You Can Do This!

They say, “Everyone has a book inside them,” and if you’re reading this, you must feel that calling, too. This is your sign to stop overthinking it and make it happen: Whether you’re aching to tell your story, stories about others, or share your ideas and insights with the world, you know that writing a book can create a lasting impact and legacy and open doors to new opportunities. 

Motivating you to turn your author dreams into reality with her tips, lessons learned from her own experiences, and helpful insights relevant to the current times is a Filipina writer based in Singapore and author of six novels, including Hue City, which debuted at No. 2 on the Straits Times Bestseller List, and Suddenly Superstar, which made it to No.8 on the same list, both published by Penguin Random House Southeast Asia.

She also wrote Miss Makeover, Budget is the New Black, Girl Meets World, and No Boyfriend Since Birth, which was adapted into a TV series starring Alessandra de Rossi. A former journalist, she started as a news reporter for Today and was a lifestyle editor for magazines including Preview, Cosmopolitan Philippines and Harper’s Bazaar Singapore. She is a member of the Singapore Writers Group and has led talks and panels at literary events in Southeast Asia, including the Singapore Writers Festival.

Did you grow up in a conservative household or go to a religious school where talking about sex was off-limits or considered sinful? Maybe you’ve felt guilty, embarrassed, or confused about your own sexual desires and don’t know how to embrace them? Or have been shamed and judged by others for doing so, or are uneasy or squeamish when sex is discussed, but wish you weren’t? 

If you want to go from feeling sexually repressed to being empowered and feeling more confident about your sexual self and identity, listen to guest Trish Bautista, the co-founder and creative lead of Unprude, Asia’s first sex therapy app and sexual wellness ecosystem offering expert guidance and intimate wellness products. She is also an international digital creative strategist and a popular content creator who explores the intersections of intimacy, relationships, and culture in her relatable content that resonates with Filipinos, Fil-Ams, and immigrants worldwide. Born and raised in Manila, she moved to the U.S. at age 18 to study at UCLA, bringing a cross-cultural perspective to her work.

Who says you can’t have it all? Baus Rufo is living proof that you can have your cake and eat many other  career cakes, too, as he embraces and incorporates his varied interests into a successful, extraordinary, and lucrative multi-faceted career and life that fellow multi-passionates can learn from. 

In Part 2 of last week’s episode, he helps you Strat-Plan your life as he reveals how he has prepared for, juggled, and woven his many passions into a synergistic and fulfilling career path. He also gives us a reality check as he shares his experience and practical advice in navigating the challenges of balancing one’s time, energy, and mental, emotional, and physical well-being that come with this adventure. 

Multi-passionate: A.k.a. multi-talented, multi-potentialite, polymath, renaissance person, slashie, scanner, generalist—people with multiple interests supposedly having a hard time settling on a career. “Jack of all trades, master of none.”

If you are torn between your many passions and are resisting staying in just one lane despite societal pressure, this episode is for you.

Get inspired by this host, podcaster, and content creator known for his workplace parodies with over 1.3 million likes on TikTok. Named by CNN in 2023 as one of the top local stand-up comedians to watch for, he leverages his 10-year experience in corporate advertising to encourage people not to take things too seriously. He has collaborated with major brands like Procter&Gamble, McDonald’s, and GCash, all while staying true to his unique mishmash of creativity and humor.

Ever feel like you're always saying yes when you really want to say no? Do you find yourself avoiding the discomfort of speaking your mind—and then being resentful afterwards? If you’re overwhelmed by the demands of others or afraid to assert your needs without feeling guilty, this episode will teach you how setting boundaries can transform your well-being, personal and professional relationships, and overall happiness.

Coach Nikka Santos coaches professionals and teams to build self-mastery, resilience, and leadership skills by sharpening their focus and increasing their mental and emotional agility. An International Coaching Federation-certified and credentialed-leadership coach, she is the founder of The Future Leaders Program and a Care Coach for the world’s leading coaching platform, BetterUp, where she provides resilience coaching for companies like Google, Warner Media, Chevron, and NASA.

Ever found yourself reacting impulsively to a stressful situation and wished you could have handled it better? You know, snapping at a co-worker at the office or a loved one after a long day at work, or bingeing on junk food as a stress-eating coping mechanism—then regretting it immediately? In this episode, you’ll learn how mastering your emotions can be the key to unlocking success in every aspect of your life.

Nikka Santos coaches professionals and teams to build self-mastery, resilience, and leadership skills by sharpening their focus and increasing their mental and emotional agility. An International Coaching Federation-certified and credentialed-leadership coach, she is the founder of The Future Leaders Program and a Care Coach for the world’s leading coaching platform, BetterUp, where she provides resilience coaching for companies like Google, Warner Media, Chevron, and NASA.

Dubbed as the “torchbearer of the underrepresented” by Wonder, Miss Universe Philippines 2024 Chelsea Manalo’s impactful win “marks a significant step toward a more inclusive Philippines, encouraging others like her to confidently take up their own space and claim their place in society.”

Mostly overlooked in the course of the Miss Universe Philippines 2024 pageant, she was not perceived as a strong contender among the favorite frontrunners and veterans—a situation paralleling her youth, where she was not just unnoticed but singled out, bullied, and rejected because of her skin color and hair type.

In this episode, she shares her transformative story of overcoming these challenges. Her insights on self-belief, authenticity, and resilience will empower you to embrace your own uniqueness and make a lasting impact, whatever your background, circumstances, career, or profession.

His words say one thing, but his eyes, ears, nose, arms and legs say another! Ever wonder if someone is lying to you? In Part 2 of our conversation with body language expert Sheila Tan, she shares fascinating insights on how to spot deception and untrustworthiness and teach

us how understanding these subtle cues can help us navigate both personal and professional interactions more effectively.

Sheila is a Neuro-Semantics trainer, NLP Master Practitioner and Meta-Coach licensed by the International Society of Neuro-Semantics, and an executive coach and organizational development consultant.

Do people often make a false impression of you before they get to know you? Scientific studies repeatedly show that actions speak louder than words, and that our body language influences others’ perceptions of us and our potential for success more than we know. The good news is, we can learn how to use non-verbal communication more effectively to transform our life at work, in relationships, and beyond.

Executive coach and organizational development consultant Sheila Tan is a Body Language Expert, Neuro-Semantics trainer, Neuro-Linguistic Programming Master Practitioner and Meta-Coach licensed by the International Society of Neuro-Semantics. She has a Master’s degree in Organizational Development at Pepperdine University and was part of Probe’s documentary on past Philippine Presidents and the Top 5 Presidential Candidates in the last election.

Research shows that having close female friendships boosts your confidence, happiness, and overall health. When women spend time together, it increases serotonin and oxytocin (the bonding hormone), which lifts their mood and promotes positive behavior. On the flip side, women who feel isolated and lack female connections are more likely to experience depression and have weaker immune systems.

In this episode, two BFFs share their experiences, advice, tips and secrets to cultivating meaningful female friendships and harnessing them towards solid happiness: Colourette Cosmetics CEO Nina Ellaine Dizon, and morena advocate and anti-colorism activist and beauty queen Ayn Bernos, both million-follower content creators, entrepreneurs, authors, self-empowerment advocates who are individual powerhouses in their own right.

P.S. Make sure you listen to their solo episodes that come before  this one!