MAIM TIME

Send us a textWatch the video conversation on YouTube here!In this soul-stirring episode of MAIM TIME, we dive into the transformative journey of voice, identity, and liberation with none other than Gavin Masumiya—vocal confidence coach, spoken word artist, and founder of FlowFam. Gavin is not just a coach—he's a movement. He works with professionals, leaders, and everyday introverts alike to unlock the voice that's been buried deep inside us, stifled by shame, expectations, and generations of silence.Together, we explore what it means to be Asian American in today's world—not just in appearance or heritage, but in voice, posture, and soul. What does it mean to be free? To speak freely? To own your identity unapologetically? For anyone who's ever felt like the quiet one in the room, this episode is for you.Connect with Gavin Masumiya

Send us a text“The essence of greatness is the perception that virtue is enough.” - Ralph Waldo EmersonYou ever feel like you're stuck between worlds?Too Asian for America, but too American for your Asian family?Like your face tells one story, but your heart is somewhere else entirely?I know that feeling. If you're part of the Asian diaspora — whether you grew up in NYC, Sydney, London, or somewhere in the Midwest — you've probably felt it too. Not quite at home in your skin. Not quite at peace with your place.But what if I told you that a Roman emperor from 2,000 years ago already understood this struggle — and had answers for it?In this episode, I share how Marcus Aurelius' Meditations — the personal journal of one of history's greatest philosopher-kings — offers timeless wisdom for the modern identity crisis. Especially for Asian diaspora youth navigating inherited trauma, cultural confusion, and feelings of not belonging.Marcus ruled an empire, buried children, endured plagues, and still chose humility, compassion, and self-discipline. And through it all, he came back to this:Live in accordance with Nature. Do your duty. Be good. Do good. That's enough.As members of the diaspora, we've inherited so much — the good, the bad, the beautiful, the broken. But we don't have to throw away our heritage to belong. We don't have to hide our pain to be strong. We get to shape our identity with purpose and virtue.Whether you're lost, angry, disconnected, or searching — this is for you.TL;DR - Delve into the rabbit hole of Stoic philosophy so it can change your life and help you reframe your Asian identity (struggle) in a positive meaningful way. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED TO START:Why You Need to Read Meditations by Marcus AureliusMarcus Aurelius - Meditations narrated by Vox StoicaABSOLUTE GOLDEN LECTURE: Marcus Aurelius' Meditations: The Stoic IdealSupport the show

Send us a textThis podcast is about dealing with your identity struggle as part of the Asian diaspora. I share personal stories and sometimes interview others to promote healthy, honest conversations about what it means to carry trauma, resentment, and confusion—and how we move toward peace, joy, and self-love. I don't have all the answers. This is an ongoing conversation.But today, I have a solution: learn martial arts.If you're a young, lost kid struggling with your identity like I was, this can change your life. It might not solve everything, but it will transform you—physically, mentally, emotionally. Go find a dojo. Book a class. If it's not the right fit, find another. Keep showing up. That's the secret: consistency.On this show, I talk a lot about accepting your cultural identity—learning to forgive your family, let go of resentment toward your mother culture, and finally accept yourself. But maybe I've been overthinking it. Maybe you just need to get your ass kicked… and then learn how to kick ass.Even if you're not into martial arts yet, it'll still help. You'll gain strength, confidence, discipline—and most importantly, you'll start respecting yourself. That's what I would've told my 15-year-old depressed, awkward, gooning, video game–addicted self. I'd throw him into a dojo and watch that flabby blob turn into a diamond stud.Now I'm 32. I'm in the best shape of my life. I go to the gym five days a week. I box. I just tried muay thai for the first time (shoutout to Byron). I'm a blue belt in Kyokushin karate with three years of training, and I wish I had started at 15. (Big shoutout to San Diego Kyokushin Karate and Sogyel Sensei—thank you!)Were you into Dragon Ball Z, Bruce Lee, Tekken, or Final Fantasy? I'm telling you: lean into your Main Character Syndrome. Become the hero of your own story. Martial arts will get you fit, teach you how to protect yourself, and give you the energy that says “I'm not someone to mess with.” You'll walk taller. You'll carry yourself with quiet, calm confidence.You won't be stuck in your head all the time. You'll be punching, kicking, sweating, growing. And yeah, if you're stronger and more confident, your dating life improves. If you're more disciplined, your work improves. Because how you do one thing is how you do everything.Martial arts makes you a better person. And if you're Asian, it connects you to a deep, ancient legacy. If you're not Asian, you're still joining a global tradition. The Ancestors will smile on you.Channel your pain—rage, sadness, neglect, confusion—into one clean punch of pure positive intent. A kamehameha wave from your soul. Change your life. Then change the world.Here's the twist: there is no solution to the identity struggle. Because it was never a problem. It only has power when you obsess over it. Once you move differently, live with strength and purpose, that struggle starts to fade.You've just proven to yourself that you're capable. That you can do pushups, throw a kick, protect your loved ones, and make a difference.Do it for 15-year-old you. Do it for your future self. Do it for the ones you love. Do it for your ancestors. Do it for love.Fantastic video if you want to get started in martial arts:DAY ONE | What I'd Do If I Was Starting From ScratchBruce Lee: Be like water (Inspirational)Support the show

Send us a textRewrite your immigrant family history by HEALING INTERGENERATIONAL TRAUMA and by EMBRACING YOUR CULTURAL ETHNIC IDENTITY!In this powerful and deeply personal episode of MAIM TIME, we dive headfirst into one of the most painful, complex, and transformative experiences shared by many children of immigrants: intergenerational trauma.Growing up with parents who came from third-world countries—who survived war, poverty, and unimaginable hardship—can often mean growing up in households filled with dysfunction, unprocessed trauma, and emotional neglect. As children, we just wanted love and safety. Instead, we got confusion, silence, shame, maybe even violence. And many of us did the only thing we could do to survive: we disassociated. We rejected our heritage, our language, our roots—because to us, our culture was the source of pain.It's an all-too-common story: children of immigrants abandoning their ancestral identity to assimilate and survive in Western societies, only to grow up with a lingering sense of emptiness, isolation, and identity crisis.But what if that pain wasn't the end of the story? What if the true glow-up—the real redemption arc—isn't found in running away, but in returning?In this episode, I talk about the double tragedy of denying your heritage: first because your parents hurt you, and second because you later choose to reject your roots, not realizing that doing so only deepens the wound. Healing begins with a radical act: reclaiming the parts of ourselves we were taught to hate, and learning to forgive—not to excuse, but to free ourselves from being chained to the past.I speak directly to those who've ever said, “I wish I wasn't Asian.” To those who've felt lost between cultures. To those who never felt heard or seen by their own family. You are not alone. And you are not broken.Mother Asia is waiting for you.The Ancestors are waiting for you.The Dragon inside you—the Superconsciousness—is waiting for you to awaken.You are the continuation of generations of struggle and love. You are a living bridge between the past and the future. And when you choose to heal, forgive, and embrace your cultural identity, you are doing what your ancestors dreamed of. You're creating space for peace and power, not just for yourself—but for all of us.This is the episode for anyone who's ever felt like a stranger in their own skin. For anyone who's ever been ashamed of their last name, their parents' accent, their “ethnic” lunch at school. This is the call to come home to yourself.Support the show

