The Quiet Warrior Podcast with Serena Low

71. Balloons, Biology, and the Courage to be Uncomfortable with Dr. Chloe Lim

• Serena Low, Introvert Coach for Quiet Achievers and Quiet Warriors

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Meet Dr. Chloe Lim—a molecular biologist turned entrepreneur, educator, and balloon artist. Chloe shares how pursuing an academic career in biomedical science led her to discovering a passion for creativity and entrepreneurship.

We discuss the challenges of imposter syndrome, redefining success, and embracing unexpected career pivots. We also dive into how parents can nurture curiosity and an interest in the sciences in children (even if they don’t have a STEM background), the power of self-reflection, and how micro steps can help us build confidence in the face of fear.

If you've ever felt that creativity is only for people who are naturally artistic, or that creativity and logic cannot co-exist, this episode is for you.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

✅ How Chloe transitioned from being a scientist to a creative entrepreneur
✅ The power of self-reflection and defining success on your own terms
✅ Why curiosity is key—and how parents can encourage it in their children
✅ How to push past imposter syndrome and stay in your own lane
✅ The importance of growth mindset, adaptability, and resourcefulness in career shifts
✅ Chloe’s experience on Blow Up, an Australian reality TV show for balloon artists

Guest Bio:

Dr. Chloe Lim is a molecular biologist, regulatory scientist, and entrepreneur who combines her love of science with creativity. She’s the founder of Giggly Wiggly Balloons, where she uses balloon art to inspire and educate. She also hosts CALD Voices in STEM, a podcast that highlights culturally and linguistically diverse women who are breaking barriers and making their mark in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

Connect with Dr. Chloe Lim:

Dr. Chloe Lim’s website
Giggly Wiggly Balloons
Twistyfic
CALD Voices in STEM Podcast
What Makes You Unique book
Instagram | LinkedIn

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This episode was edited by Aura House Productions

Speaker 1:

Hi, I'm Serena Loh. If you're used to hearing that introverts are shy, anxious, antisocial and lack good communication and leadership skills, then this podcast is for you. You're about to fall in love with the calm, introspective and profound person that you are. Discover what's fun, unique and powerful about being an introvert, and how to make the elegant transition from quiet achiever to quiet warrior in your life and work anytime you want, in more ways than you imagined possible. Welcome. Welcome to another episode of the Quiet Warrior podcast. Today, we have as our guest speaker a molecular biologist turned entrepreneur, educator and balloon artist who is passionate about using creativity to inspire and make a difference. Welcome, Dr Chloe Lim, to the Quiet Warrior podcast.

Speaker 2:

Hi Serena. Thank you so much for having me today. I'm really excited to share with your listeners a little bit about myself and, yeah, anything else that you could ask me about.

Speaker 1:

Thank you so much, chloe, and Happy New Year. It is the 15th day of the Lunar New Year here as we are recording this episode, so 恭喜发财 to you.

Speaker 2:

Yes, 恭喜发财 to you and your listeners too, if they celebrate Chinese New Year. Yes, go ahead.

Speaker 1:

Fatshoy, to you and your listeners too, if they celebrate Chinese New Year. So, chloe, tell us a bit about your background. You know how this all started, this journey of study, becoming a scientist, becoming a balloon artist, becoming an entrepreneur.

Speaker 2:

Oh my gosh, how long do you have on your podcast? I may look young, but I'm actually quite old, but anyway, I'm just kidding. Um, so I'm originally born in Malaysia, so I grew up in Kuala Lumpur and I'm the eldest of four siblings and my family. They are mostly back in Malaysia at the moment. But when I was growing up, one of the things that really drove me was my studies. So I am a confessed nerd. I love studying and, to add to my nerdiness, I love studying science subjects. So when I was in high school I really loved doing physics and chemistry Biology wasn't so much, interestingly and maths was really something that really light me up as well. So I did like advanced maths and pure maths.

