Business & Life Update

Hello lovelies, how is everyone doing? It’s been a while since my last update here.

My gosh what a year it has been! After speaking with so many of you, we have all agreed that this has been a “weird” and very challenging year in all areas. Let’s face it, the world (especially this country) has changed SO MUCH in the last few years. Countless people are struggling and the economic impacts trickled down to the average people as well as small and big businesses. I have witnessed many businesses closed, which is devastating to say the least.

How’s Mathilda’s? Mathilda’s is surviving. Minimizing payroll to counteract increasing rent and costs is how we’ve been able to stay afloat. And we do this by working more hours. Yup! It is what it is. Starting a business is the hardest thing I’ve had to commit to. And in this economy, it’s even tougher. Rain or shine, motivated or not, I show up. We have multiple projects happening, and one of them is my cookbook. It has been put off for years because of time constraint but it is now time. I can’t put it off anymore. Yes it means I’ll be working waaaay overtime, but what else can I do? I’ve given almost 20 years of my heart and soul working towards other people’s dreams, I can give at least ten years to myself… total commitment and dedication towards my dreams. I am passionate about making vegan living easier and healthier and about aligning my actions with my values. None of us are perfect but we must do what we are able to within our capacity. This is what I’m passionate about. I love serving you all.

We’re getting closer to the holiday season and the end of 2024. I pray that 2025 will be a better year for all of us. I’m about to give my everything to end this year with a BANG. And then taking a few days off to recuperate and prepare for 2025. I have been dealing with heel spur pain for a few months and it’s such a pain in the heel! Ha ha ha. It’s not funny though. It’s very painful. But it hasn’t stopped me from continuing to strengthen my body and building muscle. I just find other ways to do them. How I got this spur? Well, years and years of being on my feet combined with my scoliosis (hence why it’s the left heel only). Investing in proper shoes (expensive doesn’t mean good). I have been getting shockwave therapy. I’m really hoping this pain will be resolved soon.

I would like to take this time to thank all of you for your constant support and encouragement. All the ways that you have helped us survive and grow did not go unnoticed. We truly appreciate all your kindness and marketing. We wouldn’t be where we are without every single one of you.

Many of you asked if we have any plan for expansion. Of course we do. We dream and plan, and if everything aligns, we will be ready to execute. Dream big, baby! It takes just as much effort to be big as it is to stay small. Of course, the challenges will be at different levels. But I trust that I have all the resources and strength to overcome them. We are not given challenges we cannot overcome.

Have a great weekend. Hang in there. Do your best and don’t sweat the rest. Or try not to sweat the little things. Remember, it’s not about material wealth. You take none of them with you when you leave.

Namaste XO

The Ups and Downs of Life

It’s been over three months since I last wrote! So much has happened in my life this year. 2024 has been heavy with even more learning and growth. Sometimes I wonder if I could get through them all.

It takes sooo much courage to embark on a transformation journey. Along the way, we must be prepared to make hard decisions and let things and people go. As we change, our surroundings also will and need to change. There will be so many people whose journey won’t resonate with ours anymore and that’s required in order to complete the transformation. Be courageous. Be brave.

There were moments when I wanted to just throw the towels in and give up. But I’ve come too far to give up now. Life continues to present disappointments and frustrations. I keep most hardships within me. Why should I burden you all? You have your own troubles I’m sure. I also cannot share every little detail because of many reasons. There are some things that are meant to stay just with me.

I tend to go deep within as I sort through the life lessons. When I’m serving you all, I set my troubles aside and focus on the moment and encounter. I feel blessed to do what I do and I do my best not to take each moment and each encounter for granted. There were moments when it hit me and I shed a little tear, remembering the pain. As I get older, the pain and suffering have accumulated and become memories and scars. Some faded and became distant, but some are still quite raw.

For months I was feeling tired and mentally exhausted. There have been so many challenges presented to us and I’ve held out long enough when many probably would have fallen long ago. They were wearing me down and I had to sit with my intentions and purpose. After remembering why I chose to be here during this time, I reconnected to spirit. I now feel wiser. I have boundaries. I guard my heart more carefully. I no longer give all of myself so freely to whoever asks. I assess and respond accordingly. And I realize that I can rely on ME. I can always trust ME to show up and step up because I have the power of the entire Universe within me. And so do you because we are all ONE.

I learned the difference between being kind and being nice. These words have been thrown at us so freely and often exploited. I strive to be kind by staying true to who I am. I strive to be kind by being honest and authentic. I must be kind firstly to myself. I say NO without guilt. Lying because you’re being nice isn’t kind at all. You could mislead someone down the wrong path. You could really hurt someone. And then you would feel guilty and ashamed. You can be true and kind, by telling the truth in a nicer/kinder way.

