
A Learner OF Life
Curiously exploring
& creatively being
I'd like to share a bit about myself in my own fun creative way -- my comic strip story about my key life events, interwoven with key principles that I've discovered in my journey.


Be YOurSELF
Live your life, not someone else's, not society's poster child of success, not what others want you to do.


Sticking to My Passion
“Be yourself” is my life’s lesson. In high school, I fell in love with computer science (CS), and enjoyed creating fun games that brought code to life. I chose CS as my major, despite the Chinese cultural bias of becoming a doctor. While I stayed true to myself, the bias, along with my interest in biology, influenced me to minor in Biomedical Engineering.

Following My Spirit to MIT
I am lucky I studied at MIT, given my high school’s almost zero record of students getting into MIT. The first time I received the MIT application folder, I joyously danced with it in my arms, dreaming of the possibilities. When I was accepted, I felt certain about enrolling in MIT. Someone tried to convince me to go elsewhere. I did not let human envy decide for me.

People First
After graduating, I joined Google as a software engineer and worked there for the next 16 years. Excited to be a part of a platform that helps many people, I focused on working effectively and passionately on products. As a secondary effect, my efforts resulted in promotion. I didn’t select roles or projects to get promoted because that wasn’t being true to myself.

Failure is
a part of success
Making mistakes is a part of being human that leads to discovery and growth.


First Mistake at Google
I made several mistakes throughout my career at Google. My first failure was a production bug. I was worried because this bug impacted the company’s revenue, and I had only started working for a few months. From this mistake, I learned: a) I was given another chance, b) the responsibilities of a software engineer and a code reviewer, c) the infrastructure needed to thoroughly test the code. With each failure, I gained knowledge and experience that helped me become an effective software engineer.

Managing at Google
I became a manager because I thought society expected this from me, and I believed this would allow me to steer the product. There was no management training at the time, and I didn’t know management was a full-time job. Yet I straddled both roles, software engineer (SWE) & manager (Mgr), as a “Tech Lead Manager” (TLM). It was not sustainable to give 200% effort, yet I took meetings by day and emails by night. Through trial and error, I learned the responsibilities of a manager and how to be an effective one.

First Wake-up Call
My unhealthy work-life balance led to my first wake-up call. My family experienced a loss, and I questioned my actions. Just prior, I came across Dr. Brian Weiss’s book “Many Lives, Many Masters”, and discovered a part of my life purpose - to unconditionally love myself and everyone because we are all connected. I pivoted to helping teams effectively execute and deliver their goals, by leveraging my SWE & Mgr experiences. From this wake-up call, I learned to create purposeful balance and to become a workshop facilitator.

You ARE Worthy
Your self-worth is not defined by a title, paycheck, social status, achievements, or network.


Exploring Spirituality
With a pivot in my career and life purpose, I started a spiritual journey of self-love and self-discovery. I didn’t feel good enough because I tied my self-worth to my achievements. As I studied new systems, I was able to go beyond my experiences and roles in life to then connect with my true essence. Through these systems, I learned what it means to be human, how the body’s energy works, what is after death, and how mind/body/spirit connect. Along the way, I developed skills in guiding people to know and be their worthy self, and reinvented myself as a coach, energy balancing practitioner, Human Design Analyst, and teacher.

Second Wake-up Call
During the pandemic, I had a wake-up call. I experienced intense chest and abdominal pain 30 times over a few months. At one point, I clutched my chest on the ground, wondering if this was it. I didn’t realize how “full” I had gotten, mentally, energetically, and physically. I had habitually filled myself up with more and more “doing” in order to feel that I was productive enough. This was in addition to my fears and stress from COVID and global events that occupied my mind and body. I needed to let go of this fullness, make space, and evolve my lifestyle, specifically my diet, movement, and way of being. I’m still experimenting with giving myself space.

The Launch
Unexpectedly, I was part of the 12,000 employees laid off from Google. On my unknowingly last day, I got to do what I love: co-facilitate a mindfulness course called Search Inside Yourself and co-design a team effectiveness workshop. The next day (the day of the layoff), I also got to be with what I love: coaching people, strengthening their energy, and guiding people through their decision making process. What a serendipitous transition. Since then, I fully launched into my second career of coaching, energy balancing, Human Design, and teaching to empower people to authentically make decisions and live their unique life.
My Foundation & Certifications
I'm enjoying my journey in deeply understanding what it means to be human, how the body's energy works, and how mind/body/spirit are connected. With lots of practice in applying these systems, I certified in the following professions to be able to guide and empower you to make authentic decisions for your well-being and career and to live as your unique self:

What Would it Take to Confront The TruTH of WHO YOU ARE?
When you confront your truth, you can fully experience what it is to be uniquely you.
In learning who I am and who I am not, I enjoy empowering others to understand that about themselves and to make decisions in alignment with their authentic self.

Image Credits: Slidesgo, Flaticon, Freepik.