The Imperfect Rainbow

In this episode, Jeremy and Maddy explain how and why practising mindfulness is beneficial to our health and well-being. Your hosts share their experiences and tips on how to be present in the moment, as well as how to improve the relationship with your health and body by practising mindfulness.

Show notes

(02:35) Inspiration behind doing this episode. (03:35) Spillover benefits from practising mindfulness. (09:33) Definition of mindfulness. (10:55) Practising mindful eating. (27:40) Mindfulness and breathing. (35:45) Training your mind to be present. (50:50) Quotes of the day.

Jeremy’s quote, by Eckhart Tolle from his book The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment: Life is now. There was never a time when your life was not now. Nor will there ever be.

Maddy’s quote, by Marianne Williamson: It takes courage to endure the sharp pains of self discovery rather than choose to take the dull pain of unconsciousness that would last the rest of our lives.

Hosts: Jeremy Lee (@jemcocktails) and Madeline Liew (@maddyliew)

Producer: Paul Ng (@wanderwavestudio)

This episode is dedicated to Momo. Many of you that have followed this show since the beginning will know of Jeremy's love for his dog Momo. Sadly, Momo passed away on 2 July 2024. In this episode, Jeremy and Maddy talk about grieving and what it feels like to lose someone close to their hearts.

Show notes

(02:58) Holding on to the memories of Momo. (15:45) Finding a song to help you to heal. (17:52) I should have done this, I should have done that. (26:38) The grieving process. (30:30) A passage by Jay Shetty on grieving. (36:00) Jeremy’s eulogy for Momo.

Extras

Jeremy’s eulogy for Momo: The last few years with Momo were one of the best years I’ve ever had in my life. I never imagined how much joy and love Momo will bring into our life, and already I'm missing her wagging tail, her silly smile, her legs on my arms when I come home. I'm missing my morning and evening walks with her. I wished I had one more walk with her. One more meal with her. One more hug. One more day with her. And death is so final isn’t it? After death, there’s really nothing left but grief. I had three years with Momo. I wished I had more time with her. So I always felt that it was meant to be with Momo. The moment I saw her, somehow I knew. She was shy, she was quiet, she was reserved, and clearly opposites attract. She was one of the best things that had happened to us in this lifetime, and I would do it all over again in a heartbeat. I wished I was beside her when she passed, and I hope that she knows that Daddy loved her deeply, and she will always be remembered and missed. Daddy loves you and Daddy misses you so much. I wish you would come back to my arms, but I know you won’t. And now I have to grieve. Now I have to make peace with death, and sorrow. And now I must let you go. And we love you so much Momo. Run and be free now. And one day we will meet again. Goodbye my darling Momo.

Hosts: Jeremy Lee (@jemcocktails) and Madeline Liew (@maddyliew)

Producer: Paul Ng (@wanderwavestudio)

In this episode, Jeremy and Maddy are joined by world traveler and friend of the podcast Mandy Tay. Mandy is a trailer producer and photographer who spent a significant part of her professional life away from Singapore. In her travels, she seeks out the exotic cultures of faraway lands in places as diverse as the Middle East and South America. Mandy shares her travel experience with your hosts and how it has impacted her worldview. We hope that this episode can inspire you to be brave to own your happiness and shape your own narrative.

Fun fact: The cover and episode photos you see on this show are all captured by Mandy.

Show notes

(01:35) Introducing the guest. (09:25) Pursuing your passion and deciding what to do. (16:49) How travelling has changed Mandy’s life. (21:00) How to make good connections with people. (23:25) How has travelling shaped Mandy’s idea of happiness. (36:25) Having the courage to go on your own path. (37:55) Making time to meet people. (40:00) Advice for people wanting to live a life bravely. (44:45) Mandy’s quote of the day.

Mandy’s quote, by José “Pepe” Mujica, former president of Uruguay: “When you buy something, you are not paying money for it. You are paying with the hours you have spent earning that money. The difference is that life is one thing money can't buy. Life only gets shorter, and it’s pitiful to waste your life and freedom that way.”