Who I am can be too much sometimes. I care too much. I help too much. I coddle too much. I need to instill more balance. Take a step back and let people learn their lessons. Let them be. It hurts to watch others suffer and struggle, especially when you see why they are where they are. But we all have our own lessons to learn. “Shut up and walk away. Don’t make their problems yours. Don’t take on their burden.” This is my new mantra.

And then I would hear news of their health decline, or other devastating news. So many “I told you so” moments. And then I would regret not speaking up when I had the chance. But would they have listened? Maybe, maybe not. Whenever I have spoken up, I was belittled and ostracized. They didn’t want to hear the truth. They were only seeking validation. And I’m not here for that. I’m being my authentic self when I’m truthful.

There is no other way because it didn’t happen the other way. What’s happened is meant to happen. Let it go. You just do your best at loving you and respecting other people’s journey. It’s a fine balance, isn’t it? How would I feel if someone takes my lessons away? I would be robbed of such priceless and valuable, maybe even life-saving lessons.

So these days I walk a little lighter, I feel a little lighter. I’m in a good space. I trust that everything always works out for my Highest Good. I’m surrounded by good hearted people who resonate with where I am and where I’m going.

For now, be content in the truth that it is what it is. Today is done. Tomorrow is a new day. We get to choose how we want to experience our reality. You know what I’m choosing. JOY. PEACE. ABUNDANCE. POSSIBILITIES. MIRACLES.

Thanks for reading. Hopefully I’ll write again soon. XOXO Be blessed.

Why do we Tend to Complicate Everything and Life in General?

I love observing human behaviour. When I go on social media, I study human behaviour through the comments. They give me a lot of insights into how people think, their assumptions, and the way they interpret a snippet of the videos and headlines they watch and read.

And one very noticeable thing popped up. We LOVE complicating everything in life. We have a tendency to believe there’s something wrong with us. This is very common for people who spend a lot of time online. Why? It’s the overload of information and suggestions being thrown at us all day long. They are trying to sell us something. If they can’t make you believe there’s something missing in your life, they can’t sell you anything. EVERYTHING we watch and hear gets absorbed into our subconscious mind. If you have a high level of awareness and mental toughness, you won’t be easily sucked into all the information and misinformation out there.

I learned so much about the conscious, subconscious, and superconscious mind when I took my hypnotherapy training. I started to observe the world around me with different lenses. The world became this fascinating place of learning for me. I became a more involved participant in life. I realized that I am a co-creator of my own reality and experiences.

Back to complicating things. We have so many limiting beliefs about our inabilities, fears, sickness, self-image, etc. We focus so much on why we can’t do something, our fears, that our health isn’t optimal, that we need to be fixed, etc. Having these limiting beliefs and perceptions about ourselves makes us susceptible to all the propaganda, advertisements, and marketing being pushed our way. For example, many people believe that we can no longer get all the nutrients we need from food because everything is poisoned and everything is chemical and overly processed. The truth is, we need less than we think we do. Our body is amazing. Yes the world is polluted, including the air, water, soil, etc. But we cannot afford to live in paranoia and extreme fear. That is even more toxic than anything we can put into our body. Our mind is the most powerful tool we have.

Focus on doing the best we can while still enjoying life. I the majority of cases, we don’t need expensive powders, supplements, probiotics, magic sticks, etc. It all starts with our mind. Once our mind is healthy, balanced, and stable, we can focus on nourishing our body with nutrient dense food as fuel. We can also then make more effort on using less toxic chemicals in our homes. But it doesn’t work the other way around. You can eat so clean and unprocessed, rid yourself of any chemical from your home (everything is chemical by the way) but if you are obsessed over it, you mind end up becoming ill. Your mind turns everything you eat into toxins. For example, you might not go out due to fear of not being able to eat “clean”. You may avoid social situations because you would be exposed to toxins in people’s homes, outside environment, or the food they serve you. You might also avoid going on vacations. You have fights with your partner, family, and/or friends over the food they choose to eat, the chemicals they use in their homes, etc. You have no peace of mind. I have met countless people living like this and the majority of them did end up becoming ill. “I don’t know why I’m sick. I’m so perfect in my diet etc.” The answer lies in their question.

