Grief is a universal feeling that comes in many shapes and sizes. Whether it's the loss of a loved one, the loss of who you used to be, or what could have been, grief is a difficult emotion that we all experience. In this episode, Ro and Viv share their personal experiences with grief. Ro lost her sibling at the age of 17, and Viv recently lost a parent. They both talk about how they coped with their loss and the challenges of adjusting to a new reality. They also offer ways to be there for a fr...
Apr 11, 2023•53 min•Season 1Ep. 45
It's time for some life updates! This week, Ro and Viv talk about entering new life stages and navigating the in-between period between seasons. We all go through many transitions in life—naturally as we grow older, whether you’ve moved to another city, started a new job, or you have made a lifestyle change. Whatever it may be, these transitionary periods can tend to be turbulent as we adjust to our new "normal," but the duo share that these transitions, are in a lot of ways, life's way of helpi...
Apr 04, 2023•35 min•Season 1Ep. 44
What do you do when you get angry? Do you bottle it up and let is pass? Or do you see red and explode with rage? Or maybe it comes out in the form of passive aggression? Whichever way your anger comes out, we’ve all been there. This week Viv and Ro discuss how anger comes out in many forms in different people, the differences between anger and aggression, and share stories of personal anger—from throwing tantrums as kids to how they deal with anger as adults. As unpleasant as being angry can be,...
Mar 28, 2023•39 min•Season 1Ep. 43
After scrolling on Instagram or TikTok for three hours, you feel rejuvenated, refreshed, supported, and you’re ready to take on the day…. said no ever lol. Why do we obsessively check social media to see what others are doing only to feel crappy about ourselves when comparing your life to theirs? This week we talk all about FOMO (fear of missing out) and the affects it has on us when we compare our lives to others; and it’s not just through social media! FOMO can come in many avenues such as not...
Mar 14, 2023•41 min•Season 1Ep. 42
What is a "care team", and how do you create one? In this episode, Vivian and Rowena revisit "care teams" (a concept introduced in episode 33 ) and discuss in depth the definition, composition, and importance of having one - how can you create your own or find your role in the care teams of those around you? While people often form the foundation of a support system, your care team can also consists of different resources including books, podcasts (like this one 😉), spirituality, and pets! Plea...
Mar 07, 2023•38 min•Season 1Ep. 41
Like any relationship, friendships take work if you want them to last. Whether it's making new friends, maintaining current ones, or outgrowing friendships, this week the duo dive into all things friendships 🤓 How do you navigate the ebbs & flows of a close relationship? What do you do when you have differing expectations of what it means to be a good friend? Is it necessary to have a formal breakup conversation? Tune in this week to hear more on the duo's experiences with friendships in th...
Feb 28, 2023•39 min•Season 1Ep. 40
So you’re feeling unmotivated: it’s hard to get anything done let alone get out of bed, and the voice in your head is telling you “get your butt up,” “stop wasting your precious time,” “why are you sleeping in AGAIN”… what do you do?? This week’s episode is a part two to motivation (check out eps. 28 for part one, one of our most popular episodes in 2022!). The dynamic duo share how their approach to motivation has changed over time and the hacks they’ve used to help maintain more consistent ene...
Feb 28, 2023•40 min•Season 1Ep. 39
How do you learn to love yourself? Whether you’re snuggling up with a SO or livin’ that Single Pringle life this Valentine’s day, a friendly reminder that the most important and greatest love at the end of the day is the love you have for yourself! This week, Viv and Ro time travel back to ~2013 and paint a picture of the relationship they had with themselves in their early 20s (or lack there of). They share stories of breakups (uhh do we cancel him?? hehe jk) and how their lonely single era led...
Feb 14, 2023•41 min•Season 1Ep. 38
How do we prevent burnout in 2023? (hint: the answer is a lot more fun than you think!) This week’s episode is all about PLAY and the benefits of “losing yourself in play.” Whether it’s throwing clay in a ceramics class like Viv or swimming with sharks in Hawaii like Ro (ooo story time!), “play” can help bring us to the present moment, relieve stress, and prevent overthinking. It’s easy to get stuck in our everyday routines, and while we all value self-care, we often forget that allowing yoursel...
Feb 07, 2023•43 min•Season 1Ep. 37
Grab some Takis or shrimp chips and have a fun Q&A with us this week! Our wonderful community of listeners have some questions, and Viv and Ro have got the answers! Are there any new things you’ve implemented into your routine? Go to comfort food? Favorite thing at the moment (clothing piece, food, activity, etc.)? What has been the best way to get to know yourself? When was the last time you did something for the first time? What theme do you have in mind for 2023? As much as you’ve gotten ...
