“I had to redefine who I was… on my own terms.”

In this episode, Soon Mee Kim shares her journey of navigating identity through the lens of culture, expectation, and lived experience. What begins as a personal reflection opens into something many women understand — the quiet pressure to become who you’re supposed to be, and the slow realization that it may not fully align with who you are.

Her story highlights the tension between belonging and authenticity, especially when identity has been shaped by forces outside of your control. Over time, that tension can lead to a subtle disconnection — a sense of performing rather than living from truth.

What unfolds in this conversation is the process of coming back. Rebuilding self-trust. Reclaiming your voice. And learning how to honor where you come from without abandoning yourself in the process.

“I was living outside of myself for a long time.”

That’s not just a reflection — it’s the thread that runs through Brooke Haynes’ story. In this episode, she opens up about her experience with adoption and how it shaped her sense of identity, belonging, and self-trust in ways she didn’t fully recognize until later in life.