So I’m here to let you know and maybe give you the permission you need to just do your best. Keep recommitting to your wellbeing and happiness. Keep striving for that balance in life. There’s nothing wrong with you. You don’t have to be a certain way or live a certain life. As long as you’re content, peaceful, and you feel joy about your life, then continue doing whatever you’ve been doing. However, if you’re not happy with where you are in life and are thinking about changing, please do it with a focus on long term health and sustainability. NOTHING is worth sacrificing your long term health and wellbeing for. NOTHING.

Thank you for reading. I’m working on a few things and they take time. I’m always working on things and myself. Great things take time. Be patient. You’re a masterpiece. XO

Purpose Driven Life

What’s YOUR Purpose? Do you even believe in living a purposeful life? Or is life just a meaningless existence?

When I was an employee, I was always giving it all I’ve got. I showed up early. Always. I was a team player. I rarely was ever hired fulltime when I started any job. I accepted whatever jobs I was offered, on casual or part time basis. Because I know my work ethic and I know that I can always pick up shifts, I always ended up working overtime. If there’s one thing I’m certain of about human nature, it’s that many people give so little effort at their place of employment. I can always count on people not wanting to work. So, because I want to work as much as I could, I never worried. When I was in healthcare, I worked EVERY SINGLE HOLIDAY because I wanted my coworkers to spend time with their kids and since I had none, I could make the residents’ day by working and cheering them up.

I dedicated myself to the betterment of the workplace and my coworkers. I chose to make it enjoyable for me and everyone around me. I didn’t want my time there to be a waste. I wanted to laugh. I wanted to love. I wanted to spread joy. I made my work my purpose. I sang to my residents. I taught yoga. I joined committees, I got involved. I looked after the people around me. At my last job, I had a wellness corner by my work station. Anyone who felt ill, injured, or just needed a little cheering up would come and get what they needed. I certainly wasn’t paid to do that. I loved it though. I got to be what I’m passionate about because the job was pretty mundane with being on the computer all day long, staring at 3 screens. So it was my little corner of sunshine. Health and wellness.

Did it help me climb the corporate ladder? Not really. I didn’t interview well. I wasn’t good at promoting myself. I got rejected for the promotions I applied for. But I believed that something better would come along. I never let the rejections define my identity. I still contributed and I still worked hard. If it wasn’t meant to be, it’s ok. I’m learning. I refused to have the victim mentality rule my life.

I decided that my purpose was where I was in each moment. It doesn’t have to always be grand. It can be taking the time to chat with someone and without knowing, you make them feel less alone. It could be smiling at a stranger and you help brighten their day. The smallest, simplest things can be your purpose in each moment.

I went above and beyond FOR ME. I wanted to learn as much as I could. And did I ever learn so many skills! And those skills I am still using to this day in my business. Priceless. My work ethic is unquestionable. And that’s a winning quality especially in the business world.

If you have the mentality “It’s not my company, why should I be loyal and give it 100%?” Well I can tell you that IF you do end up owning a business where you have to employ people, I hope you don’t get employees with your kind of mentality.

Sometimes you get great people, sometimes you don’t. But you can’t expect to attract great people if you don’t have the same beliefs and attitude about working for someone else. Your attitude and mentality will determine if you’re winning.

This is why no matter how hard and exhausting my days can be, I go to bed smiling. It doesn’t matter if Jhon and I are the only ones working that day, you can be sure that I’m smiling. I LOVE greeting my customers, serving them, and striving to make their day brighter. I strive to make someone feel a little more healed after our encounter and eating my food. I put so much love, blessings, and healing into everything I make for my people. I become the blessing I seek in my world. It’s an honour for me when they come and eat my food. I am humbled that they like my food and baked goods.

I’m working on a few other things that help expand our brand. The restaurant may not be around forever, but I want to leave a legacy. I want to make this world a more loving and peaceful place after I no longer exist physically. So yes, I live a purpose driven life. This is why I feel so fulfilled. And I wouldn’t have it any other way.

May you CREATE whatever it is you seek to have more of in your world. Don’t wait to find it. And certainly never wait for anyone to give it.

Believing in Yourself Even When Nobody Else Does & Spinach Artichoke Dip Recipe

“Poor me poor me. Nobody believes in me.” If this is you, I’d like to invite you to ask yourself: “If I was someone else looking in, would I believe in me? Am I true to my own words? Did I do what I said I would do?”

Each time you promised yourself you would eat better, or exercise, or change your life, did you keep your promises? If you haven’t kept the promises you made to yourself, YOU will quickly stop believing in yourself. And you will project this unto the external world. Others will receive the vibe “I cannot be trusted”. If you’re lucky, you will meet one or two people who can see beyond your own projections and into the truth of who you are and what you’re capable of.

