I sit down with confidence coach, author, and advocate Sheena Yap Chan, who has made it her mission to amplify the voices of Asian women worldwide. From navigating cultural silence and identity challenges to finding the courage to speak up and be seen, Sheena’s journey is a testament to the power of healing, visibility, and radical self-love.
Together, we explore what it means to rewrite the narrative for Asian women, how Sheena turned personal pain into purpose, and why representation isn’t just important—it’s transformative. Whether you’re battling limiting beliefs, healing from generational trauma, or seeking to build unshakable confidence, this episode is a must-listen.
In This Episode, We Discuss:
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The power of representation and why visibility matters
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Overcoming shame and cultural expectations
-
Building confidence from the inside out
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Healing generational trauma through storytelling
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Creating a global movement that empowers Asian women
Connect with Sheena Yap Chan: Website: www.sheenayapchan.com Instagram: @sheenayapchan Podcast: The Tao of Self Confidence
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Podcast music produced by:
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Makini Smith (00:00):
I'm Makini Smith. After going through a
divorce, my sister passing away, experiencing narcissistic
abuse and some significant health scares, I
realized through sharing my story that I
wasn't alone in my suffering. Suffering, subjective
distress generated by the experience of being
out of balance in a deep dive
to holistically heal mind, body and soul
(00:22):
is where I discovered peace, clarity and
connection. It is impossible to be truly
wise without some real life hardship and
we cannot develop post traumatic wisdom without
making it through and most importantly, through
it together. Social connection builds resilience and
resilience helps create post traumatic wisdom. And
(00:46):
that wisdom leads to hope. Hope for
you and others, witnessing and participating in
your healing and hope for your community.
A healthy community is a healing community
and a healing community is full of
hope because it has seen its own
people weather, survive and thrive. A quick
(01:25):
word before we begin Happiness starts with
gratitude. One of my books, the Gratitude
Journal, is your daily tool to shift
your mindset and attract more positivity into
your life. So, ready to start your
gratitude practice? You can grab your journal
today on Amazon or@mckinneysmith.com Today's guest is
(01:48):
Sheena Yapchen. She is a Wall Street
Journal bestselling author, keynote speaker, strategist and
award winning podcaster dedicated to empowering women
through leadership and self confidence. She's the
founder and host of the highly acclaimed
podcast the Tao of Self Confidence where
she shares the inspiring journeys of women
(02:10):
who have embraced their power. With over
1 million downloads and ranking in the
top 0.5% of global podcast, her show
has featured more than 800 interview including
conversations with celebrities and 8 figure CEOs.
Beyond podcasting, Sheena is making a profound
impact through her writing and speaking engagements.
(02:32):
Her debut book, the Tao of A
Guide to Moving Beyond Trauma and Awakening
the Leader within, published by Wiley, is
a Wall Street Journal and Publisher's weekly
bestseller. Recognized by Book Authority as one
of the top 20 best self confidence
books of all, it continues to inspire
(02:55):
readers worldwide. Sheena's expertise has been featured
on major platforms such as Mindvalley, Fox,
NBC News and the Manila Times. Through
her training and programs, she's committed to
closing the gender confidence gap and helping
women step into leadership roles across industries.
She has shared her insights on self
(03:17):
confidence and leadership with organizations like Live
Nation, NASA, ukg, leaving a lasting impact
on audiences around the world. So please
welcome to the show Sheena.
Sheena Yap Chan (03:34):
Hey Makini, thank you so much for
having me on the show today. It's
really an honor to be here to
just chat with You. So I'm just
excited for our conversation.
Makini Smith (03:42):
I'm excited for our conversation as well.
You know, I always get excited when,
you know, I'm, I'm following people on
social that inspire me. But when I
get to have these conversations and I
get to know you on a deeper
level and get to know, know the
person behind the feed. So thank you
again for saying yes.
Sheena Yap Chan (04:01):
Oh, thank you.
Makini Smith (04:03):
All right, so let's jump right in.
I, I love to start with getting
to know who you were as a
child because I feel like, you know,
before society or culture starts to shape
our belief systems, our paradigms, I love
to kind of understand who you were,
what you wanted to be back then.
So take us back to your early
(04:23):
years. What was your upbringing like and
how did it shape your self confidence?
Sheena Yap Chan (04:29):
Yeah, that's a great question. I mean,
I was born in the Philippines. I
moved to Canada when I was seven.
And even though I live in the,
in one of the most multicultural cities
in the world, Toronto, there was no
one in the media that looked like
me. So I always felt ashamed of
who I was, my culture, my background.
I wanted to have blonde hair and
blue eyes to feel more beautiful, to
feel more accepted, you know, didn't want,
(04:51):
I wanted to hide my culture. In
fact, I was really embarrassed by it.
So confidence wise, it was like very
low. So. And there was even a
point where I did dye my hair
blonde and actually decided to dye it
back to my original hair color because
80 to retouch your roots is just
crazy. So. So I said, I'm dying
back to my original hair color. But
(05:12):
in that moment when the hairdresser just
showed me what my hair looked like
after I'm dying it back to my
original hair color, that's where I really
felt myself. I said, this is me,
this is my culture. This is what
I look like. I won't have blonde
hair, I won't have blue eyes. And
I finally accepted who I was. And
all the work that I do right
now really stems from my upbringing, really
(05:34):
creating better representation, especially for Asian women
and beyond. Because, you know, there's still
a lot of negative stereotypes that we
have to deal with, which is unfortunate.
And I know it's not just Asian
women, it's all women, especially women of
color. And so I want to dismantle
that because there's so many amazing women
out there who can do amazing things,
but really what holds them back is
(05:54):
how they perceive themselves. And I'm guilty
of it too. I've been there. I
know what it's like to feel you're
not good enough to feel like you're
a fraud, to feel like there's someone
better out there or you're too old
to start something new. I've, I've been
through all those, those, those like thoughts
in my head that like stops me
from moving forward. And so I just
want women to see their potential, especially
(06:16):
in this day and age where the
world's a little bit chaotic. And you
know, they mentioned that the world, well,
the World Economic Forum mentioned that gender
parity would be achieved at the earliest.
The year 2158. So that's like five
generations before we could see that. And
at the rate that we're going, it's
going to take longer. And so for
(06:36):
me, it's important for women to show
up to be leaders in every industry
to see their potential because it's not
only helping women, it's a win, win
situation for everybody. So, yeah, that's a
little bit about me.
Makini Smith (06:51):
I love the work that you're doing
and you know, I, I can understand,
how do I say this so you
know, when you're talking about the work
that you're doing not just for Asian
women and for, for all women in
general, like as a woman of color,
I already know, you know, we experience
a lot of different things. Sometimes being
the only woman of color in the
(07:12):
room, sometimes being the only woman, you
know, person of color in the room,
all those things. My fiance is half
Filipino. So, you know, we've known each
other since we were 15. But like,
you know, us being together now and
understanding a lot of the similarities within
our culture and the things that we
have to overcome, you know, in our
(07:33):
society today, like what are some of,
I guess the cultural expectations that were
placed on you growing up and how
did they influence your self perception?
Sheena Yap Chan (07:44):
Yeah, for sure. I mean, being an
Asian woman isn't easy. You know, like
we've been taught to do as you're
told. Go to school, get a job,
get married, never rock the boat, stay
in the background and that's it, right?
We're not allowed to brag about our
achievements. We're not allowed to share what
we're going through. I mean, mental health
was a taboo topic like in every
(08:04):
other culture. And so we've just been
programmed to just stay in the background
and serve everybody else. And we really
forget to serve the most important person,
which is ourself. So I always felt
like I needed approval from everybody. I
was people pleasing, like I couldn't make
my own decisions. I felt like I
Needed somebody else's decision to be made.
You know, I resisted a lot. I
(08:26):
feared a lot of things. Imposter syndrome
also gets to me. And even just
the trauma that I've been through growing
up, right? Not only our own traumas,
but like our parents and grandparents, you
know, like, they've been through a lot,
and that trauma gets passed on to
us as well. So all that really
did shape how I viewed myself. You
know, I didn't think I was good
(08:46):
enough. I was playing small. I just.
My confidence was low, my self esteem
was low. I just didn't think the
highest of me. You know, I was
my own worst enemy instead of being
my own best friend. So. And I
know a lot of women who've been
through that, right? Being able to interview
over 800 women on the podcast, mostly
Asian women, I realized I wasn't the
only one going through this. But the
problem is nobody talks about it. And
(09:07):
so that is why I even started
my podcast, because I wanted a support
system because I couldn't find it myself.
And also create better representation. You know,
like, society still views Asian women as
quiet, submissive, and obedient. And it's not
the case, you know, it's totally not
the case. I'm sure being with your
fiance, you've seen a lot of Filipino
titas who are like, you know, I
(09:31):
see. Yes, yes. And in a good
way. And so, yes, that's why, for
me, creating better representation, stronger representation is
so important. So we can dismantle all
these labels, these stereotypes, and really help
women be seen in. In a brighter
light. Is it easy? Definitely not. You
know, you have to go through a
lot of hurdles, right? If it was
(09:51):
easy, everybody would be doing it. But
I understand this work is so important
because of what's going on in the
world. Like, you look at, you know,
a country like Afghanistan where women's basic
human rights are stripped away from them.
It's terrible, right, to know they're not
allowed to show their faces in public,
they're not allowed to talk, they're not
even allowed to sing in their own
homes. Like, are you kidding me? Like,
(10:12):
these are things we take for granted
because we live in North America, but
in other countries, you know, that is
sacred to them because they're not allowed
to do that. And so the fact
that it's 2025 and this is still
happening is really scary because if one
country can do it, imagine how many
more countries can do do it, right?
So this is why this work is
(10:32):
so important.
Makini Smith (10:33):
Yeah, absolutely. And I. I think it's
becoming more and more increasingly important for
those of us that are showing and
being the representation that is out here.
Because like you said, representation does matter.
And I think sometimes we don't realize
the depth and how much it matters.
(10:53):
You know, whether it be being an
Asian woman, whether it be being a
woman, it's just whether it's. There are
so many environments that are either male
dominated or white dominated or, you know,
all of these other things. And when
there's no representation, it affects the entire
dynamic of everything, I guess. What for
(11:13):
you, what was or, you know, was
there defining moment in your life that
made you realize you needed to work
on your own confidence?
