Who We Are with Rachel Lim

Rachel Lim
  • 4.0 (4)
  • SELF-IMPROVEMENT
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Who we are is an ever-evolving journey without limits. Join the ever-curious Rachel Lim as she delves into every facet of our lives — from work and family to relationships, self-discovery, and beyond. Experience a series of conversations and shared reflections that span from in-depth discussions with thought leaders around the world, to personal lessons shared with friends. Each episode offers valuable insights into our identities and pathways to self-improvement. Welcome to Who We Are — a podcast devoted to the continuous journey of uncovering our ever-evolving selves.

  1. #49: Leo: "The Most Humbling Season Of My Life"

    JAN 27

    #49: Leo: "The Most Humbling Season Of My Life"

    Over the past year, I’ve watched Leo move through what he describes as one of the most humbling seasons of his life. In this conversation, he reflects openly on what it has meant to start again, to build from scratch, and to remain teachable after years of experience. He speaks honestly about doubt, ego, frustration, and the courage it takes to stay with the work when things feel uncertain. What made this conversation especially meaningful for me was how deeply moved I was by his honesty.. watching him name his struggles, sit with discomfort, and keep choosing growth in real time. This is a story of growth in progress; honest, unfinished, and grounded in real life. Chapters 00:00:00 A Year of Reflection with Leo 00:02:14 Fatherhood, Presence, and Breaking Old Patterns 00:06:21 Finding Joy Again Through Cooking and Showing Up Consistently 00:07:58 Starting Over at 52: Building Something New from Scratch 00:12:02 Marriage Under Pressure and Choosing to Stay 00:14:00 Learning to Stay Open During Hard Conversations 00:17:01 Letting Go of Ego and the Need for Control 00:20:58 Becoming More Open and Staying Teachable 00:28:24 When Self-Worth Is Shaken and Slowly Rebuilt 00:31:16 Closing Reflections Follow Rachel here:  https://www.instagram.com/ms_rach/ Follow Leo here: https://www.instagram.com/mr_agleooleo/ Discover ANON here: https://www.instagram.com/thehouseofanon/ Write in to the team at hello@rachreflects.com

    33 min
  2. #48: First Episode of 2026: A Solo Reflection with Rachel Lim

    JAN 20

    #48: First Episode of 2026: A Solo Reflection with Rachel Lim

    As we step into 2026, I wanted to begin the year with space to reflect. This solo episode is a pause and a check-in. A chance to look back on the year that was and share what it was really like beneath the surface. 2025 was a full year for me. Full in visible ways, and full in ways that were more internal and harder to articulate. From navigating change at home and work, to investing more deeply in my own voice and inner life, it was a year that asked me to slow down, pay closer attention, and meet challenges differently than I had before. In this episode, I reflect on what I’m proud of, what stretched me, and how I’ve noticed myself shifting on the inside. I talk about learning to stay with uncertainty without rushing for clarity, how my relationship with confidence evolved, and why growth now feels less about fewer challenges, and more about a steadier inner response to them. Thank you for being here, and for starting the year with me. Chapters 00:00:00 A Check-In as We Step Into 2026 00:02:53 Moving Through a Full Year Without Losing Myself 00:06:08 Our Marriage, What This Season Asked of Us 00:07:32 Learning to Stay With Discomfort 00:08:41 The Part of 2025 That Challenged Me the Most 00:11:23 The Small Routines and Circles That Carried Me 00:13:46 What Misalignment Taught Me About Pain and Listening Earlier 00:16:26 The Word I’m Carrying Into This New Year 00:17:38 How I’m Thinking About the Podcast in 2026 00:18:50 A Few Closing Thoughts Before We Go Follow Rachel here:  https://www.instagram.com/ms_rach/ For the year you’re about to have, purchase your first ‘I Am Well’ journal here: https://www.iamwelljournal.com/shop-i-am-well-journal/p/edition-2026? Write in to the team at hello@rachreflects.com.

