The Homesickness Cure

The Homesickness Cure is going on hiatus. But don't panic yet :). Listen to this episode to learn why and what's in store for the future.

When Natalya was a little girl, she couldn’t forget the reaction of her grandmother upon visiting her. After a long time of not being able to see her, her grandmother was shocked and almost griefed that Natalya had grown a head full of curly hair.

This is because growing up in the apartheid regime in South Africa, having straight hair meant that you can get better educational opportunities and better treatment from society in general.

At such a tender age, Natalya learned that even something as personal as your own hair can be the measurement of one's worthiness.

Later on, Natalya would redeem her identity through the one many things that the apartheid regime denied her of – enjoying her own natural, curly, dark hair.

In this episode, Natalya talks about her experience as a child coming out of the apartheid regime in South Africa and then migrating to Australia. She also opens up about her struggles with self-acceptance and how you can help yourself be more comfortable in your own skin, no matter what community you find yourself in.

Natalya Moosa is an educator and digital marketing consultant currently based in England. She helps business owners connect with, understand and empower their community by creating effective content marketing strategies.

“What I found is that oftentimes you put a lot of effort into fitting into a community and building values and belief systems that deny who you are, but in the end, the people who you are trying to please still don’t accept you.” [Anya, 17:09]

“I gave myself permission to be an ambassador for myself and for what I believe I want to be and how I want people to be able to express themselves. I saw it as my duty to stand up and hold my head up high and take up the space that I was meant to fill.” [Natalya, 25:52]

Want to learn how to self-validate, let go of self-doubt, and figure out what a successful life looks like for you (not your parents)? Then download our complimentary audio guide here.

Take the first step to living your own life beyond anyone else's expectations!

Intro

There’s nothing wrong with wanting to be a strong and independent person, but it can become a toxic thing once we ignore our emotional needs and deny ourselves the help that we need.

The immigrant experience is unique and can be complicated at times, and so trying to be independent from a community or from getting expert help may do you more harm than good.

When we do not allow ourselves these moments of vulnerability, we put ourselves at risk of becoming even more vulnerable and confused about our immigrant journey and identity.

And I’m here to tell you that it’s okay to get help. It’s healthy even to find someone who can help you with your journey in life as an immigrant and it’s nothing to be ashamed of.

So how can you start this journey of healing and where can you find the help you need?

In this episode, Latinx therapist Alejandra Peña talks about the unique struggles of being an immigrant and how therapy can help you overcome your emotional traumas and mental challenges.

She also shares her top therapist directories and the kinds of questions you should be asking your therapist when coming in for a session.

Alejandra Peña is a Latinx therapist based in Austin, Texas. She currently works at a local nonprofit that helps survivors of domestic and sexual violence, and is also specialized in counseling immigrants, LGBQ+, and survivors of PTSD and trauma.

“I do think that it's important to find a therapist that you can connect with and maybe has similar experience as you, and one that you can trust.”  [16:46]

“Everybody's story is different. And there is going to be some sharing in therapy, so it'll be more straightforward and just safer with somebody who has a similar experience.”  [17:09]

“Harm can also occur if a therapist does not understand or is not trained in working with immigrants.”  [19:53]

“Therapy is supposed to be a safe space where you could really be yourself. And therapy doesn't have to feel like you, as a client, still needs to educate your therapist about your situation. And sometimes it can feel that way if there isn't that experience and that knowledge on the therapist’s part.”  [22:22]

Want to learn how to self-validate, let go of self-doubt, and figure out what a successful life looks like for you (not your parents)? Then download our complimentary audio guide here.

Take the first step to living your own life beyond anyone else's expectations!

Intro

Moving to a new country to start a new life is no easy feat. Whatever generation of immigrant you are, we’ve all experienced being underestimated or perhaps discriminated against because of our race or culture.

Because of this, we might find ourselves over performing and always trying to please others so that we can survive, and to “prove people wrong” about their misconceptions about us. And we do not deserve that kind of stress in our lives.