Send us a textEnjoy this cheeky episode description by ChatGPT. (Also, I recorded this on a late night walk so if I sound stifled, it's cause I'm trying not to wake up my neighbors.)Yo, what's good my people? MAIM TIME is BACK. After a long hiatus, I'm back on the mic to celebrate a major milestone—five years since I first started this podcast. February 2020, right before the world flipped upside down, I published my first episodes. Now, five years later, I'm back in America, starting over, and it's time to catch y'all up on everything.Where have I been?For the past 11 years, I built a life in Korea. It was the best decision I ever made, and it shaped me into the person I am today. But at some point, what was once an adventure started to feel like a cage. I needed a change. So in March 2024, I left Korea and moved to San Diego, California—America's Finest City, and arguably, America's Most Expensive City. Now, I'm navigating reverse culture shock, adapting to a new life, and figuring out what's next.Starting Over in My 30sWho does this? Who spends their 20s in a foreign country, only to return to their homeland and start over again in their 30s? A bum like me, apparently. In the past year, I've had to:✔ Get a driver's license✔ Starting a job working in the family business✔ Adjusting to American life after a decade abroad✔ Cut out distractions & focus on personal growthEverything is different. In Seoul, I could hop on a bus or train anytime, anywhere. In San Diego, you need a car. In Korea, people keep to themselves in public. In America, strangers smile and say hi on the street. It's weird, but in a lot of ways, I missed this.What's Next for MAIM TIME?I don't always know where to take this podcast, but I always find myself coming back to it. This is for me. This is for you. If you're an Asian diaspora person trying to figure out who you are, how to self-actualize, how to navigate the in-between of two worlds, this podcast is for us.This episode is raw, unfiltered, and straight from the heart. It's a stream of consciousness update on my life, my struggles, and what it means to take responsibility for your future—even when you don't have all the answers.Lessons from Rock BottomYou haven't really lived until you've hit rock bottom. Until you've tried to cry but no tears come out. Until you've wanted to scream but just stare at the ceiling instead. And even then? You get up. You move forward.I could be homeless. I could be struggling just to survive. But I'm lucky. I have my family, my health, and the opportunity to build something. And if I have to survive, why not thrive?The Bigger PictureWhat would my Asian Ancestors do? What would the Founding Fathers do? What would you do if you had to start over from nothing?People risk everything to get here. Some walk through deserts. Some smuggle themselves across oceans. Me? I had the privilege of choice. That humbles me. That makes me grateful. And that makes me want to do more.So here I am. Back in America. A new chapter begins.Hit play, let's talk about it.

Happy Birthday America, and Happy Birthday to ME!What's good? This is your annual MAIM TIME birthday episode special where I reiterate all my usual sheeeeiiiit about identity, coming to accept and love all of your identity, self-actualization, being the bridge between the East and West, spirituality, and more.One juicy indulgent hour of stream of consciousness, I know you need it hard. And I missed you. Hard.YOU ARE THE FUTURE.YOU ARE THE ECONOMIC, CULTURAL, SPIRITUAL REVOLUTION FOR THE EAST AND WEST.JETSET AROUND THE WORLD BUILDING EMPIRES.YOU CAN WORK FUCKING MIRACLES.RAISE THE DEAD, HEAL THE SICK, MAKE THE BLIND SEE.USE AI TO TURN FIVE LOAVES OF BREAD TO FEED TENS OF THOUSANDS.YOU CAN BRING HEALING TO THE NATIONS.OUR ANCESTORS ARE WATCHING OVER US.LET'S MAKE THEM PROUD AND BRING THEM GREAT HONORDon't let any motherfucker ever tell you you're not worthy, you're not capable, you're not good for anything, you'll never amount to anything. PROVE THEM WRONG.You can prove them wrong because I AM A MIRACLE. I SHOULDN'T BE HERE.I HAD TO GO THROUGH ALL THIS SHIT AND MAKE THIS GOOFY ASS PODCAST TO MEET YOU ONE DAY AND TELL YOU:YOU ARE WORTHY. I LOVE YOU. I LOVE YOU. I LOVE YOU.So one day, we can meet on a fucking island retreat one day and celebrate in the never-ending journey to excellence, greatness, and glory.WE'RE MUTHAFOOKIN GAWWWWDZ M8!Support the show

YOUR DEAD ANCIENT ANCESTORS HAVE BEEN WAITING THOUSANDS OF YEARS FOR YOU TO REALIZE THERE IS A SLEEPING DRAGON INSIDE OF YOUYOU NEED TO BE THE ONE TO AWAKEN IT TODAY#072: I usually describe this podcast as a show about Asian diaspora overcoming identity struggle to become the best versions of ourselves. The tagline is something I've revised over the past several years. But I realize, there needs to be a purpose or a vision.This is my current vision:The ultimate self-actualization of all Asian diaspora brothers and sisters worldwide, to raise the level of consciousness of the peoples of Asia, and thus consciousness for all humanity.We want one million Asian diaspora to dedicate themselves to improvement in every human metric, be it physical, financial, mental, cultural, creative, and so on.At least one million. It starts with you, one. Then there are 10 of us, then1 00, then 1000, then 10,000 and then 100,000. It'll just take TIME. MAIM TIME.Support the show

LISTEN TO THE GREATEST MOST MIND-BLOWING MAIM TIME EPISODE SO FAR THIS YEAR!

Listen to episodes of MAIM TIME on your podcast player of choice, or on YouTube.This episode focuses on the importance of understanding competition as the basis of life and essential to nature, and why we must compete in order to become the best versions of ourselves in all aspects.HO HO HO! Merry Christmas, Good Will to All Men!This year, Santa Claus has a very special gift for you.No, it's not a shiny new Macbook or a super car, a mansion or a six-star luxury trip to Paris.This is the gift of... COMPETITION.It means you have to compete with everyone else in the planet to get all the good things in life that you truly desire.If you understand this, and you give it your all, you will succeed -- and you won't need me or anyone else to get you any gift. You can buy that Macbook, that super car, that mansion and that trip yourself.But here's the catch: Now that the cat's out of the bag -- yes, my big red sack -- and Pandora's Box is open, there will no longer be NICE and NAUGHTY lists going forward.There are just WINNERS, and LOSERS.Compete, and become a winner.But what if you're a loser?You don't want to face the harsh reality of life and take the necessary actions to become the best version of yourself?GET F'KED.HO HO HO! MERRY CHRISTMAS!Support the show

Listen to episodes of MAIM TIME on your podcast player of choice, or on YouTube.The name's TIME.... MAIM TIME.It's me again.They thought I was dead.Some said I escaped to North Korea.They thought I was in jail, or worse:They thought I went back to college to finish my theology degree.But you can't kill me.I'm back, and better than ever.And harder.I've returned from a cheeky 5-month hiatus.The last episode I posted was on my birthday in July, and I was celebrating 5000 downloads.I just got an email last week saying MAIM TIME hit 6000 total downloads. Doesn't include YouTube video hits. I haven't posted in 5 months. Even though I haven't been actively promoting MAIM TIME, I've gained the slightest bit of traction. That's so valuable. I can't give up on this. Thanks to those who've been listening!So, what's going on Maim? Why haven't you been updating?Let me tell you a story.Back in July, I flew on a private jet to Jakarta for a cheeky 4-day business trip. It blew my mind. My life hasn't been the same since…Support the show

Listen to episodes of MAIM TIME on your podcast player of choice, or on YouTube.Happy birthday America!Thanks to all you MAIM TIMERS, we finally reached over 5000 downloads for MAIM TIME! This is a big milestone. Every download counts. You count.I count, but I didn't always think I did.10 years ago, I tried to take my own life. I'm glad I didn't, because then I wouldn't be talking to you right now.Today, I'm 30 years old. I'm officially no longer a twenty-something.It was an amazing decade. I'm grateful for every year of life up until now.ODESZA - BoySo as I do every year, I'm going to go stream of consciousness on a buncha stuff:Identity.Korea.America.Freedom.Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.Tune in and listen to me go FULL MAIM TIME.NOTE: I'm throwing a huge dirty thirty party on Friday, July 15 in Seoul. If you're a listener, you're totally invited. Email me at maim@maimtime.com or follow & DM on Instagram for details.Support the show

CUNSOOM MAIM TIME on your podcast player of choice... and YouTube!#067: "Be the hero of your own story."Nobody's going to take charge of your life but you. No one can be the hero of your own journey, but you. You write your own story. You're not the mistakes of your past. You're not all your failures.Anybody can do this. Even if you don't get your ultimate dream of what you want, you open up doors for something else. You can be proud and have satisfaction in who you are and what you're doing.Struggle is an essential part to your journey in life. Without struggle or challenge, it's meaningless. Overcoming yourself and obstacles is the great reward in and of itself.Never give up. You can do it.See, I'm living proof. In spite of all challenges in my life, I'm doing it. I'm working. I'm becoming disciplined. I'm becoming more focused. I'm getting better everyday.Again, anyone can choose to turn their life around. Doesn't mean you'll be a billionaire, a famous artist or this and that. But the journey itself is rewarding and valuable, rich in lessons, pride, glory, and happiness. Fulfillment is there for all. If I can do it, so can you.YouTube video: Joe Rogan - Motivational Video [Be a Hero]Support the show

