In Part 2 of this enlightening series, technology leader and Sikh scholar Inderpreet Singh shares what Gurbani (Sikh scriptures) actually teaches about building resilience, maintaining optimism, and finding strength through life's inevitable challenges.

This episode explores profound spiritual concepts made accessible for modern life, from the daily practice of Chardi Kala (ascending spirits) to understanding how divine remembrance becomes medicine for contemporary ailments.

Deep Teachings Explored:

• Chardi Kala: The Sikh practice of maintaining optimism regardless of external circumstances
• How consistent spiritual remembrance builds unshakeable resilience
• Why love and oneness (Ik Ong Kar) form the foundation of all Sikh wisdom
• Practical applications of ancient teachings for modern challenges
• The beautiful connection between Sakura (cherry blossoms) and Sikh strength

Memorable Insights: "The sakura represents strength and resilience, constantly coming back regardless of weather and climate - just like Sikhi has survived through much adversity because of deep spiritual roots."

Inderpreet's ability to make complex Gurbani teachings accessible while maintaining their depth offers both Sikh community members and universal audiences practical wisdom for daily life.

This concludes our two-part exploration of multicultural Sikh identity and spiritual resilience. Part 1 covered Inderpreet's global journey and spiritual awakening - essential context for understanding these deeper teachings.

Whether you're seeking spiritual grounding, exploring different faith traditions, or looking for practical wisdom about resilience, this conversation offers timeless insights for modern challenges.

Connect with Sakura, Sikhi & Strength 🌸☬️💪: 

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In Part 1 of this two-part series, I speak with Inderpreet Singh, a technology leader and Sikh scholar whose multicultural journey beautifully illustrates how faith evolves across cultures and continents.

Born in Delhi but raised across Japan, Canada, and India, Inderpreet's story takes us from being teased as "Triple Bun Samosa" in boarding school to finding his Sikh identity actually strengthened in a Catholic educational environment.

This Episode Explores:

• How childhood challenges build lifelong resilience
• The surprising ways interfaith environments can deepen faith
• When inherited spiritual practices become conscious choices
• Multicultural upbringing as spiritual preparation
• The moment academic curiosity leads to spiritual awakening

Memorable Quote: "The journey of constantly being resilient is actually what Sikhi is all about. The journey itself is the goal rather than the goal itself."

Inderpreet's insights about how "seeds were being planted" throughout his global childhood offer wisdom for anyone navigating spiritual development in multicultural contexts.

Coming Next Week: Part 2 dives deeper into what Sikh scriptures teach about finding strength through adversity and the practice of remembrance.

Whether you're familiar with Sikhi or hearing about it for the first time, this conversation offers universal insights about resilience, faith, and finding strength through life's challenges.

Connect with Sakura, Sikhi & Strength: 

🎧 Available everywhere you listen to podcasts: https://linktr.ee/sakurasikhistrength 

Instagram: @sakurasikhistrength 

Tiktok: @sakurasikhistrength 

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@sakurasikhistrength 

Send your thoughts: [email protected]

Smart vs Wise: Why Intelligence Isn't Enough

We celebrate degrees, test scores, and credentials - but what about wisdom? In this introspective episode, I share vulnerable stories about my real estate career journey to explore the crucial difference between being smart and being wise.

Through personal examples, I examine how our obsession with intelligence often overshadows the development of wisdom - the ability to read context, understand nuances, and make decisions aligned with our deeper values.

Episode Highlights:

• Why "intelligence without wisdom is like having a Ferrari with no GPS"
• The hidden costs of "playing small" in career advancement
• How to distinguish between truly wise decisions and fear-based choices
• Teaching children to value both analytical skills and emotional intelligence
• The price tag that often comes with wisdom-based decisions

Key Question: "Would you rather raise smart kids or wise kids? And more importantly, can we actually nurture both?"

This episode is essential for parents balancing family and career, professionals making strategic decisions, and anyone questioning whether they're moving fast or moving smart.

Connect with Sakura, Sikhi & Strength: 

🎧 Available everywhere you listen to podcasts: https://linktr.ee/sakurasikhistrength 

Instagram: @sakurasikhistrength 

Tiktok: @sakurasikhistrength 

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@sakurasikhistrength 

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What does it look like to grow up as a third culture kid in today's world? In this refreshing conversation, Asees sits down with 11-year-old Gia Kiteishvili, a half-Korean, half-Georgian young student growing up in New York City, to explore identity, belonging, and resilience from a Gen Z perspective.

Gia brings a unique viewpoint to our understanding of multicultural identity – from attending Korean school as an international student to describing how her multicultural background helps her "read the room better" and understand how the world works. Her insights reveal how today's third culture kids are navigating identity with confidence and wisdom beyond their years.