It might just be an internal pressure that pushes us to want to be perfect and infallible, but you have to know that you are already deserving of every good thing that you have in your life right now.

In this episode, I’m going to share with you some insights that I’ve learned about self-care and how I teach myself to let go of perfectionism and be open to learning and making mistakes.

“We should be trying new things often, so there's no shame in being a novice. Tell yourself this, when you start a new thing.”  [6:27]

“Life, as I said before, is all about learning, growing, and finding new ways to find out who you really are.”  [7:50]

Want to learn how to self-validate, let go of self-doubt, and figure out what a successful life looks like for you (not your parents)? Then download our complimentary audio guide here.

Take the first step to living your own life beyond anyone else's expectations!

Have you ever struggled with finding a sense of belonging? Like wherever you go, whether you’re at school, in the workplace, or out there travelling, you just always feel out of place?

Don’t worry, you’re not weird. I can relate with that.

It's easy to spark a connection with someone as there are shared interests and experiences that we can always talk about such as music, our hobbies, or even current events. But once we run out of small talk, we begin to realize just how different we really are from the people outside of our home, and that can turn into a struggle for most of us.

This becomes even more apparent when we’re out there, exploring the bigger world. And so how do we find that sense of belongingness when we’re far away from home?

In this episode, Topaz Smith talks about her experience as a black woman travelling all over the world, the importance of understanding different cultures, and how she helps other immigrants and travellers find a community abroad.

Topaz Smith is an experienced International Consultant, and also the Founder and CEO of EN-NOBLE, an app that helps travellers find community and explore different sub-cultures abroad. Learn more about Topaz and her business, En-Noble, here.

"Solo travel is a great way to figure out who you are and what you like, what you don't like, what your values are.”

“I really feel like solo travel forces you to sit with yourself, and to ask yourself questions, because you're not attached to what the group is trying to say, or what the group wants to do that week or that hour.”

“The purpose of travel is not to do what you do at home. It's different and you learn from it. That’s how you’re transformed."

Want to learn how to self-validate, let go of self-doubt, and figure out what a successful life looks like for you (not your parents)? Then download our complimentary audio guide here.

Take the first step to living your own life beyond anyone else's expectations!

Intro

Growing up in a multicultural community both has its pros and cons. For one, you get to see the world from different cultural perspectives which, to me, is a big advantage in today’s world. But on the other side of that, there is also this struggle to define our own identity in the midst of all the cultures that we have assimilated ourselves into.

And so how do we navigate an external world that is very different from our internal world? How do you find your voice when you’re torn between two cultures? And how do you find your authentic self and appreciate your hyphenated identity as a “Gen Zero” immigrant?

In this episode we’ll be chatting with Sabreet Kang Rajeev, a first gen immigrant of Sikh descent, about the struggles and joys of growing up in a multicultural community and how she was able to find her own voice and follow her own path despite the many voices that tell her what to be.

"Children are really smart. They're able to understand what is socially acceptable at such a young age, and sometimes they don't ask for help because they think they should already know what to do." [10:41]

"Being an immigrant, you're tough. There's a lot of stuff that you face. And I feel like those lived experiences really help you define your identity." [14:42]

"I learned that there's really great power in bringing people together and having uncomfortable conversations to help them grow. It's not easy. It's a lot of back and forth." [27:10]

"I think the narrative about love is kind of confusing. People look towards love to find something that they're lacking. And I would say, just always look within. Once you look within, you'll find exactly what you need." [31:04]

"I feel like having the courage to show who you are is where the true beauty lies." [42:18]

Want to learn how to self-validate, let go of self-doubt, and figure out what a successful life looks like for you (not your parents)? Then download our complimentary audio guide here.

Take the first step to living your own life beyond anyone else's expectations!

When was the last time you just paused and took some time to look into your inner world?

I just recently had my golden birthday, and as a way of celebrating it, I decided to reflect on some of the events that happened in my life, and take some time to be grateful for them.

In the process, I was able to come up with some self-reflection questions that you and I can go back to whenever we need a little bit of encouragement and guidance in our everyday lives.

