The Undercurrent Podcast

I recently interviewed Joy Diwa about the topic of living on autopilot. She was a highschool educator for 10 years, living paycheck to paycheck. During the pandemic she found herself putting in extra time and extra energy that she didn’t have which sent her into a downward spiral.

She was disassociated and numbing her feelings with various coping mechanisms. She said at one point, she felt absolutely nothing.

Joy tells her inspiring story of how she left a decade long career to find her own joy and create a life with more meaning and fulfillment.

She also shares tips for people who feel stuck in life and how she personally moves through phases of stuckness and self doubt.

Listen to episode #68 now.

If you’re in this phase now, remember that everything is temporary and there is always a way out.

Do you struggle with getting things done?

Ever have this feeling at the end of the day that you could be more productive? Maybe you didn’t do what you actually wanted to do? Or you just feel unsatisfied with how your day went?

I know how this feels all too well. I’ve wrestled with the idea of productivity my whole life.

Some days I feel on fire and super accomplished. And other days, feel guilty about how UNPRODUCTIVE I WAS.

Back in my 9-5 days, I’d get to work and have a big to-do list in front of me. And at the end of the day, it seemed like the list was longer than when the day started!

To make things worse, I’d look around the office and it seemed like everyone else around had their shit together except for me which made me feel helpless and out of control.

I got sick of being in these situations, it was draining and started to affect my mental health.

So I decided the days of always feeling behind the 8-ball were over and I committed to learning how to work with more focus and effectiveness.

I’m spilling all my secrets with you in this week’s podcast episode: Ten Productivity Tips to Help You Stay Focused and Get Shit Done.

Listen to Episode #67 Now

In my most recent podcast episode: How to be successful without even having to think, I share the ONE thing that can make or break your success: Habits!

Here are some highlights I cover in this week’s episode:

• What a habit really is 
• How to actually create new habits in 4 parts
• How our brains work
• Why motivation isn’t enough for us to change our behavior

And a few other personal habit hacks of my own.

Listen to episode #66 Now.

In my interview with Andrea Jakucs, a Filipino-American licensed clinical social worker for the BIPOC community, we talk about ways that people can feel more successful and increase their overall well-being. She shares what the 8 pillars of wellness are and how her personal wellness journey has inspired the work that she does.

She also talks about how our stress levels are rising because of the impact on things like social media and offers helpful tips to minimize stress and improve our mental health.

Listen to episode #65 now.

How long does it take for you to get ready in the morning? 30 minutes? 45 minutes? 

I’m kinda embarrassed to share this but sometimes it would take me over an hour and a half to get ready just for work.

That’s ninety whole minutes I took each morning to blow out my hair, apply mascara and stand in front of my closet trying to decide which pair of the many black heels I owned that best matched my OOTD.

I could have used that precious time to sleep more, work out or enjoy a nice, healthy breakfast. But instead, I rushed out the door already late, hungry and stressed out just to make sure my outfit, makeup and hair were on point.

I needed to look perfect. Every. Single. Day.

Do you struggle with perfectionism? 

It’s something a lot of women and especially women of color battle with.

There’s a saying in the black community, “You gotta work twice as hard to get half as far”.

And it isn’t just an aphorism, there’s some truth to it for BIPOC, women and other marginalized communities.

Studies show that women are better educated but undervalued. We graduate from college at higher rates than men but get paid less - even in the exact same roles.

The pay gap is even bigger if you’re a woman of color. We lose out on millions of dollars over the course of our careers compared to white men because of the gap.

And it’s not because we’re settling either. Women negotiate for promotions and ask for raises more often than men. But not one’s even trying to hear it.

We gotta work harder and be perfect and still aren’t valued the same.

In this week’s episode I’m going to talk all about perfectionism: what it is, the different types of perfectionism (the good, the bad and the ugly), the causes, the signs, how it affects WOC and helpful tips to overcome it.

Listen to episode #64 now

These days, I definitely don’t spend as much time getting ready. I’m lucky if I brush my hair or even wear shoes.

The process of healing has been a long journey and I’m still on it. I think it will always be something I’m working on.

If you struggle with perfectionism too, I’m here with you, alongside you. And hope this helps in any way wherever you’re at in your journey.

In this week’s podcast episode I share more personal people pleasing stories, what people actually is, the 10 signs to look out for, where the behavior comes from and how it can affect your life.

