Interview with Wendy Kim
Introduce yourself!
I am Wendy Kim: a mom to two beautiful children, a wife to an amazing and supportive spouse, a rock-climbing enthusiast, a hardcore foodie, an international best-selling author, paid-public speaker and transformation coach, passionate about empowering women of color to be fully alive, confident and powerful in their lives and making a difference in the world.
Have you always known what you want to pursue?
No, I went along with what I thought I was supposed to do, as a good Asian-American girl and what I thought would make my family happy. Only after checking all the boxes did I realize in my mid-thirties that following other expectations of me was not going to fulfill and make me happy. That’s when, for the first time in my life, I began to ask myself what I really wanted - which was to make a difference in other people’s lives.
Who do you look up to?
My mother. She came to this country in her teens, not speaking the language, not having a high-school diploma, and she worked hard and overcame odds so she could give me an amazing life.Oprah. She paved the way for so many women of color and showed us what’s possible.Ali Wong. She embraces her weirdness and enjoys it.Brene Brown. I’ve learned tons from her about authenticity and vulnerability.
What advice would you give to aspiring writers?
Done is better than great. Having your words out in the world with people, imperfectly, is way more powerful than having them on your laptop making a difference on your laptop. You don’t need to be a great writer to write a book, but you do need to be committed to making a difference with people.
What is your go-to coffee shop?
I have several. Communal coffee in north park and south park. Dark Horse coffee and Hawthorne coffee. And my husband hand roasts his own beans, so I love his coffee too.
What do you think are the biggest issues Asian-American women face?
Fear of failure, lack of confidence, anxiety, family conflict, scarcity mindset.
Do you have any favorite or must-read books to recommend?
Mine, LOL. Return to Love by Marianne Williamson, The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, Dear Girls by Ali Wong, and Baddest Bitch in the Room by Sophia Chang.
What piece of advice do you want your readers to take away from your book?
Invest in your personal growth. Whether it’s personal development programs, courses or coaching, the only way you will grow as a person is by learning and putting yourself in situations that force you to confront what is holding you back from what you want. Without investing in myself, I’d still be stuck in a life I didn’t love and would’ve been too afraid to chase my dreams.If you are interested in being a part of a powerful group of women of color, honoring your culture, while letting go of what no longer serves, to make a difference in the world, checkout the program page here: https://yourdreamrealized.lpages.co/cultureandconfidencecollective/.
How do you practice self-care?
I do yoga and rock climbing. I do guided meditations in the morning and at night. I have one day a week where I don’t do social media. When I’m with my kids, I focus on being present (not always done perfectly) and love to play board games with them and play together at the park.
What do you consider to be your biggest accomplishment - either personal or work-related?
I always tell people that being a mom is the most challenging thing I’ve ever done, but it’s also the most rewarding and fulfilling thing I’ve ever done. Professionally, I’d say it would be publishing my book.
What is next for you?
Launching my culture and confidence collective group coaching program this January to empower more women of color to honor their culture, love themselves and own their power in 2020.Releasing my Beyond Blending podcast in the spring and creating a live event for women of color in 2020!
You can connect with Wendy Kim and learn more about her programs and projects at her website, YourDreamRealized.com, her Instagram, and on her Facebook and Twitter.
