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The Tao of Self-Confidence: A Guide to Moving Beyond Trauma and Awakening the Leader Within
A WALL STREET JOURNAL BESTSELLER
A PUBLISHERS WEEKLY BESTSELLER
A guide for Asian women to tap into their confidence and joy, and shine as leaders in today's world In 2021, women represented 54.3% of the US workforce but only held 35% of senior leadership positions. Of that percentage, only 2.7% of Asian women were seen in management roles. While there have been great leaps for women in the workplace in the last decade, women of color still fall behind. The Tao of Self-Confidence book sets a foundation to help Asian Women start being seen as leaders in work and life rather than by our stereotypes. In this book, you'll read
With an honest and vulnerable approach, Yap Chan discusses and explores the specific challenges our community faces, historically and now in the midst of the pandemic, intergenerational and historical trauma, false stories we tell ourselves, and how we can rise above stereotypes. We'll tap into our inner joy, celebrate our authentic self, and awaken the leader within.
A PUBLISHERS WEEKLY BESTSELLER
A guide for Asian women to tap into their confidence and joy, and shine as leaders in today's world In 2021, women represented 54.3% of the US workforce but only held 35% of senior leadership positions. Of that percentage, only 2.7% of Asian women were seen in management roles. While there have been great leaps for women in the workplace in the last decade, women of color still fall behind. The Tao of Self-Confidence book sets a foundation to help Asian Women start being seen as leaders in work and life rather than by our stereotypes. In this book, you'll read
With an honest and vulnerable approach, Yap Chan discusses and explores the specific challenges our community faces, historically and now in the midst of the pandemic, intergenerational and historical trauma, false stories we tell ourselves, and how we can rise above stereotypes. We'll tap into our inner joy, celebrate our authentic self, and awaken the leader within.
- GenresSelf HelpNonfiction
208 pages, Hardcover
Published May 23, 2023
8 people are currently reading
176 people want to read
About the author
Sheena Yap Chan
4 books11 followersSheena Yap Chan is The Wall Street Journal Bestselling author, keynote speaker, consultant and award winning podcaster on leadership and self-confidence. She currently inspires women through her award-winning podcast called The Tao of Self-Confidence where she interviews Asian women about their inner journey to self-confidence. Her mission is to help Asian Women boost their confidence to live their authentic selves, help Asian Women create a voice in the world, and create a stronger representation for Asian women. Sheena has been featured on MindValley, slice.ca, Marketing in Asia, Manila Times and more. She is also the TOP 100 Filipinos to follow on LinkedIn for inspiration and learning in 2020. She is also the co-author of the International bestselling book Asian Women Who Boss Up. Her book with Wiley called The Tao of Self-Confidence is The Wall Street Journal Bestseller for Business Hardcover books and Publishers Weekly Bestseller for Nonfiction Hardcover Books.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
December 1, 2024
Reading in a bookstore with piano music 10/10.
Mention of Kdramas and Blackpink - 10/10.
General principles applicable to life - 4-5/10. Felt like stale concepts of being an Asian woman and the traumas experienced (maybe novel to someone else, but not me).
But I def want to listen to the podcast now.
I like how Goodreads doesn’t have an option to modify your post based on AI recs like all social media does now.
Mention of Kdramas and Blackpink - 10/10.
General principles applicable to life - 4-5/10. Felt like stale concepts of being an Asian woman and the traumas experienced (maybe novel to someone else, but not me).
But I def want to listen to the podcast now.
I like how Goodreads doesn’t have an option to modify your post based on AI recs like all social media does now.
December 27, 2023
I appreciated that this book was hyped up on LinkedIn and that the author personally connected with me earlier this year while promoting her book. I was finally able to get the book from my local library and read it. I appreciated the stereotypes discussion and the historical content that were included, though for me personally, I had all those history lessons in college. I know most people don't get those types of classes in high school or college, so that context can be helpful for those who don't already know it.
