Heart Open ConversAsians
A thoughtfully curated space where intentional and honest conversations are had and held for and with a community I hold near and dear to my heart: the Asian collective. Every month, you’ll hear a guest join me in conversation, followed by a solo episode in the same month where I share and weave in my reflections and learnings from that conversation.
Together, we’ll exchange stories of our uniquely hard yet beautiful lives, our journeys, learned experiences and lessons, with the hope that it will encourage and empower you to live out your one precious yet nuanced life that is most true and most YOU. I’m that friend you can count on as we walk together on this journey to learn to embrace and make space for all parts of us. You’re welcome here.
Episodes
77 episodes
Season Finale: Synopses, Current Feels, and Until Next Time
In this finale episode, I did a synopsis of each episode with each and every one of the wonderful guests, friends, and ally who have joined me this season. Each of these stories and life journeys has helped me look at mine with more curiosity a...
Solo - Choosing to Focus on What We Can Control
Hi, dearest ones. I know many of us are still processing some really hard and difficult emotions while still reeling from the results of the Presidential Elections here in the US earlier this week. I'm here to make space for that, to share with...
Minisode (Solo): On Ageing Parents and Caring For Them From Miles Away
Hi Lovelies, today's episode features a solo session, of me sharing and processing through something that has been hanging on my heart these weeks. I reckoned there are others of you out there who're doing this hard thing of figuring and knowin...
Rita Lim-Solhaug: On Mum Life and Creating Communities Through Her Love For Cooking
Rita Lim-Solhaug is a globetrotter whose journey from Singapore to Norway in 2010 with her husband, Gisle, and their younger son, Gregory, sparked an evolving love for food and cultural exchange. Her immigrant journey later saw her...
Jess Goh: On Art As a Way of Life, Accepting Help, and Evolving Friendships
On today’s episode, I'm joined by a fellow Singaporean, one who claims herself to be "a very normal human and mama", but yet, there's something about the way she discussed and processed the things we touched on in our conversation that I saw a ...
Lina Lie: On Rethinking Parenting And Creating Our Unique Blueprint To Better Care For Our Kids and Ourselves
On today’s episode, I’m honored to be joined by a fellow Singaporean and kindred spirit, Lina Lie. Lina is a certified parent coach, a positive discipline parent educator and the founder of The Heartful Mama LLC. She is on a mission to support ...
Dr Lifong Woo: On Turning Adversities Into Opportunities and A Holistic Approach to Personal Growth
Join me and Dr. Lifong Woo, Holistic Life Coach and Certified Metaphysician, as we discussed: How the decision to move her entire family to the US as a result of a job posting led to her involvement with community-building effo...
KJ Nasrul: On What It Truly Means to Listen to our Bodies, Recalibrating, and Returning
Join me and my beloved friend KJ as she returns to this space for an intimate, vulnerable, and important conversation where she shares details, observations, and insights through one of the scariest and most traumatic health struggles she has l...
Kathy Mou: On Self Advocacy, Ditching Productivity and Opting for More Bliss In Every Day
Join me and certified health and life coach, Kathy Mou, as we dived into:How to ditch productivity and lean into introducing more ease and space in your day depending on how you feel Kathy's go-to philosophy: The ‘Blis...
Rae Fung: On Starting Before You Are Ready, Owning Your Voice, and Choosing Curiosity As Our Life Compass
On today's episode, I'm joined by a special individual whom I shared an almost instant affinity with, someone I had the honor to experience an in-person recording for the first time back in our homes in Singapore, and someone I want in my circl...
Ahad Budhani: On Cultivating Connections In Adulthood And Podcasting As A Muscle To Enhance The Human Experience
My guest joining me on the pod today is a wholesome one. Ahad Budhani is an Analytics Professional hailing from The Netherlands. Having lived in 4 Countries already, Ahad has been trying to find his place in this complex world. He ...
Crystal Bui: On Navigating the World of News Reporting, Courage to Pivot, and Trusting Your Inner Knowing
In this 1st episode of a new season on the podcast, I bring you a poignant yet candid conversation with the stunning and tenacious human, Crystal Bui, a prolific news reporter across 10 years and 6 states with her most definitive work seen in t...
