about the implications of not being able to distinguish between our identity and our role and the need for people in our lives who know us in our fullness and not just for the leadership role we play.

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CHAPTER  MARKERS
(00:00:25) - Introduction
(00:02:04) - Role vs. Core Identity
(00:04:26) - What Happens when we Let our Leadership Roles Define us?
(00:10:40) - Examples of Being Fused to our Roles
(00:12:36) - How do I see Myself Beyond My Persona?
(00:22:20) - Who Can See Beyond Our Personas?
(00:27:20) - Toxic Shame
(00:29:08) - Engaging Our Core
(00:32:09) - PRAXIS: Listen. Ponder. Act
(00:34:03) - Conclusion
Available here.

TRANSCRIPT
Available here.

REFLECTION PROMPT
Listen.
- As you listened to this episode, what struck you? 
- What resonated with you?

Ponder.
- Is there a leadership role that you play or are preparing to play that you may be over-identifying with?
- Can only think of yourself in terms of that role?

Act.
-  On a piece of paper, list down five reasons or observations that you make that makes you think you may be over identifying with your leadership role.
- What makes you think that?  See if you can enumerate a few points.
- Talk to someone who knows you well, whom you trust and who has a more holistic picture of who you are beyond that role that you have to play as a leader.
- Ask them if they have observed any signs that you could be over-identifying with your leadership role and losing touch with your core identity.

PODCAST COMPANION WORKBOOK
- Downloadable & Printable
- 10 worksheets, over 30 exercises
- Helps you integrate and apply the foundational principles to Becoming Me
- Great for inner work and connecting with yourself in solitude
- Includes tips for partner and small-group sharing
- Free for all e-mail newsletter subscribers

FIND OUT MORE

Support the show

SUBSCRIBE | FOLLOW | SUPPORT

Social Media:
Follow Ann Yeong on Instagram or Facebook.

Newsletter:
Subscribe to Begin Again for Ann's updates and reflections.

Support the Show:
Monthly Support (starting at USD$3)
One-time Donation

Leave a Review:
If this podcast has blessed you, please leave a review by clicking here.

EPISODE 56         

Scripts are the unspoken silent guidelines that shape our thoughts, our beliefs, and our actions which we learn from our interactions with our environment since our earliest days. Scripts are the lens through which we see and interpret our world - but they are often not in our conscious awareness.

In this episode I share how we each have a leadership script that impacts the way we lead - often without our awareness. I talk about where our scripts come from and why continuing to be unaware of our leadership script can prevent us from being the best leader we can authentically be.

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CHAPTER  MARKERS
(00:00:34) - Introduction
(00:03:57) - What are Scripts?
(00:10:49) - An Example of Scripts
(00:15:25) - Where do our Leadership Scripts Come from?
(00:18:13) - Why out Scripts Make it Hard to Accept Ourselves
(00:22:20) - The "Ideal" Leader VS the Leader I was Created to be
(00:28:11) - First Steps00:31:03 - PRAXIS: Listen. Ponder. Act
(00:33:10) - Conclusion
Available here.

TRANSCRIPT
Available here.

REFLECTION PROMPT
Listen.
- As you listened to my sharing in this episode, was there anything that resonated with you?

Ponder.
- In what way did listening to this episode about leadership scripts change the way you see yourself as a leader?

Act.
-  I invite you to think of a particular leadership role that you're playing in your life right now. It could be anything and then list down who it is that you feel you need to be in this role. Describe what that person looks like. That ideal that you feel like you need to be.

After you look at the description of this person or this leader that you feel you need to be. I invite you to ask the question, where do you think this script came from? Where did you learn to value these traits? Where did you learn that?

PODCAST COMPANION WORKBOOK
- Downloadable & Printable
- 10 worksheets, over 30 exercises
- Helps you integrate and apply the foundational principles to Becoming Me
- Great for inner work and connecting with yourself in solitude
- Includes tips for partner and small-group sharing
- Free for all e-mail newsletter subscribers

FIND OUT MORE

Support the show

SUBSCRIBE | FOLLOW | SUPPORT

Social Media:
Follow Ann Yeong on Instagram or Facebook.