    20 min
  3. #47: CLOSER with Steven Bartlett: Live in Singapore

    10/21/2025

    #47: CLOSER with Steven Bartlett: Live in Singapore

    Recorded live at CLOSER in Singapore, this was one of those rare sessions that reminded me of the heart behind CLOSER: to hold space for real, honest, soul-level conversations. In this conversation, Steven Bartlett opens up about his journey. He shares how he grew up as an outsider, built one of Europe’s fastest-growing companies, chose to walk away at the peak, and learned to find a fuller life beyond achievement. We also speak about what he is building today, and the lessons he has learned about making good decisions, building trust, and steering clear of the traps that hold people back. This episode is not the full conversation, but it offers a glimpse into some of the moments that moved us most. I hope something you hear in it stays with you, and maybe even shifts something in you, the way it did for me & so many others. To everyone who joined us that afternoon at CLOSER, thank you for leaning in with so much openness and heart. And to those tuning in now, I hope this conversation touches you the way it did all of us in the room. Take a breath, lean in, and come a little closer. Chapters 00:00:00 Introduction 00:01:31 The Childhood That Shaped Steven Bartlett 00:05:58 Delusion and Self Belief as Prerequisites for Success 00:09:28 Choosing Uncertainty Over Certain Misery 00:13:48 Becoming a Plan A Thinker 00:15:36 Stacking Skills to Increase Your Value 00:20:27 What Steven Looks For When Investing 00:25:48 Hiring and Why People Are Your Greatest Asset 00:31:36 Breaking Paper Walls and Asking Why 00:36:41 Nir Eyal on Overcoming Distraction 00:40:54 The 16 Chip Rule for Prioritizing Time 00:43:21 Working With Failure and Experimentation 00:50:23 Steven’s Most Valuable Mistake 00:53:05 Finding Your Version of a Well Lived Life Follow Rachel here: https://www.instagram.com/ms_rach/ Follow Steven Bartlett here: https://www.instagram.com/steven/

    55 min
  4. #46: Infertility, Miscarriage & Quiet Grief

    10/08/2025

    #46: Infertility, Miscarriage & Quiet Grief

    Infertility is more common than we think; and it doesn’t just mean struggling to get pregnant. It can also mean waiting for years. Losing a pregnancy. Trying, again and again, with no answers. It’s a kind of grief that lives quietly in the background of so many lives…and often, no one talks about it. In this heartfelt conversation, I sit with Shumin Lin; litigator at Drew & Napier and President of Fertility Support SG. She began IVF at 29 and experienced miscarriage before becoming a mother of two. She shares what it was like to navigate this path before anyone around her was talking about it, and how that pain led her to build a safe space for others. This episode is for anyone who’s walked this road, or loves someone who has. Because this, too, is motherhood. And no one should have to walk it alone. 00:00 Introduction 01:31 Shumin’s Journey: Facing Infertility at 29 04:59 Redefining Infertility: What It Really Means 05:48 Understanding IVF and the Emotional Toll 07:58 Rachel’s Story: Confronting Secondary Infertility 09:03 The Unspoken Grief: Shumin’s Miscarriage Journey 17:00 The Partner’s Role in Navigating Loss 19:08 Letting Go of Control and Unlearning Stigmas 23:27 How to Support a Friend Walking Through Infertility 28:37 The Weight of Expectations and Societal Pressure on Women 32:16 The Heart Behind Fertility Support Singapore 38:15 Launching Singapore’s First Workplace Fertility Guide 43:43 A Message to Her Younger Self: Hold On 46:00 Final Reflections Follow Rachel here: https://www.instagram.com/ms_rach/ Follow Fertility Support Singapore here: https://www.instagram.com/fertilitysupport.sg/ Find out more about Fertility Support Singapore here: https://fertilitysupport.sg/