Speaker 2:

And when it came to studying for university or choosing subjects for university, I was kind of looking at different options for how I can help with health, because I had this interest in how the human body works, help with health, because I had this interest in how the human body works. And as I looked into it, I initially I looked at chemical engineering. I'm not sure how I got into chemical engineering, but I think it was something to do with maybe how that can make the body better. I'm not sure how, but the more I looked into chemical engineering, the more I realized that it doesn't really study the body as much. It's more to do with, perhaps, drug development in the area that I was interested in. And so then I did a bit more digging and I found that, oh, maybe biomedical science would be another subject that I can look into. So I looked into more about what are the things that you study as part of a biomedical science degree and you know it covered things like anatomy, physiology, pathology, and I was like, oh, these are all very interesting topics with all the things that to do with the body, and so I decided to go for a biomedical science degree.

Speaker 2:

Now I've come from a background where, you know, I know my parents would not be able to afford for me to study overseas, and I have this dream of studying overseas because back in Malaysia we have this perception that overseas education is more valuable and it's going to be better than the local education. And so I decided to work really hard so that I can get scholarships that allowed me to study overseas, and thankfully I did get the grades that I wanted and I was able to secure actually two scholarships, one to study in Australia and the other to study in New Zealand and I was like, oh, australia, new Zealand, both really good choices. But I decided to go with New Zealand because a lot of people that I know were going to Australia to study. But I thought, well, maybe I'll do something a bit different and go to New Zealand instead, because we don't know what's happening there. But it was my first time sitting on a plane leaving the country, going to a foreign country to live and to study, and it was an interesting journey for sure, but I truly enjoyed my time in university. It was, I think, one of the best times of learning and growing. A lot of challenges there, but from there I got lots of opportunities to actually develop my academic journey as well.

Speaker 2:

And so, you know, at the end of my second year there was a summer research scholarship opportunity to do a research project in Australia and I applied for it and I got the scholarship. So I ended up flying to Australia and did a three-month summer project looking at hypertension and I really enjoyed it. And at the end of my third year I applied for it again and I got it again the second time round, and this time round I was looking at epigenetics, so looking at how markers on the DNA can impact whether a gene is switched on or switched off, and from there I realized that I really enjoy doing research, and so I decided to stay on in Australia to do an honors. And from there, um, after my honors, I actually, uh, did another summer scholarship, like I just love finding scholarships and just applying for them. If I can get my education for free, I try my best to do that. But, um, but at the end of that.

Speaker 2:

But at the end of that summer research project, unfortunately I couldn't stay on in Australia because I didn't have the visa that allowed me to do so, because I was still on an international student visa and I wasn't able to find, you know, an employer-sponsored visa, and so I had to leave the country and go back to Malaysia. So when I went back to Malaysia, I looked for jobs in Malaysia itself and also in Singapore, and at the same time I was also applying for my PhD scholarship too, because I was hoping to come back to Australia to do a PhD. Now, in the meantime, while all of that's happening, I got a job in Singapore as a research assistant. So I moved to Singapore and I worked at the National Neuroscience Institute and I was looking at brain tumors in mice, and so we were looking at how we can actually treat tumor cells in the brain using mouse as a model for studying it. Now I guess my time in Singapore was cut short because I got a scholarship offer to do my PhD at the Australian National University, so I left Singapore and then it is like a full circle Now I'm back in Australia, so back in Australia to do my PhD, and I was able to stay on to do a postdoc and throw in a couple of maternity leaves in there as well while I was having children, and then I became a research fellow as well, and I also had the opportunity to work with a biotech startup company that my supervisor was developing and I worked as a clinical trials coordinator and what I did was to run a phase one clinical trial in metastatic breast cancer patients and we were coordinating a multi-center trial to test a novel epigenetic drug to see how it can impact cancer cells in the body.

Speaker 2:

Now that was quite a few years ago, and now I've actually moved into government, so I'm a regulatory scientist working for the Department of Health and Aged Care at the moment and really a public servant at heart, but I also have all these other businesses that I run on the side, so we might keep that for another time and another question, I think.

Speaker 1:

Wow, that is some bio. One thing I wanted to ask you was you know, in your choice of the science path, how much of this was influenced by parental decision making? And I asked this on behalf of those of us who grew up in Asian backgrounds where parents' opinions are very important. And, you know, maybe the current generation doesn't face the same challenge. I do remember that, you know, at that time it was pretty much like you either go to medicine or you become a lawyer, and you know the options were a very rarefied few. So how did you come to choose the science path? Was there already a precedent in your family for that?

