What happens when grief asks us to rethink everything we thought we knew about loss?

In this episode of Rooted, Regenerated, and Chosen, Manpreet sits down with Amy Sidhu, co-owner of Stubble The Body Bar, to talk about grief, cultural expectations, change, and learning to trust what feels right for you.

With more than 15 years of experience in the beauty and laser industry, Amy found that her work that gave her a sense of purpose and allowed her to connect deeply with the people around her. Those relationships also became a source of strength as she navigated the loss of both of her parents within two and a half years.

Amy shares what she has learned about grief, including the grief that comes with changing identities, the expectations we inherit around death, and the importance of giving ourselves permission to do things differently.

In this episode, we explore:

• How we grieve the different versions of ourselves throughout our lives
• The cultural conditioning around death and grief that Amy grew up with

• What it means to question traditions that no longer serve us
• Learning to take life day by day and stay present rather than getting caught in the past or future
• Protecting your energy when you're someone who naturally holds space for others
• Finding gratitude and the silver linings, even during difficult moments
• The connection between grief and love, and finding the beauty in between the two

Amy's story is a beautiful reminder that there isn't one right way to grieve. Sometimes growth means letting go of what we've been taught, listening to our hearts, and choosing what feels right for us.

The greater the grief, in my opinion, the greater the love.

If this conversation resonated with you, subscribe to Rooted, Regenerated, and Chosen and share this episode with someone who might need it.

What does it really mean to live with grief?

In this episode of Rooted, Regenerated, and Chosen, Manpreet sits down with Parveen Khunkhun, a certified Grief Educator, Women’s Circle Facilitator, and Image Coach, to talk about grief, healing, family dynamics, and the ways loss can change how we see ourselves and our lives.

Parveen's work is deeply informed by her own lived experience of grief and loss. After the passing of her grandmother and the sudden loss of her brother, she found herself navigating a grief journey that transformed the way she understood identity, healing, and what it means to continue living after loss.

Together, Manpreet and Parveen explore why grief isn't onlyemotional. It can affect the body, relationships, self-image, and our sense of who we are.

They also discuss why we often don't know what to say to someone who is grieving, why simply being present can be more powerful than trying to find the right words, and how cultural expectations and family dynamics can shape the way we experience and express grief.

Through her own healing journey, Parveen became a certified Grief Educator and Women’s Circle Facilitator, bringing together lived experience, education, and compassionate support. Her work creates space for conversations about grief that are often left unspoken.

In this episode, we discuss:

• How the loss of a loved one can impact your identity, health, relationships, and sense of self.

• Why grief isn't something we simply “get over” or let go of, but something we learn to live alongside.

• What people who are grieving actually need from friends and family, and why presence can matter more than having the right words.

• How cultural conditioning and family dynamics can influence the way we experience and process grief.

• How grief can affect the body and contribute to physical and emotional challenges.

• What it means to create safe spaces where people can process grief and feel less alone in their experience.

Grief is a journey. It isn't something you have to let go of.

If this conversation resonates with you, subscribe and follow Rooted, Regenerated, and Chosen for more conversations about grief, healing, identity, and the experiences that shape who we become.

Follow Parveen on Instagram: instagram.com/beyou__image_coach

What if being a “good daughter” isn't about meeting everyone else's expectations, but about learning to fully express yourself while taking care of your own needs?

In this episode of Rooted, Regenerated, and Chosen, Manpreet explores the good daughter trap and the ways it can shape how we move through relationships, careers, leadership, and our own sense of self.

From learning to suppress emotions and prioritize everyone else's needs to becoming the person who holds the family together, the expectations of being a “good daughter” can follow us long after we leave home.

But what happens when we stop defining ourselves as either the “good daughter” or the “bad daughter” and instead ask: Who do I want to be now?

In this episode, we discuss:

• How the expectations of being a “good daughter” can teach us to suppress our emotions and prioritize other people's needs.

• How the “good daughter” identity can contribute to burnout, resentment, depleted self-worth, and a lack of boundaries.

• Why being kind doesn't mean being endlessly accommodating, and how kindness and boundaries can coexist.

• The grief that can come with changing your identity and choosing a different way of showing up.

When you stop living by everyone else's expectations, you create room for a life that actually feels like your own.If this episode resonated with you, subscribe and follow Rooted, Regenerated, and Chosen for more conversations and reflections on identity, healing, relationships, and choosing yourself.

What happens when you stop compartmentalizing who you are and begin embracing every part of your identity?

In this episode, Manpreet sits down with Ranjana Ghatak, an acclaimed Indian vocalist, composer, educator, and intuitive astrologer, whose work bridges the worlds of traditional Hindustani music and contemporary performance.

Trained since childhood and under the guidance of Maestro Pandit Ajoy Chakrabarty, Ranjana has performed on some of the world's most renowned stages while remaining deeply committed to sharing the healing power of music through teaching and community.

Together, they explore what it means to navigate multiple cultural identities, trust your intuition, and follow a path that doesn't always make logical sense.

Ranjana reflects on the grief of putting her musical dreams aside, the courage it took to pursue music full-time, and the profound role Indian classical music and ragas have played in her own healing journey.

Whether you're searching for your purpose, reconnecting with your cultural roots, or looking for practices that bring greater peace and presence, this conversation offers both inspiration and practical wisdom.

In this episode, we discuss:

• How embracing every part of your identity can transform feelings of isolation into a source of strength.
• The courage to follow your intuition and pursue a path that doesn't fit conventional expectations.

• How reconnecting with culture, music, and the natural world can become a powerful pathway to healing.

