3 Reasons Why It’s Important To Become An Adult

On September 24, 2014September 24, 2014 By Rebekka LienIn entrepreneur, travelLeave a comment

It’s important to separate yourself from your parents. This seems obvious, but for some families, especially Asian ones, it is not always easy to do so because you are expected to act like babies your whole life, or to heed the advice of your parents until you become an adult – and this adult phase only happens because you’re married.

It’s important to become intellectual adults that make decisions for yourself at one point in your life, like now….would be great.

It is amazing that even after being self-employed and pretty much fully supported yourself for years, people still have so many opinions about how you should live your life. Don’t cave in, remember stay true to your vision. At one point, you need to cut the ties. It might seem cruel at first, because of course I have no idea how it is to be a parent…however, I know that control is control, there is no way of putting it nicely.

Here are 3 reason why it is important to become an adult:

Whatever your definition of adult is, here’s mine – someone who is capable of making their own decisions and who takes full responsibility for their own lives.

Reason #1: You can fully function in the world, choose what you want in life, and live the life you have always dreamed of. Remember those dreams you had about becoming a world class pilot? Remember those dreams you had about becoming an actress? Oh remember those dreams you had about helping people in need?

Oh right, it all got squashed because your parents wanted you to go to the school they attended, become the person they never became, work the job they never succeeded in. Okay, wow, that sucks.

Yah, don’t give in. Love comes from freedom, not control. Love frees us, it does not suffocate. And just because some relative lived a shit life, it doesn’t mean you will too. Learn from people who became successful, not people who failed at life because they didn’t take ownership of their life….how about all the entrepreneurs who failed miserably, but became great successes because they didn’t give UP?

Reason #2: No one likes a mama’s boy.

I’m sorry, no one likes a mama’s boy. No woman. And for woman, well, no one likes a spoiled lady either. It’s all nice and dandy when you’re 16, but when you are 36 and still calls your mom to ask how to use the washer, um, yah, not going to work for many. If you are looking to partner up and settle down, become an adult first.

Reason #3: Freedom

Freedom. If you are able to fend for yourself, without parents, without a partner, you can do anything in life. You can climb mountains in the jungles, hike up trails forbidden to mankind, and backpack in Europe for 4 months, why not? No one can say anything because well, you forgot to bring your phone and you actually don’t answer to anyone. And guess what, when you have reached the heights of goddesses, you have become like God, you are unique and an individual who doesn’t care about what people think.

This, is true greatness. And then you become attractive, you attract and inspire others who will in turn inspire you as well.

And I say all this, the day before I go off to Europe….do I have it all together, no…but I’ve made it to step 65 of 100, I think I’ve gone a far ways from 2 months ago. Life can be incredible if we make enough space for our dreams.

Live on my friend!

If you haven’t bought this ebook, buy it now! Learn how YOU can make money doing what you love, because I sure have….as I share with you exactly HOW you can monetize ALL of your talents and skills 🙂 http://www.Rebekkalien.com/LoveMoneyWork

5 Keys To Reaching Your Goals

On August 9, 2014August 9, 2014 By Rebekka LienIn entrepreneur, travel4 Comments

work

My work position is lying on my couch with my legs over the arm of the couch.

1. Work backwards-

Always work backwards. When I have an idea, I usually won’t follow through unless I give myself a set deadline, buy the flight ticket, set my intention into motion. I see the end result in my minds’ eye, I see myself in it…I guess it helps that I am an artist so imagining something is not difficult for me. I have always had a vivid imagination. When I was young, I often imagined myself jumping on things like a little mario character, I imagined I could fly. Well, due to gravity, that hasn’t happened yet, but I do often fly on planes and I love it!

It’s funny because after 3 years of trial and error, lots of shed tears, anxiety, stress at times and ups and downs, I’ve finally mastered the art of BYOB (being my own boss). There is definitely a personal formula….number 1 is to work backwards.

