Thoughts from Limbo

We’re joined by writer, consultant, speaker, and leader of the Families in Global Transition Conference, Ruth Van Reken. Ruth shares her story as a US citizen raised for thirteen years in Nigeria and dives deep into the significant losses that often come with a cross-cultural and highly mobile lifestyle. We cover important topics including belonging, grief, identity, relationships, and parenting, all of which are becoming increasingly complex in today’s globalized world. It’s a subject close to our hearts, and one we’re excited to share with the rest of the world! 

You can find out more about the ‘Third Culture Kid’ phenomenon, in Ruth’s latest book, which she co-authored with sociologists David and Michael Pollock. 

http://www.crossculturalkid.org/

Third Culture Kids Book:
https://www.amazon.com/Third-Culture-Kids-3rd-Growing/dp/1473657660/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1505934425&sr=8-1&keywords=third+culture+kids 

In this episode, we speak to ex-Google software engineer turned entrepreneur, Gary Sheng. He was recently featured on Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list for his work as the co-founder and COO of Civics Unplugged, a NYC-based social enterprise, on a mission to empower future generations to build the future of American democracy. He shares his perspective on the world of work,  and tells us how he maintains a good quality of life, despite his busy schedule. We discuss how the often underrated transferability of our skills can empower us to shape the career path we desire, and he explains why Elon Musk would be his top choice dinner guest.

Civics Unplugged: https://www.civicsunplugged.org/

Gary Sheng: http://www.garysheng.com/ 

Laura Sheehan is a U.S. lawyer turned expat career strategist, and co-founder of the Empowering Perspectives Community. We first heard of Laura through her TEDx Talk, which now has over 660,000 views on YouTube. It’s titled “Career Change: The Questions You Need to Ask Yourself Now”, and it presents a reassuring and motivating perspective of the modern day career. We speak with Laura about her decision to pursue a life of adventure travelling the world, the need to ‘ditch’ job titles, and the often underrated fluidity of careers. She advised us to ‘slow down to move faster’, and captured our attention with her candid and light-hearted story. 

TEDx Talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MIjH8MCbONI&t=496s 

Empowering Perspectives: https://www.ep-community.com/ 

The podcast that helps you navigate the messiness of life; a life in limbo. Because moments of discomfort and uncertainty are more than a phase; ‘limbo’ is a life-long state. We  never have perfect information, and there are no linear paths. So join us on our quest to learn from inspirational people who have grown from the challenges and setbacks they’ve encountered along their journey. We discuss their career paths, life stories, failures, and successes to prove that the world is rife with opportunity, and that the things we often deem impossible may just be, possible.