I hope that these lessons and questions that I’ll be sharing with you in this episode cay help you in your journey to living a life that you’ll truly be proud of.

“So this time away from people has really allowed me to see that a life well-lived is a life where you’re focused on doing what you want to do, instead of focusing on what everyone else thinks about what you’re doing.”  [08:19]

“For many people like me who didn’t learn that building community doesn’t just happen because you’re popular or because you’re at the right place at the right time, it’s a skill you have to develop and practice.”  [11:25]

“No matter how advanced we get, we need human connection. Not only was [being quarantined] a reminder that community is essential, I learned that building it is a skill that you have to invest in.”  [11:35]

“Pain isn’t bad; it’s just telling you that something is making you uncomfortable, and there are healthy ways to express dissatisfaction, disappointment, and sadness.”  [11:56]

Want to learn how to self-validate, let go of self-doubt, and figure out what a successful life looks like for you (not your parents)? Then download our complimentary audio guide here.

Take the first step to living your own life beyond anyone else's expectations!

Intro

As immigrants, having no money in an unfamiliar place is a common fear that we constantly wrestle with as we are far away from our comfort zones and because we are still trying to get used to the environment and the new community that we found in our new home country,

And if you're a second gen immigrant, you probably know how strict parents can be when it comes to money. Growing up, you have to ask them for money for the things you need, and also, for the things you want, and they get to decide whether it's worth spending money on.

In other words, they do all the budgeting on our behalf.

While we all know that this comes from a good place, it unintentionally ingrains in us a scarcity mindset which would later affect our spending habits and financial decisions in our adult life.

And because of this, we may find ourselves becoming financially insecure individuals and lacking confidence in investing and budgeting our own money even if we have reached financial stability and are doing well in our careers.

Or perhaps, just like in Yehdega's case – our guest for today – choosing a career path you do not love in exchange for financial stability.

In this episode, Yehdega shares her experience as a second gen immigrant growing up in Germany, and how Germans teach their kids how to budget their money from a young age. Fun fact: it involves ice cream.

She also talks about how to outgrow this scarcity mindset and shares some money mantras that will help you develop a healthy mindset around money.

Guest Bio

Yehdega Tedros is a User Operations Analyst at Asana, and is also the host of The Idea Of Us, a podcast show that highlights good by interviewing great minds and learning best practices. She is also a proud Eritrean who grew up in Frankfurt, Germany. She currently resides in the US with her husband.

Key Takeaways

How Yehdega deals with conversations around racism as a teenager  [06:45]

Navigating social life and cultural differences during your teenage years  [09:08]

How the scarcity mindset can affect your career choices – and happiness  [12:49]

Affluence does not equal happiness  [14:39]

Breaking out of the scarcity mindset to be successful  [17:31]

“Playing it safe is almost like playing it unsafe” (when it comes to money)  [22:02]

The German way of teaching kids how to budget their own money [26:13]

Money mantras that can help immigrants break away from scarcity mindset and budget their money better  [26:13]

Yehdega’s advice for immigrants who feel like they’re outsiders in their own country  [38:12]

Dealing with rejection in the midst of finding a community  [40:15]

Quotes

“Growing up, we already have a lot of question marks anyways. And if someone questions something as important as your purpose or your career path, that makes us a little bit scared to do the things that are right for ourselves.”  [18:25]

“I believe that success comes from when you truly do what you want to do in life. We should be aligned with ourselves to make the decisions that serve us at the end.”  [19:28]

“Money is the foundation of a lot of things. And it doesn't solve everything, but it solves a lot.”  [29:25]

“I think the value of money depends on what we do with it. If I do something good with it, it becomes good, but it's technically neutral.”  [32:10]

Live Your Best Life!

Want to learn how to self-validate, let go of self-doubt, and figure out what a successful life looks like for you (not your parents)? Then download our complimentary audio guide here.

Take the first step to living your own life beyond anyone else's expectations!