Sheena Yap Chan (11:24):
For me, I think that moment was
really. When my aunt passed away, I
realized she. She passed away from a
horrific accident about 13 years ago. And
it made me realize how, like, the
time we have left in this life,
in this lifetime or in this planet,
we don't know what's gonna happen. Like,
the next day I could be gone.
I don't know, right? So I wanted
(11:44):
to. If I were to go awake
by tomorrow, I wanted to make sure
that I live with no regrets. And
so I can honestly say that right
now that if I were gone, if
I was gone by tomorrow, I. I've
done everything I've ever wanted and more.
And so I guess that was the
catalyst of my journey to just go.
Go out there and forge my own
(12:04):
path, live life on my terms. And
that wasn't easy, especially when you come
from an Asian background, you know, like,
your parents are like, what are you
doing with your life? You're already successful.
Why would you throw it away? And
yes, you know, for some people, that
might be success. That might be success
in their terms, but for me, that
wasn't, you know, success, right? I wanted
(12:24):
to do more. I knew I was
meant for more things. And I don't
want people telling me I have a
cap. You know, especially as women, we're
always told there's a certain cap we
can only reach when really there's no
cap, the sky's the limit. And so
that. That was the catalyst. It didn't
happen overnight, but it helped me start
getting, like, thinking, like, what can I
do? What should I do? What? You
know, how am I going to do
this? And really just, like, figure out
(12:47):
what do I want to do next?
Makini Smith (12:49):
I mean, first of all, I'm sorry
for your loss. And I know from
experience, when you lose a loved one,
it forces you to look at life
differently. Right? When my sister passed away
from me, it Was like, what do
I want my legacy to be? How
do I want to be remembered? You
know, now it's time for me to
live intentionally. I. I can see how,
(13:11):
I guess our traumas, you know, it.
It forces us to want to be
purposeful with our lives, I guess. What
would you say, how. How did those
experiences impact your sense of self and
your journey towards your healing?
Sheena Yap Chan (13:30):
I think for me, it was just
learning to love myself, you know, Like,
I know everyone says self love is
important, and it is. And I know
it sounds cheesy, but it is. But
I think people get this wrong idea
of what self love is because it's
not just the good. It's the good,
bad, and the ugly. So really accepting
myself who I was was really important.
Learning to love my own company was
(13:51):
really important. So, like, even going to
the movies by myself was like something
that was weird because I was like,
oh, I have no friends. But really
it's a little bit therapeutic. You know,
you can go and just watch a
movie and not have to worry about
anything. I mean, nobody's talking anyway. Or
even just eating by yourself at a
restaurant. You know, it's just, I needed
my own time. I needed to learn
to love my own company so that
(14:12):
it's another way of, you know, practice
practicing self love. Right. Not saying you
don't need people, but there's times where
it's okay, you're just by yourself. And
so that was a hard lesson because
I would always turn down all the
bad stuff about me and only accept
the good stuff. And of course, that
doesn't work out. You also attract the
same people in your life who only
wants to see the good instead of
(14:33):
seeing the good, bad, and the ugly.
So that was a big wake up
call for me.
Makini Smith (14:39):
So I. I guess I know with
podcasting, it can develop us in so
many different ways. Right. And I know
for the last six and a half
years with doing this podcast, it's been
a huge part of my healing journey
and helping build my confidence. So I
would love to know for you because
you've had over, what, 800 interviews?
Sheena Yap Chan (15:00):
Women. Yeah.
Makini Smith (15:01):
That's amazing. Congrats, by the way.
Sheena Yap Chan (15:03):
Thank you.
Makini Smith (15:04):
You know, in terms of, like, storytelling
and sharing experiences, how did that play
a role in your healing and helping
build your confidence?
Sheena Yap Chan (15:14):
I mean, each and every person who
was. Who took the time to share
their story on my platform, I'm really
grateful for, because then I was able
to learn, like, like I mentioned before
that I wasn't the only one dealing
with this with this. And so sometimes
knowing that you're not alone makes things
a lot better. Right? Because sometimes I
think maybe we're crazy because we're going
(15:34):
through all these feelings when really it's
normal. You know, life is up and
down. It's a roller coaster. And so
even knowing, like, oh, she also thought
people. She was people pleasing, and she
also went through imposter syndrome. Like, that's
good to know that she went through
that and was still able to overcome
it. And also just learning different confidence
lessons along the way, whether it's having
(15:55):
a gratitude journal, learning self love, you
know, taking action, it helped me see
things from a different perspective. Also knowing
that self confidence, there's no one way
of doing it right. I used to
think in order to be confident, you
had to be loud and boisterous and
be out there. But really, you don't
have to. You can be an introvert
and still be very confident. So, yeah.
So those are some of the things
(16:16):
I've learned after interviewing so many women.
Makini Smith (16:19):
I love that. I love that. And
as someone who is an introvert, I
can definitely back that up to say,
like, we don't have to be loud.
We don't have to be, you know,
the loudest voice in the room, any
of those things. My mentor's wife described
me as a humble confidence.
Sheena Yap Chan (16:36):
Yeah.
Makini Smith (16:39):
What's been one of your biggest challenges
that you've faced in overcoming those limiting
beliefs and even societal expectations?
Sheena Yap Chan (16:48):
Wow, that's a great question. I think,
you know, as a woman, as women
generally, we tend to overthink, Right. We
always tend to think everything has to
be perfect before we make. Make moves
or take action. When in reality, we
don't have to, like, it's okay to
make mistakes. It's okay to pivot. It's
okay to be imperfect. And so learning
to show up as my imperfect self
(17:09):
was, was a big, like, relief because
I don't have to show up a
certain way. I don't need to put
on a mask. And people crave more
authenticity. People love to see the imperfections.
Sometimes social media paints this photo. Like,
entrepreneurship is so easy. It's so much
fun. You get to drive nice cars
and live in big houses. And I'm
(17:31):
not saying that's not possible. It is
possible, but people don't realize what it
takes to get there. Right? The sleepless
nights, you can work, yes, you. You
create your own hours, but it could
be all hours of the night. People
who, you know, there's people out there
say, I made 20,000 in 10 days.
It's like, yes, that's possible, but you
don't know what it took to get
there. Right. Like, it might have taken
(17:53):
10 years to figure it out for
that person to make 20k in 10
days. There's a lot of things that
people don't talk about and just paint
this picture like that. It's so awesome.
And I'm not saying it's not. It
is. But there's good and bad in
everything. I mean, I wouldn't trade it
for the world, but I'm, you know,
it is a lot of work. It's
(18:13):
actually, it's a lot more work than
having a job, right?
Makini Smith (18:15):
Absolutely.
Sheena Yap Chan (18:16):
I mean, you're trying to figure things
out as you go. You know, they're
putting yourself out there. It takes a
lot of courage and confidence to put
yourself, especially as women. You know, we've
been conditioned that self promotion is tacky,
when in fact it's empowering and it
builds more confidence and leadership in us
when we go out there and promote
our products or services. So absolutely.
Makini Smith (18:40):
I can, I can relate to everything
that you just said, for sure. You
know, I, I've been an entrepreneur for
over 15 years now. And I remember
when I first became an entrepreneur and
everyone was like, you know, you're going
through a divorce, you're a single mom,
I think you should get a job
like a bi weekly paycheck. And I
was like, yeah, but I wouldn't be
(19:01):
able to have the life that I
have. I wouldn't be able to be
present for a lot of the things
with my kids, all the other things.
But I looked at other entrepreneurs and
grateful for those that were transparent about
their journeys, you know, that it wasn't
so easy. And I think entrepreneurship is
definitely not for everyone, I guess. What
(19:24):
are, what fears or doubts did you
have along the way and how did
you push through them?
Sheena Yap Chan (19:32):
Oh, I had so many. I feel
like if I list them, the show
will never end. But I think the
most important is seeing my own worth.
Right. Like, imposter syndrome always comes into
play thinking I'm a fraud. I'm not
good enough. Especially when I got approached
by Wiley to write my first book,
the Tout Self Confidence, A Guide to
Moving Beyond Trauma and Awakening the leader
within. You know, when they're like, would
(19:54):
you like to write a book about,
you know, women leadership? And I'm like,
me? Are you sure about that? Like,
I have no clue what it means
to be a leader. Like, I have
no idea what that even looks like.
And so part of me almost Turned
it down because I didn't think I
was good enough. And I was grateful
that I had a support system that
encouraged me to write it. Especially being
Asian, having a, you know, a book
(20:16):
published by one of the top five
publishers in the world is a big
deal, because not too. At that time,
not too many Asian women were, you
know, were given that opportunity. And sometimes
we're. There's so many opportunities out there,
but sometimes we're also afraid to take
that. So with the help of, you
know, my support system, I said yes.
Even though I had no clue what
(20:36):
I was going to write about. Like,
I literally had no idea. I had
an outline, and once I got the
green light, I started writing and just
figured it out as I go. I
said I was committed to it because
I know this is not just about
me. It's for every other woman out
there who wants to be a writer,
who wants to be seen as an
author, who wants to be seen as
a expert or a leader in their
field. And one of the best things
I get is when I do book
(20:57):
signings and, you know, there's little girls
that come up to me, and they're
so excited to see me because I'm
Asian woman, I'm an author. And they're
like, I want to be an author,
too. And I'm like, you can totally
do it. Because if I can do
it, you can totally do it. And
it's not about, you know, dismissing my
abilities. It's showing. Like, it's if, like,
you know, I didn't come from, like,
a fancy background. Like, anyone can do
(21:18):
this if they're. They really believe in
themselves and just go for it. Right?
And so seeing that. Seeing these little
girls just sharing that they want to
be a writer, sharing what their book
series is about, really lights me up.
Because, I mean, that's why I do
this work, to really create that representation
and have the, you know, the current
and future generations see what's possible for
themselves.
Makini Smith (21:38):
Mm. That is beautiful. That is. That
is beautiful. I know that, like, on
the flip side, you know, when we
were talking a while ago about entrepreneurship
and it not being easy. I know
there are many times in a month
where I'm like, I don't want to
do this anymore. I think I just
get a job. It would probably be
way easier.