Newsletter:
Subscribe to Begin Again for Ann's updates and reflections.

Support the Show:
Monthly Support (starting at USD$3)
One-time Donation

Leave a Review:
If this podcast has blessed you, please leave a review by clicking here.

EPISODE 55       

We all know how important good leadership is, and  many of us fear that we don't measure up when we have to lead. While there are many ways that we can grow to become more effective as a leader, we often fail to appreciate the harm that an inauthentic and insecure leader can cause - even when we possess other leadership abilities.

In this episode, I share about my past struggles with leadership when I was still unaware of my lack of interior integration, and how my dependence on external validation made the burdens of leadership heavier than they would have otherwise been.

Share this episode via this episode page.

A LEADER'S SPIRITUAITY
For more information or to register, go to https://www.integroformation.com/als.

CHAPTER MARKERS
(00:00:13) - Introduction
(00:01:10) - Leadership
(00:02:59) - Our Relationship with Leadership
(00:09:27) - My Own Experience with Leadership
(00:18:10) - Growing into Leaders we are Called to be
(00:21:27) - A Leader's Spirituality
(00:25:23) - PRAXIS: Listen. Ponder. Act
(00:29:46) - Conclusion
Available here.

TRANSCRIPT
Available here.

REFLECTION PROMPT
Listen.
- As you listened to my sharing in this episode, was there anything that resonated with you?

Ponder.
- The reality of being a leader often makes one feel lonely. Have you felt that loneliness of being a leader?

Act.
-  Continue to explore resources.

For full details of this reflection prompt, please see transcript.

PODCAST COMPANION WORKBOOK
- Downloadable & Printable
- 10 worksheets, over 30 exercises
- Helps you integrate and apply the foundational principles to Becoming Me
- Great for inner work and connecting with yourself in solitude
- Includes tips for partner and small-group sharing
- Free for all e-mail newsletter subscribers

FIND OUT MORE

Support the show

SUBSCRIBE | FOLLOW | SUPPORT

Social Media:
Follow Ann Yeong on Instagram or Facebook.

Newsletter:
Subscribe to Begin Again for Ann's updates and reflections.

Support the Show:
Monthly Support (starting at USD$3)
One-time Donation

Leave a Review:
If this podcast has blessed you, please leave a review by clicking here.

EPISODE  54     

If you have been searching for your calling or personal vocation and still feel that you lack clarity, have you wondered how you can help yourself gain clarity in this process?

In this episode I talk about three reasons we struggle to gain clarity about our personal vocation - a lack of awareness of the scripts that influence our lives; a lack of knowledge about the unique design we have been given; and a lack of interior freedom to be authentic.

Watch the video (without praxis prompts) here.

Share this episode via this episode page.

CHAPTER MARKERS
(00:00:25) - Introduction
(00:01:01) - 3 Things that Keep Us from Being Our Best Selves
(00:01:26) - 1. Lack of Awareness of the Scripts that Influence Us
(00:09:07) - 2. Lack of Awareness of My Own Traits & Design
(00:13:17) - 3. Interior Freedom to Choose to be Me
(00:20:27) - PRAXIS: Listen. Ponder. Act
(00:24:07) - Conclusion
Available here.

TRANSCRIPT
Available here.

REFLECTION PROMPT
Listen.
- As you listened to my sharing in this episode, was there anything that resonated with you?
- Which part was it that resonated with you?

Ponder.
- Which of the three reasons do you think is maybe most relevant to you at this point in your journey?
- Is it a lack of awareness of the scripts that influence how you live your life?
- Is it a lack of knowledge about yourself, your traits and design?
- Or are you really bumping up into a lack of interior freedom in your life?