CONSUME MAIM TIME on your podcast player of choice... and YouTube!#066: This is Part II of a great chat with Victor, who talks more about his experiences in film in America and China, and PURSUING HIS DREAMS KICKING IT WITH AND WORKING ALONGSIDE ASIAN HOLLYWOOD!Really awesome story and projects. Inspiring. If you want to make something, just BUILD something for yourself and opportunities will appear! Even if they don't, you still have something. It'll take time, but it'll all be worth it! It's been worth it just making this podcast for you. Immensely rewarding. Don't sell yourself short! I believe in you!Here's Part I if you missed it.Victor Zheng is a Chinese American filmmaker from Fairfax County, Virginia. He is currently consulting on the Disney Plus show "American Born Chinese," starring Michelle Yeoh, Daniel Wu, Leonard Wu, Ke Huy Quan, and several other prolific Asian actors.As an actor, he has participated in projects in China and the United States. He has been cast in major films such as the Korean War movie, "Devotion" which also stars Jonathan Majors, Glen Powell, and Joe Jonas in lead roles. He also has a bit part in the movie, "The Menu" which is lead by Anya Taylor-Joy and Ralph Fiennes. Victor has also been called onto prestigious projects such as “Grey's Anatomy”, “Superstore”, “The Goldbergs”, and several other sets both at the Hollywood and independent level.In 2020, out a desire to create content and defeat boredom during the pandemic, Victor Zheng created “Team Avatar Films," an independent film collective focused on sharing stories based on the universe of Avatar: The Last Airbender. A huge cast and crew composed of dozens of actors, VFX artists, sound designers, and musicians were assembled to create over 70 minutes of film that will be released this summer. The trilogy that Victor has created with Team Avatar is currently titled "A Legend of Earth and Fire."In his free time, Victor likes to go to the gym, read history books like a dork, and study other aspects of post-production. He is currently taking intensive courses on sound design, VFX, and acting in order to build his craft as a well-rounded filmmaker.Check out Team Avatar Films!https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1tb_q0y4J14https://www.instagram.com/teamavatarfilms/Support the show

CONSUME MAIM TIME on your podcast player of choice... and YouTube!#065: We have a GREAT CHAT here with a super cool dude, Victor. If you're into indie filmmaking, acting, and living a rich multi-faceted life, listen to Victor speak! This is Part I, stay tuned for Part II.Victor Zheng is a Chinese American filmmaker from Fairfax County, Virginia. He is currently consulting on the Disney Plus show "American Born Chinese," starring Michelle Yeoh, Daniel Wu, Leonard Wu, Ke Huy Quan, and several other prolific Asian actors.As an actor, he has participated in projects in China and the United States. He has been cast in major films such as the Korean War movie, "Devotion" which also stars Jonathan Majors, Glen Powell, and Joe Jonas in lead roles. He also has a bit part in the movie, "The Menu" which is lead by Anya Taylor-Joy and Ralph Fiennes. Victor has also been called onto prestigious projects such as “Grey's Anatomy”, “Superstore”, “The Goldbergs”, and several other sets both at the Hollywood and independent level.In 2020, out a desire to create content and defeat boredom during the pandemic, Victor Zheng created “Team Avatar Films," an independent film collective focused on sharing stories based on the universe of Avatar: The Last Airbender. A huge cast and crew composed of dozens of actors, VFX artists, sound designers, and musicians were assembled to create over 70 minutes of film that will be released this summer. The trilogy that Victor has created with Team Avatar is currently titled "A Legend of Earth and Fire."In his free time, Victor likes to go to the gym, read history books like a dork, and study other aspects of post-production. He is currently taking intensive courses on sound design, VFX, and acting in order to build his craft as a well-rounded filmmaker.Check out Team Avatar Films!ANNOUNCEMENT: A Legend of Earth and Fire Trilogy - YouTube https://www.instagram.com/teamavatarfilms/Support the show

CONSUME MAIM TIME on your podcast player of choice... and YouTube!#064: This is the most amazing time to be alive in human history, especially for Asian societies, and especially for Asian-Americans and diaspora worldwide. There's never been more opportunity. We're experiencing a new unprecedented era and advances in every single field of human endeavor. Peace and prosperity, industry, technology, culture, finance, art, music, spirituality, adventure.If the First Renaissance took place in Europe from the 14th to the 17th century, then is the Second Renaissance -- Trinaissance? -- taking place in Asia? This is the Asian Century. If you're Asian, if you're diaspora, there's never been a better time to be alive, with more opportunities for success, fulfillment, impact, growth, evolution. What about your Personal Renaissance?The rebirth of your heart, mind, and soul?I've experienced several rebirths in my life.From being damned to being baptized and saved as a believer in Christ.To losing my faith entirely and surrendering to nihilism.To starting a new life in Korea to find myself and build a new identity.To starting a new career as a copywriter & podcaster, to fulfill the purpose of my life.From paradigm to paradigm.If you're reading this, if you can understand this, then you know what it means. You have immense potential.YOU ARE THE RENAISSANCE!Ryan Takemiya is a writer, DEIB speaker, and storyteller.  He is the founder of Rama, an Asian American creative community in the San Francisco Bay Area.  Through Rama he runs Talk Story, an Asian American storytelling open mic night, and Renaissance Men, an Asian American men's support group.  As a speaker he leads workshops on culture and identity, helping Asian Americans overcome what he calls "toxic invisibility" in both the workplace and life. Links:www.ryantakemiya.comwww.facebook.com/ryantakemiyahttps://www.instagram.com/ryanktakemiya/TikTok: @asianamericanthoughtwww.linkedin.com/in/ryantakemiya/https://medium.com/@ryantakemiya/how-to-tell-your-immigrant-parents-you-want-to-be-a-creative-840f66525bf7Support the show (http://maimtime.com/support)

CONSUME MAIM TIME on your podcast player of choice... and YouTube!#063: Six exits and however many millions earned and burned later... what does it all mean?  What do you do when you reach "success"?What do you do when you're BURNED OUT?How do you stay young?What's the secret?Chillionaire Mindset Coach for Burnt-out Over-Achievers Seibo Knows!I LOVED THIS CONVERSATION!THIS EPISODE IS A PROPER GOLD MINE, M8!!!We are on FIRE. We are GLOWING with energy.We want what's best for you to manifest your dreams into reality and then transcend!We go deep and hard about some esoteric sheeeeiiiiiit.(Or maybe not deep and harrrrd enough?)What do you think? Is Seibo full of crap? AM I FULL OF CRAP?Tune in and find out!(Ladies, there's a moment or 2 where we talk about something sexual, please don't be grossed out or offended. We love you!)We touch upon a ton of amazing things:Can you hustle your way as an achiever while lowering your stress  to stay young, and be more effective?Self-awareness on one's journey - Seibo's where Maim wants to be, but Maim's not quite there yet and that's okay. Maim is exactly where he needs to be, and with that self-awareness he can appreciate and be grateful for the moment and stage he's in now. You can do the same.Climbing Mazlow's Hierarchy of Needs to transcend it(?)Not rushing to get to the next level in the videogame of life -- not as fast as possible, but going through as thoroughly as possible in order to be better equipped and wiser for the final bossWhat happens when you "skip" the achiever stage and become a hippy seeking enlightenment right out of college? (Spoiler alert: You crash on Seibo's couch like a cheeky bum and realize you've been missing out on that part of life lol)Doing things like becoming a successful CEO out of something simple and deep like fear, or like a sense of not belongingAre you spending a buncha money out of actual generosity or because you want people to like you and you want to look like a hotshot?What sort of mindset is beneficial to you on the way to achieving your goals?What sort of paradigms are out there for you?What sort of immense benefits for meditation are there for you?We talk about Psycho-Cybernetics of course lolWho are you more likely to listen to, some hippy who doesn't have experience in the 3D-real-business-world, or a spiritual coach whose been running 3 companies for 3 years longer than he needed?In order to understand the metaphysical and esoteric, you have to first grasp the physical / material 3D world. It's all in stages.Seibo's Sheeeeiiiit:https://www.instagram.com/seiboshen/https://www.instagram.com/chillionairecoach/https://www.youtube.com/c/seiboshen/videosseiboknows.comSupport the show (http://maimtime.com/support)