Speaker 2:

Interestingly, my parents actually never dictated what I should do. In fact, they gave all of us all me and my siblings free reign as to what we want to do for our careers, and what they did was really to support us in every step of the way. I remember my mom I can't remember when was this, but she actually helped me submit an application and I remember her actually having to go somewhere quite far away and then staying overnight just to help me with that, and so I'm very blessed. My parents are just supportive in whatever it is that we decide to do. But I do understand that there are cultural expectations around career choices, and I have interviewed quite a few people or have a chat with quite a few people who come from particularly, I think, from India. There's quite a few expectations in terms of the career choices, like you're either an engineer or you're a doctor or a lawyer, or perhaps an accountant maybe, but you have the top few choices and then, depending on how you go, you end up with whichever. But it's interesting, I guess.

Speaker 2:

I think even in all that we do as part of growing up, there is that huge influence from our parents in terms of what we believe, what we can do what we should be doing, how we are to carry ourselves, and so I think it's so important for parents to be aware of the sort of expectations they are putting on their children and whether those expectations are realistic and whether they are in alignment with actually what your children's passions and interests are.

Speaker 2:

So for me I mean, I think, reflecting back, because I'm a parent myself as well I have three children. You know, my son is 10 and I have twin girls who are eight, so they're all still in primary school, but that is actually a very important time because they're very impressionable about what they can be doing for the future at this point in time. Me, I think what is important to me is to be able to see and identify where they're actually good at, what their strengths are, and to focus on helping them develop those strengths. And let them try different things as well, because you never know what sort of things that you'll find unless you try it as well, right, and so giving them that support to help them develop those strengths, it as well, right, and so giving them that support to help them develop those strengths and then seeing where it takes them from there.

Speaker 1:

I think it's really providing that guidance and support that really helps children to grow and bloom academically and also as a person as a person, from a parent's point of view, I would imagine that a lot of parents would tend to go with those subject areas that they themselves are familiar with, that they have strengths in, and let's say, the STEM subjects are not their natural strengths. How would they then encourage their children to develop an interest in science, in maths, if they themselves don't have that experience?

Speaker 2:

Yeah, that's a good question because I mean, I think my children good thing, bad thing, I don't know but because both me and my husband were both scientists, so they I don't know but because both me and my husband we're both scientists, so they are completely exposed to science and they have no choice because we do envelop them in the scientific thinking process. But I think if a person doesn't have that background, that doesn't necessarily stop you from exposing your children to science. There are a lot of great avenues out there to introduce science to children. So lots of great books. There's also like apps and shows that are catered to really encouraging STEM in children. There are STEM kits that you can buy. There's, you know, lots of museums and shows that you can take your children to as well. So so you know, you're not short of the resources that you can use, but understanding, you know, being a parent is already quite overwhelming. I mean, there's lots of activities that you have to take your kids to and we are also quite time poor, and so I think a good way to help develop that scientific thinking in children is to incorporate that into your everyday life. So you know, we are actually surrounded by science all the time.

Speaker 2:

Everything that we're doing, everything that we're using, requires that science to be able to build it up to that product or to that you know, to that thing or how it works and all the different processes that we see you know in our everyday life how it works and all the different processes that we see you know in our everyday life.

Speaker 2:

And so one of the ways that a parent can sort of develop that STEM or science awareness in their children is really to observe and ask questions. So helping the children to see what's happening, asking them questions, helping them to develop that curiosity within them to understand how things work. I think that really helps to bring that science into everyday life. And the main thing for me really is to instill that love for curiosity and also to ask questions. So curiosity, linking it with asking questions, and I think in the end, I think that's going to set them up for later as well as an adult too, because ideally we want to be developing a generation of curious thinkers and also scientific thinkers, people who are not just going to take any information in without checking the evidence. So really developing that evidence-based thinking in people so that then they can apply it as part of their day-to-day living. Wow.