For my last workshop, I designed the flier and set the date before I even found a venue. I put my dreams into motion by emailing sponsors to donate gift bag items, I had a number in mind and well, there weren’t as many people as I would have hoped, but I know they were the ones that were supposed to be there.

KEY: Don’t wait until you have perfected it, just do it and you’ll do it better next time.

2. Talk About It-

Talk about it constantly, talk about it as if you ARE doing it. When people get excited for you, you will feel encouraged and start embodying your dreams and goals. Of course, don’t feed your dreams to pigs, some people just don’t appreciate a weird dreamer.

3. Fill In The Details-

Once you have the date, fill in the details….what do you need to do to get there? What needs to happen step by step? Write a list and start tackling them.

4. Research How Others Have Done It-

Anything you’ve ever wanted to do, someone else has already gone before you. Why try to brainstorm a million things when you can simply google and find #hacks which is super popular these days…from #lifehack to #workhack to #travelhack.

5. Treat Yourself Like You’ve Already Accomplished It – You really have to be a little psychotic to achieve your goals. For example a few months ago, well, actually ever since I had this wall decal of Paris on my wall, I’ve been antsy to travel again. I exit the United States once a year just to breathe a little and to expand my personal well-being.

I met this amazing author, writer of Remember The Future: How Steve Jobs Used Time Travel To Think Different. Under his inspiration of wanting to go to Italy to create a film in 2 months, I then was like WHAT THE FUCK am I doing in LA? I need to travel again!

I must have talked about the trip at least 3 times a day. My obsession became so ridiculous that I prayed “I want to go travel so bad that I know it will happen”. I’m scary when I’m obsessed. I’m really really scary. I go into google mode and pound that keyboard with tenacity. I can be on this thing for hours just googling my eyes away….well research and enough asking, I found a cheap one way.

So now that I’m at step 200, the pieces are slowly falling into place. In fact, because I was like- I’m going and I don’t care if I go with however much money, I will go and I will go. I will DO whatever it takes….and that my friends, that’s obsession. Alas, because of my obsession, soon after I made that statement, more income started coming my way in ways that I had not expected. I know that the universe is watching how I take care of myself, am I hard on myself or do I give myself a pat on the back? You see, you need to celebrate and treat yourself like you’ve already accomplished it….this allows a flow of positive and easy energy versus the energy of anxiety and striving. With ease, your goals can be reached. In fact, all things will rush to you to supply your every need.

That is why I want to start logging my hours for work….starting tomorrow. I want to show you how you can work A LOT less and maximize your time for HIGHER income.

Oh and did I mention, I’m giving away a total of 10 FREE coaching sessions for anyone that LIKES my page and SHARES the free coaching flier with your facebook friends?

When You Feel Faint

On June 24, 2014June 24, 2014 By Rebekka LienIn travelLeave a comment

In our weakest moments, we find the twinkling light, a faint inspiration, maybe life is worth living, maybe I can get up off this floor, maybe I can run the last stretch, maybe I can love again, maybe I can allow myself to shed a tear, maybe I can connect my emotions with my head, maybe my legs won’t shatter into a thousand pieces after running after faint illusions of what I thought was my path

We run until we are homesick, running and trying to fly

only to be stuck on this earth

hoping that we can go home some day

wherever home is, the adventure heart

often when I am home too long, I start to feel faint and

I realize, I need to fly again

My friends’ cats in Sao Paolo, Brazil 2012. We will come home.

Post Travel Syndrome

On June 20, 2012June 20, 2012 By Rebekka LienIn travelLeave a comment

For the past week and a half, I kept wondering what was so different about South America and United States. Finally, the word came to me “sterile”. Compared to days I spent dancing in Rio, my days in the US seems so sterile, so apart from bacteria, so safe, so clean, too clean, too safe.

Of course there are misconceptions of what Brazil is like. Not everyone is good looking, not everyone is the hot brown bod gentleman or lady. There are some seriously creepy men and the beaches are beautiful, but they are parts that aren’t that clean. Sanitary-wise, they don’t use disposable toilet seat covers and not everyone is that friendly.

