In this episode, I sit down with Ritu Saxena, a Chartered Accountant, career coach and founder of Project Upgrade Her, to unlayer a truth that most high-achievers spend their lives running from.

She spent 15 years building a "safe" life. She moved from Mumbai to New Zealand and eventually Australia, ticking every professional box and earning the titles that were supposed to make her feel secure. But behind the degrees and the senior roles, she was still "shrinking" in boardrooms, hoping no one would find out she felt like an imposter.

Now she helps women of colour move from feeling stuck and under-recognised to clear on their direction, visible in their field and well-paid for their worth.

𝗪𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼:

• The "Safe Path" Trap: Why we choose careers as armour rather than callings.

• Navigating the physical and emotional shock of moving from a community-driven culture to an individualistic one.

• How a single "sad face" from a manager during a performance review became the catalyst for Ritu to stop hiding and start advocating for herself.

• Moving from a need for external validation to a state of radical self-trust.

It’s a conversation about the moment you realise that your hard work won't save you, and that the only way forward is to finally acknowledge the person beneath the layers.

🔔 If this episode resonates, share it with someone who is currently "shrinking" in their career or trying to outwork their deepest self-doubts.

🔔 Don't forget to SUBSCRIBE! 🔔

Episode Resources

Watch on YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@pan.perera⁠⁠

Guest

Ritu Saxena

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/projectupgradeher/

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/ritusaxena1

Connect with Pan Perera

LinkedIn | ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/panperera/⁠

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We are often taught that money is just a math problem, a series of spreadsheets and investments. We chase a 10/10 lifestyle, the "right" car, and the "right" neighbourhood to fit into the societal box of success. But for many, especially those who have experienced loss, money is actually a nervous system problem.

In this episode, Shriyansh joins us to unlayer the radical shift from "status-seeking" to "intentional security." From growing up in a wealthy family in India to navigating the humbling reality of international student life in Melbourne, he shares how he rebuilt his life from the inside out.

𝗧𝗼𝗽𝗶𝗰𝘀 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗰𝘂𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗱:

• The Riches-to-Rags Pivot: Lessons from losing it all and the trauma of a shifting financial identity.

• Why the "invisible" peace of mind is more valuable than a luxury car.

• How tracking your money can become a spiritual practice for healing scarcity.

• The Migrant Mindset: Navigating the unique pressure of succeeding in a new country like Australia.

• Healing the Inner Child: Why our spending habits are often signals from our past versions seeking safety.

🔔 If this episode resonates, share it with someone who is struggling with financial burnout or the "hustle" culture.

🔔 Don't forget to SUBSCRIBE! 🔔

𝗘𝗽𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗱𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗲𝘀

Watch on YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@pan.perera⁠⁠

𝗚𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁

Shriyansh Maniar

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shriyanssh/

𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗣𝗮𝗻 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗿𝗮

LinkedIn | ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/panperera/⁠

Instagram | ⁠https://www.instagram.com/pan.perera/

TikTok | https://www.tiktok.com/@pan.perera

Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/panpereraofficial

We are often taught that a "successful" child is a compliant one. We chase a 10/10 life, perfect grades, smooth transitions, and fitting into the societal box.

But for many parents, this pursuit of "perfection" is actually a layer of high-pressure expectation that ignores the unique nervous system of the child right in front of them.

In this episode, 3x Award-Winning Author and the Founder of Neuro-Affirmative Network- Hwee Peng Tan joins us to unlayer the radical shift from "fixing" to "connecting.

𝗧𝗼𝗽𝗶𝗰𝘀 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗰𝘂𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗱:

• Key insights from her Amazon Number 1 Bestselling book - How To Be A Neuro-affirmative Parent.

• Her unique journey from a successful corporate career in Singapore to becoming a full-time advocate for her son.

• The 4/10 Masterpiece: Why letting go of perfection in some areas creates the space for true excellence in neuro-divergent children.

• Why success starts with the environment you create, not the child's behaviour.

• Why emotional regulation is important for neuro-affirmative parenting

Parenting isn't about moulding a child into who the world wants them to be. It’s about peeling back the layers of our own expectations so we can finally see who they already are.

🔔 If this episode resonates, share it with a colleague or a friend and support them in their neuro-affirmative parenting journey.

🔔 Don't forget to SUBSCRIBE! 🔔

—-----------------------------------------------------------------

𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀

00:00 – Intro: Meet Hwee Peng Tan, Author of "How to be a Neuro-affirmative Parent." 03:15 – The Singapore Mindset: Unlearning the 10/10 "Perfect Score" culture.

06:40 – Moving to Australia: A corporate planner’s journey to radical acceptance.

10:12 – The Manual vs. Auto Metaphor: Why neurodivergent brains drive differently.

14:35 – What is Neuro-Affirmative? Shifting from the "Medical Model" to connection.

18:20 – The First "Mother": Why hearing one word is the ultimate success.

22:15 – The 4/10 Masterpiece: Why we need to stop chasing "8/10" in everything.

27:50 – Firefighting in Parenting: How to choose your #1 priority every day.

32:10 – The Environment vs. The Child: Why changing the room changes the behaviour.

38:45 – Dealing with "Black Magicians": Protecting your child from societal gossip.

43:20 – Exposing the Wound: Why boundaries are essential for emotional safety.

48:47 – The Unlayered Question: Letting go of the expectations of others.

#UnlayeredPodcast #Neurodiversity #AutismParenting #ADHDSupport #PositiveParenting #ParentingTruths #Unlearning #NeurodivergentKids #AuthenticParenting #RedefiningSuccess #SlowParenting #NeuroAffirmativeParenting #MindfulParenting #healing

𝗘𝗽𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗱𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗲𝘀

Guest

Hwee Peng Tan

Get Hwee’s award-winning book “𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗧𝗼 𝗕𝗲 𝗔 𝗡𝗲𝘂𝗿𝗼-𝗮𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁” (# 1 bestseller in Two Categories - " Parenting and Relationships" & "Child Care")

Amazon: https://amzn.asia/d/1SL3EaH

Website: https://www.neuro-affirmativenetwork.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hwee-peng-tan/

𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗣𝗮𝗻 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗿𝗮

LinkedIn | ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/panperera/⁠

Instagram | ⁠https://www.instagram.com/pan.perera/

TikTok | https://www.tiktok.com/@pan.perera

Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/panpereraofficial