Extras

Hosts: Jeremy Lee (@jemcocktails) and Madeline Liew (@maddyliew)

Guest: Mandy Tay (@mandytayshoots)

Producer: Paul Ng (@wanderwavestudio)

If you feel that you always can’t make decisions or the decisions you made don’t always turn out well, then we hope this episode is useful for you. Drawing on their own experiences, Jeremy and Maddy give us tips on how to make better decisions. But more importantly, your hosts also remind us not to get stuck in an elaborate decision process. To quote one of the lines from this episode, every good decision only happens in hindsight.

Show notes

(05:40) Go slow to go fast by exploring all viable options first. (11:47) Conquering your fear to make progress in life. (19:05) Knowing the “why” in you making that decision. (25:40) Knowing your human design chart. (29:42) The job decision matrix. (38:30) Questions to consider if you are in the indecision stage. (45:24) Making the decision to be in the moment. (50:30) Avoiding analysis paralysis. (56:35) Quotes of the day.

Jeremy’s quote: I do not believe in making a right decision. I make a decision and make it right.

Maddy’s quote, by Dale Carnegie: Do the thing you fear, and keep doing it. That is the quickest and surest way ever yet discovered to conquer fear.

Extras

The LITO podcast episode on core desire mapping and the free human design chart, as mentioned by Maddy.

Hosts: Jeremy Lee (@jemcocktails) and Madeline Liew (@maddyliew)

Producer: Paul Ng (@wanderwavestudio)

In this episode, Jeremy and Maddy talk about death in both the literal and metaphorical sense. Your hosts share stories of coping with grief and a sense of longing for the good times they had before the "death" of something and someone close to their hearts. Perhaps this stage of dealing with grief allows for a proper closure of our emotions before we move on to a new season in our life.

Show notes

(04:48) Reasons behind this episode. (18:00) Living funeral. (26:57) Seasons of life. (33:47) The top 5 regrets of the dying. (35:25) Regret 1: I wish I'd had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me. (37:03) Regret 2: I wish I hadn’t worked so hard. (41:27) Regret 3: I wish I’d had the courage to express my feelings. (45:30) Regret 4: I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends. (48:20) Regret 5: I wish that I had let myself be happier. (56:50) Quotes of the day.

Maddy’s quote, by Sadhguru: For the possibility of being human to truly blossom, you must establish that your external circumstances should not dictate what is happening within you.

Jeremy’s quote, by Bronnie Ware: There is nothing wrong with loving your work and wanting to apply yourself to it. But there is so much more to life. Balance is what is important, maintaining balance.

Extras

The video that Maddy mentioned about living funeral: Michelle Ng’s final farewell

Read Bronnie Ware’s book The Top 5 Regrets of the Dying, as mentioned in this episode.

Hosts: Jeremy Lee (@jemcocktails) and Madeline Liew (@maddyliew)

Producer: Paul Ng (@wanderwavestudio)

Jeremy and Maddy reflect on their Singaporean-ness and pride at being a Singaporean. They give their unique take on the things they love most about Singapore from food and places, to a memorable jingle that everyone growing up in the 80s remembers.

Show notes

(05:35) Your hosts’ favorite local food. (12:53) Favorite place in Singapore. (18:50) Ease of accessibility and the convenience of living in Singapore. (20:50) Memorable local campaigns. (24:20) How the traffic lights and roundabouts in Singapore reflect our faithfulness in following rules. (29:05) Singapore, the gateway to the world. (31:40) A moment etched in Maddy’s memory. (35:32) Quotes of the day.

Maddy's quote, from the song Home by Kit Chan: When there are troubles to go through, we'll find a way to start anew. There is comfort in the knowledge, that home's about its people too.

Jeremy's quote: Home is where the heart is.

Hosts: Jeremy Lee (@jemcocktails) and Madeline Liew (@maddyliew)

Producer: Paul Ng (@wanderwavestudio)

The time you get to spend with your parents may be shorter than you think. In this episode, Jeremy and Maddy reflect on seeing their parents age before their eyes, and making efforts to connect with them in the silver years of their lives. Time waits for no one, so make the most of the opportunities you have. Don’t put off until tomorrow what you can do today.