Sheena Yap Chan (21:57):
Oh, yeah. Oh. All the time. All
the time. All the time. All the
time. There's days when, like, am I
in the right path? Is this even
make. Does this even make sense? Like,
what am I doing to myself? Like,
should I just go get a job.
Like, I. All those things pop up,
you know, like, there's days where I
do want to quit and then I
have to like, you know, get back
to the reason why I'm doing what
(22:17):
I'm doing, right? What's my purpose, what's
my mission? And, you know, being able
to get back to that makes I'm
like, okay, I will make this happen.
I'll figure it out. You know, I
know I can do this. But yeah,
there's days where I don't feel like
doing it, or there's days where I
feel exhausted thinking, like, when, when is
this going to happen? Right? We all
get there. There's nothing wrong with saying
(22:38):
that because it's part of life. And
so I've been where you've been too.
And there's days where it sucks. Actually,
there's more days that suck compared to
the good days. Right.
Makini Smith (22:48):
How do you handle, like those moments
when you're dealing with the self doubt
or the imposter syndrome? Because I want
the listeners to understand, like, you know,
they may look at the levels of
success that you've been able to attain,
or the levels of success that I've
been able to attain and be like,
okay, well, you know, maybe they don't
have to deal with certain things or
(23:11):
maybe they don't know how to push
through those things. So for them to
hear how you push through the self
doubt and imposter syndrome might be helpful
to that woman that's listening right now.
Sheena Yap Chan (23:21):
Yeah, that's a great question. I think
for me, when it comes to self
doubt, I say three things to myself.
You know, I say, I am loved,
I am enough, and I am worthy.
And I keep saying that until I
feel good. And yes, when you say
in the, the first time, it's gonna
feel weird, it's gonna sound, you're gonna
sound awkward because this is something you've
never done before. So. So just be
okay with that. Be okay with that
(23:42):
uncomfortableness when you're saying it. But the
more you keep doing it, the more
you believe in yourself. And when it
comes to imposter syndrome, I think we
have to see imposter syndrome as something
good because it's helping us level up,
you know, because we've done everything that
we could and now, you know, we're
going on to the next level. So
of course, yes, we're gonna feel scared,
we're gonna feel like we're not good
enough, but really it's a sign that
(24:04):
it can be a good thing. Right?
It's time for you to step up.
It's time for you to level up,
because you've been able to accomplish so
many amazing things.
Makini Smith (24:11):
Yes, I agree 1000%. Like, all change
is uncomfortable at first. I say this
all the time on. On the podcast,
but it's like change is uncomfortable at
first, messy in the middle, and beautiful
in the end. You know, that. That
imposter syndrome, it's. It's a sign because
your. Your mind is, like, wrestling with
your old idea of self or your
(24:32):
present idea of self and that new
thing that you're going after or that
new vision of yourself that you have.
And it's just that, that middle point,
that's where that discomfort is. But I
would love to know a little bit
more about your podcast. Like, what inspired
you to start it? What impact has
it made on your personal journey?
Sheena Yap Chan (24:51):
Yeah, for sure. I mean, I started
the podcast in 2015 because I was
dealing with my own confidence issues, and
I couldn't find resources that catered to
Asian women specifically. So I decided, you
know, I'll do it. I'll be the
one. Because I also wanted representation. And
for me, if I crave for it,
I should also. I should also create
something, right? I don't want to be
a hypocrite asking for stuff, and then
(25:12):
I'm not. I'm not contributing something or
I'm not part of the. I'm not
part of the solution. And so I
started the podcast, I didn't know what
I was doing. I didn't even know
what a podcast was. I also had,
you know, I was part of a
mastermind group so I could learn a
little bit more about it. And I
remember sharing the fir. The initial name
of the podcast. So I actually had.
My initial aim, was supposed to be
(25:33):
called the Stripper, and the tagline was
to strip your limiting beliefs away. And
so when I shared that, 9 out
of 10 was like, I don't think
you'll get the right audience. And so
I was like, oh, my goodness, if
I can't, like, get this right, how
am I going to get the show
right? And so I had to go
back, get clear. And that's how I
got the towel of self confidence. And,
you know, you know, podcasting is like
(25:55):
a labor of love. You know, like,
it's the labor of love. I wouldn't
change it, change it, anything for the
world. Being able to connect with so
many amazing women. And it also led
me to things outside of my podcast.
You know, writing two books for Wiley,
becoming a speaker, doing Training and being
able to speak for organizations and corporations
such as NASA and Live Nation. I
(26:17):
wouldn't trade it for the world because
I wouldn't be here if I didn't
start that, that thing. And it's not
an overnight success. I've had this podcast
for 10 years. The first five years
I didn't even know what I was
going to do with it. I just
knew I needed something. And so I'm
just grateful for everything that has happened.
Makini Smith (26:32):
I love it and I love that
you shared that word, that it's led
to other things because I feel like.
So I know, I'm gonna say probably
around the time of the pandemic where,
you know, everyone wanted to start a
pandemic. I mean, a podcast. It was
almost like people are like, yeah, let
me just try this thing. Thinking that
it's, you know, I guess just the
thing to do right now. But for
(26:54):
those of us that have been in
the game for a while, understanding that
yes, it does have its ups and
downs, like you said, it's a labor
of love, but it also opens up
so many doors because it develops you
as a person and then the opportunities
that can come from it. So it's
just being open to the growth from
having a podcast. I would love to
(27:15):
talk about your, your books and I
know interesting enough so I have a
self publishing consulting business and I know
there's a lot of people that say
they want to write a book and
there's a smaller percentage that actually do
write a book and there's an even
smaller percentage that get published by traditional
publishers. And for everyone, the writing process
(27:36):
is different. I would love if you
can share what your writing process was
like and I guess the message that
you hope to leave your readers with.
Sheena Yap Chan (27:47):
Yeah, for sure. And I totally get
it. There's so many people out there
who want to write a book. And
like you said, a small, only a
small number of people do it, right.
Some people think it's daunting, they have
no story to share or it's too
much work. I mean, I started out
as a self published, co authored book,
you know, and I use that like
there was no tomorrow. I pimped it
out like there was no tomorrow. And
because I was able to, it led
(28:08):
me to writing my first book with
Wiley. Right. And you know, it's, it's
been a great journey being able to
write not one, but two books for
them. Like, I was already happy that
I did one book and I was
like I was going to pimp that
book out like there's no tomorrow. And
I guess because they saw that, they're
like, would you like to write a
second book? And so I was like,
oh sure, let's, let's, let's do it,
(28:29):
right? Like, you know, sometimes you gotta
say yes even if you have no
clue what you're gonna do. Because of
that, I've been able to write two
books for them in two years. I
have no writing background. I actually, when
I came to the Canada from the
Philippines, I had to take English classes
at 7 because I couldn't make sentences
together. And so that's why I say
if, if it's possible for me, it's
definitely possible for you. And of course
(28:52):
there's good and bad with everything, right?
You know the best thing about having
a traditional publisher is like the distribution,
right? Being able to see this book
in different parts of the world. Like
I've had people in Singapore tell me
they've seen the book. I've seen the
book in the Philippines and even showed
my grandmother at the bookstore. My friend
saw it in Australia and then it's
here in the US and Canada and
(29:12):
parts of Europe also with self publishing
you get to do what you want,
right? You can, you can have your
own store, you have, you know, the
profits go to you. So there's, there's
good and bad with everything, right? But
for me like there's no, there's no
shame in having a self published book.
I think that's what people don't understand,
right? Like I started with a self
published book and it wasn't, I didn't
(29:33):
even write the whole book. I just
have a chapter in it and I
just started with that. There's no shame
in it, right? Like I think you
have if you have a self published
book, that's great. People have gotten so
much success just having a self published
book. So for me both are great
and you start with what, you know,
people think. You know, once you get
a book deal with a major publisher,
(29:54):
like oh, you're set. No, you still
gotta do work. It's still a lot
of work. You just don't know.
Makini Smith (30:01):
I think we should unpack that stigma.
Especially because I. Okay. I've seen a
lot of posts recently with people that
have had negative experiences with both sides,
right? Traditional publishing and self publishing. I've
had my own experiences with both sides
but I seen an influencer who I
(30:23):
guess she had gone with, maybe it
was a hybrid publishing company and she
had the expectation that all of the
promotion and stuff was going to be
done for Her. So she was down
talking the self publishing industry, not realizing
all the people that I know that
have been traditionally published. Like you said,
you pimped the hell out of that
(30:44):
book, right?
Sheena Yap Chan (30:44):
Yeah.
Makini Smith (30:45):
Like it still requires you promote your
book.
Sheena Yap Chan (30:48):
I did the marketing and you know,
if it wasn't for being in a
self published book and helping me learn
the different ways to market a book,
I use that to apply it in
the books that I have now. And
you know, writing a book is great,
but people don't realize marketing is the
most important part.
Makini Smith (31:03):
Exactly.
Sheena Yap Chan (31:04):
There's a reason why amazing book and.
Makini Smith (31:06):
They don't know that it exists.
Sheena Yap Chan (31:07):
Yeah. And there's a reason why the
hybrid publisher probably wanted to work with
that influencer because she has a big
platform or if it's a manatee and,
and wanted to utilize that influence. Right.
They're not just going to pick every
single person. So you know, you have
to build your, your Internet real estate.
If not, you know, you have to
(31:28):
understand like they're the biz. The business
of publishers, especially traditional publishers, is to
sell books. So if you don't know
how to sell books, they're not, there's
no reason for them to sign you.
Right. Like, and I'm just being honest
and people sometimes, I guess people don't
want to hear that, but that's the
real reality.
Makini Smith (31:49):
Right.
Sheena Yap Chan (31:49):
There's a reason why Britney Spears got
like a nine million dollar advance for
her book because it was like number
one on Amazon, like top books for
before pre order. Like it, it got
a lot of sales and that's why
she was given that big amount because
they already knew she was a big
seller. Regardless how chaotic and messy her
life is, that book will sell.
Makini Smith (32:10):
Yeah.
Sheena Yap Chan (32:10):
So when you have that kind of
influence, you can command that type of
money.
Makini Smith (32:14):
Yeah. Yeah, for sure. I guess over
the years with your experience with, I
guess building your own confidence with having
the podcast, with the success with the
books, how has your definition of confidence
evolved over the years?
