To go through hardship is a universal experience. Everyone faces their fair share of adversity in life, in different forms and magnitudes. How do we overcome our struggles, to shape a better version of ourselves and become accomplished? Angela Soong shares her personal story which will motivate and inspire you to keep going, no matter your circumstances.

“I did not get the help or resources I needed. I vowed that my children would have a different environment…”

How has your childhood and cultural environment shaped the person you are today? 

My parents were immigrants from Hong Kong. As a British-born Chinese woman, I feel that I have adopted both sides of traditional Eastern culture and the Western world. As a child, I would hide under the stairs on top of a shop where my parents worked. My grandma looked after me during opening hours. The shop owners allowed us to stay in the building, along with ten other staff members. It was very crowded but looking back, I was fortunate to remain with my family. That was our sanctuary, my home. Even though I accidentally fell down those steep staircases a few times and had to rush off to A&E.

I started working at the grand age of four. I had to help my family and be worthy to them, for keeping me was a hindrance. I helped with the food preparations that the takeout/restaurant held. Some people may call it child slavery today, but I knew no different.

When I was young, it was very lonely, and I felt quite different. People would look at me, my skin colour, and my broken English. I did not start attending school until I was five. I was always behind. No matter how hard I tried, I could not reach the top academic group. I was disappointed in myself. My father always told me that I was not good enough, that a girl is useless. However, I was a fighter and always tried to gain his attention and approval. I think many ethnic minority girls have this association.

I did not get the help or resources I needed. I vowed that my children would have a different environment and have the happiest, most supportive, encouraging, and playful childhood filled with potential, unlike mine.

I attended Caucasian schools. I guess being an alien in my appearance used to be seen negatively, standing out like a sore thumb. Nowadays, everyone tells us how to stand out in a crowd – to be unique and memorable. So, for those of you who think you are different, embrace it. We are all unique and should be happy with ourselves, plus everyone else is taken anyway. 

Comparison is the death of joy! (Mark Twain)

As a mother of two children, how do you balance your personal and professional life?

I have been truly fortunate to have their grandma help with childcare, whilst I give my full focus and concentration to work. I take the children and their grandma on holidays together every year. It is so wonderful. It has always been her life and soul to have her grandchildren around. The most important thing in life is family. They are the core of a woman for sure. If family is not right, this ripples across all areas of  your life. For me, family is a priority.

When my sons need my attention i.e. health, love, or education, then I must take time off work to commit time to those areas. If I cannot do that, then I must find someone who can assist. When the time came for each of my sons’ exams, I had them each by my side to coach with the work-mindset balance. Once the exams are over, I focus on celebrating, having fun and relaxing. Whatever the outcome is, just work with it. At the end of the day, we gave it our best shot and have no regrets. I can live with that. It is the same with life, work, and the risks we take. Give it your best shot, do not worry about the results. We learn along the way and get better.

I have built wealth through property businesses. It is as passive as it can get. By working flexible hours every few days I generate multiple streams of income. I attract wealth so easily because I have the formula. The biggest key is to focus your attention. If you are at work, work to your excellence. If you are at home, focus on your loved ones. Do not look at your phone/computer whilst your loved ones talk to you. Have awareness and be in the present moment.

Remember, how you do something is how you do everything!

You graduated from university as a science teacher. How was your time as an educator?

Teaching is fantastic for  professional development, as you can excel your experience in control, management, communication, building respect and general growth. It is not just about delivering a subject, which is the easy part. Controlling thirty-two teenagers in a room, working with fire and corrosive chemicals, is not for the faint-hearted.

Being a science teacher from Year 7 generalist in GCSE, and specialist in A level biology, was fun and scary at the same time. I remember setting alarms off at school because of playing with Bunsen burners that got out of control, causing too much smoke in the labs. I was quite a naughty teacher but like to have fun. I was always a sharing and caring person. When kids got the knowledge about what was supposed to be taught in class and understood everything, particularly when it was sometimes hard to explain, I was very satisfied and proud of my work. 

I was offered the chemistry position in my first interview, even though I applied for the biology position. I knew I was not going to get that job, being the only female and only ethnic minority who applied for that job (competing against six Caucasian men in a predominantly 95% Caucasian school). My parents said, “Who would want to employ you? A Chinese girl is a second-class citizen, how could you compete?”

Of course, I wanted this job, but I kindly declined. Rod, the head of science, was gobsmacked. He was surprised and asked me why. I kindly replied, “Thank you for offering me this position, I am so grateful. But I would have to work much harder to teach chemistry, whereas with biology, I can give an instant A-grade answer. It would not be fair to the students. The student can only be stretched as far as the teacher goes.” Rod was grateful for my honesty & integrity.

Two weeks later, guess what? The phone rang, and a biology position was available. I skipped the process to go straight to visit the school principal to get my desired position. Was it easy for a young Chinese girl to teach in such a school standing out like an alien everywhere I go? Not at first. I came home crying for the first six months because the kids would tease me. I learned how not to care, to address my authority and focus on building relationships and professionalism.

In less than four years, I was offered to be the second head of department. Knowing that I will not be staying too long, I declined that position. My heart was curious to find out what was next. I want to start my own business. What else can I do? What potential do I have? It was time to unleash my entrepreneurial spirit.

As a therapist and coach, who seeks to eliminate mental blockages, can you explain the importance of mindset coaching and RTT therapy?

The treatment of Rapid Transformational Therapy, invented by Marissa Peers, ingeniously combines the modalities/techniques used with deep meditation, NLP, CBT, hypnotherapy, and psychotherapy. The results of every treatment I have given have  been effective, and some clients feel miraculously changed after only one session. The results are phenomenal. The client always feels that something within them has transformed. There is an energy shift and realignments start to happen.

I will be using RTT in my online wealth courses, teaching to Let Go of blockage that people hold onto. Most people do courses and have all the information available to them, so why aren’t  they getting the results they want? The answer lies within the mind and awareness. The paradigm of the mind needs to shift. Once they think differently, they exert a different feeling to that matter and actions start to build momentum. The vibrational output then resonates differently, and the synchronicity of cause-and-effect and the law of attraction takes place.

Golden Wealth Creations will be a global platform where I serve larger groups and give this opportunity to everyone who seeks wealth mastery. Through wealth creation, it covers whatever part of wealth you want to change. Not just financial/monetary but in career, love, and happiness – reaching one’s true potential.

Your latest career venture is becoming a Regional Director of the Global Woman Club Birmingham. What will your mission be in this role?

To inspire other people across all races and diverse cultures because if I can stand out in most business meetings like a sore thumb, then you can! You cannot change other people, but by changing yourself and showing others your actions and results, their perception will also shift. The traditional mindset can change and transform for the best. The era we are in now is rapidly transforming, if women like myself can reach out to support one another, together we can have more, be more and get to do more. 

Our founder Mirela Sula is a catalyst influencer. I believe in her vision to be a great leader and empower others.

Angela Soong will be sharing her Regional Director position with Nicci Clarke. To find out more about their vision for Global Woman Club Birmingham, click here: https://globalwomanmagazine.com/meet-the-new-regional-directors-of-birmingham-nicci-clarke-and-angela-soong/