Butttt… waiting for that day/person to come will result in disappointment. Usually by then, you’d be so broken and feeling so hopeless you would push that person out of your life (self-sabotage) because you might have lost all faith. Too good to be true, you’d say.

I haven’t always believed in myself. It takes discipline and lotssss of practice. YEARS! It took consistent effort to keep the promises I made to myself. It took me doing things despite how low I might be feeling. Despite insecurities. Despite anxiety. Despite extreme fear. It took me taking action. Lots of actions. But now I believe in myself more than anyone else does. Actually, if anyone doubted me, I just ignored them. I know where I’m going. I may not necessarily know what to do step by step, but I know where I’ll end up. I surrender the in-betweens… and I do my best to enjoy the process and sometimes, the struggle. I know that when I look back at this moment, I will smile and be grateful for everything I endured on the way there.

I have been one of those people who saw through others’ self projections and their capacity for greatness. I have tried and wanted greatness for them more than they wanted it for themselves. I have wanted people to heal more than they wanted healing themselves. It just didn’t work. I have wasted so much time, money, and effort, and ended up frustrated and very disappointed. How can they not want to be in a better place? After wrecking my brain and searched within my heart for a while in deep reflections, I came to the above answers. These people didn’t even believe in themselves. Who am I to push them to be better? Just because I love them? That’s not good enough….it’s irrelevant, actually. They don’t even love themselves. So it doesn’t matter what else is happening outside of themselves or what people tell them. Their inner world and beliefs are so strong that they cast everything else out of their auric and etheric fields. You can tell them how great they are until you’re blue in the face and they wouldn’t hear it.

So I just focus on my own work now and growing myself and my empire and be an inspiration to myself. If I keep being true to myself and my own words, that’s all that matters. I am living and breathing my core values and I care less and less about what others say and pay more attention to what they do. I’m always happy to help, but only if I see commitment and effort from the other person. Otherwise, I’m out. I’m not here to be taken for granted anymore. I know my worth now. I hope you do too. We aren’t here to screw around. We can’t keep delaying our soul advancement. It’s time to take our life seriously. TAKE ACTION.

On that note, make this feel good Spinach Artichoke Dip. It’s vegan, dairy free, oil free, sugar free, and soy free. You can have delicious food and feel good! If you’re allergic to nuts, feel free to sub the cashews with hemp hearts, tofu, sunflower seeds, etc. To cut the calories, combine tofu with the cashews/seeds. Of course, this recipe won’t be soy free if you do that. YOU DO YOU :)
Add vegan cheeze if you’d like. Make it yours.

Spinach Artichoke Dip

3 cups raw cashews 

3 cups water
1/2 cup nutritional yeast (nooch)
2-3 tbsp lemon juice
(to your preference)
2-3 teaspoons salt
1 tsp vegan lactic acid (optional)
4 cloves garlic, minced

1 medium onion, diced
1 tbsp salt free seasoning (your fave brand)
8 cups loosely packed fresh spinach
(remember, they wilt and become a mere handful)
(3-4) 14-ounce cans artichokes drained & rinsed- add 3 cans worth first, then see if you want it thicker

Preheat oven to 400F

If you don’t have a Vitamix, Blendtec, or a powerful blender, soak your cashews for 4 hours or boil them for ten minutes.

1.Sauté onion & garlic. I omit oil and use water or veggie broth instead, cooked covered on low heat. When the onion is translucent, add the spinach and heat until just wilted but not completely cooked.
2.Blend cashews, water, lemon juice, nooch, and salt. Add the optional vegan lactic acid to the blender.
3.Pour the blended cashews and sautéed onion garlic spinach into an oven safe bowl and add the artichoke. Mix well.
4.Bake for 20-30 minutes (covered for the first 15 minutes then bake uncovered or until the top is golden brown.

Optional: vegan cheeze topping.

Enjoy!

Balance. Does anyone have it?

The word BALANCE gets thrown around like it means nothing anymore. “You need to have more balance”.

What does it mean??? I’ve been in all kinds of life situations.
1. Working part time and going to high school
2. Working Mon-Fri and having weekends off
3. Working shifts and having 2 days off after 12 working days
4. Working 3 jobs and having occasional days off
5. Working part time and juggling university and college at the same time
6. Working for myself and working for someone else at the same time
7. Running multiple businesses and working 80-100 hours weekly
8. Working for myself all of the time HAHAHA- Start a business they say, so you can work your own hours.
9. Currently working on several businesses

I guess balance is whatever you can cope with that doesn’t drive you crazy. I look at things with pillars of health in mind. Nutrition, rest/sleep, emotional, spiritual, physical. I believe the most balanced person I know is my mother. She has everything so balanced and this is due to her discipline. She puts herself first because her cup needs to be full before she can serve from a place of goodness.