Speaker 1:

That requires a lot more self-reflection, self-awareness in parents, I think, because, like you rightly pointed out, we are time poor, we are distracted, we are multitasking all the time, at that level of being, that hands-on, that switched on, that self-aware to be finding those teachable moments all the time. So I think it first comes back to ourselves practicing that curiosity, that observation, which means we ourselves have to slow down enough to actually notice our environment, pay, know, pay attention to leaves falling or birds, or, you know, just enjoying nature. You know, being away from our devices or being fully present for, let's say, five minutes even, and taking ourselves into that kind of space where we can then slow down and match where our children are at, instead of, you know that, constantly a barrage of thoughts going on in our heads, what to do next. You know, what should I be doing? Am I doing this right? Am I doing this well enough? All the other, you know, internal chatter has to be muted down sufficiently to create that space to have those sorts of conversations with our children, isn't it?

Speaker 2:

to create that space to have those sorts of conversations with our children, isn't it?

Speaker 2:

Yeah, and I think we've hit a great point about self-reflection and awareness, and the challenge is that we have to be intentional about these things.

Speaker 2:

It is not something that's just going to happen, you know, without you thinking about it, right, and so I think that that's a really critical thing that I don't think we have been taught, like there's no manual for parenting, unfortunately.

Speaker 2:

We're all learning on the go and on the job, um, but, but to help people realize that, you know, just taking that five minutes, like you say, I think it doesn't need to be a long time, that five minutes to just stop what you're doing. You know, at the of the day, once the kids are in bed and you can have a moment to yourself to really reflect on the day, I think I mean I have a self-reflection practice and a journaling practice where, at the end of the day, I'll think about oh, what was good about today and what are the things that could have been done a bit better, and how then can I improve it for next time? And as part of being a good leader in the family, because parents are leaders in the family. We are a leader for our children and part of being a good leader is actually reflecting on having a reflective practice, because that's when you can actually notice things and then take action to fix things or improve things as part of your reflection.

Speaker 1:

I agree with you there, the importance of a reflective practice, and I think the more hectic and chaotic the environment and the times we're in, the more important it is to pull back, consciously and intentionally, to slow down, to make space for ourselves, because in the process we're also modeling it for our children, because they are watching us all the time. They are watching us all the time and they are unconsciously absorbing these patterns that they see their parents playing out, and of course, that becomes part of their way of expressing themselves in the world too. And so my next question to you then how did you move from being a scientist to then embracing business and entrepreneurship?

Speaker 2:

Sure yeah, it's an. It's a good question because, you know, I never thought of myself as an entrepreneur or, you know, a businesswoman in that sense. When I was in my academic career. It was very focused. I was like, okay, this is what I need to do to climb the ladder in science. But the turning point was actually when I came back from maternity leave with my twin girls and when I came back to work, my supervisor told me that my hours were being reduced. So I was really part-time, but they have to reduce my part-time hours even more. And it was at that point in time that I realized that I cannot depend on my job for my income. And so that was when I decided, okay, I need to do something for myself. I decided, okay, maybe I can start a business.

Speaker 2:

Now, at that point in time I didn't really, I guess I didn't really have ideas of how I could start a business. Now I did have a friend who was selling skincare, and you know what was it like supplements and things. I thought, oh, maybe I can learn from her and started that. But you know, it got to a point where, you know, it's not really something that I really enjoy, like I love, I love using skincare, I don't mind using, you know makeup and stuff, but I'm not I'm not that passionate about selling it, and the one thing I've learned about business is that you do have to be passionate passionate about what it and the one thing I've learned about business is that you do have to be passionate about what it is you're doing. What is it you're serving, how you're serving people and what is the service or product that you're offering. And so you know it came to a point where I decided I need to revisit what I'm doing. Like this is not something I enjoy doing.

Speaker 2:

And somehow, you know, about six years ago now you know, I actually got I stumbled into balloon twisting, and how that came about was my pastor was looking for someone to twist balloons at a community church event, and no one put their hands up, and so I thought maybe I'll give it a go. So I went to Kmart, bought a pack of balloons and I went on YouTube as you do when you want to learn something new, and learned how to make a balloon dog, and I was like, oh, this is actually quite interesting, it's quite fun. And so I kept going looking for other videos, looking for other designs to learn and, before you knew it, I got hooked and I found so much joy and fun in making balloons and I thought, oh, maybe I can make this into a business. And so that was when Giggly Wiggly Balloons was born. I started a side hustle twisting balloons at parties, but it sort of grew into something even bigger than I can imagine like. It's led me to lots of amazing opportunities, you know, to work with um, big organizations like you know, national gallery of australia, and I've also gone on tv for this as well. So I was on a blow up um, which is a reality tv show by channel seven. You can still catch it on 7 Plus, by the way, but it was crazy. I guess.

