My choice to live as a conscious global citizen has changed my life.
It’s led to friendships, freedom, and joyful adventures that keep me connected to people all over the world. In over 30 countries and still counting. I’m grateful for every opportunity to become more self-aware and evolve from a state of surviving to thriving.
It’s hard to believe how it all started…
It’s the story of a new global citizen.
I grew up in a traditional Hong Kong family. And felt hopeless under the weight of all the expectations from that fast-paced, competitive culture.
I was an average Hong Kong kid who felt like an outsider in a super-high-stress culture. Surrounded on all sides by bullshit rules I couldn’t challenge. And I felt suffocated living in an urban jungle.
I spent most of my childhood playing video games to escape the reality of my low self-esteem. And was the shortest kid in my class who also didn’t score an “A” in maths.
In the Asian culture I grew up in, those things got you labeled as “a disappointment.” I remember being told I’d never be good enough.
I struggled to find meaning in life. I had no clue what my purpose was in this world.
2012
A PROJECT IN ROMANIA CHANGED MY LIFE.
My first attempt to break free from the expectations I grew up with was with a bold, solo adventure to Romania when I was 19. I got a scholarship to participate in a volunteer project in Transylvania through AIESEC (an international organisation that provides young people with leadership development, cross-cultural internships, and global volunteer exchange experiences).
I became part of a Global Village with 40 international students from 16 countries. And one of a small handful of Asians living in Transylvania.
That experience launched me out of my comfort zone and was the best summer of my life. It helped me embrace the things that made me different while also feeling a strong sense of healthy belonging.
“We don’t come to this beautiful Earth to follow somebody’s path but to create our own.”
SOLO ADVENTURES IN EUROPE IGNITED MY SELF-CONFIDENCE.
My experience in Romania launched a “travelling to find myself” phase. The short, skinny kid from Hong Kong conquered Jungfrau—a summit in the Swiss Alps. At 11,782 feet, I took this half-naked photo at the peak. Because…why not?
IT WAS TIME TO TASTE MORE OF THE “OUTSIDE WORLD”
So I applied to an academic exchange program in Oxford, England, where I fell hard for the British accents, long trench coats, and big pints of beer. After finishing my first dissertation, “International Tourism and World Peace,” I presented it at the 11th ATF Global Tourism Forum back in Hong Kong. Then, I used a master’s degree at Queen Mary University of London to go back to the diversity of London and the joy of the pub crawl.
2015
AND I HAD AN IDEA WORTH SPREADING.
With the power of diversity in my heart, I delivered a TEDx Talk in London titled “Are We as Globalised as the World?” An honour for the 22-year-old me to publicly spread my ideas on travel, culture, and a new global citizenship.
“We could have a place where stereotypes and racism do not exist anymore. We could have a place where all people embrace the beauty of diversity and live as one united global community.”
AN INTERNATIONAL LIFESTYLE BECAME MY NORTH STAR.
After graduating with my master’s degree in international business and politics, I wanted to get paid to travel internationally. (Who doesn’t!?) So I joined an FTSE 100 multinational company and started my career in marketing.
Eager to relocate, I took any opportunity to move between Hong Kong, Singapore, and the UK. In my book Travel To Transform I share some of my craziest stories about navigating cultural gaps with openness, kindness, and a good pint of lager.
2017
MARKETER BY DAY, DJ BY NIGHT.
Music is a creative outlet for me because I can express emotions freely as a logical person. While working in the UK I joined the London Sound Academy. It’s how I started DJing at the hottest clubs in London, like the Ministry of Sound, and did a summer tour in Ibiza!
Are you a diverse music lover who can’t stick with one genre? Here’s my Official DJ Page (DJ F-Freedom) so you can enjoy the mixes on my SoundCloud!
2018
AT 25, I GOT PAID TO TRAVEL AROUND THE WORLD.
As I settled into a lifestyle in London I loved, a visa issue with the UK government (during the beginning of Brexit) sent me back to Hong Kong. My resentment about the situation led to many sleepless nights and some emotional meltdowns.
But God, the universe, fate, or whatever you believe in had a different plan—a new position that had me on the road constantly. Within 14 months I traversed across four continents for business. Some of the most interesting places I visited were Malaysia, Auckland, Singapore, Toronto, Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, Bangkok, and Shanghai!
BUT DEEP DOWN, I STILL WASN’T HAPPY…
On the outside, I was living the dream. Yet on the inside, I wasn’t fulfilled.
With some serious soul-searching and reflection, I realised there was no end to the success I was chasing. Whenever I hit a goal, I was conditioned to already be looking toward the next goal. There was no way to win this “rat race” I got myself into. Because, at the end of the day, even if I did win the race, I was still a rat.
“In life, we are taught to work hard. Few of us are encouraged to live happily. But happiness is not the fruit of something you do; it’s the essence of who you are.”
2019
I THOUGHT I HAD IT ALL UNTIL MY BODY PAID THE PRICE.
Another professional opportunity brought me back to Singapore. And I was living with my gang of diverse global citizens in the penthouse at The Interlace, an award-winning condominium designed by Ole Scheeren. (You can find his TED talk on YouTube!)
We had unforgettable house parties on our private rooftop. “I’ll sleep when I’m dead” became my mantra as I lived the life of a young, ambitious high-achiever.
But this mindset started wreaking havoc on my body. I developed chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). It felt like I was slowly dying, and I didn’t know what to do…
2020
MY MENTAL HEALTH HIT ROCK BOTTOM DURING SYDNEY’S FIRST LOCKDOWN
When the world shuttered because of COVID-19, I was living in Sydney, Australia. And I was pushing myself too hard. But as the Chinese proverb goes, “Paper can’t wrap up a fire.”
Physically and emotionally, I started shutting down. That’s when I stumbled across Mindvalley–the world’s largest personal growth and well-being platform.
2021
I LEARNED HOW TO ALIGN WITH MY DEEPEST VALUES.
Through Mindvalley I learned to take responsibility for my health by making mindful changes to my lifestyle.
I went on unexpected internal journeys by learning about biohacking, lucid dreaming, and practicing the Chinese martial art of Shaolin.
This process helped me gain more mental clarity and energy to accomplish more by doing less. I’ve learned the human mind has limitless potential, as long as we choose to mindfully upgrade it.
“What good is it to the world if the global citizens are all tired, cranky, and grumpy?”
2022 – Today
I EVOLVED FROM SURVIVING TO THRIVING.
By Sydney’s second lockdown, my mind and body were strong and in balance. I felt tremendously grateful to still have a job. My physical and mental health were thriving as I began to feel more connected to friends and family virtually during such an isolating time.
I used the time and my renewed vitality to serve other global citizens as a volunteer Regional Ambassador for the Australia Network of Mindvalley. I became passionate about raising mental awareness and building a conscious community by delivering workshops as part of the diversity and inclusion committee for my company, plus so much more.
Today, I’m on my soul’s path as a Certified Mindvalley Life Coach. I’m committed to helping others transform their lives from a state of surviving to a state of thriving in every way—intellectually, culturally, socially, financially, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.
REALITY CHECK ABOUT THOSE ADVENTUROUS INSTAGRAM POSTS…
I hear you…travelling solo around the world looks dazzling (especially on social), and it may seem unrealistic compared to your day-to-day life. The reality is more practical. Cultivating an international life is an intentional process. It happens in stages.
If you’re reading this, there’s a part of you deep inside that’s waiting to be unleashed. A version of you that wants to transform and create a healthy, vibrant, and fulfilling lifestyle that’s based on your deepest values and truth.
MY MISSION…
I’m devoted to self-mastery, changing the world, and helping intentional global citizens do the same.