Minisode: Checking In and A Reintroduction
Hey treasured ones. I hope you’re enjoying some respite and relaxation during these last days before a new year ushers in. Sticking with the theme of newness and beginnings, I thought it would be fitting to dust off my recording no...
Victoria Duffy: On Generational Trauma - Identifying it, Taking Accountability for it, and Healing from it
One thing that almost never fails to uplift me every time I’m in a rut or feeling discouraged is to be in community with fellow allies and like-minded creatives who embrace not just the well and shiny parts of human-ing, but also the darker and...
Sheena Yap-Chan: On Representation, Owning Our Unique Stories and Confidently Living
I’m going to try my very best not to fan-girl too much as I introduce today’s guest who’s joining me on the pod today. Bold, resilient, wise, and a heck of a trailblazer are but some of the words that I would use to describe her. Today’s guest ...
Clara Nah: On Life Pivots, Healthy Relationships with Our Bodies and Cultivating Lasting Habits
Have you ever had those conversations where you’re connecting with them for the first time, but yet it feels like you could talk to them until the end of time, in a way that feels spacious energetic yet easy? My guest joining me on the pod toda...
Denise Michelle - Part 2: On New Beginnings, Embracing Fear as a Friend and the Power of Trusting and Loving Yourself First
Today’s episode is home to Part 2 of the conversation with Denise. If you haven’t had a chance to listen to Part 1 and if discussions on suicide do not cause extreme triggers and trauma for you, I encourage you to tune in. Then, join us back he...
Denise Michelle - Part 1: On Navigating Grief, A Surrendering of a Lifetime and Rediscovering Oneself
Today's story on the pod is one that belongs to a very dear friend, both to me and also to this community, Denise Michelle. Denise is The SelfLove Alchemist®, an Award-Winning Transformational Life Coach, Rapid Transformation Hypnotherapist, #1...
Claire Wu: A Re-Connect & Check-in, on Conscious Breathing, Burnout, and the Essentiality of Rest
On this week’s HOC podcast, I’m joined by a repeat guest on the pod, the vivacious and endearing Claire for a light-hearted and candid conversation around topics that still bears forms of stigma in society today - anxiety, burnout, and rest.&nb...
Samantha Ong: How Motherhood during Covid Generated a Business Idea and on Listening to Our Inner Nudges to Create Meaningful Legacies
This is a story that had me feeling deeply wrapped in hope, light and warmth at the end of it, the kind that leaves me in awe, admiration and respect, the kind that stirs and inspires you to reconsider and break open norms and boundaries, the k...
Anne Garcia: About Dklutr, from VA to Agency Owner, and On Building Dynamic Teams
In this Good Friday episode, I'm featuring a conversation with a special and sparkly individual, someone who's pivotal in the higher sound quality you've been hearing in this new season and by now, a close ally and family to my podcast and pass...
Sylvia Cheng: Her Take on Introducing Pivots to Her Business and How her Business Supports Her Self Care
In this Thursday-ish episode, I’m showing up in my pretty worn-out, a tad jetlagged and sluggish (allergies season!) being, coming to you with an episode sharing a recent catch-up sesh with a dear friend, who also is a repeat guest on my podcas...
Leslie Espino: On Navigating Male-Dominant Work Environments and Striking Mindful Balance between True Creative Freedom and Output
Ever made connections because you chose to act on it then found yourself thinking after how remised you would have been if you haven’t, because you met yourself a kindred spirit in that experience? Yep, Leslie sits right in that category for me...
Claudia Chan: On Cultivating Safe Spaces for Self and Its Impact on Accessing Our Heart's Desires
When it comes to the idea of embracing radical self love and self empathy as one of the essential steps to help us move through roadblocks and make attaining our desires and aspirations more accessible, I couldn’t think of a stronger advocator ...
Solo: On Wintery Hibernation Months and What Helped Me Combat The Blues and Maintain Equilibrium
Hello, dear ones. Thanks for joining me back in here. I’m hanging with you here solo today to share my experience with these colder, darker, gloomier, and what many call hibernation months of winter, and along with that, 5 tips, practices, and ...