Speaker 2:

You know, when you do something that you enjoy and I think you know, it sort of just grows and because of that passion that you have for that you know, for that topic or for that hobby or for that you know skill or strength or whatever it is you find that the more you do it, the more you grow as a person in terms of developing your skills and the more opportunities present itself as well.

Speaker 2:

And I think you can see when someone is passionate about a specific topic and you can't help but to really be immersed or be engaged or just want to be part of that passion right, because it's actually quite infectious, I think, when someone is really passionate about that topic.

Speaker 2:

And so I think I'm really blessed with how I was able to take that balloon twisting and build it into something beyond what I can imagine, and then to also have it lead me to tying it with STEM as well, because, as part of me developing myself as a balloon performer, so I do balloon storytelling shows for children, using classic storytales like Three Little Pigs to get children involved in putting on a show. I've actually merged my love of science and balloons to create science storytelling shows as well, so using balloons as a tool of engagement for children and to help them understand. You know abstract concepts like DNA in a science show, and so you never know what's going to happen. I guess, as you progress in your interest, that you start developing new ideas and creating new things that other people may not have done.

Speaker 1:

I think the moment you appeared and became this scientist, who is also a balloon artist, it made me think how is it that no one has come up with this concept before? Because it's brilliant. And I saw a picture of you with your DNA balloon. It's so intricate. Maybe if I had seen a DNA balloon when I was little, I might have decided to like STEM subjects much more, instead of seeing them as this mystifying thing, like a foreign language that I cannot access. But I do want to ask you about this journey of figuring things out, of going by one path your plan A, your linear path and then shifting, pivoting into something you didn't expect to do. But then you've pursued it out of your own passion, your own enthusiasm, which, as you say, is infectious, is contagious in a very good way, because people can't help but be drawn into that energy, because it's a very positive and uplifting kind of energy that shows people what's possible, and we all have that inside us. There's a part of us that loves that excitement being the explorer. Perhaps it takes us back to our childhood, where anything was possible.

Speaker 1:

So I remember reading your LinkedIn Rewind either end of the year or start of this year, where you were quoted as saying after your blow up tv show, my biggest competitor was myself, my mindset and beliefs. What held me back was me, not what anyone said or did, and I would love you to speak more about that, because I think all of us are very much have moments where we feel held back by what other people have said to us, other people have done, and we have this, um, perhaps a pattern of externalizing and looking at the outward environment as being responsible for how we are. So if we don't achieve something, or it's because you know the economy is difficult, or people are not supportive, or I'm not well-connected enough, but what you're saying is what held me back was me, and to me that is a radical way of taking self-responsibility. Could you talk to us more about that?

Speaker 2:

Yeah, I think a lot of these things come from our parents, our environment, the sort of programming, the mental programming that we've been instilled since we were young, that we are not good enough. And I think that is the challenge. That was my main challenge that I had to overcome. I always felt that I didn't live up to a certain standard or a certain expectation, be it something that's said by my parents, perhaps, but I mean, like I said, my parents actually did actually have that expectation for me. So it's actually I think it's a self-inflicted expectation, but also, I think I mean not only just self-inflicted. I think sometimes we also compare ourselves with other people's successes and achievements. We feel like or we think that you know, this is what success looks like and this is how we should be living and what we should be aiming for. And cultural expectation of what success is supposed to be is so loud Because everyone is sort of advertising or parading their success and we feel that need to match that or overcome that or achieve even more. But I think what was important to me as I grew older and learned more about myself is I have to determine what success means for me, and it may not be the same as what the society or the cultural expectations of success are. But it's okay, because I define what is success, and I think that is the challenge that a lot of people are facing is they feel that they are not successful enough, but the problem is because they haven't actually defined success for themselves, and so I think when I realized that you know, this is what success means to me, and so these are the goals that I then want to achieve and it made it so much easier for me to accept me for who I am and to understand what is it that I bring to the table, what are my skills, what are my strengths and how then I can utilize them in a way that helps me fulfill my goals and dreams that I felt a lot more freedom around that. Now for me to then overcome that we've got all this programming of not being good enough, all these things about not being good enough. Essentially, I think that's the challenge we have here.