Sheena Yap Chan (32:32):
I think for me just being confident
is knowing that you're capable, you know,
you. Which is true. Every single person
is capable. It just takes action. Right.
Sometimes you just gotta go out there
and be okay to make mistakes. Like
one of my mentors is always like,
I hope I can say this or
swear words are okay. But he's. Sometimes
it's like, sometimes it's like fuck the
how and just go out and do
it. Right. Sometimes we're like in learning
(32:54):
overload to the point that it re
we actually resist taking action. And I
Know, because I've been there, but sometimes
I'll just go ahead and do it
and be like, okay, well, this worked.
Okay, well, this one didn't work. You
know, like, you'd be surprised what would
work. And guys do that all the
time. They just. They don't know half
the stuff that they're doing. They just
go out there and do it. Like,
you know, if you ask them a
(33:15):
strategy, they'll give you three words. I
don't know. Like, yeah, so. So imagine
if, if we did the same thing
as men, where we just go out
there and took action and just realize
our capabilities, what we could achieve, Right?
Yeah. The impact we could create and
the things we can, the barriers we
could break and, you know, just making
(33:35):
the kind of history that we want
to see for women.
Makini Smith (33:37):
Yeah. I feel like we've been conditioned
to overthink the process.
Sheena Yap Chan (33:42):
Oh, yeah.
Makini Smith (33:42):
Over plan and do all these things.
And it's like, we. And so doubt
removes action. Action removes doubt. You know,
I have a lot of clients that
are like, well, I don't know how,
you know, I can do this or
get to this goal or do this
thing. And my mentor used to always
say to us, it's not about the
how you decide on the what. You
have the vision of the goal that
(34:03):
you want. The how will figure itself
out. It's not our job to figure
that out. It's once you've made the
decision that, okay, this is what I
want, this is what I'm going after,
these are my goals, then things will
start to line up and work out
how they should. But we are so
busy overthinking the how that we do
nothing. So that that action piece is
(34:24):
very, very important. I guess what are
some small but powerful steps someone can
take today to start building their competence?
Sheena Yap Chan (34:35):
I think. I think for me, it's
just, yes, taking small steps is important.
So like, if you wanted to write
a book as an example, just set
a goal saying you want to write
a. A page a day for 365
days straight. So by the end of
the year, you're able to have one
full book or two small books. Right.
And that's huge because you've been able
(34:55):
to do it day in and day
out. You know, I always say results
don't happen. You know, big results happen
from the small, actual daily steps. I
also say that Rome wasn't built in
the day, so you can't expect yourself
the same thing. You know, just start
small. If you wanted to run a
marathon and you've never ran a day
in your life, Then just start with
like five minutes and then slowly go
(35:17):
up, right. Add another couple minutes until
you until to the point you can
run a full marathon. Right. So yeah,
just taking those small steps is really
important.
Makini Smith (35:26):
Absolutely. You know, we were speaking before
about, you know, cultural differences and expectations.
For the people who are listening, how
do you recommend that they navigate cultural
expectations while staying true to themselves?
Sheena Yap Chan (35:41):
I think for me, like I do,
there's, there's some traditions in my culture
that I do that I do embrace.
Right. So one of the things I
do is, you know, I wear red.
So whenever people see me, they always
see me in red. And in Chinese
culture, red is a happy color. It's
a color of luck. It's color, it's
color for something positive. So like on
birthdays we wear red. And so for,
(36:03):
but for me, red also symbolizes courage
and confidence. So it's like my color.
And at the same time it also
represents my culture. So that's one thing
that I do. You know, I take
the good stuff of my culture and
utilize that in, in my, in my
content, in my everyday life, you know,
so yeah, that's what I do.
Makini Smith (36:25):
What advice would you give to someone
who maybe, you know, we were talking
before about the negative self talk of
feeling like, you know, you're not good
enough or you're not qualified or any
of those things? What advice would you
give to a woman who's listening right
now, who may feel like she's not
enough or that she's struggling with her
self worth?
Sheena Yap Chan (36:43):
I think it's really important to have
a support system. You know, you don't
have to do this alone. Working with
someone is important because we all have
blind spots and they're blind spots for
a reason because we can't see it.
But if you hire someone or, or
connect with someone who can see your
blind spots, they can help you see,
see how amazing you are. Right. There's
like an exercise that I have in
(37:05):
my first book, the Tao of Self
Confidence. It's called a self mirroring exercise
or something like that. And, and that
exercise really actually helped me see my
potential because someone else saw, saw what
I didn't see. So that's in the
book. And because people think we have
to do everything by ourself, we don't.
Right. Like it's okay to ask for
help, it's okay to accept help. Guys
(37:27):
do it all the time. Right. Like
we have to learn to not be
the superwoman of everything because that's just
Exhausting. And knowing that you, you don't
have to do this alone makes a
huge difference.
Makini Smith (37:37):
Absolutely. I'm a big believer in, like,
our, our daily habits, you know, how
they impact our life. And if something
is important to me, then how in
my daily life am I implementing that?
So what are some, I guess, daily
habits or even mindset shifts that have
personally helped you to stay competent?
Sheena Yap Chan (37:57):
For me, I do like watching, like,
YouTube interviews of people who've been through,
like, hell and back. That helps me
just realize what's. What's important and that
it's all part of the journey. Surrounding,
Surrounding myself with the right people is
important. Reading books, listening to podcasts that
will help feed my mindset is important.
People don't realize personal development is so
important. So even if you do 10
(38:18):
minutes of personal development a day, that,
that can be huge because especially in
entrepreneurship, it's 80% on, you know, mindset
and then 20% like action. Right?
Makini Smith (38:28):
Yeah.
Sheena Yap Chan (38:29):
And that's what I should tell my
mom. My book is in the business
section, but she begs to differ. But
yeah, like those, those, those are daily
habits that can help us, you know,
become better just having these small things
done every single day.
Makini Smith (38:46):
Love it. Okay, before we go into
the final segment, if you could leave
our listeners with one powerful message about
self confidence, what would it be?
Sheena Yap Chan (38:57):
Wow, that's a great question for me,
I think. I think for anyone listening,
I just want you to realize that
you have what it takes to be
what you need to be what you're
meant to be. Right. Like, you got
it right. It's just you just need
a little bit of courage to go
out there and take action. And the
moment you take action, you'd be surprised
what you can come up with.
Makini Smith (39:17):
Absolutely. Great advice. Before we go to
the rapid fire, can you tell the
listeners where they can learn more from
you and about you, where they can
stay connected with you?
Sheena Yap Chan (39:26):
Yeah, for sure. So you can check
out my website, sheenayapchan.com I have a
free self confidence personality quiz that you
can take for the podcast the title
of Self confidence. It's on Spotify, Apple
Podcasts, YouTube and other podcasting platforms. My
upcoming book called Bridging the confidence Gap,
How Empowered Women change the World is
available for pre order. So it's on
Amazon, Barnes and Nobles Indigo and other
(39:49):
book retailers. The my current book, the
tab Self Confidence is also available on
the same book platforms, retailers, and if
you forgot anything that I mentioned, literally,
just Google my name. Sheena Yap Chan,
because I'm the only Sheena Yapchan on
the Internet.
Makini Smith (40:06):
I will have all the links to
connect with you in the detailed section
of the episode so they don't have
to search too far.
Sheena Yap Chan (40:12):
Awesome.
Makini Smith (40:13):
Oh, perfect. Okay, so the final segment
of the show, it's like a rapid
fire. You can answer one word or
one sentence, but if you feel the
need to unpack, you're more than welcome
to do so.
Sheena Yap Chan (40:23):
Cool.
Makini Smith (40:24):
All right, first question. When and where
are you the happiest at the beach?
Love it. What's been the biggest surprise
that you've had in the past year?
Sheena Yap Chan (40:35):
I guess writing my second book.
Makini Smith (40:39):
What keeps you up at night?
Sheena Yap Chan (40:42):
I think everything that's just. That's every
opportunity that I could think of that
would come my way. I don't know.
Makini Smith (40:50):
What's the best advice you've ever received?
Sheena Yap Chan (40:54):
When one door closes, another one opens.
Makini Smith (40:57):
What's the worst advice you've ever received?
Sheena Yap Chan (41:00):
I don't know if I've had. Oh,
you know, I was told that as
a woman, you know, I did more
than enough. I was more than an.
I remember working a job, and then
I was gonna apply for another. Another
company, another position. Cause I wanted something
new. And I remember a coworker told
me, why would you do that? You
know, you're. You already make more than
enough as a woman. And so actually
listened to that person and stayed at
(41:21):
my job for a lot longer than
I was supposed to. Wow.
Makini Smith (41:24):
Oh, wow. Wow. Okay. What is something
that little Sheena wished you got back
into?
Sheena Yap Chan (41:33):
I guess my high school years. It
was a fun time.
Makini Smith (41:39):
Okay, what would little Sheena be proud
of you for?
Sheena Yap Chan (41:44):
I think that I was able to
just go out there and live life
on my terms, even. Even at times
if it's scary.
Makini Smith (41:53):
Okay. And last but not least, what
do you wish women would do more
of for me?
Sheena Yap Chan (41:59):
Just take action. You know, especially March
is Women History Month, and the theme
for this year is accelerated action. So
results happen when you take action and
be okay to make mistakes. Just learn
to pivot as you go. Course correct
as you go.
Makini Smith (42:14):
Yeah. Love it. Love it. Great advice.
Thank you so much, Sheena. Honestly, I
appreciate you not only taking the time
to be here with us today, but
sharing your story and your expertise. And
I cannot wait to stay connected and
follow your journey and see where life
takes you.
Sheena Yap Chan (42:33):
Thank you so much for having me.
It's been a blast to all my
healers out there.
Makini Smith (42:39):
Thank you for tuning in. Because of
you, we rank in the top 1.5%
of podcasts globally, and there are over
3 million podcasts out there. If today's
episode resonated with you, please subscribe, rate
the show, and leave us a review
on Apple Podcast. I want to challenge
you to think of one person that
would benefit from today's conversation. Share this
(43:01):
episode with them. Someone out there needs
Sheena's testimony. You can screenshot this week's
episode and tag us on Instagram. You
can tag Sheena Yap Chan. You can
tag myself hereal McKinney Smith and let's
keep this conversation going. If you loved
(43:22):
today's episode, take your mindset work a
step further with my Gratitude Journal. Science
proves gratitude brings more joy and success.