Having said that, South America just seems so much more alive than the “to-the point” productive society that is LA. I’m trying really hard to analyze what is different and how I can transfer some of my travel lifestyle into my everyday life.

Some changes I am making:

1. Broaden my circle of friends: attend networking events, join groups, go to various demographic bars/clubs, events.

2. Go out more: in general, go out more…

3. Travel. Period. Sorry, I don’t think I can ever be normal again, travel just makes you weird. You just don’t think the same. You talk to strangers and want to be friends with people really unlike you and you get tired of the same environment. You get tired of the same demographic, the same roads, the same culture…

If you have any tips, help a sister out.

Dancing in Rio

Kicking Some Unwanted Balls & Throwing Up Cherries

On June 13, 2012June 13, 2012 By Rebekka LienIn travelLeave a comment

At the Books Hostel in Rio

I woke up at 5 am today, 4 hours jet-lagged. My computer had crashed last night, so any attempts of writing, contacting potential clients, or any type of freelance search was out the door.

To add, after drinking milk and tea, I felt nauseated. Then I threw up in a public bathroom. Cherries literally included, not on top, but in it.

I asked god why I always had to go through with things like this. Why can’t I just adjust back to life like normal people? Why can’t I be normal enough to have a normal job waiting for me?

Then I’m reminded that I’m supposed to LET GO.

This is a lesson that will take a long time to learn. Especially when the facts in your life don’t seem so stable, a little discouraging at best. Especially when you find yourself comparing yourself to other normal people who don’t go off for a month and experience the most life changing shit ever.

By the way, I’m quitting alcohol for a month. Please keep me accountable. I need to cleanse my body from travel bugs, literally.

I guess it’s easy to be negative, but I’ll try to be positive. I woke up with the most amazing travel story idea. I’m going to write about Traveling Solo As An Asian Woman- Not Your Typical Travel Story. I’ll also write about harassment I experienced being an Asian woman in South America. Scandalous enough for an article, scandalous enough for people to be intrigued. It’s not your typical story. Yet, at the end, coming out a wiser person, knowing how to avoid nasty stares, avoid forced kisses, avoid and kick some unwanted balls.

I didn’t really have an easy life growing up. But it has made me who I am today, I would not be the person I am today if it wasn’t for the hardships. But guess what, I think it’s time I became gloriously awesome and fought for as a speaker, teacher and consultant. Even if I don’t feel like it right now, especially since I threw up just now.

Since I can’t pitch stories to publications because my hard drive just crashed, I’ll wait for the universe to pamper and flourish me, according to the right time. Meanwhile, sitting at the Apple Store, I’ll finish this blog post with some pictures that could erase the image of me throwing up cherries. 😉

Support me by receiving 30% off all purchases (code: summer)- http://rebekkalien.storenvy.com

Guess what, you are part of the universe that is sustaining this blog!

Some exclusive graffiti from Rio, Brazil.

Traveling Messes You Up

On June 10, 2012June 10, 2012 By Rebekka LienIn travelLeave a comment

On the beautiful Ipanema Beach. There are some big butts there, seriously.

I’m sitting on my couch, enjoying the stillness and quiet of my house. The leaves are orange and yellow, the sun rays reflected on the wooden floors, I’m back in LA. It all went by so fast. After a crazy week in Rio, Brazil- I woke up after a 6 hour bus ride from Rio to Sao Paulo. I was the last person on the bus because I barely slept at all in Rio. I had $49 in my account, plus bills to pay, but memories I will never forget. Travel really messes you up.

Big time.

My brain still feels overloaded with smells, pictures, flashes of dancing on the streets of Rio, holding my dress and spinning in circles. I remember conversations, people from all over the world- England, Uruguay, China, Switzerland, Austria, New York, the list goes on. I think of the fuzzy dogs that my host family had, getting lost and listening to the voice within, buses, strangers, lots of strangers. In fact, before my trip to South America, I did not know a single person that I was going to meet. Now that I’m back in LA, I am close friends with at least 15-20 people. Friends that I can message and stay with all over the world.

