In life, we need armour to prevent any sort of hurt. This is completely normal but when is having an extreme amount of armour too much? I know it's been a while (I recorded this back in Jan! YIKES - my procrastination on full display). Anyways, welcome back to the Art of Stories.... *she says, trailing off in embarrassment*

Growing up, my job was to remain silent, to look pretty, and to be polite. In my culture, girls hold less value when they're too talkative, too loud, too crass.

What everyone was really afraid of was what we would say. What secrets we could reveal if we were to use our voices.

Yes:

There are times when it feels like we're all screaming into the void.
There are times when it feels as if our words fall on (intentionally) deaf ears.
There are times when it feels as if our singular voice cannot be heard.

But our voices, united together, can make a difference. We just have to unite them.

And as always, FREEPALESTINE.

"No one is free until we are all free." -- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

(I originally recorded this on Sept 2... now I have no idea how it's suddenly October. XD)

Miscommunication is a serious problem. For me, it's frustrating when people misconstrue my actions or words as something sinister, especially when I'm trying to be helpful.

But, in the end, we can't control what others think or how they feel about us.

(I originally recorded this July 17 when the nodes first shifted).

When someone does us wrong or does someone we love wrong, or if there is some sort of injustice, the automatic response is to balance out the scales. (At least it is for me).

But revenge can only take us so far.

And in the end, is it really worth it?

There is so much going on in the world today, how the hell are we expected to have a handle on our mental health? I know May is a month devoted to the topic but I feel it needs to be brought up more often.

Joining me is a special guest Kat Kim (IG: @justkatkim) and I'm so excited to have her on the show! We chat about certain aspects of mental health and why people in the Asian community tend not to seek the help they really need.

Canada Day is usually a day of celebration. But 100 years ago on July 1, 1923, it wasn't a cause for celebration when the Chinese Exclusion Act in Canada came into effect.

As someone whose grandparents just slid in under that date, it always gives me pause as to what we're really celebrating.

Or is it more about distracting others from our history?

To be asked a simple question is such a beautiful thing. Shout out to my amazing friend, Jade, for prompting this episode!

Buddhism has a saying: "There are three things that cannot be hidden for long: the sun, the moon, and the truth." And it's in the truth where you'll find the most healing.

To be honest, the reason why I haven't posted in a while is because I've been in hiding. Not because of perfection (for once HA!) but due to shame.

People mentioned:

Dr. Gabor Mate

Dr. Joe Dispenza