Intro

No matter where you come from, there’s this one narrative that we’ve all been told since we were little kids about how success looks like.

Society highly prizes careers that bring in the most wealth and pride, and so to many, becoming a doctor, an engineer, lawyer, business owner, and/or CEO has become synonymous to being a successful person.

And so, it’s very understandable if you ever find yourself struggling with pursuing your true passion and building the life you want, especially if it falls outside the prevailing notions of success.

In this episode, we’ll be delving into these topics with Leah Feuer, a.k.a. The Professional Mind Organizer.

Leah and I discuss how we can declutter our minds and figure out how we want to live our life and what we want out of our life. We also talk about how you can build the confidence to pursue your true passion and be comfortable about not fitting into the typical definition of success.

Guest Bio

Leah Feuer has 10 years of coaching experience, advising start-ups, launching products, and growing businesses. Today, Leah goes by the title The Professional Mind Organizer. She helps her clients de-clutter their mind, ‘untangle’ their thoughts, and figure out what they really want out of their life.

“To get to the right coach, you also have to do a lot of work on your own. But you have to understand that to get the help that you need, you need to be honest and vulnerable.” (Anya)

“You have to be willing to step into the unknown and believe that you will land on your feet. And if you do not, you'll be okay. You'll still be able to pick yourself back up after that.” (Leah)

“Life is a nonlinear problem, right? Figuring out how to live your fullest self out in the world and what that looks like - it's not like anyone else has done it. Your journey will be unique and so it requires creativity to solve those problems.” (Leah)

“Confidence can come from achieving what you set out to do.” (Leah)

Want to learn how to self-validate, let go of self-doubt, and figure out what a successful life looks like for you (not your parents)? Then download our complimentary audio guide here.

Take the first step to living your own life beyond anyone else's expectations!

Intro

For centuries since the advent of corporate America, white men have consistently dominated leadership positions in the workplace across all industries. It’s hard enough for a person of color to rise to a leadership position, but even more so if that person is a woman.

Statistics show that women are almost half of the labor force, but only 40% of these hold leadership positions. And out of that slice, 32.3% are held by white women while 7.7% are held by women of color. Source: Catalyst.org

So what are the chances that an Asian immigrant woman could take on a leadership position in a white, male-dominated industry, say, in construction or in a tech-based company?

Let me tell you the answer: very slim.

Because according to that same research, only 2.5% of these leadership positions are held by Asian women here in the United States. And the numbers only get smaller as we go up the corporate ladder, even for white women.

But unlike the statistics and the odds presented to her, our guest this week shows us that being an Asian immigrant woman is not a hindrance for anyone to thrive in the workplace. Despite the status quo, Suzanne Leung was able to rise above a white male-dominated industry; not only in terms of holding a leadership position, but also in terms of work performance and earning the respect and camaraderie of her colleagues.

This week on the podcast, Suzanne Leung talks about her immigrant journey and career trajectory as an immigrant in corporate America. She also talks about the stereotypes that she has encountered as an Asian woman and how she deals with these misconceptions in the workplace.

Guest Bio

Suzanne Leung is a District Manager at Autodesk, a software company based in California. She was born in Hong Kong, raised in Singapore, and currently lives in the United States.

Key Takeaways

Quotes

“What is truly magnetic, I found, is when authenticity is able to shine through - your realness, your vulnerability, that's what is truly magnetic to people.” (Suzanne)

“Success doesn't mean that I always look or seem on top of it or always look or seem in charge. [To me] success means staying true to yourself and living out the thing that's gonna make you excited and make you the most happy.” (Anya)

“[As immigrants], we think we have to suffer forever and have to be constantly proving ourselves until we burn out. And it's just not healthy. In fact, I don't think people are asking that of us. We need to set boundaries and boundaries are when people start to respect our time.” (Suzanne)

Live Your Best Life!

Want to learn how to self-validate, let go of self-doubt, and figure out what a successful life looks like for you (not your parents)? Then download our complimentary audio guide --> here.

Take the first step to living your own life beyond anyone else's expectations!