Jan 31, 2023•35 min•Season 1Ep. 36
What would you say to your inner child? What thoughts come up as you remember yourself at that age? Many of us may relate to varying extremes of perfectionism (we know our VH community can relate! EP18 “Overcoming resistance and perfectionism” was one of our top episodes!) Whether it’s curating the perfect IG feed or crafting the perfect persona - we can likely find a link back to our tendencies as children. What did we yearn for? How did our world look and feel like growing up? Tune in to this ...
Jan 24, 2023•40 min•Season 1Ep. 35
It’s 2023!!! And we’re so excited to start a brand new year with you! Dive into this episode with Vivian and Rowena as they each share three words highlighting their intentions for 2023. Rooted from much of the same thoughts, they share the process of picking their three words and why. ✨ Vivian: Consistent, Connection, Create ✨ Rowena: Discipline, Supported, Growth These words serve as reminders for us throughout the year to stay grounded in ourselves, and we invite you to share YOUR three words...
Jan 17, 2023•39 min•Season 1Ep. 34
Can’t believe it’s already the end of 2022! In this special, last episode of the year, Vivian and Rowena reflect on lessons learned and memorable experiences they each had. Ro shares how setting intentions at the beginning of the year allowed her to experience feeling free despite going through a transitional period in her professional and personal life. Vivian talks about the challenges that this year brought her and how she got through some of those times because of her support system. She sha...
Dec 15, 2022•44 min•Season 1Ep. 33
What moments or experiences sweep your mind when thinking about gratitude? Who or what immediately comes to focus? As we head into Thanksgiving next week, Viv and Ro spotlight the powerful emotion we call: gratitude. In our darkest moments, gratitude can be the pathway out and into “the state of being free” - as Ro would vividly describe. Ready to cultivate gratitude into your 2023? Share how you’re cultivating this for the rest of 2022 into the new year, and let’s be each other’s guiding light ...
Nov 17, 2022•38 min•Season 1Ep. 32
Everybody is thriving. Everybody has the perfect life. Everybody is so happy. Ah, that inner voice of ours speaking our insecurities into reality. Who is this elusive “everybody” that we all seem to know? Whose voices are we listening to? This episode highlights the book “Finding Your Own North Star” by Martha Beck. Viv and Ro explore a concept in Chapter 4 about an “other” voice guiding our every decision and how to strengthen our own inner voice, so that we live fully and authentically ourselv...
Nov 10, 2022•39 min•Season 1Ep. 31
This week we chat about boundaries: The invisible line we draw between work, play, family, friends, you name it - and ourselves to protect our headspace 💆🏻♀️ When too many people step into our headspace (the metaphorical “home”) due to poor boundaries, the effects can be felt as resentment, guilt, burnout, stress, anxiety, among others. Listen as Viv and Ro share their growing pains of learning how to set boundaries, breaking the people-pleasing cycle of always saying “Yes”, and what to do wh...
Nov 03, 2022•39 min
The beautiful part of any friendship is experiencing special milestones together. And if the title didn’t already give it away… RO IS 💍 E N G A G E D💍 ! So grab your coffee/tea/drink of choice because it’s story time! Ro gives a play by play of the five-stop scavenger hunt around New York City leading up to the big question, and Viv shares the role she played in the planning process. Some mild scheming involved 😉 Tune in to find out how we fibbed about “The Washington Post” and who made a spe...
Oct 30, 2022•50 min
Feeling unmotivated? Indifferent? Meh? Good, because we are too. Let’s unpack that. This week is all about motivation, or lack thereof. These periods drain our energy and our head space. Whether it’s lack of motivation in our career or finally pursuing a hobby, sometimes our situation gets the best of us. Viv and Ro share in how they each cope with low motivation and how to regain that spark again ✨ Pro-tip: When you’re feeling low, reach out to a friend 🙂 As always, thank you for being here! W...
Sep 29, 2022•48 min•Season 1Ep. 28
We’re baaackk! Although this time around it wasn’t an intentional break. Maybe it’s the transition from Summer to Fall, mercury in retrograde, or the slow shift back to “normalcy” pre-COVID… But we’re so glad you’re here again as we catch up on life happenings! Viv and Ro spent some time with family and reminisce on the boundless spirit and joy of being a kid. Still, as 30-somethings trying to emulate the fearless spirit of a 2 year old, they also chat about what’s been holding them back and pus...
Sep 23, 2022•42 min•Season 1Ep. 27
When does the inner work journey end? This week we answer a listener question about protecting others from yourself because you are not “fully healed” in your inner work journey or “not good enough” yet. Truth is that the inner work journey never ends. We’re in a constant state of evolution while dancing through each season of life. Sharing their take on being a “good/bad” person and being your best self 100% of the time, Viv and Ro remind us that it’s OK to be with someone AND continue to grow ...