CONSUME MAIM TIME on your podcast player of choice... and YouTube!#062: This episode is AWESOME! I interview Chelsie, a filmmaker who posted about her AMAZING upcoming short film "Mandarins" on the Asian Creative Network FB Group. Big shoutout to the ACN fam, we love you!This story is about INTERGENERATIONAL TRAUMA portrayed through the funeral of a Chinese-American family. MAIM TIME is all about coming to grips with intergenerational trauma as Asian diaspora, and we go in DEEP (and HARD) about the importance of life-changing, life-affirming art such as this! You're gonna LOVE THIS episode!Check the web page for this episode on MAIM TIME for more info!Promotional Links: Website: https://mandarinsfilm.com/

CONSUME MAIM TIME on your podcast player of choice... and YouTube!#061: I'm quitting my main job that I've been working for 8 years to pursue a full-time freelance copywriting career. From April 2022, I'll basically be totally running my own business, pitching and closing leads, working on projects, building my ever-increasing portfolio, and STACKING PAPER.That's right, I'm deluding myself into thinking I know more than I actually do and DUNNING-KRUGERING MY WAY TO SUCCESS! Woohoo! I'mma becum the Mfkin' Dunning-Kruger of Copywriters, m8!Does this mean I'm totally rich and successful and all that sheeeeiiiit? NO. But it's a huge step in that direction, and I'm just getting started.This means:No more daily 1-hour commutes, 2 times a day, adding up to 10+ hours of commute time a week. I get that time back.I can set my own schedule to work, and have even more freedom than I already did.I can work from a laptop at a café on the other side of the country by a beach like one of those digital gonads or whatever they're called, as long as I has INTERNETZ. I can work almost anywhere in the world if I so choose! Doesn't mean I'm leaving Korea anytime soon, but it's awesome to know that I can do it if I want.I'm that much closer to living that "4-Hour Workweek" ideal. Not that I'd only work 4 hours, but that I'd have the freedom to do whatever I want with my time.I'm able to get paid more doing something I'm interested in and good at, which is writing content and ads for blockchain/crypto projects, whitepapers, e-commerce products & services, see the back-end of interesting businesses and industries, and so on.I'll have way more time and resources to devote to MAIM TIME! In fact, I never have to monetize this show if I don't want to. Why?I can make more than enough money I need for the rest of my gawd-man life, whenever and wherever I am.This is the most exciting time of my life. I'm in a critical period of transition personally, financially, spiritually.How did I get here? Where do I begin?How can this help you in your own personal journey towards what you see as "success"?Tune in and SEE WHAT TIME IT IS!Check out the webpage for this MAIM TIME episode for more!Support the show (http://maimtime.com/support)

CONSUME MAIM TIME on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, or your podcast player of choice... and YouTube!#060: I'm going through The Magic of Thinking Big by David Schwartz. This is perfectly in line with the content matter of Psycho-Cybernetics by Maxwell Maltz - check out MAIM TIME #059 to hear me talk about that book that changed my life. I recommend you check that out first, it will give more context to this episode.In Chapter 6: You Are What You Think You Are, he tells you to create a 60-second "sell-yourself-to-yourself" commercial. It's a pep-talk you can tell yourself everyday.In this episode, I share mine to give you ideas on how you can have your own 60-second sell-yourself-to-yourself commercial!As always, please check out this episode's show notes page on the website for more valuable info.Support the show (http://maimtime.com/support)

NEW UPDATES: MAIM TIME 2nd Anniversary. Hooray! Thanks to all those who've listened to the show up until now. It means so much to me.I'm finally a YouTuber now LOL. The MAIM TIME YouTube Channel is up! All episodes from Episode #1 will be published until it catches up with the latest audio podcast schedule. Please support with a cheeky sub and like! ;)#059: Last month, I finished this book called Psycho-Cybernetics by Maxwell Maltz, thanks to a recommendation from Hamza Unfiltered's YouTube channel. This is arguably one of the best books I've come across in my personal journey, IF NOT THE BEST.This is THE OG book on self-development, psychology, self-actualization. The more and more I think about it, the more I wish I had come across this book 10 years ago. It contains the most important secret for self-actualization and success, living a fulfilled life, and being the best version of yoruself."Well, Maim, spill the means. Secret? What's mean?"BIGGEST SPOILER OF LIFE: More than any other book or concept, the idea of the self-image - believing in yourself - is fundamental to all success. I believe this now more than ever.Any success I've had in my life up until now, including learning Korean and becoming socially apt and all the growth I've experienced today -- has perfectly adhered to the principles in this book. Let me tell you, I cannot shut up about this book. THANK YOU DR. MAXWELL MALTZ!SELF-IMAGE DETERMINES YOUR ATTITUDE, WHICH DETERMINES YOUR ACTIONS, YOUR BEHAVIOR, YOUR DESTINY!More than ever I realize, self-talk, self-belief is the most important thing.If you believe that you're dumb, then you'll act dumb to prove to the world that you're dumb.If you think you're too dumb to know your own mother tongue, then you are.If you think you're fat, you'll act in ways to prove to the world you're fat.If you believe you're worthless, you'll behave in a self-sabotaging way.That's what I've done for most of my whole life.NO MORE!I'm believing  in myself 100%! I AM THE BEST!NO ONE HAS OVERCOME THE CHALLENGES THAT I HAVE.Anything that I thought was once impossible for me, I OVERCAME IT.I SUCCEEDED BEYOND MY WILDEST DREAMS.How? I BELIEVED IN MYSELF!That's how it all starts.BELIEVING IN YOURSELF!!!IF I CAN DO ITSO CAN YOU!!!What are you waiting for?Psycho-Cybernetics by Maxwell Maltz (BEST SELF-HELP BOOK!)Dr. Maxwell Maltz (Psycho Cybernetics) Full Interview@6:18 Dr. Maltz' Interpretation for Salvador Dali's Painting (the artwork for this episode)Hamza's Summary on Psycho-CyberneticsMAIM TIME #058 | A Perfect Vision for Your Future Perfect SelfSupport the show (http://maimtime.com/support)

#058: I'm sharing with you my absolute ideal perfect future. I highly encourage you to envision what your perfect future, your perfect self, looks like, and write that shit down. Then, tell yourself that you believe in yourself and put your subconscious to work to make it into reality. That's what I'm doing. I'm making my dreams into reality. It's an expansion of Episode 55: Making 2022 the Best Year of Our Lives LFG (HARD).Basically, what do I want my day to day, moment-to-moment life look like in 5 years or less?I want to have great energetic dynamic days of growth, productivity, health, focused work, efficiency, power, recreation.What kind of person do you want to be?What kind of abilities or superpowers do you want to have?A perfect body. A perfect personality. A perfect home. The perfect lifestyle.I'm doing this to manifest my dreams. I'm pursuing my wildest dreams.I AM my ancestors' wildest dreams.What do you want your future to look like? Please leave a comment on the page for this episode!Don't be afraid, or care what others think, if they'll judge you. It's your life.I believe in myself! And I believe in you!Stay tuned for next week's episode which will also be GLORIOUS, BASED, and HARD!Support the show (http://maimtime.com/support)

