[S3] [E9] How to Be a Mom and Still Pursue Your Dreams with Vivien Yap, aka Runway Mummy

Becoming a mother shouldn’t stop you from doing what you love. Sure, you will not have as much time compared to when you were single, but you can still pursue your dreams in simple ways. After all, you are still an individual who has dreams like anyone else. A passionate woman is unstoppable.

In this episode, Vivien Yap will talk about how she juggles her career and motherhood. She will share the importance of self-care and pursuing your passion all while caring for your own child. In particular, this episode will discuss the idea of maternity in Asian culture.

If you think that being a mom should stop you from pursuing your passion, this episode will change your mind.

Here are three reasons why you should listen to the full episode:

1. Discover how you can juggle your career and motherhood.
2. Learn more about Asian household culture.
3. Vivien will share the importance of self-care and following your passion while being a mother.

Resources

• Vivien Yap’s Instagram page
• Check out the items that have been crucial for my self-development here!

Episode Highlights

Vivien’s Background

• Vivien is an enneagram coach. She trains corporate individuals in communication and leadership.
• In her full-time job, she helps people find their strengths and become confident.
• Vivien decided to enter the world of influencer marketing four years ago when she started her motherhood journey.
• Runway Mummy was born out of her love for fashion and aspiration to share to others her journey as a new parent.

Coach, Mother, and Influencer

• Becoming a mother was a big transition for Vivien as she considers herself not a stay-at-home mom.
•  She decided to take her maternity leave as an opportunity to start her blog.
• Vivien soon discovered the challenges of consistently putting out a blog, communicating with people, and taking photos.
• She later learned how to prioritize and balance her work as a coach, influencer, and mother.

How Vivien Juggles Work and Motherhood

• Due to her busy schedule, Vivien gives up much of her sleeping hours and uses tea to energize her in the morning.
• Her passion for her work fuels her to pursue your dreams. Vivien enjoys the process and connecting with her base.
• She also involves her kids in the process. Vivien saw blogging as a way to store her children’s memories and remember their growth and little moments together.
• When her second child was born, she didn’t want to pressure herself too much, so she decided to put more focus on connecting with her blog supporters. 
• In Singaporean culture, adults leave their family homes once they get married. In the West, adults often separate from their family at an early age.

 Blogging as a Creative Outlet

• Blogging gave Vivien an outlet to express her creativity. It’s not about the fame; she genuinely loves the process involved in creating quality blogs.
• Being an Enneagram Coach allows Vivien to help her clients find their confidence and witness their growth journey.
• For Vivien, being an influencer is a creative process for the soul, while being a coach is a creative process for the mind.

Motherly Advice for Mothers

• It’s easy to forget yourself when you’re taking care of other people, but self-care is vital in motherhood.
• Even though you have more responsibilities now, you can still pursue your dreams in little ways. Do small acts towards your dream.  
• Dealing with the mother’s guilt is the main challenge for Vivien.
• Find the part you love and hold onto it to cope with the hard parts of the process. Everything seems easy when you are passionate about what you are doing.
• Vivien and her husband understand each other’s struggles. Such understanding leads them to be more compassionate with each other. 

5 Powerful Quotes from This Episode

[07:07] “When it’s your passion, I guess it’s easy for you.”

[21:57] “The blog was also an outlet of expression. And to me, it’s not just about being an influencer, or the fame, or anything like that. I really started out because I loved the process, the creative process that are involved. So the writing, the putting up the pictures, the styling of the pictures, and all — this is exciting to me.”

[24:03] “The coaching and the training is a creative process of the mind. And the influencer part is more of the creative process of my soul.”

[31:18] “So I always share with people who are thinking about going to the influencer line, you know, the blogging line, I always tell them that they have to find that part where they love because in this whole process there’s going to be bits that you love and there’s going to be bits that you hate, and it’s dreading, and it’s difficult for you. So that to anchor in the parts that you really love, and that is what’s going to keep you going.”

[32:31] “But it’s really about that place where we understand each other’s struggles. We learn to appreciate and see new light in loving each other’s strengths. And with that understanding, they’ll come with compassion for one another.”

About Vivien 

Vivien Yap is an enneagram trainer, a life and style coach, an influencer, and a mother of two boys. She is also the author of Runway Mummy, a lifestyle blog for mothers tackling various topics from beauty and fashion to parenting and travelling. 

If you want to connect with Vivien, you may visit Runway Mummy or her Instagram page.

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Navigating the Rise highlights the unique identities of different Asian communities. If this podcast has helped you gain new perspectives on various cultural norms, don’t forget to subscribe and share it with people who can benefit from the discussion.

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