Pauline Nguyen
Age-48
Spiritual Entrepreneur – Author
– as told to The Silver Women
June, 2020
WOMEN WHO INSPIRED YOU AS A YOUNG GIRL?
As a young girl, I was not exposed to many real life women who I could idolize or look up to. It was books, stories and studies. I worked in my father’s video library from the age of 7 to 16. This gave birth to my love of film – especially the more eclectic and esoteric ones. I was inspired by female characters in films more so than in real life. I was always drawn to the heretics – the ones who held an opinion at odds with what is generally accepted in society. The ones who challenged existing paradigms and questioned the status quo. The rule breakers. The dream keepers. The naughty ones. Classic characters such as Sabina in The Unbearable Lightness of Being, Vellini in The Last Mistress, Mata Hari and La Femme Nikita. Original, Light, Brave, Free, Sensuous, True, Badasses.I would later in life study Film and Television at University.
WOMEN WHO INSPIRE YOU NOW?
Fictitious fighters who believe in something higher and bigger than themselves – Wonder Woman played by Gal Godot, Maria from Assassins Creed, and Maleficent.
MOST VALUABLE LESSON TAUGHT BY YOUR MOTHER?
My Mother taught me to have a ferocious work ethic and what it means to be mission-driven, selfless, and kind.
HAVE YOU MADE CAREER CHANGES OVER THE YEARS?
Not so much ‘career changes‘ but ‘career evolutions and revolutions.‘
Film and Television Producer turned Restaurateur turned Author turned Speaker turned Coach and Mentor turned Teacher…The evolution and revolution of my career still sees me play in all areas of the eco-system that I have created. For me, ‘Career’ has never been the job that I perform in exchange for money and status. My career is my own evolution. My career is who I become.
THROUGH MY DECADES
20’s
I finished University, partied, and travelled extensively. I lived for many years in Paris and London. I played hard, and did lots of naughty things – got it out of my system. I wished I learned how to experience more joy during my 20’s.
30’s
This decade was filled with a lot of deliberate personal disruption and personal development. I met Mark, the father of my two children Mia and Jethro, and gave birth to both kids in my 30’s. I opened Red Lantern – which soon became the Most Awarded Vietnamese Restaurant in the World. Went on to write my 1st Book – Secrets of the Red Lantern – and won ‘Debut Writer of the Year’ and a Telstra Business Award. I then decided to become a Professional Speaker – which I nailed.
I wish I hadn’t been so hard on myself in my early 30’s; physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually. I was the cause of a lot of my own suffering. Pain is inevitable. Suffering is a choice. But if it wasn’t for the experience of the ‘old ways’, the ‘new ways’ – The Way of the Spiritual Entrepreneur would never have been born.
40’s
45 was when I decided to run even faster. EVOLVE OR REPEAT. I accelerated the activation of my shamanic DNA coding. I wrote my 2nd Book – The Way of the Spiritual Entrepreneur – The 7 Secrets to Becoming Fearless, Stress-Free, and Unshakable in Business and in Life. ( It won Best Small Business and Entrepreneurship Business Book of the Year 2019.) I also joined ODE Management, a Speakers Agency that manages only 20 non – celebrity speakers globally.
I came to the understanding that fulfillment is the new currency. This realization amplified my mission to push humanity forward by alleviating suffering and magnifying human potential and doing it with cheekiness, playfulness, and joy.
Image of Pauline from the book
200 Women: Who Will Change The Way You See The World
‘I have a growth mindset. I am a perpetual learner.’
DO YOU THINK OLDER WOMEN ARE VALUED OR CELEBRATED?
I can only speak for myself. I think about, turn to, observe, value and celebrate older women much more than the younger woman. I have a growth mindset – I am a perpetual learner. Older women have more knowledge, wisdom and strength of character that I can learn from and admire simply because they have had more life experience. They have more stories to tell. More wisdom to impart. This is a celebration in and of itself.
WHAT ARE YOU THE MOST GRATEFUL FOR?
My level of awareness. I am grateful that I am grateful.
WHAT HAVE BEEN YOUR BIGGEST CHALLENGES?
The violence endured in childhood. Business failings that cost a lot of money as well as emotional cost and disease.
YOUR THOUGHTS ON AGING
I find it interesting and fascinating, that, many women are afraid to divulge their real age. They keep it a big secret no matter what. Lots of layers to peel away here when I think about it. I have no problem divulging my age.
DOWNSIDE:
Aging is not something I think about much. Growing yes, aging no.
UPSIDE:
As the years go by, I feel sexier, think sharper, am physically more flexible, agile, and mobile, emotionally stronger, spiritually more powerful, experience more joy, imagine bigger, collaborate larger, engage more broadly, connect faster, learn longer, increase my skillset, create more daringly, love harder, laugh louder, and forgive more easily.
Secrets of the Red Lantern: Stories and Vietnamese recipes from the heart. Available :Amazon
Red Lantern owners Mark, Pauline and brother Luke.
The Way Of The Spiritual Entrenepeur. Available: Amazon
‘Our purpose on this earth is to EVOLVE and to do it with JOY.
We cannot stay the same.
We must continue to evolve deliberately and daringly.
To live our lives by design and not by default.’
YOUR ADVICE TO YOUNG WOMEN OF TODAY?
We become our thoughts, and our thoughts become us.
We become our words, and our words become us.
We become our associations, and our associations become us.
We become our environment, and our environment becomes us.
We must choose them wisely.
– Pauline Nguyen
FEW OF MY FAVORITES
SONG:
Currently listening, singing and dancing to Vance Joy A LOT!
BOOK/NOVEL:
Thick Face, Black Heart by Chin-Ning Chu.
She writes the warrior’s philosophy, explaining the natural law that unites
spirituality with business and achievement.
FILM:
The Prestige
FLOWER:
Tulips and Gerberas
SCENT:
Courage Eau de Parfum by ONE SEED
FOOD/MEAL/CUISINE:
Vietnamese and Japanese
SKINCARE:
Daily Sunrise – From first light to sunrise.
For internal ecology:
Mushroom extracts taken orally daily.
For the face – Insta Natural Hyaluronic Acid Serum &
Insta Natural Vitamin C Moisturiser
For the lips – Hurraw Unscented Lip Balm
ARTIST:
Rodin
CITY/PLACE:
Paris, Santorini and Sydney
DISCOVER + FOLLOW
Pauline Nguyen
WEBSITE
www.paulinenguyen.com.au
FACEBOOK
Pauline Nguyen Speaks
INSTAGRAM
@paulinenspeaks
Pauline photographed by Simone Silverman at Clovelly Beach, Sydney.
All other images courtesy of Pauline Nguyen.