#057: How many Asian brothers or sisters do you know that grew up in South America speaking Spanish, and then immigrated to the US to live a better life and KILL IT? Here we have a dope convo with my Korean-Bolivian brother from another mother Samy, living a life of freedom in Cali!This episode is just a bunch of self-help platitudes and cheesy cliches, but we don't care cause we're LIVING IT! That's life! It's DOPE!This is Part 2. Check out Part 1 in case you missed it!Check out the episode page for all the notes!He also talks about investing and trading in stocks, trading for almost 11 years.Find something that you like, try to be the best as possible, and enjoy the process. You fail, it's fine!Learn as much as you can. You can learn from everyone, everything.아이 빌리브 아이 캔 플라이 (Hard)You can find joy in just doing laundry, in every little thing you do.Find something that relieves your stress, whatever works for you.If you want to change, find your BIGGEST DEMON... YOURSELF. You really have to know yourself.The hardest thing is to know yourself, admit the dark things about yourself, in order to change.If you're not a homeless person in the street with a serious mental disorder... if you're able to listen to this podcast, you have all the opportunity to change your life, to learn and grow and be happy and live a fulfilling life! This is the most amazing time to be alive!Failure is okay. Don't be afraid to fail. Learn from your failures. You're failing cause you're trying.The beauty of this era: When you wanted to build something, it used to take 10 years. Now in this day, with the Internet, you can do it in 3 years.What used to take 10 years, you can do in 3. THAT'S AMAZING! You can fail 100 times!!!You have more chances and opportunities than ever! Go out there. DO IT!It's not how much you make. It's how much you keep.Samy loves America. Samy went to America with NOTHING. He built his life from NOTHING. He's not even that rich (or so he says!!) but he has a nice place, drives a nice car, flies wherever he wants. So if he can do it, so can you! America still has lots of opportunities. It's the land of opportunity. You can be whoever you want in America. Samy's opinion

#056: How many Asian brothers or sisters do you know that grew up in Latin America speaking Spanish, and then immigrated to the US to KILL IT and live a life of freedom? Samy is the mfkin gawd of recycling metals, m8. Here we have a dope convo with a brother from another mother, my Korean-Bolivian brotha Samy living it up in Cali!We talk about our parents sacrificing to take us from Korea (Asia) to the other side of the world (North and South America).Samy shares about his struggles growing up in Santa Cruz, Bolivia. Samy's a fighter, and a talker. He wouldn't take sheeeeeiiit from no one!But then when he was 23 his parents kicked him out and sent his ass to study in America without knowing English or having any skills LOLWhile I take English being my first language for granted, Samy mentions he wishes he could have learned English when he was a teenager. If you're Asian-American or a native English-speaking Asian cause your parents took you to another country, consider yourself privileged and fortunate!MAJOR SETBACKS that can feel like the END OF THE FKIN WORLD and make you feel WORTHLESS and like a FAILURE... are all important opportunities to learn and grow from. It's natural, it's human, and it's gawdly to be able to learn and recover, live your life, and take action to do better going forward!Just another great story of life showing that life is all about UPs and DOWNs.FREEDOM IS PRICELESS! If you're gonna work a corporate job, try to work in a good industry or a good company that'll give you freedom to do what you want after you provide results.MONEY ALWAYS GOIN' BE MADE! You need to be happy, you need to love what you're doing.Today's not gonna come back. You have to enjoy the process.Reach out to Samy on:Samy's Instaor his emailSupport the show (http://maimtime.com/support)

#055: Last episode, we talked about how HARD 2021 was.This episode is about New Years resolutions (or if that's a loaded term for you, just say goals) for 2022, and let me tell you:I'm going to absolutely fkin kill it HARD! LFG!No matter how HARD last year was, or how much life sucks, just remember... IT CAN ALWAYS GET WORSE LOLThe only thing within my control is to get stronger, smarter, more disciplined, more resilient, humbler, more compassionate, more grateful.We can categorize different aspects of our life, the physical, mental, social, financial, spiritual, etc. and see how we can improve in each.The more specific I go, the more realistically I can actually track and take action, and the closer I get to my goals.Click here for the show notes page for all the goals and sources!There is a wealth of stuff here for y'all to delve into, so please take time to check them out and see if you can't find something that'll add a lot of value to you this year!HAPPY NEW YEAR!Support the show (http://maimtime.com/support)

#054: Time for a personal reflection! How was 2021 for you? Was it easy or HARD? Did you make a lot of money? Did you lose a lot of money?For me, this has been one of the hardest years of my life. Almost a year ago, I injured myself working out. I stopped working for 4 months. I burned through my savings. Got personal family issues. And with my injury, I'm still not 100%. But I'm okay. Things could be much worse!Looking BACK at this BACK injury, and the ensuing 4-month hiatus forced me to take things slow, to take care of myself, and prioritize what's important to me.I learned a lot. Although this was a painful, difficult year in many ways, I was able to LEARN SO MUCH and excel and achieve and finish strong by the end.This may have been the most important year of personal growth thus far. In that respect, it was a great year.No matter what, I can look back at my past, I can see how far I've come.No matter how bad things get, it's never the end of the world.Thankfully, the past few months have been great. I'm excited for a great 2022!Thank you! Happy New Year to you!Support the show (http://maimtime.com/support)

#053: What is the greatest (Christmas) gift you've ever gotten? Maybe it was a new phone, or computer, or even a car. Maybe a guitar.For me, it was some dinosaur toys, an Xbox 360 when I was a kid. But I'm not just talking about material gifts.Warning: I'm going FULL METAPHYSICAL SPIRITUAL PHILOSOPHICAL MAIM TIME HERE.That's right, I'm going FULL MAIM TIME. HARD.In the previous episode, "Christmas? What's Mean???" I talk about what growing up with Christmas was like, and what it means to me as a Korean-American now.Here I talk more about it in the context of my Christian background, as I am what you might call Post Christian.I used to feel despair, depressed, and suicidal. Then I met Jesus. Then I LOST Jesus and had my existential faith crisis.Then I realized Jesus was all in my head, and there's nothing wrong with that. Man is made in the image of God (Imago Dei), but God is made in the image of man.I interpret the message of hope and salvation for mankind in the birth of the Messiah in my own diabolical heretical way.The historical and mythological birth of Jesus is the (Jungian) superconscious manifestation of humanity's desire to save itself.Not from eternal torment in the after-life necessarily, but the torment and darkness from our struggles up until then and now.TL;DRThis might sound mad cheesy but that gift is HOPE MOFOS!!! Hope for a second chance. HOPE for a better life.HOPE FOR HUMANITY! The gift of life itself, and the opportunity to evolve and become the best version of yourself.The hopes and dreams of mankind reflected on the peaceful babyface of Oh So Sweet Baby Jesus.This is the greatest time in human history to be alive, especially for the Asian peoples and the Asian diaspora.We have so much opportunity to get whatever we want in this life.Knowledge, art, money, power, sex, friendships, loyalty, love, charity, contribution.We as individuals have the power to be our own Messiahs, through self-knowledge and self-actualization.We can use the power of the Internet and memes to transform ourselves into muthafkin gawwwwdz m8!And I'mma use this Baby Jesus meme, the meme of Christmas, to accelerate our own 21st century Übermenschen Messianism.Baby Jesus is IN YOU!You ARE the Baby Jesus!The Messiah is within YOU!Support the show (http://maimtime.com/support)

#052: I used to hate Christmas when I was a kid because it reminded me of how out of place I was compared to the other American kids. It reminded me of how much I hated being Korean cause it made me feel different, and how I hated America because I didn't feel accepted in the country. Now, I love Korea, I love America, and I love Christmas! Ho, ho, ho! Merry Christmas to all y'all, and especially to all the bitter resentful people out there who hate it for one reason or another. I know what it's like to be one LOL I know you want it, even if you say you don't. Everyone wants love, connection, acceptance, a family who loves them, friends who care about you, gifts material and spiritual. It wasn't your fault. It's not too late. It's never too late!Merry Christmas! 미리 크리스마스! Artwork stolen from 90DayKorean.com - Korean Vocabulary Words for Christmas 2021Support the show (http://maimtime.com/support)

#051: This episode is a stream-of-consciousness experiment where I ramble on for a while, probably nothing new you haven't heard before if you've heard previous episodes. Just emphasizing again, it's okay if you're not where you want to be in life, just enjoy the process! That's why I'm doing, anyways. It's okay if not everything's perfect, or ideal. It's all about the journey! I'm living on the edge. I'm grateful for my life, and for you!Support the show (http://maimtime.com/support)