It’s a bit difficult to squish my trip all into one summary.

So for this post, I want to tell you about what I learned.

I learned that despite being alone at times, we are never alone. The world is full of strangers turned friends. In my quest to see Marco, my sponsored boy, I saw that 3rd world countries are happier than we imagine them to be. In fact, I can say that despite everything Americans have, we seem to pop more anti-depressants than the kids running around without shoes on.

I always wondered why I had the desire to live simply, yet loved the world of fashion and glam. I wondered why I loved the idea of free swag, high heels, makeup and gratis but also the idea of living out of a backpack and being anonymous.

Now I understand. Perhaps, my goal in life isn’t just to help the poor…perhaps it is to help the rich let go of security and stability to live the life they want. In Ecuador, I visited the jungle and saw communities drinking out of rivers. Yet, their simple lives caused them to appreciate people and relationships. In contrast, in America, we are constantly bombarded by material things and status. We are constantly virtually contacting people, but never for the simplicity of enjoying the moment.

I met foreigners who wanted to volunteer in Ecuador, and now I realize, these 3rd world country kids should teach us 1st world folks how to live and love. Going to South America taught me the hospitality of a stranger. Strangers took time out of their day to help me, they literally laughed and smiled for no reason, they were open to you, not closed off or busy.

Brazilians seriously know how to party. This is something we can learn from. I am a different person from last month. For days I didn’t look at a phone or know what time it was, but the natural inclination of what I felt enabled me to live according to my inner self, the people around me, and free myself from time constraints.

The more I travel, the more strangers I meet, the more my craving to be alive and to break out of social constraints increase. We don’t have to be slaves to society, we can be trailblazers, we can still live the life we want when we’re all grown up. I can’t say I have it all figured out, because even now I don’t know where my next paycheck is coming from…but I have experienced it all, I really do live in faith knowing I’m not crazy, but destined for greatness.

After arriving in Rio after a 6 hour bus ride sleeping sitting up, 2 hours trying to find the hostel, I met these 3 friends. I must have been crazy because I decided to hike 2.5 hours to see the Christo. Midway, I stopped several times to hear the quietness of the forest. I had come to Brazil to be still. This was it. After half- dying, hearing the pounding of my heart and running up to the Christo, I started screaming JESUS I’M HERE.

The Christo was startling, beautiful. I was sad to see he didnt have eye pupils. It just shows that statues can’t represent anyone.

Jesus I made it! I climb 2 hours to see you.

Watching the sunset in Rio @ the Christo

How It Feels To be White In A Foreign Country

On May 29, 2012 By Rebekka LienIn Music, travelLeave a comment

Hi friends,

You must be wondering how I am faring in a foreign country such as Brazil? Well, I now understand how it feels to be white.

Now, I have lots of white friends. I never knew how it felt to be white and always took pity on friends when they looked at me quizzically when my mom or relatives would speak mandarin. Jesting about the gringo is common; though the white friends can´t understand it. Of course, I have Indian friends too, but it just feels way different being white.

In Brazil, hardly anyone speaks English. According to my newly adopted Brazilian brother, you only learn vocabularies such as “dog” and “cat” in school. Thus, my Portuenglish is often returned with a empty look “what the hell are you saying? Are you from outerspace?”.

And of course, “JAPONAISE” is the common comment about my race. If anyone says I´m Japanese again, I will seriously choke the life out of them. I said, “I´m from LA but I´m Taiwanese”. “Thailandness?”- they reply.

OMG. Stab me!!

Thus, this is how it feels to be a multi-cultural, tri-cultural German born Taiwanese American. How does this relate to being white? Well, I often see my white friends have these typical quizzical looks when a restaurant worker or some non-english person would say something.

Now, I see it in the mirror. I, myself, carry a constant quizzical mask. The mask says “what the hell are you saying?”

It is in South America that I finally realized, “dayam…I´m American and I´m proud of it. Yes, I´m a confused American that happens to be Taiwanese and was born in Germany, but I´m still American in culture. I love my ghetto personality.”