So start your practice today. You can
grab your copy on Amazon or mckinneysmith.com
a healthy community is a healing community,
and a healing community is full of
(43:43):
hope. So let's continue to heal. Perhaps.
I'm Makini Smith. After going through a
divorce, my sister passing away, experiencing narcissistic
abuse and some significant health scares, I
realized through sharing my story that I
wasn't alone in my suffering. Suffering, subjective
distress generated by the experience of being
out of balance in a deep dive
to holistically heal mind, body and soul
(00:22):
is where I discovered peace, clarity and
connection. It is impossible to be truly
wise without some real life hardship and
we cannot develop post traumatic wisdom without
making it through and most importantly, through
it together. Social connection builds resilience and
resilience helps create post traumatic wisdom. And
(00:46):
that wisdom leads to hope. Hope for
you and others, witnessing and participating in
your healing and hope for your community.
A healthy community is a healing community
and a healing community is full of
hope because it has seen its own
people weather, survive and thrive. A quick
(01:25):
word before we begin Happiness starts with
gratitude. One of my books, the Gratitude
Journal, is your daily tool to shift
your mindset and attract more positivity into
your life. So, ready to start your
gratitude practice? You can grab your journal
today on Amazon or@mckinneysmith.com Today's guest is
(01:48):
Sheena Yapchen. She is a Wall Street
Journal bestselling author, keynote speaker, strategist and
award winning podcaster dedicated to empowering women
through leadership and self confidence. She's the
founder and host of the highly acclaimed
podcast the Tao of Self Confidence where
she shares the inspiring journeys of women
(02:10):
who have embraced their power. With over
1 million downloads and ranking in the
top 0.5% of global podcast, her show
has featured more than 800 interview including
conversations with celebrities and 8 figure CEOs.
Beyond podcasting, Sheena is making a profound
impact through her writing and speaking engagements.
(02:32):
Her debut book, the Tao of A
Guide to Moving Beyond Trauma and Awakening
the Leader within, published by Wiley, is
a Wall Street Journal and Publisher's weekly
bestseller. Recognized by Book Authority as one
of the top 20 best self confidence
books of all, it continues to inspire
(02:55):
readers worldwide. Sheena's expertise has been featured
on major platforms such as Mindvalley, Fox,
NBC News and the Manila Times. Through
her training and programs, she's committed to
closing the gender confidence gap and helping
women step into leadership roles across industries.
She has shared her insights on self
(03:17):
confidence and leadership with organizations like Live
Nation, NASA, ukg, leaving a lasting impact
on audiences around the world. So please
welcome to the show Sheena.
Sheena Yap Chan (03:34):
Hey Makini, thank you so much for
having me on the show today. It's
really an honor to be here to
just chat with You. So I'm just
excited for our conversation.
Makini Smith (03:42):
I'm excited for our conversation as well.
You know, I always get excited when,
you know, I'm, I'm following people on
social that inspire me. But when I
get to have these conversations and I
get to know you on a deeper
level and get to know, know the
person behind the feed. So thank you
again for saying yes.
Sheena Yap Chan (04:01):
Oh, thank you.
Makini Smith (04:03):
All right, so let's jump right in.
I, I love to start with getting
to know who you were as a
child because I feel like, you know,
before society or culture starts to shape
our belief systems, our paradigms, I love
to kind of understand who you were,
what you wanted to be back then.
So take us back to your early
(04:23):
years. What was your upbringing like and
how did it shape your self confidence?
Sheena Yap Chan (04:29):
Yeah, that's a great question. I mean,
I was born in the Philippines. I
moved to Canada when I was seven.
And even though I live in the,
in one of the most multicultural cities
in the world, Toronto, there was no
one in the media that looked like
me. So I always felt ashamed of
who I was, my culture, my background.
I wanted to have blonde hair and
blue eyes to feel more beautiful, to
feel more accepted, you know, didn't want,
(04:51):
I wanted to hide my culture. In
fact, I was really embarrassed by it.
So confidence wise, it was like very
low. So. And there was even a
point where I did dye my hair
blonde and actually decided to dye it
back to my original hair color because
80 to retouch your roots is just
crazy. So. So I said, I'm dying
back to my original hair color. But
(05:12):
in that moment when the hairdresser just
showed me what my hair looked like
after I'm dying it back to my
original hair color, that's where I really
felt myself. I said, this is me,
this is my culture. This is what
I look like. I won't have blonde
hair, I won't have blue eyes. And
I finally accepted who I was. And
all the work that I do right
now really stems from my upbringing, really
(05:34):
creating better representation, especially for Asian women
and beyond. Because, you know, there's still
a lot of negative stereotypes that we
have to deal with, which is unfortunate.
And I know it's not just Asian
women, it's all women, especially women of
color. And so I want to dismantle
that because there's so many amazing women
out there who can do amazing things,
but really what holds them back is
(05:54):
how they perceive themselves. And I'm guilty
of it too. I've been there. I
know what it's like to feel you're
not good enough to feel like you're
a fraud, to feel like there's someone
better out there or you're too old
to start something new. I've, I've been
through all those, those, those like thoughts
in my head that like stops me
from moving forward. And so I just
want women to see their potential, especially
(06:16):
in this day and age where the
world's a little bit chaotic. And you
know, they mentioned that the world, well,
the World Economic Forum mentioned that gender
parity would be achieved at the earliest.
The year 2158. So that's like five
generations before we could see that. And
at the rate that we're going, it's
going to take longer. And so for
(06:36):
me, it's important for women to show
up to be leaders in every industry
to see their potential because it's not
only helping women, it's a win, win
situation for everybody. So, yeah, that's a
little bit about me.
Makini Smith (06:51):
I love the work that you're doing
and you know, I, I can understand,
how do I say this so you
know, when you're talking about the work
that you're doing not just for Asian
women and for, for all women in
general, like as a woman of color,
I already know, you know, we experience
a lot of different things. Sometimes being
the only woman of color in the
(07:12):
room, sometimes being the only woman, you
know, person of color in the room,
all those things. My fiance is half
Filipino. So, you know, we've known each
other since we were 15. But like,
you know, us being together now and
understanding a lot of the similarities within
our culture and the things that we
have to overcome, you know, in our
(07:33):
society today, like what are some of,
I guess the cultural expectations that were
placed on you growing up and how
did they influence your self perception?
Sheena Yap Chan (07:44):
Yeah, for sure. I mean, being an
Asian woman isn't easy. You know, like
we've been taught to do as you're
told. Go to school, get a job,
get married, never rock the boat, stay
in the background and that's it, right?
We're not allowed to brag about our
achievements. We're not allowed to share what
we're going through. I mean, mental health
was a taboo topic like in every
(08:04):
other culture. And so we've just been
programmed to just stay in the background
and serve everybody else. And we really
forget to serve the most important person,
which is ourself. So I always felt
like I needed approval from everybody. I
was people pleasing, like I couldn't make
my own decisions. I felt like I
Needed somebody else's decision to be made.
You know, I resisted a lot. I
(08:26):
feared a lot of things. Imposter syndrome
also gets to me. And even just
the trauma that I've been through growing
up, right? Not only our own traumas,
but like our parents and grandparents, you
know, like, they've been through a lot,
and that trauma gets passed on to
us as well. So all that really
did shape how I viewed myself. You
know, I didn't think I was good
(08:46):
enough. I was playing small. I just.
My confidence was low, my self esteem
was low. I just didn't think the
highest of me. You know, I was
my own worst enemy instead of being
my own best friend. So. And I
know a lot of women who've been
through that, right? Being able to interview
over 800 women on the podcast, mostly
Asian women, I realized I wasn't the
only one going through this. But the
problem is nobody talks about it. And
(09:07):
so that is why I even started
my podcast, because I wanted a support
system because I couldn't find it myself.
And also create better representation. You know,
like, society still views Asian women as
quiet, submissive, and obedient. And it's not
the case, you know, it's totally not
the case. I'm sure being with your
fiance, you've seen a lot of Filipino
titas who are like, you know, I
(09:31):
see. Yes, yes. And in a good
way. And so, yes, that's why, for
me, creating better representation, stronger representation is
so important. So we can dismantle all
these labels, these stereotypes, and really help
women be seen in. In a brighter
light. Is it easy? Definitely not. You
know, you have to go through a
lot of hurdles, right? If it was
(09:51):
easy, everybody would be doing it. But
I understand this work is so important
because of what's going on in the
world. Like, you look at, you know,
a country like Afghanistan where women's basic
human rights are stripped away from them.
It's terrible, right, to know they're not
allowed to show their faces in public,
they're not allowed to talk, they're not
even allowed to sing in their own
homes. Like, are you kidding me? Like,
(10:12):
these are things we take for granted
because we live in North America, but
in other countries, you know, that is
sacred to them because they're not allowed
to do that. And so the fact
that it's 2025 and this is still
happening is really scary because if one
country can do it, imagine how many
more countries can do do it, right?
So this is why this work is
(10:32):
so important.
Makini Smith (10:33):
Yeah, absolutely. And I. I think it's
becoming more and more increasingly important for
those of us that are showing and
being the representation that is out here.
Because like you said, representation does matter.
And I think sometimes we don't realize
the depth and how much it matters.
(10:53):
You know, whether it be being an
Asian woman, whether it be being a
woman, it's just whether it's. There are
so many environments that are either male
dominated or white dominated or, you know,
all of these other things. And when
there's no representation, it affects the entire
dynamic of everything, I guess. What for
(11:13):
you, what was or, you know, was
there defining moment in your life that
made you realize you needed to work
on your own confidence?
Sheena Yap Chan (11:24):
For me, I think that moment was
really. When my aunt passed away, I
realized she. She passed away from a
horrific accident about 13 years ago. And
it made me realize how, like, the
time we have left in this life,
in this lifetime or in this planet,
we don't know what's gonna happen. Like,
the next day I could be gone.