Sep 07, 2022•48 min•Season 1Ep. 26
Whether you felt 2022 went by fast or slow, here we are. August. More than half way through the year, Viv and Ro share some experiences that capture what it means to “live in the moment.” The simple joys of life can be found right in front of you (beyond your computer screen). And once we slow down to see it, we can revel in the kind of growth we never thought possible. Do that thing that you’ve always wanted to do. Go on that trip to Paris, and forgo your work laptop. Buy that bubble machine la...
Sep 01, 2022•40 min
As children of immigrants, the relationship with our parents can be multi-layered and very complex. Often the first relationship we form as children, this bond proves pivotal in our development into adulthood. Now in their 30s, Viv and Ro recall experiences that continually challenge the role parents play for their (now adult) children. And with it comes its own evolution of unraveling trapped emotions, wrestling with time (or lack of), and seeing our parents as actual human beings. Time with ou...
Aug 10, 2022•41 min
We all have it, but we rarely talk about it. In this episode, Viv and Ro expand on one of the most popular topics to date: Insecurities (Episode 2). It’s neither a glamorous topic, nor is it easy to talk about. Insecurity can highlight additional feelings of shame, guilt, and anger. Viv and Ro explore how everyday encounters, both work and personal (ahem: social media), can trigger insecurity and send them spiraling. And while insecurity doesn’t disappear overnight, the more we practice being ki...
Jul 20, 2022•40 min•Season 1Ep. 23
If you could be liberated from one thing in your life, what would it be? Whether it’s constantly seeking approval from others, or being trapped in the insecure cycle of comparison, Rowena and Viv found that answering this question helped them take inventory of what’s holding them back and what steps to take forward towards the right direction. Well... what did they find you ask? Sometimes the thing we need to liberate ourselves most from is that darn voice in our heads ( sis needs to chillll! ) ...
Jul 01, 2022•36 min
Have you ever felt happy and sad at the same time? Or maybe torn between two (or more) emotions? At some point in our lives, we have all found ourselves in a push and pull emotional state, and the contrasting feelings may have led to confusion, uncertainty, and maybe even ambivalence. A question from a Voice Hug listener on how to manage the experience of polarizing feelings inspired Vivian and Rowena to reflect on instances where they thought they should have felt a certain way (logically), but...
Jun 23, 2022•40 min•Season 1Ep. 21
Content has evolved drastically to include all types of media—podcasts, YouTube videos, TV shows, streaming shows, books, movies and more. Wonder what kinds of content Ro and Viv love to consume? Ro and Viv share their favorite types of content in this episode. Although BFFs, the duo’s personal tastes are very different. Listen to the entire episode to find out Ro & Viv’s favorite podcasts, Kdramas, and dating shows...you don't want to miss this one! Thank you Notion for sponsoring this epis...
Jun 17, 2022•40 min•Season 1Ep. 20
Back from Chicago and Korea/Taiwan, Viv and Ro return from a month-long break and share how some much needed rest (and travel!) allowed them to slow down, refresh, and recalibrate. Listen as Viv recounts how ugly crying in public (twice) made space to feel her feelings, and how Ro saw two worlds collide with Jams and her family & friends. It’s in these experiences of stepping away from our fast paced life that we can truly revel in moments of joy with those around us. Permission to rest gran...
Jun 10, 2022•43 min•Season 1Ep. 19
Jams joins us again! In this week's episode, Jams interviews Vivian (@vivianxvan) and Rowena (@rowenatsai) on what goes on behind the scenes of your favorite podcast, Voice Hugs. They explore the resistance that builds as they move closer to their goals and the ongoing battle of perfectionism they face as content creators (6:15). As they reflect on pushing forward and building confidence through practice and patience (20:40), the duo emphasize the importance of having a strong support system at ...
May 04, 2022•45 min•Season 1Ep. 18
A very special episode this week welcoming our first podcast guest *drum roll please*... Jams!! (aka Rowena's boyfriend, VH Fan Club President). From the beginning of their love story including first impressions of each other (4:27) to long distance relationship trials and learnings two years in (11:13), the couple shares it all! They reflect on the importance of communication and adapting to each others’ communication styles (16:15) in order to maintain a healthy, supportive LDR. Jams also give...
Apr 28, 2022•43 min•Season 1Ep. 17
This week, Viv ( @vivianxvan ) and Ro ( @rowenatsai ) explore 3 different listener scenarios instead of deeeep diving into one, starting with a very common experience of projecting expectations onto others. Listener scenarios (paraphrased): I’ve noticed that whenever my partner goes for a night out, I immediately feel judgmental, neglected, and anxious. How do I be mindful of projecting my expectations and judgement onto others? (1:54) Where and how do I start my self-help, living a mindful life...
Apr 13, 2022•32 min•Season 1Ep. 16