#050: Aaron Tam is the founder and host of the First Generations Podcast. He is also a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA)  and martial artist that loves to devote his time in networking and personal growth. Growing up in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, he was raised in an immigrant household with a scarcity mindset. Through walking his own path of struggles, failure, and adversity, he was able to discover his passion for self-development and many valuable life lessons that has helped him thrive today. He uses his podcast as a platform with the goal to inspire, motivate, offer insight, experience, and to empower people to believe in themselves. Aaron defines the term First Generation as someone that had paved their own path and definition of success on their own terms; no matter the hardships, negativity, and obstacles they had to overcome. Many individuals walk similar journeys in life but no one walks the exact same path. Being a cheeky CBC, we talk about Asian diaspora identity (of course), reconciling two different cultures, Western Individualism and Eastern Collectivism the feeling of duty in family and taking care of our parents my journey in Korea, learning Korean, getting in touch with my roots and all that (again) feeling out of place in the motherland and how we deal with it how we handle our emotions and reactions with people when we feel we're treated differently how hardship serves as a catalyst for us to transform our lives and do awesome things the rich rewards of putting yourself out of your comfort zone TheFirstGenerationsPodcast.comSupport the show (http://maimtime.com/support)

#049: Happy Thanksgiving y'all! I'm thankful for my life today, all the good people in my life, and for my heritage and culture. I'm thankful and grateful and proud to be Korean, American, Korean-American, and thankful to be who I am today. What does a Happy Thanksgiving mean to a Korean-American like me?  Or to an Asian-American?  I combine both cultural aspects, and am lucky to be able to do so. I have a unique experience as an American that others don't. I apply the spirit of a historical tradition and extrapolate it to my own modern journey and circumstances as an Asian minority immigrant who grew up in America and now lives in Asia. Maybe you're not going to be part of the majority, maybe you're a minority.Maybe you grew up feeling left out. Are you gonna stay that way or embrace the good parts, and contextualize it for your own life? I leave that as an open-ended question, and I ramble on and on and hard. Also a cheeky life update. Remember back in episode What I'm Sacrificing For My Dreams? I said I was gonna just be dedicating all kinds of time and devotion to this, MAIM TIME. I said, I need to go all in on one thing, my PASSION, right?  Find your thing, plant your flag on that hill, and never let go.  I still agree with that. But as of late, I've become super busy and I'm not able to work as much on this podcast.  I'm juggling 4-5 freelance / part-time projects at once right now. I'm lucky that these are all things I enjoy working on. I'm just trying not to burn out. If you wanna support, please just share these episodes with those who'd get value out of it! The truth is, fam, you get in where you fit in. Things in life don't always go as you plan. Short term ideas become long term, long term ideas end quickly.In short, I'm grateful for my life, grateful for this show, thankful for you! I love you! Please share the gratitude and love towards those around you. Support the show (http://maimtime.com/support)

#048: Kaiyan is a Cantonese mommy living in America! She has her own podcast, called Us Mommios, all in Cantonese, for Cantonese mommies. We cover a lot of topics, from Asian diaspora identity, to motherhood, child education/psychology, to family, to building future leaders. I harp again about my childhood identity struggle, how difficult it was for me not knowing Korean growing up, how I have a psychological complex about it and how I deal with it as an adult.The importance of family and motherhood and the challenges of keeping and promoting our native culture, language, and heritage to children.I for sure never want my future children or any Asian child or anybody for that matter to go through what I went through, because it really sucked HARD.The important benefits of us as free individuals to reconcile with the collective through our family, our communities, our societies.I choose to reconcile and forgive past grievances (real or imagined) against my parents, my family, against Korean people, for my own sake as well as for the sake of the whole.Individualism vs collectivism is a false dichotomy. One cannot exist without the other. I as a free individual choose to reconcile with my mother for my own benefit, as well as the benefit of reconciling with the Korean people as a whole.I'm humbled and proud to be Korean, to be American, and I'm only alive today — we are only alive today because of our mothers, and mothers are sacred.Unlike the older generation, we're in a better position to educate ourselves on psychology, self-awareness, and proper parenting. They may have not known how to communicate to us without yelling or negative energy. They may never have admitted their mistakes. But we're privileged enough thanks to their sacrifices, to be and do better. We can apologize to our children, we can admit mistakes or when we did something wrong. In that vulnerability, honesty, and communication is true power.https://www.instagram.com/usmommios/Support the show (http://maimtime.com/support)

#047: Do you know what time it is? STORY TIME! A few days ago, I embarked on a cheeky adventure to Busan for Busan NFT 2021. Busan is a beautiful place, highly recommend it to anyone who hasn't gone already. It was an awesome trip! Here are just some reflections on the trip and my experiences. I also talk about imposter syndrome, overcoming one's insecurity by providing value, and just being a good person to spend time with. Interesting and relevant: How to Get a Job in Crypto - The Easy Way - "At the end of the day, people want to work with their friends.” Really applies to any industry. Support the show (http://maimtime.com/support)

#046: Sang Don Park is a talented beatboxer comedian who I met years ago while doing standup comedy. He spent a big chunk of his childhood in America before moving back to Korea. Here's Part 1 if you missed it!In this part 2, we talk about... How Sang found out his mother wasn't his biological mother His father having the talk with him in 2019 to meet with his mentally unstable biological mother for the first time What interacting with his mother was like Many of us have skeletons in our families' closets. You're not alone, if you think you have a f'ed up family situation. How we process this new dramatic information about our past and our family dysfunction/drama How having compassion and understanding for our parents helps us become better people You have to try to do what makes you happy! “If you don't like something… then you shouldn't do it.” Words of a gawd m8. Sang Don Park | Why Clubbing Sucks@thesangshowSupport the show (http://maimtime.com/support)

#045: Sang Don Park is a talented beatboxer comedian who I met years ago while doing standup comedy. He spent a big chunk of his childhood in America before moving back to Korea.  We talk about… Self-dev message of the day: Sang brought up that he recently quit coffee: If you're addicted to caffeine like I am, I'd encourage anybody to do research into it and consider giving up daily or regular coffee consumption to improve your quality of sleep and lower stress. He grew up in Florida and Chicago and he got teased by other kids as is typical for many Asian-Americans. How a lot of these experiences gave us thicker skin and how as adults we can laugh about them! The reverse culture of moving back to Korea and what it was like adjusting to Korean society This happens a lot to people who can't get a visa. My family may have just as easily not gotten our visas which allowed us a path to naturalization. How he's felt lost at times in his journey as being American or Korean How we come to acceptance with our identities How our adversities made us better, HARDer people The challenges of doing standup comedy in Korean The challenges of fitting into Korea as a Korean-American! Sang Don Park | Why Clubbing SucksSupport the show (http://maimtime.com/support)

#044: This is Part 2 of a great conversation we had with Cheska! If you haven't checked out Part 1, here it is: #041 | Embracing Your Identity with Cheeky Cheska.In this part 2, we talk about... writing empowering-ass women's stories, real stories of successful women overcoming their own insecurities and struggles the challenges for the modern woman to find what “the right way” when it comes to life, career, and dating with the modern complexity and choice the potential power of marketing with human story of struggle to promote a luxury brand how overcoming one's life struggle adds so much more meaning to having nice things - money doesn't mean anything if you can't appreciate it what it means to be “high class” or to aspire for greater things how media/advertising affects our body image and the challenge of living in a society obsessed with the superficial struggling with our body image issues to this day as adults, male and female beauty is important; loving yourself is more important wanting nice things is fine, it's better if you want to earn them yourself “Keep asking those questions that make you uncomfortable. It's okay to be confused. You have to be confused in order to find the answer. Keep asking. Keep digging. Keep inquiring. And you surround yourself with the people who love you. In the end, you will find the answer." “Who am I?” Even if you can't find the answer... asking the question itself, the process, is what gives you a direction. It enables you to get to where you want to be. Follow Her Story below ;)@blikecheska@_chescafeHer StorySupport the show (http://maimtime.com/support)