I don't know, right? So I wanted
(11:44):
to. If I were to go awake
by tomorrow, I wanted to make sure
that I live with no regrets. And
so I can honestly say that right
now that if I were gone, if
I was gone by tomorrow, I. I've
done everything I've ever wanted and more.
And so I guess that was the
catalyst of my journey to just go.
Go out there and forge my own
(12:04):
path, live life on my terms. And
that wasn't easy, especially when you come
from an Asian background, you know, like,
your parents are like, what are you
doing with your life? You're already successful.
Why would you throw it away? And
yes, you know, for some people, that
might be success. That might be success
in their terms, but for me, that
wasn't, you know, success, right? I wanted
(12:24):
to do more. I knew I was
meant for more things. And I don't
want people telling me I have a
cap. You know, especially as women, we're
always told there's a certain cap we
can only reach when really there's no
cap, the sky's the limit. And so
that. That was the catalyst. It didn't
happen overnight, but it helped me start
getting, like, thinking, like, what can I
do? What should I do? What? You
know, how am I going to do
this? And really just, like, figure out
(12:47):
what do I want to do next?
Makini Smith (12:49):
I mean, first of all, I'm sorry
for your loss. And I know from
experience, when you lose a loved one,
it forces you to look at life
differently. Right? When my sister passed away
from me, it Was like, what do
I want my legacy to be? How
do I want to be remembered? You
know, now it's time for me to
live intentionally. I. I can see how,
(13:11):
I guess our traumas, you know, it.
It forces us to want to be
purposeful with our lives, I guess. What
would you say, how. How did those
experiences impact your sense of self and
your journey towards your healing?
Sheena Yap Chan (13:30):
I think for me, it was just
learning to love myself, you know, Like,
I know everyone says self love is
important, and it is. And I know
it sounds cheesy, but it is. But
I think people get this wrong idea
of what self love is because it's
not just the good. It's the good,
bad, and the ugly. So really accepting
myself who I was was really important.
Learning to love my own company was
(13:51):
really important. So, like, even going to
the movies by myself was like something
that was weird because I was like,
oh, I have no friends. But really
it's a little bit therapeutic. You know,
you can go and just watch a
movie and not have to worry about
anything. I mean, nobody's talking anyway. Or
even just eating by yourself at a
restaurant. You know, it's just, I needed
my own time. I needed to learn
to love my own company so that
(14:12):
it's another way of, you know, practice
practicing self love. Right. Not saying you
don't need people, but there's times where
it's okay, you're just by yourself. And
so that was a hard lesson because
I would always turn down all the
bad stuff about me and only accept
the good stuff. And of course, that
doesn't work out. You also attract the
same people in your life who only
wants to see the good instead of
(14:33):
seeing the good, bad, and the ugly.
So that was a big wake up
call for me.
Makini Smith (14:39):
So I. I guess I know with
podcasting, it can develop us in so
many different ways. Right. And I know
for the last six and a half
years with doing this podcast, it's been
a huge part of my healing journey
and helping build my confidence. So I
would love to know for you because
you've had over, what, 800 interviews?
Sheena Yap Chan (15:00):
Women. Yeah.
Makini Smith (15:01):
That's amazing. Congrats, by the way.
Sheena Yap Chan (15:03):
Thank you.
Makini Smith (15:04):
You know, in terms of, like, storytelling
and sharing experiences, how did that play
a role in your healing and helping
build your confidence?
Sheena Yap Chan (15:14):
I mean, each and every person who
was. Who took the time to share
their story on my platform, I'm really
grateful for, because then I was able
to learn, like, like I mentioned before
that I wasn't the only one dealing
with this with this. And so sometimes
knowing that you're not alone makes things
a lot better. Right? Because sometimes I
think maybe we're crazy because we're going
(15:34):
through all these feelings when really it's
normal. You know, life is up and
down. It's a roller coaster. And so
even knowing, like, oh, she also thought
people. She was people pleasing, and she
also went through imposter syndrome. Like, that's
good to know that she went through
that and was still able to overcome
it. And also just learning different confidence
lessons along the way, whether it's having
(15:55):
a gratitude journal, learning self love, you
know, taking action, it helped me see
things from a different perspective. Also knowing
that self confidence, there's no one way
of doing it right. I used to
think in order to be confident, you
had to be loud and boisterous and
be out there. But really, you don't
have to. You can be an introvert
and still be very confident. So, yeah.
So those are some of the things
(16:16):
I've learned after interviewing so many women.
Makini Smith (16:19):
I love that. I love that. And
as someone who is an introvert, I
can definitely back that up to say,
like, we don't have to be loud.
We don't have to be, you know,
the loudest voice in the room, any
of those things. My mentor's wife described
me as a humble confidence.
Sheena Yap Chan (16:36):
Yeah.
Makini Smith (16:39):
What's been one of your biggest challenges
that you've faced in overcoming those limiting
beliefs and even societal expectations?
Sheena Yap Chan (16:48):
Wow, that's a great question. I think,
you know, as a woman, as women
generally, we tend to overthink, Right. We
always tend to think everything has to
be perfect before we make. Make moves
or take action. When in reality, we
don't have to, like, it's okay to
make mistakes. It's okay to pivot. It's
okay to be imperfect. And so learning
to show up as my imperfect self
(17:09):
was, was a big, like, relief because
I don't have to show up a
certain way. I don't need to put
on a mask. And people crave more
authenticity. People love to see the imperfections.
Sometimes social media paints this photo. Like,
entrepreneurship is so easy. It's so much
fun. You get to drive nice cars
and live in big houses. And I'm
(17:31):
not saying that's not possible. It is
possible, but people don't realize what it
takes to get there. Right? The sleepless
nights, you can work, yes, you. You
create your own hours, but it could
be all hours of the night. People
who, you know, there's people out there
say, I made 20,000 in 10 days.
It's like, yes, that's possible, but you
don't know what it took to get
there. Right. Like, it might have taken
(17:53):
10 years to figure it out for
that person to make 20k in 10
days. There's a lot of things that
people don't talk about and just paint
this picture like that. It's so awesome.
And I'm not saying it's not. It
is. But there's good and bad in
everything. I mean, I wouldn't trade it
for the world, but I'm, you know,
it is a lot of work. It's
(18:13):
actually, it's a lot more work than
having a job, right?
Makini Smith (18:15):
Absolutely.
Sheena Yap Chan (18:16):
I mean, you're trying to figure things
out as you go. You know, they're
putting yourself out there. It takes a
lot of courage and confidence to put
yourself, especially as women. You know, we've
been conditioned that self promotion is tacky,
when in fact it's empowering and it
builds more confidence and leadership in us
when we go out there and promote
our products or services. So absolutely.
Makini Smith (18:40):
I can, I can relate to everything
that you just said, for sure. You
know, I, I've been an entrepreneur for
over 15 years now. And I remember
when I first became an entrepreneur and
everyone was like, you know, you're going
through a divorce, you're a single mom,
I think you should get a job
like a bi weekly paycheck. And I
was like, yeah, but I wouldn't be
(19:01):
able to have the life that I
have. I wouldn't be able to be
present for a lot of the things
with my kids, all the other things.
But I looked at other entrepreneurs and
grateful for those that were transparent about
their journeys, you know, that it wasn't
so easy. And I think entrepreneurship is
definitely not for everyone, I guess. What
(19:24):
are, what fears or doubts did you
have along the way and how did
you push through them?
Sheena Yap Chan (19:32):
Oh, I had so many. I feel
like if I list them, the show
will never end. But I think the
most important is seeing my own worth.
Right. Like, imposter syndrome always comes into
play thinking I'm a fraud. I'm not
good enough. Especially when I got approached
by Wiley to write my first book,
the Tout Self Confidence, A Guide to
Moving Beyond Trauma and Awakening the leader
within. You know, when they're like, would
(19:54):
you like to write a book about,
you know, women leadership? And I'm like,
me? Are you sure about that? Like,
I have no clue what it means
to be a leader. Like, I have
no idea what that even looks like.
And so part of me almost Turned
it down because I didn't think I
was good enough. And I was grateful
that I had a support system that
encouraged me to write it. Especially being
Asian, having a, you know, a book
(20:16):
published by one of the top five
publishers in the world is a big
deal, because not too. At that time,
not too many Asian women were, you
know, were given that opportunity. And sometimes
we're. There's so many opportunities out there,
but sometimes we're also afraid to take
that. So with the help of, you
know, my support system, I said yes.
Even though I had no clue what
(20:36):
I was going to write about. Like,
I literally had no idea. I had
an outline, and once I got the
green light, I started writing and just
figured it out as I go. I
said I was committed to it because
I know this is not just about
me. It's for every other woman out
there who wants to be a writer,
who wants to be seen as an
author, who wants to be seen as
a expert or a leader in their
field. And one of the best things
I get is when I do book
(20:57):
signings and, you know, there's little girls
that come up to me, and they're
so excited to see me because I'm
Asian woman, I'm an author. And they're
like, I want to be an author,
too. And I'm like, you can totally
do it. Because if I can do
it, you can totally do it. And
it's not about, you know, dismissing my
abilities. It's showing. Like, it's if, like,
you know, I didn't come from, like,
a fancy background. Like, anyone can do
(21:18):
this if they're. They really believe in
themselves and just go for it. Right?
And so seeing that. Seeing these little
girls just sharing that they want to
be a writer, sharing what their book
series is about, really lights me up.
Because, I mean, that's why I do
this work, to really create that representation
and have the, you know, the current
and future generations see what's possible for
themselves.
Makini Smith (21:38):
Mm. That is beautiful. That is. That
is beautiful. I know that, like, on
the flip side, you know, when we
were talking a while ago about entrepreneurship
and it not being easy. I know
there are many times in a month
where I'm like, I don't want to
do this anymore. I think I just
get a job. It would probably be
way easier.
Sheena Yap Chan (21:57):
Oh, yeah. Oh. All the time. All
the time. All the time. All the
time. There's days when, like, am I
in the right path? Is this even
make. Does this even make sense? Like,
what am I doing to myself? Like,
should I just go get a job.
Like, I. All those things pop up,
you know, like, there's days where I
do want to quit and then I
have to like, you know, get back
to the reason why I'm doing what
(22:17):
I'm doing, right? What's my purpose, what's
my mission? And, you know, being able
to get back to that makes I'm
like, okay, I will make this happen.
