The Life Uncommon with Theresa Lim

“Do I exist simply to only be someone’s wife or am I able to also pursue my own dreams and contribute to the world?” - Diana Chang

🦋 My very special guest in this episode is a dear friend and an inspiring human being, Diana Chang. In 2015, Diana quit her corporate job and left Singapore to accompany her husband who had an overseas posting in Indonesia. As time passed, she started to feel she wasn’t “useful” or had “a sense of purpose” like she did when she had a job previously. Here she was in a foreign land, unable to speak the language and far away from her family and friends and from the outside looking in, people thought she was having the time of her life as a “lady of leisure”. Hearing that sank her into further loneliness because she was already feeling incompetent and overwhelmed by the inability to put into words how she really felt only made her resent her life even more. Her only reprieve was to cry to herself in private and she felt, through prayer, that only God understood what her heart was going through. 

🦋 We learn from society on how to study for better grades, work harder/smarter to get a job promotion etc, yet we are not taught how to approach and embrace change; and how to process the emotions that come with it in a healthy way. And Diana’s advice is this, “Never hurry yourself in the process to ‘snap out of it’ and dismiss those feelings away so quickly. Try to understand your feelings so that you can reflect on how to make things better for yourself.” (Sic)

🦋 Listen in on how Diana went from a season of feeling empty to using this time of transition to establish her true identity and self-worth - ultimately leading to the birth of Yumi Active. A Japanese-inspired name, Yumi means “abundant beauty”; and Yumi Active represents Diana’s love for how much heart the Japanese pour into service and design. It also embodies an image of a resilient and confident woman with a zest for life overflowing with her inner beauty. Combined with a distinct and rich East Asia heritage that is reflected in her designs, it is her wish for her female customers to experience that adopting a positive active lifestyle can enhance their overall physical and mental wellbeing. Today, Diana is a woman in her own right - an entrepreneur to a brand that she worked to conceive to bring “happiness to those who wear them because it connects to something in their hearts’. Isn’t that wonderful?

🦋 I hope you enjoy listening to this episode as much as I did recording it with Diana.

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🦋 Yumi Active IG: @yumiactive

“Where I am today is not by my works, but by the grace of God” ~ Natasha Roberts, 2020

Two strangers - a Singaporean and a Torontonian - met in the summer of July 2019 over vintage jumpsuits in a local fashion boutique in the heart of Kensington Market, Toronto. Brought together by their mutual love for chai latte, people and God, what started as a shopping spree turned into a beautiful sisterhood friendship. In this episode, I had the most wonderful time chatting with a fellow like-hearted individual who is loving, courageous, compassionate, super smart and absolutely beautiful inside out.

Come with me as we learn about how at a young tender age of 6, Natasha began to learn a key life lesson - Vulnerability. As the now co-owner of Space Vintage, a black-owned mother-daughter vintage clothing store and brand, she had the wonderful fortune of meeting people from all walks of life and people who were so open in sharing (first lesson in vulnerability!) their stories and experiences. They were the ones who inspired and motivated her to question and lean in to how she wanted to live her life. Building that connection with people from such a young age has developed a great sense of compassion and love within her - traits that are synonymous with how Natasha leads and runs Space Vintage today. She believes that this goes beyond the fashion business; in fact, it is going into the heart and the soul of a person - to grow with the people who come into the store.

Listen in on how Natasha lost EVERYTHING (her store, her livelihood, her home) and be inspired by how in the midst of this particularly dark season of her life, she never once wavered in her faith and trust in God to provide the way and fully restore everything that was taken away from her. By putting God first, prayer and thanksgiving became a daily practice even though the manifestation of the restoration could not yet be “seen”. It is this posture of faith and gratitude that the unthinkable happened - Natasha found a fabulous retail space in Kensington Market and it was “a saving grace and an answered prayer”. From that moment on, having overcome the challenge of displacement, one by one her prayers began to take the form of a manifested “YES” in her life.

Today, Space Vintage is a thriving and important institution in Toronto’s fashion scene. And in this season of the Covid-19 pandemic affecting lives and businesses all around the world, Natasha believes what she went through previously has, in a way, prepared her to navigate these uncertain times. She sees this as another opportunity to mature and exercise her faith, to never give up, rise up, evolve and overcome. 

This interview left me feeling pumped and so inspired; and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did recording it.

PS: Little spoiler here - for all you stylists and fashionistas out there, stay to the end of the episode for a mega announcement on Space Vintage’s foray into the digital space and what that means for us ladies who never “seem to have enough clothes” in our wardrobe! HAHA

Natasha's IG: @natasharoberts_xo

Space Vintage IG: @spacevintagexo

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This is my first raw, unedited, unfiltered, no holds barred podcast - recorded 10,055km apart with a 6 hour time difference. Everything that you’re about to hear in this episode is a conversation between two cosmic soul sisters (from another mister and mother) who deeply believe in each other with a pureness of love and closeness. (It might also include a mega truth bomb in the beginning to screams of excitement - get ready!)

Naomi Huth and I met on 1 March 2020 when she attended one of my first yoga classes. We had an immediate soul connection and by the time we met up for our first coffee and falafel wrap, we were already discussing about starting a Conscious Women’s Circle, and discovering so many parallels we shared growing up even though we had just met a week ago. Then the Circuit Breaker Phase 1 Lockdown happened - and in the subsequent 81 days, we stayed very much in touch, encouraged and held each other accountable in our personal growth, started @creatorsofspace, where we did weekly IG Live sessions on spiritual growth and consciousness. So it came as no surprise that I was saddened (and happy) when Naomi announced she was heading back to Munich to be with family and left Singapore on 8 August 2020. Fast forward a month, I received a message saying she was “moving to a place with no internet connection” and immediately, we both decided that we were going to record a podcast together and she was going to drop the surprise bomb on me during the recording.

