Addictions take on many forms: alcohol, drugs, food, video games, relationships. It could be anything that manifests fear and insecurity when you feel like giving up, inhibiting you from creating a meaningful life.
In today’s episode, Kiki Wong shares her transition from alcoholism and drug abuse to sobriety and wellness. She talks about getting your mind right by finding an activity you can grow from.
Tune in to the full episode to be inspired to prioritize your self-improvement!
Here are three reasons why you should listen to the full episode:
- Discover how Kiki cleaned up her act after being riddled with addiction, alcoholism, and partying.
- Get motivated to live a life of purpose when you feel like giving up.
- Learn how to overcome the fear of rejection and failure.
Resources
- From Hell to Wellness Podcast by Kaila Yu and Kiki Wong
- 30-Day Travel Challenge: How to Make Your Travel Dreams a Reality by Kiki Wong and Kaila Yu
- Nylon Pink — Kiki’s travel and beauty website
- Check out the items that have been crucial for my self-development here!
Episode Highlights
Kiki’s Rockstar Life
- Raised as a soft-spoken, attentive, and obedient Asian-American daughter, Kiki Wong never had the opportunity to be her own person. That is until she pursued music by forming Nylon Pink, an all Asian-American, pop-rock girl band.
- She toured the world, sharing the stage with big names such as Taylor Swift, Usher, Bret Michaels, and the Misfits.
- The lifestyle exposed her to nights of alcohol, drugs, and partying. Things often got out of hand, pushing her to a downward spiral.
Kiki’s Turnaround
- When the US and Canada tour with Misfits ended, Kiki was left jobless and broke. She then decided to become a digital marketer in South Korea.
- Feeling uninspired and empty with her 9-to-5 desk job, she hit the peak of her alcoholism.
- In 2018, after quitting her job in South Korea, she randomly decided to try Muay Thai, marking the start of her sobriety.
- Muay Thai training demanded Kiki be healthy and sober, driving her to become disciplined and fully committed toward the sport.
The Struggle in Finding Meaning
- Inherently, we have the urge to figure out our purpose. Many well-off kids end up with addiction because they never have to work a day in their life.
- On the other end of the spectrum, unprivileged kids lack the resources to strive for a better situation.
- To feel alive, they try to search for meaning within themselves. But figuring this out could be such a struggle. When you feel like giving up, it becomes easier to imbibe drugs and alcohol instead.
Getting Your Mind Right
- Find something that keeps you on a schedule and helps you focus.
- The key to cutting off your vices is believing in yourself.
- Having a positive mindset and being open to opportunities enable you to achieve more. When you feel like giving up, focusing on the negatives can be debilitating.
Falling in Love with Learning
- Find romance in achievement and the ability to do something.
- Seek and track progress with your chosen path. By pursuing Muay Thai, Kiki is drawn to improving every punch and kick.
- Learning won’t always feel fun, but let the beauty and intrigue of your craft keep you going.
- Be accountable. In Muay Thai, Kiki is responsible not only for herself but also for her teammates and her coach.
Overcoming Your Fears
- Fears of rejection and failure are the worst enemies of success. However, they are also essential for growth.
- Put yourself out there and discover what does and doesn’t work for you.
- Create a journal or a daily schedule. The infinitely large concepts in your mind can be overwhelming. Things become simpler in paper than in your brain.
5 Powerful Quotes from This Episode
[24:10] “If you fill your mind with positive ideas and concepts and “yeses,” you’re going to be able to achieve more.”
[29:52] “It can be difficult to hold yourself accountable if you have an addictive problem. Sometimes you’ll try to justify [the] reasoning for you to continue your addictive habits.”
[35:46] “If you find out something that doesn’t work, that’s one step ahead closer to understanding what will work because now you can omit your failure out.”
[36:04] “People who know what works all the time, they’ll never know if something doesn’t work, and then they won’t understand how to cope with it later on down the line.”
[36:44] “If you ever can recollect any type of memories that were fearful in the past, the actual moment of fear is so small, and then it’s done. But when you are anticipating it, the anticipation is a mile-long journey.”
About Kiki
Kiki Wong graduated from the University of California, Irvine, with a bachelor’s degree in biological science/pre-Medicine. She took the off the beaten path by being a full-time lead guitarist and vocalist in the all Asian-American girl band Nylon Pink.
After living the rockstar life, she, together with former Nylon Pink singer Kaila Yu, now runs a travel, beauty, and lifestyle blog. They recently wrote the best-selling book 30-Day Travel Challenge: How To Make Your Travel Dreams A Reality. They also host a wellness podcast where they share their journey into sobriety and wellness.
If you want to connect with Kiki, you can visit her website and follow her on Instagram.
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