Act.
-  Take one concrete action towards either learning more about the scripts that influence your life.
- Do one thing to help yourself grow in interior freedom.
- Start considering what is it that's holding you back from daring to be who you are with a guide.

For full details of this reflection prompt, please see transcript.

PODCAST COMPANION WORKBOOK
- Downloadable & Printable
- 10 worksheets, over 30 exercises
- Helps you integrate and apply the foundational principles to Becoming Me
- Great for inner work and connecting with yourself in solitude
- Includes tips for partner and small-group sharing
- Free for all e-mail newsletter subscribers

FIND OUT MORE

Support the show

SUBSCRIBE | FOLLOW | SUPPORT

Social Media:
Follow Ann Yeong on Instagram or Facebook.

Newsletter:
Subscribe to Begin Again for Ann's updates and reflections.

Support the Show:
Monthly Support (starting at USD$3)
One-time Donation

Leave a Review:
If this podcast has blessed you, please leave a review by clicking here.

EPISODE 53

In this final episode to Season 4, I review what we've covered and once again provide an over-arching view of the thematic arcs of this podcast.

I also talk about A Leader's Spirituality (ALS), an online course that I will be teaching in Sep-Oct 2022 for the Catholic Leadership Centre where we will delve systematically into the fundamental principles spoken about on this podcast. Specifically, this course facilitates participants in learning now to be a more authentic, integrated and spiritually fruitful leader - at work, in families, or in church contexts.

Registration is open through July-August 2022. For more information or to register, go to https://www.integroformation.com/als.

Share this episode via this episode page.

TRANSCRIPT
Available here.

PODCAST COMPANION WORKBOOK
- Downloadable & Printable
- 10 worksheets, over 30 exercises
- Helps you integrate and apply the foundational principles to Becoming Me
- Great for inner work and connecting with yourself in solitude
- Includes tips for partner and small-group sharing
- Free for all e-mail newsletter subscribers

FIND OUT MORE

Support the show

SUBSCRIBE | FOLLOW | SUPPORT

Social Media:
Follow Ann Yeong on Instagram or Facebook.

Newsletter:
Subscribe to Begin Again for Ann's updates and reflections.

Support the Show:
Monthly Support (starting at USD$3)
One-time Donation

Leave a Review:
If this podcast has blessed you, please leave a review by clicking here.

EPISODE 52  (BONUS)   

When we are in performance mode we expect to be assessed, evaluated and we seek to impress. There are times when we need to be in performance mode but what if that's how we approach our whole life? We end up exhausted and our identities fuse with the roles we play.

In this bonus episode I reflect about what happens when we don't get out of "performance mode" and end up never really LIVING our life as our full, human, imperfect and work-in-progress selves.

Watch the original video of this episode here.

Share this episode via this episode page.

TRANSCRIPT
Available here.

PODCAST COMPANION WORKBOOK
- Downloadable & Printable
- 10 worksheets, over 30 exercises
- Helps you integrate and apply the foundational principles to Becoming Me
- Great for inner work and connecting with yourself in solitude
- Includes tips for partner and small-group sharing
- Free for all e-mail newsletter subscribers

FIND OUT MORE

Support the show

SUBSCRIBE | FOLLOW | SUPPORT

Social Media:
Follow Ann Yeong on Instagram or Facebook.

Newsletter:
Subscribe to Begin Again for Ann's updates and reflections.

Support the Show:
Monthly Support (starting at USD$3)
One-time Donation

Leave a Review:
If this podcast has blessed you, please leave a review by clicking here.

EPISODE   51       

Many of us don't realise how much of a hold shame - specifically toxic shame - has over us. When shame is 'toxic', we don't just feel shame over what we do but we experience deep shame over WHO WE ARE.

Toxic shame at the core of our identity re-tells the lie that our worth depends on never making a mistake or never disappointing others.

In this episode I share some of my own experiences of shame and how I began to be freed from the hold that it had over me.

Share this episode via this episode page.

