Thrive Spice

In the pursuit of success, do we lose ourselves? As a recovering perfectionist, I spill the tea on my own personal journey going from corporate life to mom to podcaster to Lillian So, fitness entrepreneur and co-author of the new book FitCEO, and share the incredible lessons I’ve learned along the way on parenting, career and relationships. We dig into the ways I’ve had to be vulnerable, brave, and listen to my intuition, while observing my inner critic with compassion and curiosity.
Do you dream of living an "Authentic Life" but feel trapped by social media's definitions of success - whether it's a job title, relationship, or any other personal goals? Have you ever climbed your way to the "Peak" of your goals, and discovered - wait a minute - it wasn't the glossy, happy, perfect life you had imagined? Same, girl, same.

In this podcast episode, we talk about observing moments of negative self-talk and using them as opportunities to reframe our perspectives, to uncover our real truth and potential. We talk about ways to find validation, healing, and empowerment in ourselves and as a community - especially for women of color, mothers, and Asian Americans. Most importantly, how can we start embracing - instead of judging - our own gloriously messy lives? We share how to cultivate a life where we’re allowed to make mistakes and learn from them, try new things, and live authentically and joyfully in our personal and professional lives.
5-MINUTE MINDFUL JOURNALING PROMPT: Are you ready to rise above your fears, doubts and negative self-talk? This podcast has a BONUS 5-minute journaling exercise at the end that I have personally found helpful in moments of self-doubt and anxiety. It will help you gain perspective on your own ways of thinking and help you cultivate joy, confidence and peace right now. You can also find it at www.thrivespicemedia.com.
Prefer to watch our episode? Check out the full interview on YouTube or see clips of the best parts of the interview on Instagram.

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Mom by day, comedian by night, Alyce Chan (@MomComNYC, @Scary Mommy) is ready to smash two glass ceilings - the one at home, and the other in the male-dominated world of comedy. Alyce is a modern-day Marvelous Ms. Maisel who entertains and uplifts thousands of moms with her stand-up comedy while offering parenting insights with deadpan humor, spot-on impersonations of her husband and Chinese-Canadian mom, and hilarious vulnerability that slays on stage, on Instagram, and on TikTok.

Alyce and Vanessa talk about the many faces of Postpartum Depression based on their lived experiences with PPD, intergenerational Asian mom rage, and how we can look at the everyday #parentingfail as “failing upwards”. Alyce shares how she nurtures her creative process and energy while developing grit as a performer, writer and comedian. We debate what self-care really means for tired moms who are told to "enjoy every moment!" Lastly, inspired by Reshma Saujani (Founder of Girls Who Code and the Marshall Plan for Moms), we ask how we can turn our rage into power - for moms, women of color and Asian Americans.

About Alyce Chan:

Alyce Chan is a stand up comedian who performs all over New York, including the Comedy Cellar, Caroline’s, Broadway Comedy Club and the Knitting Factory. She created BYOB (Bring Your Own Baby) comedy show to parents and caregivers where they can bring their babies for a comedy show. Alyce can be regularly seen on the largest parenting blog, Scary Mommy, and has been a guest on The Drew Barrymore show. Alyce founded MOMCOM NYC, a parenting platform that uses humor to empower and bring laughs to mothers.

See Alyce perform live at the New York Comedy Festival feat. Crazy Woke Asians

Want to laugh with Alyce and other Asian American comedians IRL? She’ll be performing on November 8th at the New York Comedy Festival at the legendary venue Caroline’s on Broadway. This is the first time an all-Asian lineup of comedians has ever performed at the New York Comedy Festival, so let’s get out there and represent!

New York Comedy Festival presents, CRAZY WOKE ASIANS, the always sold out comedy show featuring the funniest Asian American comedians in Los Angeles at Caroline’s On Broadway. Lineup features comedians who have performed at Laugh Factory, the Comedy Store, and more - like Crazy Woke Asians Founder Kiki Yeung, Sonya Vai, Jason Rogers, Alyce Chan (Bring Your Own Baby Comedy, MOMCOM NYC, Scary Mommy), Soo Ra, Ali Malik and special guest TBA!