I wish the book was edited better and that the content went a little deeper instead of staying surface level. She told us what is important, but not really how to do it or think about it. You can't just learn to have more self-confidence by knowing why it's important to be more self-confident. Sure, there were some tips, but again, they were somewhat surface level. When we talk about taking action, we need to understand what we are thinking and feeling when we take the actions. Taking actions may change our feelings temporarily, but what's more important is how we think about ourselves. The root cause of how we feel about ourselves comes from our current beliefs about ourselves. When we do the work of becoming aware of these beliefs, then we can decide to do the work of changing the beliefs (or not).
Even the discussion of trauma was somewhat superficial, without really diving into how to address these traumas in a deeper way. But I understand why it needed to be presented this way. A whole book in itself can be written about these traumas (and there have been).
I did appreciate some of the ideas in the Self-Love (Ch. 6) and Self-Confidence (Ch. 7) chapters:
- Self-care practices
- Affirmations
- Give yourself permission
- Become your own best friend
- Set boundaries
- Let go of what others say about you
- Ask for help/support
- Believe in yourself, educate yourself, take action
- Have a purpose
- Face your fears
- The 51% rule
- Having a confidence color
- Ask for what you want
- Learn from getting no's
- Being persistent
- Don't wait for the perfect moment - start now
- Let go of what others think of you
- Celebrate your wins
- Practice makes progress
- Be okay with making the first move - you are the only one who can save you
- Asking for help is not a weakness
I can see this book being written for teenagers and college students to relate to, with the style of writing and language used. I see the information as a very introductory level of getting to know what gets in our way of feeling confident in ourselves (usually our thoughts and beliefs about ourselves). For others who are further along their journey, I think more would be desired.
4 stars for effort, 3 for content.
Book: borrowed from NB Branch.
I wish the book was edited better and that the content went a little deeper instead of staying surface level. She told us what is important, but not really how to do it or think about it. You can't just learn to have more self-confidence by knowing why it's important to be more self-confident. Sure, there were some tips, but again, they were somewhat surface level. When we talk about taking action, we need to understand what we are thinking and feeling when we take the actions. Taking actions may change our feelings temporarily, but what's more important is how we think about ourselves. The root cause of how we feel about ourselves comes from our current beliefs about ourselves. When we do the work of becoming aware of these beliefs, then we can decide to do the work of changing the beliefs (or not).
Even the discussion of trauma was somewhat superficial, without really diving into how to address these traumas in a deeper way. But I understand why it needed to be presented this way. A whole book in itself can be written about these traumas (and there have been).
I did appreciate some of the ideas in the Self-Love (Ch. 6) and Self-Confidence (Ch. 7) chapters:
- Self-care practices
- Affirmations
- Give yourself permission
- Become your own best friend
- Set boundaries
- Let go of what others say about you
- Ask for help/support
- Believe in yourself, educate yourself, take action
- Have a purpose
- Face your fears
- The 51% rule
- Having a confidence color
- Ask for what you want
- Learn from getting no's
- Being persistent
- Don't wait for the perfect moment - start now
- Let go of what others think of you
- Celebrate your wins
- Practice makes progress
- Be okay with making the first move - you are the only one who can save you
- Asking for help is not a weakness
I can see this book being written for teenagers and college students to relate to, with the style of writing and language used. I see the information as a very introductory level of getting to know what gets in our way of feeling confident in ourselves (usually our thoughts and beliefs about ourselves). For others who are further along their journey, I think more would be desired.
4 stars for effort, 3 for content.
Book: borrowed from NB Branch.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 30, 2023
I think I saw this at the library and decided to borrow it. Not familiar with the author, do not share her experiences but it seemed like an interesting title (and I've read a translation of the Tao Te Ching, way back when) so this got me intrigued. There are a lot of books that talk about moving past trauma and becoming a leader, and I think some of the press/marketing also talk about this as specifically aimed towards Asian women in the business world and professional life, etc.
It is an overview of what the Asian community (and specifically Asian women) face. Being perceived as "submissive," dealing with that stereotype or that of being a "Dragon Lady," (or other highly sexualized stereotype of Asian women) having the confidence in themselves, dealing with intergenerational traumas, etc. If you are at all familiar with the conversations about the community, a lot of this will be familiar to you.
