From “I Should” to “I Love, I Choose”
Life and Career Coach for people who feel the weight of never achieving enough, and are ready to stop living by “should.”
Meng Chen | Bicultural Coaching (中英) at Silicon Valley
This is for you if …
You’ve been telling yourself:
- “I should have done this by now.”
- “I look fine, but I’m not.”
- “I keep starting and not finishing.”
- “I’m carrying something I haven’t told anyone.”
- “Everything I do feels like an exam.”
- “I cannot find the meaning right now. “
You’ve read the books, gone to therapy, meditated. You’ve done the work. You don’t need another method.
What might benefit you is someone to walk with you, slowly, go back to who you truly are instead of all the externals expectations.
Clients’ stories
The master’s degree she had been postponing for seven years. Every year she wanted to complete her long thesis, but the research dragged on and the process became harder and harder. After months of coaching, she opened up to me about this long-held secret. When she stepped out the usual worries and thoughts about how things “should work”, she found a lighter way of finishing her degree by taking more courses and she graduated!
The work she couldn’t bring herself to start. She came to me with severe procrastination: tasks she couldn’t begin, hours disappearing into social networks and videos. This also made her worried about losing her job, as someone would “spot” her. We did not work on time management, but sat with what was underneath the procrastination. She finally saw that she had been treating every task as an exam, a judgement. Underneath all that, we found something else: she actually wanted to do this work for her team. Once she could feel that again, she began finishing on time.
Hello I am Meng
As a Chinese immigrant who spent 12 years in big tech, Microsoft and LinkedIn, I had a shiny career, perfect family with two lovely daughters. And also felt empty inside. So I left to focus on coaching and mindfulness practice. I realized that I had been putting myself on the waitlist, for all the “should” voices from outside: “I should make enough money before I switch career / I should be emotional calm. / I should be a compliant student. / I should not write in a way that others find awkward… “
I grew up in China and have lived in the US for 16 years, roughly half my life in each world. I know the pressure from the inside. And I know there’s another way through it, because I found it myself.I coach in both English and Mandarin and offer online and in-person coaching in Silicon Valley.
ICF ACC Coach | Licensed Trainer | x Linkedin TPM | 10y Mindfulness | Translator for <Mastering Life’s Energies>
How Things Shift
Outer world
From Judging to Connecting
Real connection at home and at work starts when we drop all the “shoulds” and see people as more than the “problems” we label them. So we don’t feel isolated, have to do it all myself, and hold big emotions constantly. With your partner, your kids, your coworkers—relationships feel less draining and more loving and enjoyable.
Inner Self
From Self-Criticism to Self-Love
Something softens when you stop fighting yourself. You start to hear what you actually need beneath all the “shoulds.” You act from your values, not your fears.
For people who: often procrastinate, struggle with self-criticism, or feel empty despite their achievements
Reviews
Couldn’t recommend more highly
Meng is a truly gifted coach. Her warm, attentive presence creates a safe space for profound transformation. Meng has supported me to shift from suffering to ease, from ‘stuck’ to inspired action. I couldn’t recommend Meng more highly.”
— Karen McClellan
Truly gift
Meng’s gentle yet skillful approach creates a serene and reassuring atmosphere. Her insight and calm demeanor have a unique way of dissolving stress and instilling confidence. Meng truly has a gift for supporting others along their unique path.
— Christy Kelly
Highly recommend!
I benefited a lot from Meng’s warmth, curiosity, care, and the ability to balance between holding a safe space for my intuition to flow free and guiding me through structured exercises. If you are looking to partner with a coach, I highly recommend Meng.
— Anonymous
Investments
1:1 Coaching Session
55-minute sessions every two weeks for 6 or 12 months
$210 per session
Online or In-person in Silicon Valley
* Scholarship available for people in need of supportive rates (30% reduced)
Workshop for Team / Organization
2 hours
$500
Build trust and enhance belonging for the team, contact me for full day workshop.
Trusted by clients from:
FAQ
Q: How is coaching different from therapy?
Therapy’s purpose is healing. It’s like when you broke your leg during skiing: you go see the doctor first, not the gym to see your fitness coach. Once your leg has healed a little bit, you may go see your coach to work on the body, and sometimes you will see both of them. Professional coaching’s purpose is to support you in creating the life you long for, so you can have a life and a career with more enjoyment.
Q: I’m not a Chinese-heritage person. Is this for me?
Yes, could be:). If you’ve read this far and something here is resonating, you probably are a fit. Reach out.
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Q: How is this different from career mentoring?
Q: What if I can’t afford to quit my job like you did?
Q: How quickly will I see results?
Q: What does an ICF-certified coach mean?
ICF means International Coaching Federation. It is the leading global professional organization for coaches. ICF certification requires: Documenting coaching hours, mentor coaching and passing a very rigorous knowledge assessment. Having this certification means this coach has met a verified standard of training, proficiency, and professional practice. I hold an ICF ACC credential and I am also a licensed academy trainer with the Academy for Coaching Excellence.