Speaker 2:

So that limiting belief is something that I had to overcome every step of the way, because you know we're going against the grain, we're going against what everyone else around us thinks should be success, and so I had to sort of really go internally a lot and to remind myself what are the things that I'm good at, what are my goals, and to just focus on that, so it becomes more of a personal reflection as well. Exercise and to really have blinders, in a sense, just like the horses the race horses they have blinders, so that you're just focused on what is it that is important to you, what is it that aligns with your values and how then you can just keep going for that end goal. You know at the end of the race you have that I cannot think of it right now, mind blank. But you know you have your own race to run of it right now, mind blank, but you know you have your own race to run I think, that's what I'm trying to say.

Speaker 2:

Yes, yeah, you have your own race to run, and so you have to focus on your race and forget about what everyone else is doing on the side. And and so you know, for me, um, you know, if you bring it back to that blow upup TV show, I got to a point in that particular episode where I was just comparing myself and comparing my balloon creation with everyone else's on that day, and the negative chatter that was happening in my head was just like, oh my gosh, why am I here? I don't feel like I deserve to even be on the show. I was just, you know, three years into doing balloon art and I'm surrounded by experts who've been doing this for, you know, over 10 to 20 years and, and it was at a point where it was quite far into the competition, we had to create a balloon creation that was in nature. The team was into the wild and I decided I'll create the metamorphosis of the butterfly because I thought it was such to be. It was such a great example of biology as well and a great example of, you know, the change that we have to go through as a person.

Speaker 2:

But it took me a long time to even create the plant. And so I had this, this plant with four leaves. And then, when I looked around, I can see someone with a giant lion head, someone who created, you know, a pine forest with a waterfall and then a massive bamboo forest with beautiful pandas in the forest, and I was like, oh my gosh, I have a small plant with four leaves. And that was when, you know, the negative self-talk really kicked in, really thinking about what, like, what am I doing here? You know, I cannot compete with these people who's making big sculptures. And I think it's at that point where you realize that you know you cannot let this negative chatter overcome what your vision is. So I had a vision of this beautiful butterfly. We've got a caterpillar which changes into a chrysalis, and then you've got the beautiful caterpillar emerging, and so that was my vision for the piece, and I had to forget about what everyone else is doing around me but focus on what it is that I do best.

Speaker 2:

I love adding details to my sculptures, and so these are all the details that's going to go into my sculpture, and I had to really shut that negative chatter down by focusing on what I do best and to focus on that goal what is the vision that I have for this piece and to just push through and execute that vision. And so a lot of times, I think, when we come across something that we are really interested in, that we really want to do, it could be a goal, a hidden goal or hidden passion. Sometimes it's a matter of just pushing yourself through it, even though it's hard, even though it might not be the norm, and just going for it, and then you never know what's going to happen at the end of it anyway. But I think we tend to have regrets of things that we have not done rather than regrets of things that we have done. So for me, my philosophy is you know, just do it.

Speaker 1:

Like Nike says, and that is the spirit of the adventurer and the explorer, because that's what we need to get started on the quest, isn't it? I think every one of us faces a quest or crossroads of some kind at some point in our lives, but then the question is do I go forward? Do I just stay still and just carry on with my comfortable path and the path of safety and familiarity? Do I go into this trail that I've never explored and I don't know what's ahead of me? There might be a wilderness and no signposts at all, and I don't know what I'm doing in there.

Speaker 1:

