Emma, creator
Driven by people and community. Passionate about mental, physical, and spiritual wellness, and cultivating a more mindful, sustainable way of being.
The vision I hold for you is that you ground in your purpose, fulfill your highest potential, and connect more deeply with yourself and the world around you.
How did I get here?
For three decades, the way I knew how to show up in the world was to constantly people-please and strive for the single definition of success that I knew at the time — trying to gather prestigious logos on my resume, diligently climb the corporate ladder by working towards the next promotion, and taking pride in being busy or saying “yes” to everything as a signal to myself and others that I was a valuable and obedient daughter, friend, employee, human.
On top of that, I was an anxious perfectionist with an overactive nervous system, and I didn’t even realize it because it felt so normal. Even when I started to become more aware of it, I had no idea how to manage it. Many things would activate me and sweep me into a spiral of thought traps and cycles of overthinking. I led with my analytical mind yet had very little control it. The anxiety, desire for perfection, and not truly knowing who I was led me to do a lot of things in a state of fear, on auto-pilot. I operated out of stories and beliefs that I never questioned (i.e. I’m not good at what I do, I can’t make mistakes, I don’t deserve success, I need to be good at everything).
In 2021, my body and nervous system finally communicated exhaustion from these cycles and behaviors, and I started therapy. At the same time, I discovered Open and started regularly practicing yoga and meditation. Later, I discovered group coaching and then started working with a coach one on one. The combination of these modalities changed my life. It was not fast or easy and it took a lot of self-reflection, self-awareness, and consistency over an extended period of time before I started seeing significant change. If you are already on or thinking about the same path — Keep going. Stay committed. You will come to see change.
Doing the work to deeply understand myself and using mindfulness and self-awareness to gain control of my mind has positively impacted all areas of my life. It is this work that has helped me to get unstuck in many areas of my life, discover my values, and follow my deepest desires. This path has led me to create Waan Studios where I am passionate about helping and inspiring others to do the same.
In addition to being a trained Co-Active coach and student/teacher of meditation, I have 13+ years of corporate experience and I am a principal product designer at a tech company in San Francisco.
What the stars (and personality tests) say
Earth Dragon
Libra Sun
Aries Moon
Virgo Rising
1/3 Splenic Projector
ISFJ-T
Top 5 Clifton Strengths: Intellection, Responsibility, Relator, Maximizer, Empathy
Why Waan?
Waan is a Cantonese word that embodies the essence of play, enjoyment, and spontaneity. Growing up in Canada with immigrant parents from Hong Kong, Cantonese was my first language. I chose this name to honor my roots and signify my deliberate shift from a lifelong pursuit of perfectionism to embracing joy and exploration. It symbolizes possibility, growth, and transformation for both myself and all who step into the studio.
Training & Self-Investments
I am a big believer in self-investment. Being in community with teachers and students of the work I bring to my practice is invaluable. Below are investments I’ve made, and continue to make, in myself.
2024
1:1 Coaching with Katia Birch
The Lab of Meditation Teacher Training (In Progress)
Co-Active Coach Training (104 hours)
Benshen with Desirée Pais
2023
Co-Active Coach Fundamentals
1:1 Meditation Training with Mel Mah
2022
Women’s Yoga Retreat in Sayulita
Women’s Yoga Retreat in Joshua Tree
Mindful Manifestation with Mel Mah