Reframing Achievement Devoid of Self-Blame: Insights from Zoe Teh
Zoe Teh: The Fabulous Multihyphenate on a Mission
Zoe Teh, an organisational psychologist, collaboration design sensation, and tenacious trailblazer, is carving her extraordinary path in the realms of work, wellness, and activism. By day, she co-leads national ERG initiatives and guides mission-driven organisations, and by night—or rather outside of that—she's nurturing the Breaking Bamboo Crew, a unique community established to dismantle the bamboo ceiling metaphorically, one honest, raw conversation at a time.
This powerhouse grapples with everything from burnout to systemic change with insatiable curiosity, empathy, and a dash of self-awareness. In this captivating interview, she shares the secrets to her grounding, her thoughts on balancing life without self-judgment, and the joy of constantly reinventing oneself.
Sunrise Rituals and Hidden Nightly Habits
Morning rituals often prove elusive, with Zoe's evolving daily routine consistently being a work in progress. Generally, she rises just after 6 a.m., meditates for five to ten minutes, and then hits the gym, located conveniently next to her workplace. After her workout, she drops by the office, showers, dresses, and has breakfast. If she has a gym-free day, she prefers a relaxed morning, journals when inspired, and easefully begins the day. A peaceful slumber is crucial, she explains, as a restful night sets the stage for the following day.
Powering Through Multiple Roles: Energy Management Techniques
Managing energy across several roles can be a Herculean task, yet there's no magical formula for success. Diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) in her twenties, Zoe's personal health journey has been a protracted voyage of self-discovery when it comes to health and nutrition. She's learned that the secret to steady energy boils down to three fundamental elements: quality sleep, nutritious meals, and regular exercise. Properly fueling her body, ensuring rest, and incorporating movement not only helps maintain her energy but also aids in managing PCOS-related hormonal imbalances.
Embracing the Unbalanced Life: Navigating Personal and Systemic Challenges
What is balance in a dynamic, multifaceted world? Balance, Zoe contends, may be a myth, but understanding and accepting that can be liberating. She has discovered that every week tends to unfold somewhat differently, and rather than fighting this reality, she embraces it. Acknowledging that every individual has unique values, she emphasizes that balance is truly about focusing on what matters the most.
Staying Centered: Techniques from Ancient Japan
Reiki, a traditional Japanese healing practice, has proven instrumental in empowering Zoe to stay grounded amidst personal and systemic issues that feel overwhelming. This practice focuses on channeling energy to promote healing and well-being and offers meditations designed to help one stay centered, respond instead of react, and cultivate compassion. Even though the concept of Reiki might appear "woo-woo" to some, Zoe encourages embracing it as a powerful tool for maintaining balance and mental clarity.
Protecting Mental Health: Small Habits, Boundaries, and Permission to Prioritize
Simple habits such as mastering the fundamental principles of sleep, nutrition, and exercise play a significant role in ensuring mental health during a hectic week. Establishing boundaries also pays dividends, whether it means creating physical barriers between work and home (an approach backed by science) or finding new ways to create separate spaces for work and leisure. Zoe emphasizes the importance of communicating openly with her team, managing their expectations, and learning when to say no.
Finding Joy: Nurturing the Soul Outside of Work
Recently, Zoe has indulged herself in various self-development projects, from completing the Community Collective Cohort #6 program to becoming a Level 2 Reiki practitioner. She is now eager to return to these programs' teachings, integrating them into her work and the same-named community she's building: Breaking Bamboo Crew.
Advice for Navigating Multiple Identities and Roles: Embrace Change and Show Compassion
Growing up as a Malaysian Chinese immigrant, Zoe faced numerous struggles in finding her cultural identity, often not fitting in as either Asian or Australian enough. Over time, she has come to understand two vital lessons: first, that change is a constant, providing an opportunity to reinvent oneself; and second, that it's essential to be kind to oneself, allowing oneself the time and space to find one's path and true identity.
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- Prioritizing Health and Energy: Prioritizing her physical and mental health, Zoe emphasizes the importance of sleep, nutrition, and exercise in fueling her body and maintaining lasting energy levels across multiple roles[3].
- Redefining Success: Zoe is a proponent of redefining personal success on her own terms, focusing on balance and not feeling guilty for moments when she takes a break to rest[3].
These insights shed light on Zoe's strategies for successfully managing her multifaceted life, staying centred, and embracing change as she continues charting her inspiring path through the ever-evolving world.
- Zoe Teh, a firm believer in redefining success on her own terms, prioritizes her physical and mental health by emphasizing the importance of sleep, nutrition, and exercise in fueling her body and maintaining lasting energy levels across multiple roles.
- For Zoe, every week tends to unfold differently, and rather than fighting this dynamic reality, she embraces it, focusing on what matters the most in her multifaceted life.
- Ancient Japanese healing practices such as Reiki have proven instrumental in empowering Zoe to stay grounded amidst personal and systemic issues that feel overwhelming.
- To protect her mental health during a hectic week, Zoe advocates for simple habits such as mastering the fundamental principles of sleep, nutrition, and exercise, establishing boundaries, and communicating openly with her team.
- Recognizing that change is a constant, Zoe emphasizes the importance of embracing it as an opportunity to reinvent oneself and being kind to oneself, allowing oneself the time and space to find one's path and true identity.