I'll figure it out. You know, I
know I can do this. But yeah,
there's days where I don't feel like
doing it, or there's days where I
feel exhausted thinking, like, when, when is
this going to happen? Right? We all
get there. There's nothing wrong with saying
(22:38):
that because it's part of life. And
so I've been where you've been too.
And there's days where it sucks. Actually,
there's more days that suck compared to
the good days. Right.
Makini Smith (22:48):
How do you handle, like those moments
when you're dealing with the self doubt
or the imposter syndrome? Because I want
the listeners to understand, like, you know,
they may look at the levels of
success that you've been able to attain,
or the levels of success that I've
been able to attain and be like,
okay, well, you know, maybe they don't
have to deal with certain things or
(23:11):
maybe they don't know how to push
through those things. So for them to
hear how you push through the self
doubt and imposter syndrome might be helpful
to that woman that's listening right now.
Sheena Yap Chan (23:21):
Yeah, that's a great question. I think
for me, when it comes to self
doubt, I say three things to myself.
You know, I say, I am loved,
I am enough, and I am worthy.
And I keep saying that until I
feel good. And yes, when you say
in the, the first time, it's gonna
feel weird, it's gonna sound, you're gonna
sound awkward because this is something you've
never done before. So. So just be
okay with that. Be okay with that
(23:42):
uncomfortableness when you're saying it. But the
more you keep doing it, the more
you believe in yourself. And when it
comes to imposter syndrome, I think we
have to see imposter syndrome as something
good because it's helping us level up,
you know, because we've done everything that
we could and now, you know, we're
going on to the next level. So
of course, yes, we're gonna feel scared,
we're gonna feel like we're not good
enough, but really it's a sign that
(24:04):
it can be a good thing. Right?
It's time for you to step up.
It's time for you to level up,
because you've been able to accomplish so
many amazing things.
Makini Smith (24:11):
Yes, I agree 1000%. Like, all change
is uncomfortable at first. I say this
all the time on. On the podcast,
but it's like change is uncomfortable at
first, messy in the middle, and beautiful
in the end. You know, that. That
imposter syndrome, it's. It's a sign because
your. Your mind is, like, wrestling with
your old idea of self or your
(24:32):
present idea of self and that new
thing that you're going after or that
new vision of yourself that you have.
And it's just that, that middle point,
that's where that discomfort is. But I
would love to know a little bit
more about your podcast. Like, what inspired
you to start it? What impact has
it made on your personal journey?
Sheena Yap Chan (24:51):
Yeah, for sure. I mean, I started
the podcast in 2015 because I was
dealing with my own confidence issues, and
I couldn't find resources that catered to
Asian women specifically. So I decided, you
know, I'll do it. I'll be the
one. Because I also wanted representation. And
for me, if I crave for it,
I should also. I should also create
something, right? I don't want to be
a hypocrite asking for stuff, and then
(25:12):
I'm not. I'm not contributing something or
I'm not part of the. I'm not
part of the solution. And so I
started the podcast, I didn't know what
I was doing. I didn't even know
what a podcast was. I also had,
you know, I was part of a
mastermind group so I could learn a
little bit more about it. And I
remember sharing the fir. The initial name
of the podcast. So I actually had.
My initial aim, was supposed to be
(25:33):
called the Stripper, and the tagline was
to strip your limiting beliefs away. And
so when I shared that, 9 out
of 10 was like, I don't think
you'll get the right audience. And so
I was like, oh, my goodness, if
I can't, like, get this right, how
am I going to get the show
right? And so I had to go
back, get clear. And that's how I
got the towel of self confidence. And,
you know, you know, podcasting is like
(25:55):
a labor of love. You know, like,
it's the labor of love. I wouldn't
change it, change it, anything for the
world. Being able to connect with so
many amazing women. And it also led
me to things outside of my podcast.
You know, writing two books for Wiley,
becoming a speaker, doing Training and being
able to speak for organizations and corporations
such as NASA and Live Nation. I
(26:17):
wouldn't trade it for the world because
I wouldn't be here if I didn't
start that, that thing. And it's not
an overnight success. I've had this podcast
for 10 years. The first five years
I didn't even know what I was
going to do with it. I just
knew I needed something. And so I'm
just grateful for everything that has happened.
Makini Smith (26:32):
I love it and I love that
you shared that word, that it's led
to other things because I feel like.
So I know, I'm gonna say probably
around the time of the pandemic where,
you know, everyone wanted to start a
pandemic. I mean, a podcast. It was
almost like people are like, yeah, let
me just try this thing. Thinking that
it's, you know, I guess just the
thing to do right now. But for
(26:54):
those of us that have been in
the game for a while, understanding that
yes, it does have its ups and
downs, like you said, it's a labor
of love, but it also opens up
so many doors because it develops you
as a person and then the opportunities
that can come from it. So it's
just being open to the growth from
having a podcast. I would love to
(27:15):
talk about your, your books and I
know interesting enough so I have a
self publishing consulting business and I know
there's a lot of people that say
they want to write a book and
there's a smaller percentage that actually do
write a book and there's an even
smaller percentage that get published by traditional
publishers. And for everyone, the writing process
(27:36):
is different. I would love if you
can share what your writing process was
like and I guess the message that
you hope to leave your readers with.
Sheena Yap Chan (27:47):
Yeah, for sure. And I totally get
it. There's so many people out there
who want to write a book. And
like you said, a small, only a
small number of people do it, right.
Some people think it's daunting, they have
no story to share or it's too
much work. I mean, I started out
as a self published, co authored book,
you know, and I use that like
there was no tomorrow. I pimped it
out like there was no tomorrow. And
because I was able to, it led
(28:08):
me to writing my first book with
Wiley. Right. And you know, it's, it's
been a great journey being able to
write not one, but two books for
them. Like, I was already happy that
I did one book and I was
like I was going to pimp that
book out like there's no tomorrow. And
I guess because they saw that, they're
like, would you like to write a
second book? And so I was like,
oh sure, let's, let's, let's do it,
(28:29):
right? Like, you know, sometimes you gotta
say yes even if you have no
clue what you're gonna do. Because of
that, I've been able to write two
books for them in two years. I
have no writing background. I actually, when
I came to the Canada from the
Philippines, I had to take English classes
at 7 because I couldn't make sentences
together. And so that's why I say
if, if it's possible for me, it's
definitely possible for you. And of course
(28:52):
there's good and bad with everything, right?
You know the best thing about having
a traditional publisher is like the distribution,
right? Being able to see this book
in different parts of the world. Like
I've had people in Singapore tell me
they've seen the book. I've seen the
book in the Philippines and even showed
my grandmother at the bookstore. My friend
saw it in Australia and then it's
here in the US and Canada and
(29:12):
parts of Europe also with self publishing
you get to do what you want,
right? You can, you can have your
own store, you have, you know, the
profits go to you. So there's, there's
good and bad with everything, right? But
for me like there's no, there's no
shame in having a self published book.
I think that's what people don't understand,
right? Like I started with a self
published book and it wasn't, I didn't
(29:33):
even write the whole book. I just
have a chapter in it and I
just started with that. There's no shame
in it, right? Like I think you
have if you have a self published
book, that's great. People have gotten so
much success just having a self published
book. So for me both are great
and you start with what, you know,
people think. You know, once you get
a book deal with a major publisher,
(29:54):
like oh, you're set. No, you still
gotta do work. It's still a lot
of work. You just don't know.
Makini Smith (30:01):
I think we should unpack that stigma.
Especially because I. Okay. I've seen a
lot of posts recently with people that
have had negative experiences with both sides,
right? Traditional publishing and self publishing. I've
had my own experiences with both sides
but I seen an influencer who I
(30:23):
guess she had gone with, maybe it
was a hybrid publishing company and she
had the expectation that all of the
promotion and stuff was going to be
done for Her. So she was down
talking the self publishing industry, not realizing
all the people that I know that
have been traditionally published. Like you said,
you pimped the hell out of that
(30:44):
book, right?
Sheena Yap Chan (30:44):
Yeah.
Makini Smith (30:45):
Like it still requires you promote your
book.
Sheena Yap Chan (30:48):
I did the marketing and you know,
if it wasn't for being in a
self published book and helping me learn
the different ways to market a book,
I use that to apply it in
the books that I have now. And
you know, writing a book is great,
but people don't realize marketing is the
most important part.
Makini Smith (31:03):
Exactly.
Sheena Yap Chan (31:04):
There's a reason why amazing book and.
Makini Smith (31:06):
They don't know that it exists.
Sheena Yap Chan (31:07):
Yeah. And there's a reason why the
hybrid publisher probably wanted to work with
that influencer because she has a big
platform or if it's a manatee and,
and wanted to utilize that influence. Right.
They're not just going to pick every
single person. So you know, you have
to build your, your Internet real estate.
If not, you know, you have to
(31:28):
understand like they're the biz. The business
of publishers, especially traditional publishers, is to
sell books. So if you don't know
how to sell books, they're not, there's
no reason for them to sign you.
Right. Like, and I'm just being honest
and people sometimes, I guess people don't
want to hear that, but that's the
real reality.
Makini Smith (31:49):
Right.
Sheena Yap Chan (31:49):
There's a reason why Britney Spears got
like a nine million dollar advance for
her book because it was like number
one on Amazon, like top books for
before pre order. Like it, it got
a lot of sales and that's why
she was given that big amount because
they already knew she was a big
seller. Regardless how chaotic and messy her
life is, that book will sell.
Makini Smith (32:10):
Yeah.
Sheena Yap Chan (32:10):
So when you have that kind of
influence, you can command that type of
money.
Makini Smith (32:14):
Yeah. Yeah, for sure. I guess over
the years with your experience with, I
guess building your own confidence with having
the podcast, with the success with the
books, how has your definition of confidence
evolved over the years?
Sheena Yap Chan (32:32):
I think for me just being confident
is knowing that you're capable, you know,
you. Which is true. Every single person
is capable. It just takes action. Right.
Sometimes you just gotta go out there
and be okay to make mistakes. Like
one of my mentors is always like,
I hope I can say this or
swear words are okay. But he's. Sometimes
it's like, sometimes it's like fuck the
how and just go out and do
it. Right. Sometimes we're like in learning
(32:54):
overload to the point that it re
we actually resist taking action. And I
Know, because I've been there, but sometimes
I'll just go ahead and do it
and be like, okay, well, this worked.