ABOUT BRAZIL:

I am going to miss Brazil because the people are incredibly warm. They are naturally positive, they smile and laugh for no reason. Well, reasons I can´t understand. They are laid back and can take hours to get out the door, but they enjoy relationships and talking. I have learned a lot from Ecuador and Brazil, the people are SO unlike Americans. They live simply, save and recycle, and they seem a lot more content than…well, me. So this is what I´ve learned from them- relaxe and enjoy the sun.

South America: Finding Home in Brazil

On May 24, 2012May 24, 2012 By Rebekka LienIn travel2 Comments

Yes, that is my name on a towel. This is my first time couchsurfing and I was a little hesitant, but the family has been incredibly nice. They have one dog and two cats, the dog is named “Maggie” and has two poofy hairdo´s on the side of its head.

I now have complete access to internet, it`s incredible. After a horrible experience dying from food poisoning in Ecuador, I had to fly back to Quito and then to Brazil. Yesterday was a full day of flying, and my stomach was aching so bad. But thank God, today I feel great and I´ve learned a few Portugeuse words…unfortunately, with a Brazilian computer, I can´t spell check my English.

Small note of gratefulness: I had thrown away my crappy towel in Ecuador because I didn´t want to carry too much. On the way to the house, I asked my friend if they had an extra towel. When I got to there, they told me to look in the bathroom….voila- a new towel with my name on it. This may be a small surprise, but to me I knew that god had provided one with my very name on it. He sure takes care of His kids.

Everytime I look at the picture I am reminded that I have a home here in Brazil. I´ve been looking into a lot of travel writing sites, am trying to stop myself from compulsive workaholic behavior and not submit while I´m here. I know that I have something lined up in the states, there´s no human explanation, but my friend said that I´ll be working one on one with people, some kind of consulting work.

After going to the jungle, meeting Marco and working with the kids, I had 3 days. Even though, I didn´t have the money, I knew I had to go to the Galapagos Island because when would I return to Ecuador again? I put it on credit (yes, I know, not too smart, but somtimes you have to sacrifice, plus it´s not like I have college loans) and flew there. I got sick the second day, wabam, diarrhea and vomit galore. I was praying my ass off (to put it nicely) and tons of people were back home to support me. But I felt completely alone and vulnerable.

As a 3rd world country, Ecuador sure had awesome hospitals. As a foreigner, I got to see the nurse for free and only had to pay 21 bucks for medication. They stabbed my arm with a vaccination shot and gave me some acid eating medicine. Wow, if I was in America, I would be screwed over with tons of bills.

Some pictures while I was still alive:

Galapagos

Turtoise

No I´m not in Taiwan, but there´s a street like the night market. There I met a Taiwanese, no kidding, straight from Taiwan. It felt good to talk in Mandarin because I had been speaking really bad Spanglish for 10 days.

I will expand on more when I return to the states. More posts to come!! And do keep the comments coming!! I love them! God bless!

If you haven`t, go to the right of this page and type your email in to subscribe to my blog!

Jungle and Meeting Marco

On May 18, 2012May 18, 2012 By Rebekka LienIn food, travel2 Comments

Hi friends!

I´m trying to type really fast so I dont have to pay so much at the cabinas, though it´s relatively cheap. First of all, I´m alive! I have mosquito bites but I am happy and well. The other day I got to meet Marco and his family, as well as visit a church project. There were so many kids, they were all super adorable. I wanted to cry when Marco gave me a hug, he loved the scrapbook and gifts I brought him. Especially, the ninjas I bought from my friend who makes them. He carried the plush toys when we went to the zoo together. He is currently 10 years old and his family is struggling financially.

We went to visit his house and he had a monito, monkey as a pet. On my lap is the monito.

My friend, that is a real monkey. It tried to bite me, but after awhile it fell asleep on my lap. Sorry about the botellia in the picture, haha.