Key themes explored:

• Why "home is a feeling rather than a place" for multicultural kids
• How growing up with multiple cultures enhances your ability to "read the room"
• The instant connection third culture kids feel with each other
• Why understanding different perspectives creates "one unfiltered view of the world"
• How cultural resilience gets passed down through generations
• The importance of blocking out hurtful opinions while embracing what makes you unique
• Why schools need more interactive cultural education

Gia's perspective on everything from Korean jump rope dancing to Georgian cheese bread, from standing her ground in friendship conflicts to coaching herself through ski races, offers both validation for other young third culture kids and invaluable insights for parents raising globally mobile children.

This episode proves that the next generation of third culture kids are not just surviving between worlds – they're thriving, leading with empathy, and using their multicultural superpowers to build bridges in an interconnected world.

About Gia Kiteishvili: An 11-year-old student living in New York City with Korean and Georgian heritage. She has attended school in Korea, is an avid skier on a race team, and brings fresh perspective to the third culture kid experience.

New episodes drop every Tuesday at 6AM EST. 

🎧 Available everywhere you listen to podcasts: https://linktr.ee/sakurasikhistrength 

Connect with Sakura, Sikhi & Strength: 

Instagram: @sakurasikhistrength 

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Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@sakurasikhistrength 

Email: [email protected]          

What does it mean to navigate identity when your childhood spans continents and cultures? In this profound conversation, Asees sits down with Antoinette Aku Quarshie, Dean of Students at a New York Independent School, who brings over 30 years of experience working with young adolescents during their crucial identity-forming years.

Born to a Grenadian mother and Ghanian father, Antoinette was raised between the UK, Grenada, Ghana, and the United States. Her unique third culture background, combined with her extensive work developing curriculum in Afghanistan, Kenya, Botswana, and South Africa, offers invaluable insights into helping young people not just survive, but truly thrive during their formative years.

Key themes explored:

• How moving between countries teaches you to quickly learn cultural codes and adapt
• Why the "in-betweenness" of middle school mirrors the third culture kid experience
• The difference between being vulnerable and hiding parts of yourself
• How deep listening becomes a superpower for connection across cultures
• Why resilience means teaching kids they're "so much more than any mistake they'll ever make"
• The importance of finding your "signposts" when navigating multiple identities
• How temporary experiences can hold profound value and meaning
• Why living fearlessly means not being afraid to take up space

Antoinette shares deeply personal stories, including a transformative near-death experience and her decade-long journey with Buddhist meditation, that shaped her understanding of impermanence and connection. Her wisdom on helping parents listen to their multicultural children and creating emotional safety nets offers practical guidance for families navigating complex identities.

Whether you're a third culture kid, raising globally mobile children, or working with young people from diverse backgrounds, this episode provides both validation and actionable strategies for embracing the beautiful complexity of multicultural identity.

About Antoinette Aku Quarshie: Dean of Students at a New York Independent School with over 30 years of experience in education. Born to a Grenadian mother and Ghanian father, she has collaborated with educators to develop curriculum in Afghanistan, Kenya, Botswana, and South Africa, bringing a truly global perspective to youth development.

New episodes drop every Tuesday at 6AM EST. 

🎧 Available everywhere you listen to podcasts: https://linktr.ee/sakurasikhistrength 

Connect with Sakura, Sikhi & Strength: 

Instagram: @sakurasikhistrength 

Tiktok: @sakurasikhistrength 

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@sakurasikhistrength 

Email: [email protected]          

What's the difference between being nice and being kind? In this deeply personal episode, Asees shares why understanding this distinction completely transformed how she shows up in relationships – and why it might save your sanity too.

Through vulnerable stories from her real estate career and family dynamics, Asees explores how cultural conditioning around "respecting elders" and "keeping the peace" led her to accept treatment that was slowly draining her energy and self-worth. From the building neighbor who tried to sabotage her business to toxic family relationships where she kept chasing people who had no intention of reciprocating, she learned some hard lessons about the difference between people-pleasing and genuine care.

Key themes explored:

• The crucial difference between niceness (avoiding conflict) and kindness (genuine care, even when uncomfortable)
• How "confident kindness" comes from self-worth, not fear
• Why some people react negatively when you start setting boundaries
• Practical steps for transitioning from people-pleasing to authentic connection
• How cultural expectations can trap us in cycles of accepting poor treatment
• Why your confidence might trigger others (and why that's not your problem to fix)
• Specific phrases to use when setting boundaries with love

This episode is especially relevant for anyone who grew up being told to "be nice," "respect your elders," or "keep the peace" – and now finds themselves exhausted from accommodating everyone else's comfort at the expense of their own well-being.

The bottom line: The world doesn't need more nice people – we need people brave enough to care for real, even when it's uncomfortable. Because true kindness? It's love with courage.

New episodes drop every Tuesday at 6AM EST. 