#043: Happy Hangeul Proclamation Day everyone! This is yet another episode where I talk about a holiday and then segue into ranting and raving about whatever I want. It's also perhaps one of the most important episodes dealing with the central theme of this podcast about overcoming my Asian diaspora identity crisis. This time, I talk about the “world's most scientific alphabet,” the Korean alphabet, Korean day, and then generally my whole life journey with reading and writing Korean script. I'll talk about my journey and experience with the written and spoken language as a whole, how I learned Hangeul, and how I use it in day to day life, and what it means to me. Of course, I'll digress in my own stream-of-consciousness way, so please bear with me. I encourage anybody of Korean descent to learn it if they don't already. I found learning it to be crucial in my journey of dealing with my identity struggle. 해피 한글 데이 에브리바디! Support the show (http://maimtime.com/support)

#042: October 3 is Korea's National Foundation Day, Gaecheonjeol (개천절; 開天節). It celebrates the founding of the Korean people! Gaecheon means “Opening of Heaven.” It actually commemorates 2 dates: October 3 2457 BCE and October 3 2333 BCE. On October 3 2457 BCE, Hwanung 환웅, a son of a god of heaven came HARD upon the Earth like a GAWD, mate. That's gaecheon, the opening of Heaven. Later, Hwanung had sex with a woman who used to be a bear (we'll get to that later) and had a son, named Dangun Wanggeom, or Dangun. On October 3, 2333 BCE, Dangun founded the first Korean state of Gojoseon, meaning Old Joseon. We'll talk about Korea's Creation Myth and Dangun, the legendary founder and GAWD-king of Korea's first kingdom, Gojoseon. Is Korea really 5000 years old? Do Korean people come from ALIENS? Who gives af? Why should we give af or any f's at all? As with my previous episodes on heritage/culture… the short answer is you don't have to give af. You're an individual with your own volition and destiny. It's your own choice to care about your heritage or not. The long answer? Tune in and hear me ramble on and on! Support the show (http://maimtime.com/support)

#041: Cheska is a young global professional killing it everywhere she goes! Born in Seoul, Korea, raised in New Zealand (climbing trees, chasing sheep), to later settling, working in New York, she is a living embodiment of multi-culture. At first glance, her journey is awe-inspiring. From Duke University to global finance firm Morgan Stanley, winning awards in Miss World Korea 2015, then paving her own path to manage Korea's largest music festival projects, she is now a Global Creative Director, talk show host covering some of the most relevant topics of our life, interviewing vast number of CEO/entrepreneurs, celebrities, artists, and also the general public. However, what Cheska really wants to share with all of us are the real stories, the struggles and the successes, that built the foundation for who she is today and will become. In this part 1, we talk about how we've learned to fully embrace our identity based on our cultural diversity as individuals growing up comparing ourselves to others of different appearances / pedigrees how our unique experience gives us perspective and ability to connect with people on different levels how fortunate we are to be on our journeys of self-discovery in order to inspire the next generation to do even better Improving is a continuous process, you have to keep going. It doesn't mean you're not changing. no matter how hard you try, you may never truly “fit in” (like me trying to be more Korean. I tried!) that's okay, cause we are all unique individuals we can only know things in hindsight the things that lead us to be who we are today it seems hard at the time, like maybe now, but looking back you'll most likely be better off The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle! trying to reconcile our form and racial identity with the pure consciousness that we are @Cheska's Insta@ChescafeHer StorySupport the show (http://maimtime.com/support)

#040: A Happy Chuseok You-Suck to all y'all, Koreans and expats! I'll give some brief background on this Korean autumn harvest holiday for the ignorant infidels so that we can all reflect upon its meaning (and how much you suck, ohohoho)!Holidays including this one can be a wonderful time spent with loved ones for some or a depressing lonely time for others. This Cheeky Chuseok Special episode is for both groups of people!Chuseok is about family. It's about honoring those who came before us for a bountiful harvest. I wish you all a bountiful harvest in life. Listen all the way to the end for my cheeky Chuseok prayer blessing. Support the show (http://maimtime.com/support)

#039: The idea of “heritage” deserves its own podcast! Heritage can be defined as cultural traditions, architecture, buildings, language that a people collectively share. Specifically, what is your individual racial/cultural/family history? Where do you come from? Let's contextualize these things in a way that positively impacts the way we live our lives. What does your heritage mean to you? Are you a direct descendant of a great king? From royalty or aristocracy? Or from peasantry? Were your ancestors poor farmers? Were they conquered slaves? Were they warriors? Were they criminals? Were they gangsters? Are you proud of your family or ethnicity? Are you ashamed? Or indifferent? Do you ever think about these things? What lessons or values can we distill from our past? How can we interpret these things to provide meaning for our day to day lives and for future generations? These are open-ended questions, with perhaps no right answer, but I'd love to share my thoughts with you as well as hear what you have to think. Support the show (http://maimtime.com/support)

#038: This is part 2 continuing our conversation with Danny Cho, LA born-and-raised Korean American who quit his six-figure consultancy job to pursue comedy. He hosts the Noonchi Podcast with Bobby Choy. He does standup comedy IN KOREAN and has been fostering the Korean standup comedy scene for years now. He's the ONLY Korean-American comedian whose doing comedy in Korea, in Korean.Check out Part 1 here!In this Part 2, we get in RAW, DEEP, and HARDDD about his comedy career path. How he got into comedy full-time in 2007 leaving his consultancy job In 2017, he went to live in Korea and do gigs in Asia, in places like Malaysia, Hong Kong, Singapore, Guam, Saipan In 2019, he started teaching standup comedy to Koreans in Korean! How he felt about his consultancy job - this guy was a professional in finance and he left it! Choosing one's passion over some other professional career path Dealing with regrets and self-doubt in pursuing one's passion without being able to provide for one's parents Did he mess his life up??? The struggle of the children of immigrants who wants to pursue their dreams over a financially stable career path at odds with their parents' expectations COMEDY IS TOUGH. It takes YEARS of consistent practice and work for anyone to build a 1-hour special. Anything worthwhile endeavor/passion/dream demands you put a lot of time in If you have a profitable career path and you want to switch to something else, do the Ken Jeong route. Don't quit your current work until you get a big break. “The smart thing to do is give up your successful job when you have something lined up." For your identity crisis: “I don't know what to tell you...Voice it out, but suck it up. Don't be a ****ing victim.” "Nobody knows what the right answer is..If you're lost, we all kind of are… make sure you have a good circle around.” "NOBODY HAS THEIR S**T TOGETHER." Follow Danny: @dannychocomedyDanny Cho's YouTube  The Noonchi PodcastFunny in Korea | Danny Cho | TEDxKDISchoolSupport the show (http://maimtime.com/support)

#037: Danny Cho is an LA born-and-raised Korean American who quit his six-figure consultancy job to pursue comedy. He's toured for many years in the States and throughout Asia. Several years ago, he started doing standup comedy IN KOREAN and has been fostering the Korean standup comedy scene for years now. He's the ONLY Korean-American comedian whose doing comedy in Korea, in Korean. That's DOPE. He and Bobby Choy host the Noonchi Podcast. We talk a lot of dope stuff! In Part 1, we talk about the ethnic/cultural identity side. Growing up in America when people didn't even know about Korea What it means to be Korean or Asian-American Comparing our struggle to our parents' generation's and not taking pain personally Being able to laugh at our past traumas with the healing power of perspective and comedy Me turning to Jesus (lol) for my identity due to my identity struggle Trying to fit into Korean society, to “become more Korean” and realizing I never will be, and that's okay Korean-Americans are like McDonalds bulgogi burgers. Not quite Korean food, not quite Western. Encouraging some diaspora individuals to explore their roots to find out who they are Coming to peace with one's ethnic/cultural identity How some people don't even like to speak Korean when they get in a taxi cab Being gracious towards people who don't understand where you're coming from Follow Danny: @dannychocomedyDanny Cho's YouTube  The Noonchi PodcastFunny in Korea | Danny Cho | TEDxKDISchoolSupport the show (http://maimtime.com/support)