Show notes

(05:54) Maddy’s story of her mum’s condition. (19:57) Reflection on parenthood and being one for the first time. (23:43) Showing empathy and compassion to our parents. (32:30) Creating opportunities to spend time with your parents. (37:55) Setting boundaries with your parents. (50:25) Quotes of the day.

Maddy’s quote, from LITO Labs: The scariest thing in life isn't the fear of uncertainty. It is the pain and cost of missed opportunities.

Jeremy’s quote, a Russian proverb as told to him by his Russian colleague: Good agreements make good friends.

Extras

Maddy’s deep health assessment that could help you too.

Hosts: Jeremy Lee (@jemcocktails) and Madeline Liew (@maddyliew)

Producer: Paul Ng (@wanderwavestudio)

Inspired by our dear listeners' suggestions, Jeremy and Maddy use this episode to share their experiences and tips from their extensive travels. Your hosts hope you can pick up a few pointers from their stories, and use the privilege of travelling wisely. Happy travelling!

Show notes

(04:53) Reason behind doing this episode. (08:53) Learning to be curious. (15:10) Holidaying in your youth versus holidaying now. (16:45) Being comfortable with discomfort. (18:42) Knowing your biases and applying critical thinking. (22:35) Learning from the challenges of travelling. (27:37) Visiting countries where you have friends there, and making friends in the countries you visit. (33:30) Aligning our senses with the moment. (36:55) Growing from experience. (42:40) Appreciating the different seasons. (51:45) Quotes of the day.

Maddy’s quote: If you don’t take time off, your body will take time off for you.

Jeremy’s quote, by Marcel Proust: The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.

Extras

The Airbnb apartment that Jeremy stayed in New Zealand.

Hosts: Jeremy Lee (@jemcocktails) and Madeline Liew (@maddyliew)

Producer: Paul Ng (@wanderwavestudio)

In this episode, your hosts are joined by a young guest to talk about aging in Singapore. Donald is 20 years old and currently pursuing his diploma in social sciences in gerontology at Temasek Polytechnic, the study of the management and intricacies of aging. Donald is passionate about contributing to the elderly cause, and he brings a refreshing and youthful take on following our passion.

Show notes

(01:33) How the guest came to be on the show. (03:00) Diversity and inclusion and bridging the different generations. (04:00) Introduction of the guest. (15:50) Challenges that the elderly face today. (24:10) What the youths of today are passionate about. (31:25) How can schools and parents better support youths of today. (46:40) Donald’s message of the day.

Donald’s message: You are going to get there. Don’t give up now.

Extras

Donald Lee as featured in The Straits Times, and the TikTok video that Donald mentioned.

Hosts: Jeremy Lee (@jemcocktails) and Madeline Liew (@maddyliew)

Guest: Donald Lee (@.dlmzx._)

Producer: Paul Ng (@wanderwavestudio)

Jeremy and Maddy look back at their missteps in their life and tell it only the way they can. For many years, they have been seeking external validation and attaching their self-worth to people’s opinions of them. They share how they came to realize this issue and the steps they are taking to improve their lives. Sometimes, we all need to look back so that we can move forward.

Show notes

(10:15) Maddy’s recurring relationship chapter. (29:30) Jeremy learning to face his discomfort. (36:55) Learning to say no. (44:50) Choosing discomfort over resentment. (50:20) Don’t be afraid to ask for help. (53:45) Set up your environment to support you. (1:01:55) Quotes of the day.

Maddy's quote, by Brené Brown: When we have the courage to walk into our story and own it, we get to write the ending.

Jeremy's quote, by Adam Grant: The best way to accelerate growth is to embrace, seek, and amplify discomfort.

Extras

Jeremy talked about Enneagram profiling and how learning about it has helped him. Check out this service by Kat here.

Hosts: Jeremy Lee (@jemcocktails) and Madeline Liew (@maddyliew)

Producer: Paul Ng (@wanderwavestudio)