🎧 Available everywhere you listen to podcasts: https://linktr.ee/sakurasikhistrength 

Connect with Sakura, Sikhi & Strength: 

Instagram: @sakurasikhistrength 

Tiktok: @sakurasikhistrength 

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@sakurasikhistrength 

Email: [email protected]          

What happens when three young women from different corners of the world meet in Paris and discover they finally understand each other? In this heartwarming conversation, Asees reconnects with her dearest friends Annick and Maureen – a friendship that began at Sciences-Po over 20 years ago and has only grown stronger across continents.

Annick (French-Mexican-American, now in Atlanta) and Maureen (British-Italian-French, calling in from Brussels) join Asees to explore what it means to live with multiple cultural identities and the unique challenges that come with never quite fitting into a single box.

Key themes explored:

• The relief of finding people who "just get it" without explanation
• Why the question "Where are you from?" creates anxiety for multicultural people
• How we perform different versions of ourselves in different cultural contexts
• The difference between cultural homelessness and cultural abundance
• Why we sometimes "tone ourselves down" with monocultural friends
• The importance of finding emotionally safe relationships that embrace all parts of you

This conversation beautifully captures the complexity of third culture identity – from the longing for places left behind to the gift of navigating multiple worlds. Whether you're living between cultures yourself, raising globally mobile children, or simply curious about the multicultural experience, this episode offers both validation and insight into the beautiful messiness of complex identity.

The friendship between these three women proves that when you find people who truly understand your multifaceted self, geography becomes irrelevant and authentic connection transcends borders.

About the Guests: Annick is French-Mexican-American, currently living in Atlanta with her German husband. Maureen is British-Italian-French, working in European affairs in Brussels. All three met as students in Paris and have maintained their bond across continents for two decades.

🎧 Available everywhere you listen to podcasts 🔗 Links: https://linktr.ee/sakurasikhistrength

What does it mean to grow up in a "neither nor world"—belonging everywhere and nowhere at once? In this illuminating conversation, Asees sits down with Ruth Van Reken, co-author of the groundbreaking book "Third Culture Kids: Growing Up Among Worlds," to explore the complex reality of living between cultures.

Ruth shares her personal journey from Nigeria to Chicago, revealing how understanding her multicultural story transformed decades of confusion into clarity and purpose. This conversation validates the unique experiences of third culture kids while celebrating the extraordinary gifts that come from cultural fluidity.

Key insights explored:

• How the "neither nor world" creates a shared space between cultures
• Why portable traditions and sacred objects anchor identity across moves
• The importance of saying goodbye well to places, people, and possessions
• How cultural shame differs from cultural ignorance—and why it matters
• Building resilience in globally mobile children
• The paradox of living with both joy and loss simultaneously
• Learning to live with "more joy than worry" despite cultural complexity

Ruth's wisdom on parenting across cultures, navigating identity questions, and transforming cultural challenges into strengths offers invaluable guidance for third culture families, educators, and anyone living between worlds.

Whether you're a third culture kid yourself, raising children across cultures, or working with globally mobile families, this episode provides both validation and practical tools for embracing the beautiful complexity of multicultural identity.

About Ruth Van Reken: Leading authority on third culture kids and co-author of "Third Culture Kids: Growing Up Among Worlds." Born in Nigeria to American parents, Ruth has dedicated her career to helping others understand and navigate the third culture experience.

🎧 Available everywhere you listen to podcasts 🔗 Links: https://linktr.ee/sakurasikhistrength

What happens when your identity spans continents and cultures? In this deeply personal conversation, host Asees sits down with accomplished journalist and writer Aarti Virani to explore the beautiful complexity of being second-generation and third culture kids.

Both born to Indian families in Kobe, Japan, Asees and Aarti share a unique bond - their grandfathers moved to Japan post-WWII, their fathers grew up together, and their mothers got pregnant around the same time. Now raising families in America, they reflect on how their multicultural backgrounds have shaped their careers, relationships, and sense of home.

Key Topics Discussed:

• The mental gymnastics of answering "Where are you from?"
• Why some friendships become "anchors" when your identity is fluid
• The difference between first and second-generation immigrant experiences
• How multicultural backgrounds create unique professional advantages
• Reframing cultural blending as "remixing" rather than dilution
• Finding places where you don't have to mute any part of yourself

This conversation will resonate with anyone who's navigated multiple cultural identities, felt caught between different versions of themselves, or wondered what "home" really means when you have multiple places that feel like home.

About Aarti Virani: Aarti is a renowned writer and journalist whose work has appeared in The Wall Street Journal, Travel and Leisure, The New York Times, NBC, CNN, and Vogue India. She is currently drafting a work of fiction about the Indian community in Japan, and brings professional expertise and personal insight to conversations about multicultural identity.

New episodes drop every Tuesday at 5AM EST. 

Connect with Sakura, Sikhi & Strength: 

Instagram: @sakurasikhistrength 

Tiktok: @sakurasikhistrength 

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@sakurasikhistrength 

Email: [email protected]          

All Episodes: https://linktr.ee/sakurasikhistrength