#036: Part 1 was about the material possessions and the hobbies associated with them that I'm turning away from. In this episode, I talk about my former dreams of being a club promoter, a theologian/pastor, a hip hop artist, as well as potential career paths in industries that I'm interested in. I talk about how I am making a mental decision that I can't go down those other paths, that I need to focus on this one. “If you don't sacrifice for what you want, what you want becomes the sacrifice.”I don't want to be a jack of all trades, master of none. That's just half-assing everything, and becoming a half-assed jack-ass of all trades. You can't everything absolutely everything you want in life, so you have to pick, choose, and go all-in on one thing.  At least for a while if not a lifetime. Because I'm cutting out distractions so I can focus on YOU, my dear listener! So I can tell you that if you've had identity issues, and/or nobody has told you these things: I believe in you. You are valuable. You have incredible potential.  I love you!Support the show (http://maimtime.com/support)

#035: August 15 is Korea's National Liberation Day. This here's a cheeky Gwangbokjeol special for y'all! Basically, we go over some basic background on this holiday, and I give my deep and HARD reflections on it as a Korean-American. It makes me proud to be Korean and I hope this would encourage other diaspora like myself who have had a hard time reconciling with their heritage to consider the sacrifices of past generations, to propel us to become better human beings!Support the show (http://maimtime.com/support)

#034: “If you don't sacrifice for what you want, what you want becomes the sacrifice.” - Sam Ovens In this episode I talk about getting rid of material possessions and hobbies associated with them. I'm giving more and more stuff up in the pursuit of the actualization of my dreams. I talk about them in my own stream-of-consciousness way. It's about being as minimalist as I can, cutting out distractions. I'm becoming lean, mean, frugal and focused on the dream. YouTube links to some GOLD below. I can't recommend these guys enough!Alex Becker - Minimalism Life Style PlaylistSam Ovens - Monk Like Discipline - What It Really Takes to WinSupport the show (http://maimtime.com/support)

#033: This is part 2 of a conversation with Michael Wu! He's a co-host of the Badass Asian Dudes Podcast / Community and software engineer at Stripe. Taiwanese-American brother from Silicon Valley who went to fulfill his dreams of living and working in Japan, learning the language and eating all the sushi he can find. Cooking dope food, throwing dope parties, and living the dream.In part 2, we talk about:His career path as to how he got working at StripeOn being in the right place at the right time, while working hard and being a good personNot being naive about the challenges or dark sides of living in another countryBlowing people's minds by bringing magic to personal experiences for yourself and othersNot letting the feeling of being treated as a foreigner get to you and the importance of building your own tribeThe most difficult moments of our lives when we lose our sense of identityThe importance of reaching out to others and being a good person along the wayQuotes:"When you think it's the end of the world, it's not the end of the world.""Don't make suffering worse than it is.""It's okay to be lost, but you should be figuring out ways to get unlost.""Don't compromise your own ethics to get the things you want."@michaemwuMichael Wu's travel blog: demflyers.comSupport the show (http://maimtime.com/support)

#032: Michael Wu is a co-host of the Badass Asian Dudes Podcast / Community and software engineer at Stripe. Taiwanese-American brother from Silicon Valley who went to fulfill his dreams of living and working in Japan, learning the language and eating all the sushi he can find. Cooking dope food, throwing dope parties, and living the dream. In part 1 of this 2-part chat, we talk about: What it means to be a Badass Asian Dude Getting a lot out of giving to a community as a leader We compare our experiences growing up as Asian Americans (a little history on Taiwanese immigration to California) We talk about our parents' struggles as immigrants and how fortunate our generation is The power and joy of cooking for oneself and others, finding independence Being gracious toward our parents! @michaemwuMichael Wu's travel blog: demflyers.comSupport the show (http://maimtime.com/support)

#031: What if you had one thing about your identity or self-image that you wish you could change?For me, growing up with mad insecurities, I've had more than a few! One of the biggest things: My eyesight. I've worn glasses my whole life. Finally, after all these years, I just had a successful eye surgery operation. Words can't really describe what I'm feeling, it's quite life-changing. It's more than just having functional eyesight without the aid of glasses or contacts. This is a big part in overcoming a victimhood complex I've had since I was a kid.Now having had the surgery, it's easy for me to say this, but it doesn't change who I am. Sure, it's a big change in my moment-to-moment day-to-day experience. But I'm still the same person! I still have the same baggage. I've always had it in me to become this best version of myself, solving one problem at a time. I just solved this big one. I've always had the confidence and the capability to be who I need to be, who I want to be, deep down inside. I believe the same is probably true for you as well.You can change who you are, you can transform yourself, while still being true to yourself!Big shoutout to Apgujeong S&B Eye Clinic! Best eye clinic in Seoul as far as I can see. SEE what I did there?Support the show (http://maimtime.com/support)

#030: I'm SO PUMPED about this episode! It's one of the best yet. Kyle Leung is the host of the What Kind of Asian Are You? Podcast. He's Hong Kong-born Canadian, and talks with Asian diaspora from all over the world about their experiences. We talk about Asian diaspora stuff as you might imagine. What it's like growing up as Asian immigrants in North America, coming back to Asia, and pursuing meaning in our identity, our heritage, our lives, and becoming better versions of ourselves. We talk about: How being Asian diaspora means being forced to pick a side, and the confusion that follows The variety of the Asian diaspora experience and getting in touch with our roots Not taking things personally when people try to put us in a box *TRIGGER WARNING* Accepting ourselves for who we are and being happy with “being in the middle" Becoming happy with being you, and not wanting to be someone else, another ethnicity Wanting to communicate and connect better with our parents to have more honest open loving relationships Whether or not it's important to connect to one's own heritage or mother tongue, and the benefits of doing so How having these conversations and coming to understand and appreciate our identity can empower us to become better people …and so much more! This episode is FIRE! This is why I started this podcast, to have conversations like this, and I'm so excited to share it with you and grateful for you listening! If you're Asian diaspora, you HAVE to listen to this episode and check out his podcast! What Kind of Asian Are You? PodcastKyle's Instagram: @kyle.lkhhkFirst Generations Podcast Episode with KyleSupport the show (http://maimtime.com/support)

#029: Happy Fourth of July everyone! Happy Birthday America, and Happy Birthday to Me! This is the 29th episode. And it's my 29th birthday. That's some cheeky Maim Timing right there.Don't worry about getting me any presents, fam! Just give this a listen and if you like it, please share it with a friend! ;)Every birthday, I share a reflection on the year that passed. Last year, I posted episode 18: What a Day in Prison Taught Me About Freedom. I talked about my trip to High Desert State Prison in California in which I met incarcerated men earnestly seeking a second chance at life. It was really an amazing experience. Not only that, I got to meet one of my favorite podcasters, Jordan Harbinger, for his birthday. I highly recommend you check out episode 18 and the page with the show notes on maimtime.com.I'll share stories and lessons I learned since last year. From personal relationships, to behavior, to work and money, health and diet. What went RIGHT, what went WRONG, and how to make things BETTER (and HARDer)!It's an updated iteration of my 20th episode, 20 Things I Wish I Could Tell My 20-Year-Old Self... but MOAR RAW and MO' WOKE.No matter what happens in life, I can choose to control how I react, or at least increase control. I control what goes into my mind and my body, therefore I control my moment-to-moment, day-to-day behavior, therefore, I'm in control of my life. Freedom and independence are found deep within the heart and mind!Below are recent channels I've been getting into the past month for diet, health, and focusing on my path. These are GOLD MINES to explore.Sten Ekberg: How to Lose Belly Fat Naturally Without ExerciseThis is working for me while I'm injuredAlex Becker: I Spent Millions on GarbageI also recommend: I Wish I Stopped This Sooner, and his series on dopamine detox and caffeine.Sam Ovens: 9 Things I Wish I Knew When I Was 20This guy's a beast. He released this video when he was 29!Also, subscribe to James Clear's 3-2-1 Newsletter for weekly nuggets of smartness!Support the show (http://maimtime.com/support)

#028: JT Tsui is the man! A family man, life coach, and now AUTHOR as of this post. We talk about what it was like for him to grow up Canadian-born Chinese, the struggles he went through, and how he became a happy healthy successful husband and dad. This conversation was recorded back in February and is long overdue… But the timing is great, because JT's book, YOU ARE GREATNESS has just been released! Congrats JT. Check it out here: http://youaregreatnessbook.comThinking Into GREATNESS Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/thinkingintogreatnessInstagram: @_jt_tsui Support the show (http://maimtime.com/support)