I might be lost for years, and I think it's that fear of what we have to go through as well as what's on the other side. So what kept you going in those times when I'm sure there must have been moments where, as you say, the imposter syndrome got really loud, and so you said you pushed through that by learning to do the hard things. What else has been helpful for you in figuring things out as you go? Because I imagine that you know doing what you do, which is curating and creating your own pathway, not only of success, but a very unique kind of career that nobody else has, and you've put it together and figured things out along the way. How do people learn to be comfortable? Be more comfortable with figuring things out as they go. Be comfortable. Be more comfortable with figuring things out as they go.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, no, the fear of trying something new is very real, especially since you know we are so afraid of what people will think, what people will say. You know there's, and if you fail at something, people might think and that kind of just brings up that you're not enough enough, you're not good enough even more that voice. But I think what's important, uh, when it comes to overcoming these fears, is to get comfortable with being uncomfortable so you could take micro steps. I think that's always very important, just taking small steps to push yourself out of your comfort zone every single day. And the more you do it, the more you get used to taking risks and the more you get used to putting yourselves in situations where you've never been before, and I think that's a sort of progression that I have done in my life as well. I am one to generally say yes to things that I've not tried before. I mean, I decided to go to New Zealand instead of Australia when everyone's going to Australia, and I think it's that curiosity that drives me to try something new as well. I guess the other thing I'll mention is I think that courage to try something new also develops over time and also develops with the actions that you take. So the more action you take, the more experience you get, the more confident you become in doing that thing.

Speaker 2:

So if you think about public speaking, for example, you know a lot of people are afraid of speaking in public. I mean, I was too, and the first time I did it was when I was in high school. I just remember holding a piece of paper and I was just shaking and my voice was shaking as well. Piece of paper and I was just shaking and my voice was shaking as well. But with public speaking, I just had to keep pushing myself to do it, even if it felt so uncomfortable. I was still nervous. But then we have to channel that nervousness into excitement instead.

Speaker 2:

So I think it's a mindset thing again, right, it's switching that mindset to thinking that, oh, I am not good enough, why am I doing this? I am so thankful that I get to do this, I'm so thankful that this opportunity has presented itself to me and I am going to do my best to present this so that I can serve people the best that I can. And so it's that mindset shift that I think it's so important, when opportunities present to you, that you go for the empowering mindset rather than the diminishing mindset. And I think the other mindset that I like to pull in here is also the idea of growth mindset, that you can master anything with learning and effort, as opposed to the fixed mindset, thinking that you can't learn new things. So really adopting that growth mindset is really important in overcoming fears in trying new things, and you never know what will happen when you try something new. You might meet someone different, or you might meet someone new, find a new connection, or you might find a new path in your career who knows?

Speaker 2:

So I am always a huge proponent of trying new things and because I think I see it in my own life as well, with the balloon business, just because I tried balloon twisting, I now have the balloon business. Like, just because I tried balloon twisting, I now, you know, have a balloon business. So I think you never know what's going to happen, and I think people have to be open to changes or pivots that happen in your life. You know we have this grand plan. Sometimes you know this 5, 10, 25 year plan even of how life is supposed to be like, but I think it's also important to leave space or room for the unexpected. Sometimes opportunities might come and it will take you on a different path, and I think it's important to develop that resilience and also that adaptability, to then know that you have the resources or you can find the resources that can help you move into different directions.

Speaker 1:

Thank you so much for that very elaborate, very detailed summary of all the traits that we need to inculcate and cultivate for ourselves, for our children. I think the first one you mentioned was putting on those blinders, especially when you have imposter syndrome, being very loud in your ear and telling you all those negative messages about how you're not good enough and other people are better. We need to be able to shut out that voice and we need to be able to focus our eyes on our own path. As you said, stick to our own lane and remember what the goal was initially. What's the reason that we are in this situation, doing this challenging thing? What is it we wanted to accomplish? And then focus fully on that. And also you said micro steps as your strategy to learn to be comfortable with being uncomfortable, and that is something I practice as well. The idea of being 1% better every day. I find that much more manageable micro steps than trying to attempt a massive transformation in a very short period of time. And then you said also the idea of pushing yourself out of your comfort zone every day, doing hard things, and it reminds me of the athlete mindset that, um, we spoke about with a different guest on a previous episode, the idea of disciplining ourselves like an athlete. Every day we show up, we do hard things and then, over time, the hard things become easier, they become normal things that we do. That are just part of what we do. And you said curiosity and self-reflection, which we talked about at the start of this conversation as well inculcating that for ourselves as parents, as adults, so that we can also model that for our children, and the courage to try something new.

Speaker 1:

But the part that really stood out for me is the language, which I think is very powerful when you reframe something from the diminishing mindset to an empowering mindset, because diminishing makes us smaller. Empowering makes us stand up straight. You know, it changes our posture, it changes the way we speak, it enables us to take up more space, just the way we speak. It enables us to take up more space. And what you said was I'm so thankful that I get to do this, and you also said I'm doing my best to serve people. I will do my best to do this thing well and serve people as well. So I think there are some elements there that are important. First of all, it's the language that I get to do this, which, to me, speaks of gratitude for the tremendous privilege, the opportunity and the blessing that has been given to us, which then makes us feel right.