Join us as we explored and shared our thoughts and experiences around Self-Identity, Surrendering, Courage, a Remembrance of we truly are, and how the human race has somehow convinced itself that we are “unique and divided” when in reality, we are more connected than we will ever know. This is a very heartfelt recording as I continue to hold my best wishes and love for my dear Naomi, and patiently waiting for her return in 3 months time. I hope you enjoy this episode as much as I did recording it with my best friend.

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🦋 Naomi’s IG: @naomi.huth

“I am very keen to learn; teach me as much as possible”

At the age of 15, Ron Soh left school, lost his confidence, labelled himself as a "high school drop-out" and felt useless because he did not have any proper qualifications. But he needed to survive, so to be able to put food on the table, Ron shifted his mindset and set out to prove his worth - first to himself, before he could prove it to the world.

His personal mantra became, “Don’t be afraid to take hardship, be positive and ready to learn new things every single day.” Today, he is the proud owner of Framelines Gallery in Singapore, a family man and an outstanding human being.

I had the pleasure of interviewing Ron and I am blown away by the spirit of resilience, humility and a "never give up" attitude. In spite of the feelings of unworthiness, his story tells of how we should never despise small beginnings - because they can be the launch pad to an inspirational and great life. All it takes is the right attitude, mindset and a belief that you are enough and are willing to do the work that is needed.

The man behind why I spent over a month in Bali for my 200hr Yoga Teacher Training, Fizzy is one of Singapore's most hardworking and inspirational Handstands and Yoga instructor. When he left the Singapore Armed Forces, Fizzy had a short one year stint as an insurance agent. Albeit brief, it was during this season that he experienced a mindset shift and began practising Stoicism - an ancient Greek school of Philosophy that teaches the development of self control and fortitude as a means of overcoming destructive emotions.

Amidst gushing over ex-monk and motivational speaker, Jay Shetty, and a Sir Richard Branson quote which turned his life around, Fizzy is a prime example that adopting the right mindset, self-belief and what you do daily will set you up for success. Join me as I sit with one of my most treasured yoga mentors whom I have such an honour to learn from. Namaste.

20m 20 secs - Fizzy gushes over his idol, Jay Shetty, and dreams of meeting him one day for Roti Prata

22m 37 secs - Fizzy coming out to express his fullest support for Warrior Studios as he expounds on the merits on being planted in “one place” versus spreading himself thinly across different yoga studios. He might have also secretly manifested a second studio overseas, Mel! 

We are all made of stories - the question is, are they yours? In this episode, ex-Singapore Air Force Pilot turned Neurolinguistics Programming (NLP) Coach turned Hypnotherapist turned Digital Marketing Content Creator shares his tips and advice on owning your narrative - knowing who you truly are versus who you think you should be because of what society and your family might tell you.

At the youthful age of 45, Jeff found himself at a crossroad - early retirement from the one job he knew OR venturing into a new vocation. This took him to China where he could only count from 1 to 100 in Mandarin.14 years on, he still cannot count beyond 100 but what he now possess is a mindset and heart-set that is grounded in peace and "try everything once because".

I met Jeff when I took my NLP certification 8 years ago and it was only very recently that we reconnected again because he recognised me at an ice cream parlour with my friends in Singapore! The pandemic had brought him home for the foreseeable future and I knew pretty much immediately that we met back then and again for a reason.

Tune in to hear him gush over Sir Richard Branson, the late Steve Jobs, and whilst one might aspire to be more like Elon Musk, herein lies the truth - it is more important to be you, to stay true to your values and be the best version of you everyday.

I hope you enjoy this episode as much as I did recording it - this man is one in a million.

Diversity and inclusion are about giving value to every human being, no matter our differences. In this special episode featuring one of my closest friend and “Twinnie”, Serene Satya Charan chats about her heart to make healing accessible to everyone from all walks of life - breaking down barriers when it comes to costs, race, gender, age and culture. She believes that we all owe it to ourselves to heal so as to express the fullest and highest version of ourselves, because the time we have been given is all that we have. I am so happy to share Serene’s story and watching her grow and evolve the past 2 years has given me so much motivation and strength to be a better person everyday.

Tune in and be inspired by this incredible human being who is led by empathy and a loving heart.

Meet my first podcast guest, Sarleia Betty, who took a big leap of faith and left the "familiar and comfortable" corporate world to pursue her calling to be a Sound and Energy Healer. Today, she is thriving in her purpose of being in service to humanity through an acoustic-approach to modern living.

Tune in to be inspired on how having the courage to say NO to what no longer brings you joy and being nimble in the plans that the universe has in store for you are not only the most terrifying thing to do, but it is also the most satisfying - for your mental and emotional well-being.

Sarleia Betty IG: www.instagram.com/sarleia_betty/

Connect with me: www.instagram.com/_thelifeuncommon/

Support my work: paypal.me/heytheresa

Welcome to the launch episode of The Life Uncommon. Stories of the Human Spirit should be celebrated as a way of illuminating the power of hope, courage and imagination within all of us. It is my intention for this podcast series to be a story-telling platform to share the possibilities that come with the undying human spirit, overcoming adversity and in turn, inspiring us towards a more positive and creative approach to living.