That said, I realized this was actually quite dull. I am unsure if this is supposed to be supplemental to her podcast (which I did not know existed) or what but this was really dull. As mentioned, if you are familiar with these conversations I will wager there is not a lot that is new here and it is not presented in a way that is particularly noteworthy or insightful (hence me wondering if this is meant for her podcast listeners).
I'm sure there is an audience for this, perhaps if you are new to the workforce or are completely unfamiliar. But it would not surprise me if this is a retread of what she covers in her podcast (plus, if you're into podcasts that might be more of your lane anyway). Would probably be good for business classes, too. But as a layperson who picked this up on a whim, I'd say this is probably skippable.
Borrowed from the library and that was best for me.
It is an overview of what the Asian community (and specifically Asian women) face. Being perceived as "submissive," dealing with that stereotype or that of being a "Dragon Lady," (or other highly sexualized stereotype of Asian women) having the confidence in themselves, dealing with intergenerational traumas, etc. If you are at all familiar with the conversations about the community, a lot of this will be familiar to you.
That said, I realized this was actually quite dull. I am unsure if this is supposed to be supplemental to her podcast (which I did not know existed) or what but this was really dull. As mentioned, if you are familiar with these conversations I will wager there is not a lot that is new here and it is not presented in a way that is particularly noteworthy or insightful (hence me wondering if this is meant for her podcast listeners).
I'm sure there is an audience for this, perhaps if you are new to the workforce or are completely unfamiliar. But it would not surprise me if this is a retread of what she covers in her podcast (plus, if you're into podcasts that might be more of your lane anyway). Would probably be good for business classes, too. But as a layperson who picked this up on a whim, I'd say this is probably skippable.
Borrowed from the library and that was best for me.
December 24, 2023
GREAT concept, but, I'm sorry to say, awful execution. The entire thing reads like a high school report.
I assume the target audience of this book is fellow Asian-American women. The first few chapters are filled with basic experiences that are obvious to any Asian-American woman. Model minority myth? Yeah, we know what that is, and if you can provide a more in-depth and researched explanation of why it's problematic, that'd be great, but the discussion is shallow and basic.
The grammar sucks. "For a child, they had to obey their father. For married women, they had to obey their husbands." Bruh....
Instead of giving proper evidence and letting the reader think for themselves, Chan keeps interjecting with her own opinions: "This is just appalling." "It's unbelievable/horrifying that..."
It's simply not well-written. A segment on the untouchability of girls on their periods in India: "When an Indian woman gets her period for the first time, it was a celebration for her. They would prepare a big ceremony because it was a sign that she was ready to get married. This is why periods have been such a taboo to speak about in any culture. What is natural for a woman is considered to be dirty and impure." Besides the high-school-esque language, why would you refer to a girl (yes, girls usually get their first periods around the age of 12) as a "woman"? We really ought to choose our language carefully, and not refer to child marriage as marriage of "women". Besides, the first two sentence are have the opposite meaning of the last two. Just not well-thought out.
I had been really excited to read this book, because I really believe in the existence of a great book on this topic, but this is not it. With all due respect, go take a grammar class.
I assume the target audience of this book is fellow Asian-American women. The first few chapters are filled with basic experiences that are obvious to any Asian-American woman. Model minority myth? Yeah, we know what that is, and if you can provide a more in-depth and researched explanation of why it's problematic, that'd be great, but the discussion is shallow and basic.
The grammar sucks. "For a child, they had to obey their father. For married women, they had to obey their husbands." Bruh....
Instead of giving proper evidence and letting the reader think for themselves, Chan keeps interjecting with her own opinions: "This is just appalling." "It's unbelievable/horrifying that..."
It's simply not well-written. A segment on the untouchability of girls on their periods in India: "When an Indian woman gets her period for the first time, it was a celebration for her. They would prepare a big ceremony because it was a sign that she was ready to get married. This is why periods have been such a taboo to speak about in any culture. What is natural for a woman is considered to be dirty and impure." Besides the high-school-esque language, why would you refer to a girl (yes, girls usually get their first periods around the age of 12) as a "woman"? We really ought to choose our language carefully, and not refer to child marriage as marriage of "women". Besides, the first two sentence are have the opposite meaning of the last two. Just not well-thought out.
I had been really excited to read this book, because I really believe in the existence of a great book on this topic, but this is not it. With all due respect, go take a grammar class.