    48 min
  5. #45: Rebecca Lim: Lessons From Heartbreak, Motherhood & Fame

    08/11/2025

    #45: Rebecca Lim: Lessons From Heartbreak, Motherhood & Fame

    In one of her most open conversations yet, award-winning actress Rebecca Lim reflects on the lessons she’s learned from heartbreak, motherhood, and life in the public eye. From childhood dreams and early imposter syndrome to the role that changed everything, Rebecca shares the sacrifices, self-doubt, and resilience it’s taken to sustain a career under constant scrutiny. She opens up about friendship changes, public criticism, and the private grief of losing her father, and how each chapter shaped the woman she is today. We also explore motherhood’s transformative impact, the realities of ‘mom guilt,’ and her evolving definitions of beauty, success, and boundaries. This is Rebecca Lim as you’ve never heard her before; honest, deeply human, and full of wisdom for anyone learning to let go, start again, and find peace. 00:00 Introduction 01:17 Rapid Fire with Rebecca Lim 05:24 Meet Rebecca: Childhood, School Days & First Acting Dreams 09:39 Battling Imposter Syndrome in the Early Years 14:43 Facing Negativity, Criticism & Self-Doubt 15:53 The Quiet Sacrifices Behind the Success 16:52 The Career-Changing Role That Defined Her 19:31 If She Could Go Back: Advice to Her Younger Self 20:40 Running on Empty: Motherhood’s First Impact 23:44 Rediscovering Herself After Becoming a Mother 26:50 Weathering Public Scrutiny & Staying True 29:16 Choosing Silence & Protecting Her Peace 33:04 Navigating Friendship Changes & Building Healthy Boundaries 35:57 Losing Her Father: A Silent Grief 42:24 Her Hardest Role Yet: Motherhood 49:14 Post-Maternity Comeback to Acting 52:04 Managing ‘Mom Guilt’ After Returning to Work 55:58 Redefining Success on Her Own Terms 57:56 Rethinking Beauty Standards in Entertainment 01:01:21 To My Younger Self: You Don’t Have to Be a Shooting Star 01:02:39 The Non-Negotiable Boundaries She Lives By 01:03:43 Learning from Past Mistakes 01:05:14 Final Reflections & Takeaways Follow Rachel here: https://www.instagram.com/ms_rach/ Follow Rebecca here: https://www.instagram.com/limrebecca/

    1h 9m
  6. #44: President of Microsoft Asia: Lessons from My Mum, Asia & Leading 30,000 People

    07/14/2025

    #44: President of Microsoft Asia: Lessons from My Mum, Asia & Leading 30,000 People

    In this soulful and wide-ranging conversation, Rodrigo Kede Lima, President of Microsoft Asia, reflects on the people, places, and pivotal lessons that have shaped who he is today. From the quiet strength of his trailblazing mother to the humbling experience of starting over in Asia, and the responsibility of leading 30,000 people across cultures, Rodrigo shares what it truly means to lead with purpose, humility, and heart. We discuss: The values his mother and grandfather instilled in himWhat starting over in Asia taught him about leadershipHow he stays grounded while leading at scaleHis views on hierarchy, culture, and human-first systemsWhat AI will demand of future leadersUnlearning, wellness, and the second mountainWhy legacy is about leaving people better than you found them 00:00 Introduction 01:08 Meet Rodrigo: Childhood, Curiosity & Dreams of Medicine 05:14 The Legacy of His Mother and Grandfather 07:13 Core Beliefs That Shaped Rodrigo’s Leadership 10:00 Bold Career Moves & Embracing Discomfort 12:35 Starting Over in Asia: Humility, Curiosity & Reinvention 14:59 Wellness Routines That Keep Rodrigo Grounded 20:07 Leading 30,000 People: Culture, Connection & Systems 24:07 Asia’s Rise: From Manufacturing Hub to Innovation Powerhouse 26:44 The Values We Must Hold Onto in the AI Era 29:07 What Fatherhood Taught Rodrigo About Learning & Letting Go 32:49 Where to Begin: Practical Steps for Embracing AI 36:40 Beyond Boardrooms: Lessons from Parenting 39:40 Redefining Purpose: Rodrigo on Legacy, Joy & Giving Back 41:15 The Message Rodrigo Hopes to Leave Behind 42:27 Closing Reflections Follow Rachel here: https://www.instagram.com/ms_rach/ Follow Rodrigo here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rodrigo-kede-lima-51941129/