Tickets: https://www.carolines.com/events/crazy-woke-asians/

Promo code for $5 off: CWA

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Mayuko and Vanessa unpack myths about our mental and physical health in diet culture and discuss the allure of the abundance trap in many areas of our lives: our bodies, our self worth, our relationships, and our careers. Mayuko shares her own journey of self-discovery after uprooting her life in Los Angeles, CA and moving to Japan. We talk about finding freedom, healing and peace in our relationships with food, our bodies and our minds. Mayuko shares why it's so important to lean in to compassion when rewiring our minds to identify and let go of falsely idealized expectations that don't serve us -- whether it's diet culture, body image, romantic relationships, or what success should look and feel like.
About Mayuko and Food Liberation:
Mayuko Okai is a Registered Dietitian, yoga teacher, and founder of Food Liberation: a coaching program that helps mindful individuals heal their relationship with food and body.
EXCLUSIVE OFFER: Mayuko is offering a 10% discount for private coaching and self study course for Thrive Spice listeners with the promo code: THRIVE.
Learn more at https://food-liberation.com

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Biracial. Bisexual. Unapologetically Progressive. At 21 years of age, James Coleman is the youngest and first openly LGBTQ+ member to be elected to South San Francisco's City Council.

We talk to James about the remarkable journey he's had - from growing up biracial as a child of a Taiwanese immigrant mother and Caucasian father, to having to care for and lose his father after a spinal cord injury, to finding healing and purpose in social equity and environmental justice while studying at Harvard University.
We explore how being bisexual and biracial have shaped James' view of himself and the world, and why elections aren't just about winning or losing. James shares his dream of empowering a movement of more young, Queer, BIPOC, female and AAPI folks to run for office and advocate for change together. We also talk about how expanding mental health resources, particularly for queer and BIPOC folks, could help end police killings.
About James Coleman:
James Coleman is an elected member of South San Francisco City Council. He is their first openly LGBTQ member, their first democratic socialist and, at 21 years of age, the youngest individual ever elected to the seat. As an undergraduate at Harvard University, James was a cofounder of the Harvard Undergraduates for Environmental Justice, an organizer with Fossil Fuel Divest Harvard, a neuroscience researcher at Massachusetts General Hospital, and a Director with TedxHarvard College. James recently graduated with a degree in Human Developmental and Regenerative Biology with a minor in Government. He is expected to be appointed as South San Francisco's Mayor in 2024.
About Thrive Spice: Thrive Spice is a mental health and social equity podcast for Asian Americans, featuring real stories of resilience, grit and joy. It's a safe space that feels like group therapy meets celebrity interview, with a healthy dose of self-care. Join us as we share the untold stories of influential AAPI leaders, activists, entrepreneurs, and creators - and ask how they have found ways to cope, survive and thrive. Our mission is to normalize conversations about mental health and promote social equity in the AAPI, BIPOC and LGBTQ+ communities. Each episode highlights ways to navigate the pressures of family, social media, our careers, our communities and our own minds.
Mental Health and LGBTQ+ Resources:
CAHOOTS Mental Health First Responder Model (Eugene, OR)
TGI Justice Project - (California) TGI Justice Project is a group of transgender, gender variant and intersex people–inside and outside of prisons, jails and detention centers–creating a united family in the struggle for survival and freedom.
STAR and Marsha P. Johnson
episode music courtesy of Uppbeat [ATM - Dreamland]

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What happens when society is OK with Asian women feeling anxious - but not angry? Perhaps we find comfort with hyperproductivity - until it leads to anxiety, burnout, and rage. “Busyness is an addiction to urgency,” says Dr. Jenny T. Wang, PH.D, a Taiwanese American psychologist, founder of @asiansformentalhealth and author of Permission to Come Home. Dr. Wang and Vanessa talk about creating healthy spaces for anger, untying our worth from our productivity, and why Dude Tribes might be a step in cultivating positive masculinity and community healing for Asian men. As children of immigrants and parents, we discuss why AAPI youth suicide prevention is a multi-generational effort - not just about Gen Z.

Plus: our favorite Taiwanese snacks, traveling with young kids, and daily habits for a brighter morning routine.
About Dr. Jenny Wang, PH.D:
Dr. Jenny T. Wang is a Taiwanese American clinical psychologist and national speaker on the intersections of Asian American identity, mental health, and intergenerational and racial trauma. Her professional mission is to destigmatize mental health within the Asian community and empower Asian Americans to prioritize their own mental well-being. She spearheaded the Asians for Mental Health therapist directory (www.asiansformentalhealth.com) to connect individuals with culturally reverent mental health care for Asian American diasporas. She created the Instagram community Asians for Mental Health (@asiansformentalhealth), where she explores the unique ways in which Asian American identity impacts our mental health. Her first book, Permission to Come Home: Reclaiming Mental Health as Asian Americans was published by Grand Central Balance in May 2022. She is a mental health advisory member of Wondermind and The Mental Health Coalition.

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Thrive Spice Media | Instagram | Book a Mental Health Masterclass or Leadership Development Workshop | Submit a Review | LinkedIn | YouTube