Navigating Identity and Cultural Heritage

I LOVED every second of this conversation with the wonderful Charlene Ng, and I’m so thrilled to leave it with you as the last episode in this first season of the Oblivious Witness podcast.Charlene was born in Hong Kong, has Canadian citizenship, and studied in the United States from the age of 15. Her elite education, which culminated in a degree in Cultural Psychology from Stanford University, left her with incredible tools for establishing an impressive career, but also with a harsh inner voice that told her that perfectionism and being “the best” were the only valid measures of success. Through practices like mindful self-compassion, Charlene has been able to quiet those critical inner voices and approach life’s challenges with a kinder inner knowing, and she now uses the wisdom she’s accumulated to help Chinese parents to guide their children in navigating their own paths towards learning.I hope you’ll enjoy listening to this conversation with the stunningly bright and inspiring Charlene Ng as much as I enjoyed having it.

And I’d love to hear from you too!

If anything in this episode, or any of the episodes in Season One, have inspired you to see the world a little differently or to expand your own horizons in any way, I’d so love to hear from you. Please drop a note in the comments, or send me a message about a story you’d like to share.

Especially in the light of the recent US elections, the world is feeling more dangerously divided than ever, and I’ve never felt more strongly that it’s through people’s individual stories that we can be reminded that when it boils down to it, we’re all striving towards the same goals - fulfilment, happiness and a world that’s safe for ourselves and for future generations.

Let’s please come together to share stories of the things we’ve witnessed, so that we can learn from one another and see that, despite the differences in the details of our lives, we’re all global citizens of one beautiful and intricately interconnected world.

With love

Michelle x

I want to hear about the things you’ve witnessed too! Please subscribe to Oblivious Witness and become part of the conversation!

MUSIC: Defining Life, by Bill Conn

PHOTOGRAPHY: Michelle Neeling

Written and produced by Michelle Neeling