Every other person I have met has imbalances in one or more of their pillars of health at any given time. Whether it be nutrition and rest, or spiritual and physical, or emotional and rest, etc. Get to know yourself. Nobody should know you better than you knowing yourself and how you’re functioning.

For me, I’m always trying to optimize the rest/sleep pillar as my immune function depends on it so much. I have tested it out numerous times. When I get enough rest, I feel the most balanced because I don’t struggle with the other pillars. It’s my weakest link. What’s your weakest link? Do you take steps to strengthen it and improve on it?

And let’s face it. I’m not someone who can sit still and not do much. Even in my spare time, I’m always creating something. I just love doing whatever makes me happy. It’s an effort for me to sit and watch a movie. I love learning many things, new recipes, new techniques, etc. So for the time being, I’m loving my fast paced life. It’s exciting for me. I’m open to new ways of being and changes. And I will effortlessly flow into the next stage of my life when the time comes.

So cheers to YOUR definition of balance. Don’t let society dictate how you should be. Whatever is “normal” is simply whatever many people agree on. But you’re your own individual. You can set your own path and way of being. And let me tell you something. While you’re creating the life that you want, building your empire, climbing that ladder, getting that degree, etc., much effort is required. Don’t be afraid of the amount of work and hours you need to put in. Just make sure you incorporate some self care routine into your daily lives because if you’re sick or dead, nobody’s gonna work on your dreams.

Cheers to working towards your dreams. Don’t let anyone or anything stop you, especially not yourself.

Sunscreen, Infected Face, and Rock Bottom Self-Esteem

Warning: This blog entry is not for the faint of heart. One of my customers posted in her story about her skin issue due to allergies. It brought me down memory lane. When I was in my final year of high school in Australia, I developed an allergic reaction to sunscreen (and all SPF products) overnight. I had the worst blisters and they were filled with puss. Gross, I know. They were so painful. And the worst thing was, it was my face that was effected the most. My body only had red bumpy rashes.

It was exam time and I was so stressed and felt so ashamed about how I looked. Puss oozed out while I was on the bus, in class, at home, all the time. Just when the scabs were drying, they would crack again and bleed. I used my hair to cover up my face. Smiling, talking, and laughing would open up the sores and scabs and more puss would ooze out.

At 18, I didn’t know makeup and I never wore makeup. It was honestly one of the worst two months of my life. My already low self-esteem sunk to the bottom. I cried all the time. “Why me, God? Why? I went to church every day. Why did you punish me like this? What sin did I commit?”

My mom felt so hopeless seeing me like that. After trying all kinds of stuff, she had an insight. Zam-buk. It’s a eucalyptus balm/ointment and is used in many Asian countries topically. My family has always had Zam-buk in our drawer (often on every floor), for generations.

So my mom would rub the balm between her fingers to warm it up and melt it a bit to make it easier to apply. Then she would pray and apply the balm onto my face and lips. Within a couple of days, it was greatly improved. We knew then we have found the answer to my healing. The minty effect of the eucalyptus helped soothe the sores and I began to have hope again.

We were also in the middle of packing up and selling our stuff to move across the globe to Toronto, Canada. There was a LOT going on. We did so many yard sales. And then just before we left Perth, Western Australia, the scabs peeled off and revealed the smoothest skin underneath. Raw, newborn skin. It was the start of summer there and we were heading to winter in Toronto.

I arrived in this country with brand new skin on my face and high hope. My face stayed smooth for the first year before acne took over… Nothing compared to what I endured during those two months. Little did I know the food I was eating had something to do with my acne.

When I reflected on this incident after I arrived here, I realized that underneath struggle and pain, you can find beauty and renewal. But we would only get to see what’s underneath if we endure, peel off the layers, and move beyond.

I try to remember this lesson whenever adversities hit. I’m getting better and better with my outlook on life and its constant challenges. I feel that I’m now able to stay calm and not stress out too much in the middle of life’s challenges. I have been able to get to this space after years of changing perspectives while overcoming obstacles. It’s all life experiences. Priceless.

I pray that you too, have the strength and inspiration to overcome whatever obstacles you’re dealing with. And know that we are NEVER alone. We are surrounded by divine beings, ready to help whenever we call on them. I just experienced another miracle today that still left me in awe. I’ll talk about it later, in my next blog entry maybe. I want to reflect on it first and figure out the lessons.