Speaker 1:

This is not just about me. I'm part of the bigger picture. I'm here to do this for the good of everyone who is watching or who is bystanding, who is watching or who is bystanding, and so, therefore, I need to do my best, and I need to do it in service of people, not just in service of myself or my own agenda. And I think when we think along those sorts of lines, when it's much more about the bigger picture and the greater good than it is our soul good, it becomes easier, I feel, to let down the guard, to mute the imposter syndrome, to focus on our own lane and our own strengths and really allow ourselves to shine. So thank you for that reminder and also being open to pivots, to be adaptable, to be resourceful, and I like that you pointed out that there was a difference about having the resources versus being resourceful in looking for those resources, because I think the second one is much more important. We may not always have what we need in the moment, but we can trust ourselves that we can find those things that we need and maybe the connections that we need too.

Speaker 1:

And so you mentioned also that the other two kinds of mindset the growth mindset, which is that I can learn anything, which I think is so important, not just whether it's STEM subjects and, you know, doing well academically, but, I think, in all areas of life, because things are changing so quickly, technology is advancing so rapidly, sometimes we feel like we've been left far behind and this is too hard, I can't learn this stuff. But then you're saying I can learn anything and if I start off with that kind of a mindset, then I will be more likely to persist and to get there using micro steps, versus the fixed mindset of oh you know, I'm not good at, I'm good at humanities, I'm not good at sciences, so you know this, this is beyond me, this stuff is beyond me, it's too hard and not good at sciences. So you know, this is beyond me, this stuff is beyond me, it's too hard. And that sort of puts a full stop to everything, because then I have no reason, no inclination to go any further with it.

Speaker 1:

It's the end of the chapter and what you're saying is actually we don't know what the next chapter is, we don't know what's around the corner. It's very much up to us to create that story, to write the next chapter, to keep that story going, but we really don't know what lies around the corner, which is exciting, but of course, it inspires fear in some other people too. But then, when we learn to trust ourselves more and be more reflective and more resourceful, then I think we discover that we are actually just like the adventurers, the explorers that we were when we were children. And I also want to mention that you do have your own podcast, chloe. Do you want to tell us about that?

Speaker 2:

Yeah, of course. Yeah, so I have a podcast called Child Voices in STEM and in this podcast I interview culturally diverse women in STEM and highlight their stories, their challenges, some of the achievements as well as part of working in a STEM career. So I have this is season two now. So season one I have people from all over Australia sharing their stories and with season two, I've been very fortunate to get the YWCA Canberra YDS grant to fund this season two, and in season two I focus on Canberra women in STEM. So looking locally and, you know, finding amazing women in Canberra who are doing amazing science and showcasing their stories. So I'd love for your listeners to check that podcast out as well. It's on Apple and Spotify and, yeah, definitely drop the link as well for the podcast so you can all check it out Fantastic and listeners.

Speaker 1:

if you have a daughter, a niece, a granddaughter, someone who is interested in STEM, very curious about this, you know becoming a scientist and having great dreams and ambitions of doing something amazing in the world someday, make sure that you get onto Chloe's podcast so that you can learn more. So thank you so much, chloe, for joining us today on the Quiet Warrior podcast. You have been such a generous and detailed sharer of your wisdom and of your entrepreneurial path and we've learned a lot from you.

Speaker 2:

Thank you so much, Serena, for having me. I really appreciate this. Thank you.

Speaker 1:

And that was another episode of the Quiet Warrior podcast. If you've enjoyed this conversation with Dr Chloe Lim, make sure you check out her podcast called Voices in STEM and also rate and review this episode. I'll see you on the next one. I'm so grateful that you're here today. If you found this content valuable, please share it on your social media channels and subscribe to the show on your favorite listening platform. Together, we can help more introverts thrive. To receive more uplifting content like this, connect with me on Instagram at Serena Lu Quiet Warrior Coach. Thank you for sharing your time and your energy with me. See you on the next episode.