Okay, well, this one didn't work. You
know, like, you'd be surprised what would
work. And guys do that all the
time. They just. They don't know half
the stuff that they're doing. They just
go out there and do it. Like,
you know, if you ask them a
(33:15):
strategy, they'll give you three words. I
don't know. Like, yeah, so. So imagine
if, if we did the same thing
as men, where we just go out
there and took action and just realize
our capabilities, what we could achieve, Right?
Yeah. The impact we could create and
the things we can, the barriers we
could break and, you know, just making
(33:35):
the kind of history that we want
to see for women.
Makini Smith (33:37):
Yeah. I feel like we've been conditioned
to overthink the process.
Sheena Yap Chan (33:42):
Oh, yeah.
Makini Smith (33:42):
Over plan and do all these things.
And it's like, we. And so doubt
removes action. Action removes doubt. You know,
I have a lot of clients that
are like, well, I don't know how,
you know, I can do this or
get to this goal or do this
thing. And my mentor used to always
say to us, it's not about the
how you decide on the what. You
have the vision of the goal that
(34:03):
you want. The how will figure itself
out. It's not our job to figure
that out. It's once you've made the
decision that, okay, this is what I
want, this is what I'm going after,
these are my goals, then things will
start to line up and work out
how they should. But we are so
busy overthinking the how that we do
nothing. So that that action piece is
(34:24):
very, very important. I guess what are
some small but powerful steps someone can
take today to start building their competence?
Sheena Yap Chan (34:35):
I think. I think for me, it's
just, yes, taking small steps is important.
So like, if you wanted to write
a book as an example, just set
a goal saying you want to write
a. A page a day for 365
days straight. So by the end of
the year, you're able to have one
full book or two small books. Right.
And that's huge because you've been able
(34:55):
to do it day in and day
out. You know, I always say results
don't happen. You know, big results happen
from the small, actual daily steps. I
also say that Rome wasn't built in
the day, so you can't expect yourself
the same thing. You know, just start
small. If you wanted to run a
marathon and you've never ran a day
in your life, Then just start with
like five minutes and then slowly go
(35:17):
up, right. Add another couple minutes until
you until to the point you can
run a full marathon. Right. So yeah,
just taking those small steps is really
important.
Makini Smith (35:26):
Absolutely. You know, we were speaking before
about, you know, cultural differences and expectations.
For the people who are listening, how
do you recommend that they navigate cultural
expectations while staying true to themselves?
Sheena Yap Chan (35:41):
I think for me, like I do,
there's, there's some traditions in my culture
that I do that I do embrace.
Right. So one of the things I
do is, you know, I wear red.
So whenever people see me, they always
see me in red. And in Chinese
culture, red is a happy color. It's
a color of luck. It's color, it's
color for something positive. So like on
birthdays we wear red. And so for,
(36:03):
but for me, red also symbolizes courage
and confidence. So it's like my color.
And at the same time it also
represents my culture. So that's one thing
that I do. You know, I take
the good stuff of my culture and
utilize that in, in my, in my
content, in my everyday life, you know,
so yeah, that's what I do.
Makini Smith (36:25):
What advice would you give to someone
who maybe, you know, we were talking
before about the negative self talk of
feeling like, you know, you're not good
enough or you're not qualified or any
of those things? What advice would you
give to a woman who's listening right
now, who may feel like she's not
enough or that she's struggling with her
self worth?
Sheena Yap Chan (36:43):
I think it's really important to have
a support system. You know, you don't
have to do this alone. Working with
someone is important because we all have
blind spots and they're blind spots for
a reason because we can't see it.
But if you hire someone or, or
connect with someone who can see your
blind spots, they can help you see,
see how amazing you are. Right. There's
like an exercise that I have in
(37:05):
my first book, the Tao of Self
Confidence. It's called a self mirroring exercise
or something like that. And, and that
exercise really actually helped me see my
potential because someone else saw, saw what
I didn't see. So that's in the
book. And because people think we have
to do everything by ourself, we don't.
Right. Like it's okay to ask for
help, it's okay to accept help. Guys
(37:27):
do it all the time. Right. Like
we have to learn to not be
the superwoman of everything because that's just
Exhausting. And knowing that you, you don't
have to do this alone makes a
huge difference.
Makini Smith (37:37):
Absolutely. I'm a big believer in, like,
our, our daily habits, you know, how
they impact our life. And if something
is important to me, then how in
my daily life am I implementing that?
So what are some, I guess, daily
habits or even mindset shifts that have
personally helped you to stay competent?
Sheena Yap Chan (37:57):
For me, I do like watching, like,
YouTube interviews of people who've been through,
like, hell and back. That helps me
just realize what's. What's important and that
it's all part of the journey. Surrounding,
Surrounding myself with the right people is
important. Reading books, listening to podcasts that
will help feed my mindset is important.
People don't realize personal development is so
important. So even if you do 10
(38:18):
minutes of personal development a day, that,
that can be huge because especially in
entrepreneurship, it's 80% on, you know, mindset
and then 20% like action. Right?
Makini Smith (38:28):
Yeah.
Sheena Yap Chan (38:29):
And that's what I should tell my
mom. My book is in the business
section, but she begs to differ. But
yeah, like those, those, those are daily
habits that can help us, you know,
become better just having these small things
done every single day.
Makini Smith (38:46):
Love it. Okay, before we go into
the final segment, if you could leave
our listeners with one powerful message about
self confidence, what would it be?
Sheena Yap Chan (38:57):
Wow, that's a great question for me,
I think. I think for anyone listening,
I just want you to realize that
you have what it takes to be
what you need to be what you're
meant to be. Right. Like, you got
it right. It's just you just need
a little bit of courage to go
out there and take action. And the
moment you take action, you'd be surprised
what you can come up with.
Makini Smith (39:17):
Absolutely. Great advice. Before we go to
the rapid fire, can you tell the
listeners where they can learn more from
you and about you, where they can
stay connected with you?
Sheena Yap Chan (39:26):
Yeah, for sure. So you can check
out my website, sheenayapchan.com I have a
free self confidence personality quiz that you
can take for the podcast the title
of Self confidence. It's on Spotify, Apple
Podcasts, YouTube and other podcasting platforms. My
upcoming book called Bridging the confidence Gap,
How Empowered Women change the World is
available for pre order. So it's on
Amazon, Barnes and Nobles Indigo and other
(39:49):
book retailers. The my current book, the
tab Self Confidence is also available on
the same book platforms, retailers, and if
you forgot anything that I mentioned, literally,
just Google my name. Sheena Yap Chan,
because I'm the only Sheena Yapchan on
the Internet.
Makini Smith (40:06):
I will have all the links to
connect with you in the detailed section
of the episode so they don't have
to search too far.
Sheena Yap Chan (40:12):
Awesome.
Makini Smith (40:13):
Oh, perfect. Okay, so the final segment
of the show, it's like a rapid
fire. You can answer one word or
one sentence, but if you feel the
need to unpack, you're more than welcome
to do so.
Sheena Yap Chan (40:23):
Cool.
Makini Smith (40:24):
All right, first question. When and where
are you the happiest at the beach?
Love it. What's been the biggest surprise
that you've had in the past year?
Sheena Yap Chan (40:35):
I guess writing my second book.
Makini Smith (40:39):
What keeps you up at night?
Sheena Yap Chan (40:42):
I think everything that's just. That's every
opportunity that I could think of that
would come my way. I don't know.
Makini Smith (40:50):
What's the best advice you've ever received?
Sheena Yap Chan (40:54):
When one door closes, another one opens.
Makini Smith (40:57):
What's the worst advice you've ever received?
Sheena Yap Chan (41:00):
I don't know if I've had. Oh,
you know, I was told that as
a woman, you know, I did more
than enough. I was more than an.
I remember working a job, and then
I was gonna apply for another. Another
company, another position. Cause I wanted something
new. And I remember a coworker told
me, why would you do that? You
know, you're. You already make more than
enough as a woman. And so actually
listened to that person and stayed at
(41:21):
my job for a lot longer than
I was supposed to. Wow.
Makini Smith (41:24):
Oh, wow. Wow. Okay. What is something
that little Sheena wished you got back
into?
Sheena Yap Chan (41:33):
I guess my high school years. It
was a fun time.
Makini Smith (41:39):
Okay, what would little Sheena be proud
of you for?
Sheena Yap Chan (41:44):
I think that I was able to
just go out there and live life
on my terms, even. Even at times
if it's scary.
Makini Smith (41:53):
Okay. And last but not least, what
do you wish women would do more
of for me?
Sheena Yap Chan (41:59):
Just take action. You know, especially March
is Women History Month, and the theme
for this year is accelerated action. So
results happen when you take action and
be okay to make mistakes. Just learn
to pivot as you go. Course correct
as you go.
Makini Smith (42:14):
Yeah. Love it. Love it. Great advice.
Thank you so much, Sheena. Honestly, I
appreciate you not only taking the time
to be here with us today, but
sharing your story and your expertise. And
I cannot wait to stay connected and
follow your journey and see where life
takes you.
Sheena Yap Chan (42:33):
Thank you so much for having me.
It's been a blast to all my
healers out there.
Makini Smith (42:39):
Thank you for tuning in. Because of
you, we rank in the top 1.5%
of podcasts globally, and there are over
3 million podcasts out there. If today's
episode resonated with you, please subscribe, rate
the show, and leave us a review
on Apple Podcast. I want to challenge
you to think of one person that
would benefit from today's conversation. Share this
(43:01):
episode with them. Someone out there needs
Sheena's testimony. You can screenshot this week's
episode and tag us on Instagram. You
can tag Sheena Yap Chan. You can
tag myself hereal McKinney Smith and let's
keep this conversation going. If you loved
(43:22):
today's episode, take your mindset work a
step further with my Gratitude Journal. Science
proves gratitude brings more joy and success.
So start your practice today. You can
grab your copy on Amazon or mckinneysmith.com
a healthy community is a healing community,
and a healing community is full of
(43:43):
hope. So let's continue to heal. Perhaps.
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