    43 min
  7. #43: Adrian Ang: What I Built Almost Cost Me Who I Am

    06/30/2025

    #43: Adrian Ang: What I Built Almost Cost Me Who I Am

    You may know him as “Xiao Ming”, the funny guy behind the shades, the face of SGAG. But in this conversation, I sat with Adrian Ang, the man behind the persona. Adrian and I go way back to our school days. And over the past few years, we’ve reconnected, not over memes or milestones, but over the messy, honest work of untangling who we are from what we’ve built. In this episode, Adrian opens up about the cost of becoming someone the world applauds, and the quiet courage it took to start unbecoming what no longer served him. We talked about: The moment his son asked him to take off the sunglassesHow he nearly lost himself trying to keep it all togetherDrinking to escape, leading while empty, and hurting the people he loved mostAnd what it really means to heal — slowly, gently, from the inside out 00:00 Introduction: The Man Behind the Persona 01:37 Adrian Today: Diving Beneath the Surface 04:54 Kampung Childhood & Free-Spirited Beginnings 06:50 Becoming “Xiao Ming”: The Internet Persona Is Born 09:20 When the Character Overshadows the Creator 11:22 The Cost of Compartmentalising Who We Are 16:17 Chasing Impact, Validation & Approval 22:37 What Success Really Cost Him 25:56 Breaking Point: The Spiral He Couldn’t Ignore 30:31 Shutting Down, Pushing Love Away 34:53 Reclaiming Himself, One Layer at a Time 38:58 The Practice of Healing & Rewiring 44:12 The Hardest Work: Sitting With Discomfort 48:54 Learning to Find Peace Within 51:29 Redefining Success, Impact & Enoughness 56:58 To My Younger Self: It’s Okay to Feel 01:02:58 If His Eyes Could Speak… 01:04:08 Closing Reflections: The Journey Back to Self Follow Rachel here: https://www.instagram.com/ms_rach/ Follow Adrian here: https://www.instagram.com/adrian.xiaoming/

    1h 7m
  8. #42: Rolf Dobelli on Thinking Clearly in a Noisy World

    05/20/2025

    #42: Rolf Dobelli on Thinking Clearly in a Noisy World

    Best known for The Art of Thinking Clearly, Rolf Dobelli has helped millions of readers sharpen their thinking and sidestep the traps that cloud our judgment. In his latest book The Not-To-Do List, he flips traditional self-help on its head; arguing that the key to a good life isn’t doing more, but doing less of what doesn’t serve us. In this candid conversation, Rolf shares practical ways to reclaim your attention and energy: how to stop overcommitting, why reliability matters more than talent, when to quit (and why it’s not a failure), and what he’s learned from consciously stepping away from the news cycle. This episode is a must-listen for anyone feeling stretched thin, trapped in a productivity loop, or simply ready to cut through the noise. 00:00 Introduction  01:04 Rolf Dobelli’s Not-To-Do Habit: Overconfidence  02:44 Rolf’s Study on Cognitive Biases  05:14 The Sunk-Cost Fallacy’s Impact on Our Decisions  07:22 How to Avoid the Manipulation of Reciprocity  10:12 Rolf’s Inspiration Behind ‘The Not-To-Do List’ 12:44 Why Reliability Outweighs Brilliance  14:46 Knowing When to Quit or Persevere  18:33 Why To-Do-Lists Don’t Work  20:12 The Magic of Setting Low Expectations  23:54 Why Rolf Stopped Reading the News  27:25 Rolf Dobelli’s Mission to Sharpen the Quality of Our Thoughts  29:15 The Billboard Question: Rolf Dobelli’s Message 30:22 Episode Closing  Follow Rachel here: https://www.instagram.com/ms_rach/ Stay up to date with Rolf Dobelli here: https://www.dobelli.com/en/ Purchase 'The Art of Thinking Clearly: Better Thinking, Better Decisions' online here.Purchase 'The Not to Do List: The Surprisingly Simple Art of Success' online here.

    31 min
See All (70)

Ratings & Reviews

4
out of 5
4 Ratings

About

Who we are is an ever-evolving journey without limits. Join the ever-curious Rachel Lim as she delves into every facet of our lives — from work and family to relationships, self-discovery, and beyond. Experience a series of conversations and shared reflections that span from in-depth discussions with thought leaders around the world, to personal lessons shared with friends. Each episode offers valuable insights into our identities and pathways to self-improvement. Welcome to Who We Are — a podcast devoted to the continuous journey of uncovering our ever-evolving selves.

Information

You Might Also Like