The Journey of a Child of Immigrants: Embracing Resilience, Healing, and Personal Growth
This is a woman who’s worked really hard since she was 15 — that’s when she got her first job (two actually) in high school to pay her own way for SAT prep courses, college applications & money for Coffee Bean with friends.
That’s what it’s like for children of immigrants.
This is a woman who’s spent her 20’s, 30’s, and 40’s in therapy (intensive outpatient programs, recovery groups, private sessions, and more) to heal an eating disorder & intergenerational trauma, so she can be a healthier human & a better mother to her daughter.
That’s what it’s like for children of immigrants.
This is a woman who was the first in her family to go to college, who sent money back to her parents (money she earned as a work-study student on financial aid with three jobs, a full-course load, leading an advertising competition team), so her dad could get essential dental work done.
That’s what it’s like for children of immigrants.
This is a woman who helped her parents understand English instructions, translated for them on the phone, told them what her three younger siblings needed in school. She packed their lunches every day & gave them baths every night. She helped her grandmother write checks. She mediated arguments to try to keep the peace.
That’s what it’s like for children of immigrants.
This is a woman who went against the grain & got divorced from an unhealthy marriage, even though no one in her family has ever done this. Not her aunts or uncles. Not her parents. Not her cousins. Not anyone who should have done so, because that’s not the kind of shame you bring upon your family.
That’s what it’s like for children of immigrants.
This is a woman who didn’t become a doctor, a lawyer, or an engineer. This is a woman who became a writer. A yoga teacher. A Reiki practitioner. An author. An entrepreneur. Now, in her mid-40’s, every time she talks to her parents today, they ask why she hasn’t bought a house.
That’s what it’s like for children of immigrants.
This is a woman who’s really happy. She’s built a wonderful community, a successful company, and traveled the world pursuing her passions & making an impact.
This is a woman who’s raising a well-adjusted daughter encouraged to feel her feelings, to speak up for herself, and to know that mistakes are okay — that not being perfect is a way to cultivate wisdom.
This is a woman who’s done her work, faced hard things, squared her shoulders, and kept going.
If you’re like me, you’re not alone. I see you. I get you.
My mission — my hope — is that adult children of immigrants can learn how to heal while honoring their lineage to explore how to create a meaningful life based on your own core values.
That’s why I created my F*ck Saving Face podcast.
As a starting point on this journey to empowering mental & emotional health for voices of color.
And it’s why I’m working on my book.
You can do this.
Life may not always be pretty, but it is indeed beautiful. Make your story beautiful today.