January 22, 2025
I somewhat enjoyed this book, but it left me with mixed feelings. As it was centered on Asian women, it brought attention to several important issues, though many of them seemed not necessarily tied to being Asian or a woman, which somewhat diluted the focus. At times, it felt as though the author was unintentionally victimizing Asian women by framing their experiences as solely defined by hardship or marginalization.
One of my key disappointments came towards the end when the author included a list of significant Asian women. While I appreciated the effort, I felt let down by the lack of representation of South Asia. Instead, the book predominantly discussed India and didn't specifically identify that the issues are related to certain cultures within India. This book generalized Indian and south asian culture.
On the positive side, I did appreciate the statistics and factual information provided. They added depth to the discussion and served to inform the reader. However, the book suffers from some structural and grammatical issues. Overall, the writing was lacking, it felt rushed or underdeveloped.
In conclusion, while the book offers some valuable insights into the experiences of Asian women, it falls short in fully representing the diverse cultures within Asia, particularly in its treatment of South Asia. As a reader with a personal connection to this region, I found myself wishing for a more nuanced and inclusive exploration.
One of my key disappointments came towards the end when the author included a list of significant Asian women. While I appreciated the effort, I felt let down by the lack of representation of South Asia. Instead, the book predominantly discussed India and didn't specifically identify that the issues are related to certain cultures within India. This book generalized Indian and south asian culture.
On the positive side, I did appreciate the statistics and factual information provided. They added depth to the discussion and served to inform the reader. However, the book suffers from some structural and grammatical issues. Overall, the writing was lacking, it felt rushed or underdeveloped.
In conclusion, while the book offers some valuable insights into the experiences of Asian women, it falls short in fully representing the diverse cultures within Asia, particularly in its treatment of South Asia. As a reader with a personal connection to this region, I found myself wishing for a more nuanced and inclusive exploration.
August 13, 2024
I loved hearing about Sheena's journey and encourage all young women to glean the wisdom she learned along the way.
I'm a little older and found my path in my decades of marching to my own drum, but I can see how helpful and inspiring this would have been to my younger self.
Or even for those in our senior years who may not have found your tribe just yet.
Great reminders that practice makes not perfect, but progress is what we seek.
Thank you for sharing your story Sheena!
I'm a little older and found my path in my decades of marching to my own drum, but I can see how helpful and inspiring this would have been to my younger self.
Or even for those in our senior years who may not have found your tribe just yet.
Great reminders that practice makes not perfect, but progress is what we seek.
Thank you for sharing your story Sheena!
May 30, 2024
Must read for those who identify with imposter syndrome and haven't been able to connect with other more prevalent self improvement books. Everyone deserves to be comfortable as their authentic selves.
I am an Asian American immigrant woman, and this book resonated with me so well and has been very pivotal for my own personal growth.
I am an Asian American immigrant woman, and this book resonated with me so well and has been very pivotal for my own personal growth.
July 12, 2024
1.5? 2?
I'm disappointed because this wasn't what I expected when I picked this book up. A lot of the content was information I already knew and it felt like the the book was lacking depth - she covered a range of topics but all at a surface level. There was one chapter towards the end of the book that I found helpful, the rest was just ok. That said, I can see how it might be a helpful introduction for someone brand new to these topics.
Noting that I also felt frustrated by the poor editing of this book. There were quite a few grammatical issues and poorly phrased sentences that I found distracting. I felt like it took away from what she was trying to communicate.
I'm disappointed because this wasn't what I expected when I picked this book up. A lot of the content was information I already knew and it felt like the the book was lacking depth - she covered a range of topics but all at a surface level. There was one chapter towards the end of the book that I found helpful, the rest was just ok. That said, I can see how it might be a helpful introduction for someone brand new to these topics.
Noting that I also felt frustrated by the poor editing of this book. There were quite a few grammatical issues and poorly phrased sentences that I found distracting. I felt like it took away from what she was trying to communicate.
December 10, 2024
Sheena has been one of my go-to authors to read on Asian women empowerment. Being an Asian living in Western country, I resonate a lot with her book and she definitely a role model for younger women.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews