How does family shape your perception of strength? My parents have been a role model of strength for me. They both were the first in their families to immigrate to the US, for higher education and career opportunities. I can only imagine the amount of strength and tenacity it took for them to leave their homes, families, and everything they knew for a world of unknown. Their experiences shaped the way they raised me, elevating the importance of hard work, staying true to yourself, and persevering in the face of challenges.
How does your culture shape your perception of strength? In Chinese culture, it is common to suppress feelings and in many ways, expressing emotions is a sign of weakness. A common example in Asian American culture, that rings true from my own experience, is that parents don’t say “I love you” but instead prepare home-cooked meals and cut up bowls of fruit to express their love to their children. As someone who feels very deeply, I was often told that I had too many feelings growing up. For many years, I viewed this as a flaw to overcome and not a valuable personality trait that makes me who I am. It wasn’t until later, through my experiences with great female leaders at work, and also a lot of Brené Brown 🙂, I realized that my empathy and perceptiveness are actually strengths. And being strong can also look like having the courage to express yourself authentically.
How have your trials made you stronger? With time and reflection comes perspective. Over the recent years, I’ve been able to shift my thinking about situations that I previously viewed as mistakes or failures. While I used to think of those experiences as painful memories or regret my choices, I’ve come to accept them as valuable opportunities for learning about myself and others.
What’s one thing someone could do today to make them stronger? Take time to reflect and care for yourself. It’s easy to get caught up in the day-to-day stressors and to get overwhelmed by the responsibilities of work, home, family, and more. In order to be strong, you also need to rest. Give yourself the space and permission to do so.
If you could ask a question to other women regarding strength, what would you ask? What is a moment or experience that changed how you thought about strength?
Tiffany’s Intentional Act of Kindness
How did you use the $100? I made a donation to the Awakening Mind Chan Center, a nonprofit Buddhist organization run by a close family friend. I also wrote and mailed a thank you card to the monk. My grandma was Buddhist and this monk was a significant figure to her at the temple she attended. When she passed many years ago, the monk helped lead my family through the traditions and has since been a close friend to my mom and her siblings. Last year, I was able to visit the temple he runs in Taiwan and learn about the scholarships and programs they offer for youth. That experience and his hospitality during our visit was meaningful to me, especially as it occurred during a challenging time in my life. I wanted to thank him for his kindness and contribute to the student scholarships.
What was the 'Intentional Act of Kindness' process like for you? This was something I had been wanting to do for awhile, and this process forced me to prioritize this action! I'm grateful for this experience and the self-reflection that also came with it. A good reminder to consider small ways I can incorporate intentional acts of kindness into my daily life.