Life doesn't always unfold the way we expect—but sometimes the path we're resisting is the one we're meant to follow.

If this conversation inspired you to reconnect with your own passions or cultural roots, subscribe and follow Rooted, Regenerated, and Chosen for more conversations exploring healing, identity, leadership, and belonging.

Links: www.ranjanaghatak.com

Self Paced Course: https://www.ranjanaghatak.com/vocalofferings2/p/introduction-to-hindustani-vocal-self-paced-course

Intuitive Astrology: https://calendly.com/ranjana-ghatak/personalised-astro-session

Listening: https://www.ranjanaghatak.com/music

Podcast: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2618940

Instagram @ranjanaghatak 

What does authentic leadership look like when you stop trying to fit in and start embracing who you truly are?

In this episode, Manpreet sits down with Hurriya Burney, Managing Director of the Corporate Client Group at RBC, community leader, mentor, and published author, to explore the realities of leadership, identity, mentorship, and navigating life as an immigrant woman in Canada.

With nearly 20 years of experience in commercial and corporate banking, Hurriya has built a career supporting businesses, mentoring emerging leaders, and championing opportunities for others through organizations such as Ascend, UBC Sauder, and the Immigrant Employment Council of BC.

Drawing from her own journey, Hurriya shares how learning to let go of perfection, embracing her cultural identity, and building meaningful relationships have shaped her approach to leadership. Together, they discuss the power of mentorship, the importance of community, and how accepting life's changing seasons can lead to greater fulfillment both personally and professionally.

Whether you're building your career, navigating a new chapter of life, or redefining success on your own terms, this conversation is filled with practical wisdom and thoughtful reflections.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Why authentic leadership begins with embracing your unique identity instead of trying to fit into someone else's definition of success.
• The difference between mentors and sponsors, and why both are essential for career growth.
• How major life transitions, including immigration and motherhood, reshape our priorities and invite us to redefine success.
• Why letting go of perfection and accepting life's changing seasons creates space for greater fulfillment and resilience.

Life rarely unfolds exactly as we plan—but that doesn't mean we're on the wrong path.

If this episode encouraged you to embrace where you are today, subscribe and follow the podcast for more honest conversations about leadership, identity, and living with intention.

What does it mean to lead with both strength and softness? To honour your boundaries, embrace community, and allow grief to become a teacher rather than something to hide?

In this episode of Rooted, Regenerated, and Chosen, Manpreet sits down with Bali Deol, also known to many as Lady B - radio host, counselor, and community leader.

Together, they explore the intersections of leadership, identity, grief, healing, and belonging through the lens of Bali's personal and professional journey.

Drawing from her experiences as a woman navigating male-dominated spaces, a counselor supporting young women, and a leader deeply committed to service, Bali shares powerful insights on boundaries, cultural wisdom, community, and the transformative role grief has played throughout her life.

This conversation is a heartfelt reflection on what it means to become the woman your younger self needed, while creating space for others to do the same.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Why saying "no" is sacred and how boundaries become an essential leadership practice.
• What organizational leaders need to understand about supporting women of colour beyond tokenism and performative inclusion.
• How Western individualism and ancestral community-centered practices can work together to create healthier, more connected societies.
• How grief shapes leadership, deepens compassion, and strengthens spiritual connection.

What would change if you treated your boundaries as sacred, your grief as a teacher, and your community as a source of strength? We'd love to hear your reflections.

Subscribe, share this episode with someone who might benefit from it, and join us for future conversations exploring what it means to lead, heal, and live from a place of authenticity.

Show Notes:

-Bali's Website: https://www.ladyb.ca/

-Mixcloud: https://www.mixcloud.com/ladybradio/

-Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ladybradio/

Welcome to Rooted, Regenerated, and Chosen.

In this inaugural episode, host Manpreet Dhillon introduces herself and shares her personal experiences that inspired both this podcast and the creation of the Strong Daughter Institute.

From navigating chronic illness and loss to confronting burnout, identity shifts, and the pressures of leadership, Manpreet reflects on the many layers of grief she has carried throughout her life and the healing journey that followed.

This conversation is an invitation into a different understanding of grief - one that goes far beyond the loss of a loved one.

Manpreet also introduces the meaning behind Rooted, Regenerated, and Chosen:

• Rooted: Reclaiming cultural identity, ancestral wisdom, and authenticity while reconnecting with the traditions, values, and practices that ground us.

• Regenerated: Healing the nervous system, body, and spirit through practices such as Ayurveda, breathwork, holistic wellness, and intentional self-care.

• Chosen: Consciously choosing yourself, your path, and the life you want to create—moving forward with purpose, alignment, and self-trust.

Throughout the episode, Manpreet shares her belief that healing is not about becoming someone new, but about coming home to who you have always been.

She also introduces the mission of the Strong Daughter Institute: creating a space for South Asian women to process grief, reconnect with themselves, heal generational patterns, and lead from a place of alignment rather than survival.

Whether you are navigating loss, searching for deeper meaning, or learning how to choose yourself in a world full of expectations, this episode offers a compassionate starting point for the journey ahead.

This is just the beginning. Subscribe and join us as we explore the many layers of grief, healing, identity, and leadership through honest conversations, personal stories, and practical tools for transformation. If this episode spoke to you, share it with someone who may need to hear it too, and come be part of the Strong Daughter community.

Welcome to Rooted, Regenerated and Chosen, a podcast for South Asian women who are done shrinking to fit and ready to lead from the inside out.

Each episode will blend leadership development, somatic wisdom, and real talk about identity, ambition, and belonging — because building a strong life starts with knowing who you are and having the community to hold you in it.