It’s late afternoon. I’m seven years old, absorbed in Charlie Brown’s Encyclopedia, when two women in neon-colored sarees enter our small hall. Palm readers, they call themselves, and today their focus is on me. “This girl is a curse to the family,” one declares, her voice thick with betel juice, as she inspects my palm. I turn to my mother, hoping for comfort, only to see a look of disdain. “You’re such a suey,” she mutters, a word that, in her tone, becomes a sharp reminder of my supposed “bad luck.”
That day, my world shattered. From then on, I was determined to prove myself, to rise above the labels others placed on me. I threw myself into academics, excelled in competitions, and achieved top honors at school. I became someone my mother could brag about to her friends, yet the gratitude I yearned for was always conditional—always tainted by reminders of “suey-ness” and indebtedness.
Years passed, and as life’s challenges grew, I kept pushing. I pursued my Doctorate, worked multiple jobs to support my family, and shouldered responsibilities as the breadwinner. The drive to prove my worth was unyielding, yet it was never enough. There were times of deep despair, moments when I questioned my own value, and times when the only validation came from the heavy weight of my own sacrifices. But then something shifted.
One ordinary day, after another demoralizing conversation, I reached my breaking point. Driving away, I was overcome with emotion, so desperate to escape the pain that I sped toward a truck ahead. But just moments away, a voice within commanded me to stop. My car, coincidentally or miraculously, ran out of fuel. In that moment of stillness, I felt an unfamiliar calm, a clarity that washed over me. I realized that I had the power to choose—a voice within stronger than all the others.
That voice stayed with me, and little by little, it grew. I began to realize that my life, my happiness, was not bound to anyone’s expectations but my own. It wasn’t easy; even as I grew older, pressures mounted. My parents attempted to control every aspect of my life, from career choices to marriage. They orchestrated matchmaking sessions, scrutinized every flaw, and demeaned my choices. But this time, I did something different. I followed my heart, found a life partner of my choosing, and stood up for my right to live authentically.
After years of living on someone else’s terms, I made a decision—to step into a life of my own. My wedding day marked not only the beginning of a new chapter with someone I loved, but also the first step toward shedding a lifetime of expectations that were never mine. Driving away from my childhood home, I felt a weight lift, a sense of freedom and purpose that I hadn’t known before.
Today, as a Certified Mental Health & Awareness Practitioner and trained in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy, and mindfulness, I bring the lessons I learned to others who are ready to reclaim their lives. Through my Sustainable Empowerment and Radiant Growth Framework (SERGF), I help people cultivate resilience, find their voice, and rise above past limitations.
My journey has shaped my mission: to empower others to break free, heal, and create lives filled with purpose. Together, let’s reclaim your strength, rise with resilience, and radiate the brilliance of your true self.