I also share helpful tips to stop the pattern of pleasing people.

Listen to Episode #63 Now

Being a people pleaser isn’t always a bad thing. But if this behavior is getting in the way of your well being and joy, it’s important to figure out ways to practice self care, set boundaries and protect your peace.

Remember, you can’t pour from an empty cup. So make sure you’ve got a little something in there before you think about helping other people.

If this is a pattern that runs deep and it’s affecting your mental health or other areas of your life, I suggest you speak with a mental health professional or coach who specializes in this area so you can learn how to break this pattern and stop draining your energy on other people and live for yourself. 

In this week’s podcast episode, I speak all about the topic of purpose and tell the story of how I went from just going through the motions to how I changed my life and career in a big way by aligning with my own intrinsic feeling of success vs. what society expects of me.

If you listen to the show, you’ll learn the 5 questions that I’ve used for hundreds of clients and students to find their life purpose and help them take meaningful steps towards achieving their biggest goals.

Listen to Episode #62 now

Are you at a point in life where you want to connect with your purpose? 

Do you feel it’s time to make some changes so you can feel more fulfilled everyday?

Would you like some support with that?

If you answered yes to these questions, I’m hosting a FREE masterclass series for a limited number of people who are ready to take the next steps towards creating meaningful work and living a more purposeful life.

Note: The series is first come first serve and it’s filling up fast. I’ve got only 5 spots left in this upcoming cohort. 

To sign up, head to Instagram and DM @theundercurrentpodcast with the word “PURPOSE” and we’ll send you the details.

What's your definition of success?

Is it money? A fancy job at a big company? A nice car?

I strived to achieve all these things and was successful on paper. But I didn’t FELT successful. This is because I never checked in with myself about what I really wanted.

I adopted the classist and capitalistic view of what society describes as “success”. That to be somebody, you gotta flex labels, titles or material things.

Doing life solely in this way is unfulfilling. Trust me, I tried. It's insatiable.

I interviewed Charito Soriano, a member of Astralogik, a Queer Filipino-American musical duo. Their songs are shaped by their story of redefining what “success” means through the lens of being queer, Pinay and suriving violence and homelessness.

Charito shares the challenging journey she went through trying to make it big in the music industry and losing everything in the pursuit of society’s definition of success. But even through the hardships she faced, she reveals that the greatest gifts in life she’s ever received were because of these hardships.

Annnd… for the first time in The Undercurrent Podcast history, we have a live musical performance. Charito shares her gift of song on the show and I can’t wait for you to hear this one!

Listen to Episode 61 Now

Success is not limited to society’s definition. I'd like to offer another definition of success, one that you can't see on the outside but you can totally feel on the inside. One that includes an abundance of energy, self compassion and confidence.

Here are signs you're successful, even if you don't realize you are:

1 - You prioritize self care

2 - You have healthy boundaries

3 - You don't take things personally

4 - You forgive yourself for mistakes

5 - You're ok with being misunderstood

6 - You emotionally regulate when triggered

7 - You care more about what you think vs. what other people think

Want to redefine what success means to you?

And start living life on your terms?

We’re hosting a masterclass series for a group of ambitious folks who are ready to stop playing small and live a life with more meaning, purpose and their version of success. If you’re interested, DM us at @theundercurrentpodcast with the word “SUCCESS” and we’ll send over the details.

In my interview with Charlotte Skogsberg, she shares how to live a healthy and balanced life through Ayurveda, Psychology and Yoga.

She explains in detail about the science of Ayurveda, the three different body types that we each have a combination of, how to use food as medicine and ways you can heal your life from the inside out.

Listen to Episode 60 Now

If you’re feeling off balance, know that there are many ways you can heal your life. And you also don’t have to do it alone.

In my interview with Desi Danganan, he talks about his life and entrepreneurial journey: from designing some of the first websites that ever existed, to opening night clubs in San Francisco, to becoming a community leader and founder of a non-profit for Filipinos and other marginalized communities.

He shares that the creative genius behind navigating these roles in completely different industries were driven from somewhere deep. He explains how he taps into this energy and how it is the key ingredient that has led him to doing purposeful work in his career.

Listen to Episode 59 now to learn more

Are you at a point in life where you want to connect more with your purpose? 

Do you feel it’s time to make a change?

Would you like some guidance?

If you answered yes to these questions, send me email and let’s talk.