Then, I went to the jungle…let´s say, it was one strange thing after another.The lights went out in the lodge, I had some dark dreams, and it was super hot and humid. But within 3 days I had made more than 5 friends that I can say, I´ll now be friends forever with. Ecuadorians are so helpful, they will take time out of their day to help you. They are not driven by money only, they value famillia more than anything.

Yesterday, after riding with a tour guide, a worker and their boss (it just so happened they were at the lodge visiting and they were nice enough to give me a ride back with them), I had to pee SO BAD. Necessito el bano so bad. Well, my friend told me I had to get on a certain bus, when the black market taxi stopped, it just so happened the bus was right across the street. So with my backpack, I jumped out the taxi, ran across the trafficked street and jumped onto a moving bus, yes it started moving.

Somehow God is protecting me and giving me rides everywhere. I can´t tell you how amazing I´ve felt meeting the people here, they really humble me and help me to see the valuable things in life. I´m so glad I came, I wish everyone could experience this.

Fanta and Rice Breakfasts, Hot Summer Humid Nights in Ecuador

On May 15, 2012 By Rebekka LienIn travel7 Comments

Hi Friend!

I´ve finally got the time to blog about my first 2 days in Ecuador. The manager of the internet place just asked me if I´m married, it´s not very unlikely that random strangers will make conversation with you by asking about your boyfriend or spouse. He said, “your boyfriend is in Ecuador?”. To which I said “America”.

I´m in a random hole in the wall internet cafe, except there´s no cafe. It´s called a “cabina”. I rode in a 5 hour bus to Tena from Quito today. What I´ve fortunately realized is that Ecuador is probably the most beautiful place on earth, and also the people are one of the kindest people on earth as well. Unlike the pre- warnings that “omg”, you are going to get robbed and beware of men there, men in fact, especially the older ones have been like papas to me. Today on the bus, I met a bus driver who helped me find a hostel and find my way around Tena. Then previously, a medicine salesman helped me get to the terminal and take the right bus to Tena. He was very kind, though I don´t understand why he said he wanted to see the movies with me when I already told him I had a boyfriend.

Having said, Ï paid 10 bucks to stay at a hostel. The hostel has a little gap above the door so you can hear what drama the owners are watching. The amazonias get really cold at night, though during the day, it´s like living 24-7 in a hot steam bath. I feel yucky. It feels like living in Taiwan. The night, the markets do resemble Taiwan markets from 15 years ago. Though Taiwan is now much cleaner and more modernized.

I was thinking about how I´m the only asian woman walking on the street. Sometimes you start to feel like an exotic animal that everyone stares at. Now I know how white people feel in Asia, except in this case, it´s an Asian in Ecuador. Staring is very normal it seems.

And private space doesn´t exist. Personal space? What? When people point to tell you something, they definitely cross your American space by bypassing the normal boundaries. Of course, I´m crossed and pissed. Though I´ve realized, hey, they are not the only ones. Sometimes they don´t stop talking until you tell them, ¨”I´m going to take a nap”.

This morning, I was freaking out about how I would get to Tena, I prayed. Then, when I was buying a 30 cent comb the medicine salesman happened to just be going there. Thank god! I would say, Ecuadorians are WAY more hospitable than people in LA. I mean no one in LA would take the time to help you. Plus, if you think about it, no one goes walking in Skidrow at night anyways. All the things you do at home, is what you would do in a foreign country.

Speaking of foreign, I hope that I never act foreign, besides the language barrier. I hope I´m never someone that treats local with disrespect and no offense, ¨”act really white”. I was analyzing and observing today, and thinking about what it means to be foreign. And of course, how everything my American friends warned me of, happens to be 99 percent not true. Of course, we have to be careful wherever we go, but my time in Ecuador, for the two days, have proven to be positive…..besides feeling like an exotic animal and the sometimes ¨freaking annoying remarks “cheennnnaaa” as in Chinese. Because the very idea that a Chinese would come from Los Angeles seems so foreign, I have to try really hard to be patient.

More to come….

Love, bekka