RESOURCES
Episode 4 & Episode 5 - Living from the Inside Out
Episode 30 - Counselling or Spiritual Direction (or both)?
A Leader's Spirituality

CHAPTER MARKERS
(00:00:16) - Introduction
(00:02:21) - What Shame Really Is
(00:08:08) - An Example of the Effect of Shame
(00:19:23) - My Redemption Moment
(00:24:19) - Shame as an Ally
(00:27:31) - Living from the Inside Out
(00:31:17) - PRAXIS: Listen. Ponder. Act
(00:35:10) - Conclusion
Available here.

TRANSCRIPT
Available here.

REFLECTION PROMPT
Listen.
-  As you listened to this episode, what really struck you?

Ponder.
- How does shame show up in your life?

Act.
- Think of one concrete act you can take towards building a more secure relationship with your inner self.
- If you have already been learning more about healing journey for a while, without taking action, I invite you to take that step, to look for someone trained in this area to guide and companion you on this journey.

For full details of this reflection prompt, please see transcript.

PODCAST COMPANION WORKBOOK
- Downloadable & Printable
- 10 worksheets, over 30 exercises
- Helps you integrate and apply the foundational principles to Becoming Me
- Great for inner work and connecting with yourself in solitude
- Includes tips for partner and small-group sharing
- Free for all e-mail newsletter subscribers

FIND OUT MORE

Support the show

SUBSCRIBE | FOLLOW | SUPPORT

Social Media:
Follow Ann Yeong on Instagram or Facebook.

Newsletter:
Subscribe to Begin Again for Ann's updates and reflections.

Support the Show:
Monthly Support (starting at USD$3)
One-time Donation

Leave a Review:
If this podcast has blessed you, please leave a review by clicking here.

EPISODE  50 

Being our real selves can be difficult even when we are not under duress. How do we build the inner resilience to still act with authenticity even in times of stress and adversity?

In this episode I discuss three factors that impact our inner resilience:

- our level of integration (healing)
- our ability to self-regulate when we are triggered,
- and the availability of the right kind of external support.

Share this episode via this episode page.

CHAPTER MARKERS
(00:00:15) - Introduction
(00:03:18) - What is "Resillience"?
(00:10:17) - 3 Factors that Affect our Resillience
(00:11:11) - How Integrated we already are
(00:15:04) - Self-regulating when we are Dysregulated
(00:24:51) - Am I Reacting or Responding?
(00:28:37) - The Impact of my Actions on Others
(00:31:21) - 3. Communal Support
(00:37:13) - PRAXIS: Listen. Ponder. Act
(00:40:53) - Conclusion
Available here.

TRANSCRIPT
Available here.

REFLECTION PROMPT
Listen.
- As you listened to my sharing earlier, was there anything that particularly resonated with you? What was it?

Ponder.
- Ponder how resilient do you feel you are right now, with everything that's going on in your life?
- On a scale of 1 to 10, how well do you feel you are really responding?
- How full or empty is your tank; your tank that contains self-compassion, wisdom, resourcefulness?

Act.
- Think of one concrete way that you can top up your tank.
- Think of a way you can give some compassion to yourself or allow someone else to give you compassion.

For full details of this reflection prompt, please see transcript.

PODCAST COMPANION WORKBOOK
- Downloadable & Printable
- 10 worksheets, over 30 exercises
- Helps you integrate and apply the foundational principles to Becoming Me
- Great for inner work and connecting with yourself in solitude
- Includes tips for partner and small-group sharing
- Free for all e-mail newsletter subscribers

FIND OUT MORE

Support the show

SUBSCRIBE | FOLLOW | SUPPORT

Social Media:
Follow Ann Yeong on Instagram or Facebook.

Newsletter:
Subscribe to Begin Again for Ann's updates and reflections.

Support the Show:
Monthly Support (starting at USD$3)
One-time Donation

Leave a Review:
If this podcast has blessed you, please leave a review by clicking here.