What do you do when after having a successful corporate career for many decades you turn 60 and retire? You go to Africa, of course. And you start bringing other executives with you to help them to reconnect with nature and become better leaders.

Well, at least that’s what Dr. Boy Van Droffelaar did. My guest today is a former corporate executive turned wilderness and leadership guide who, at 60, began leading leadership retreats in the African wilderness. He has done it for 10 years and led his last group when he was 70. With over 2,500 participants joining his transformative journeys, Dr. Van Droffelaar shares his insights on nature’s impact, self-discovery, and the power of silence and presence. Join us as we dive into his journey from boardrooms to riverbanks and what he's learned about leadership, life, and love along the way!

IN THIS EPISODE

(00:00) What drives a man to reinvent himself at 60?
(03:30) Nature’s “billion-star hotel” – more than just a view
(06:30) Alone in the wilderness: a moment of pure stillness
(08:30) The “talking stick” lesson every leader needs to learn
(12:00) Walking among giants: an unforgettable lesson of respect
(16:30) Can nature reveal who we really are?
(19:30) Age is just a number when you find purpose
(23:00) Why true leadership begins with listening
(29:00) Love and care: the hidden strength in leadership
(32:00) A journey home: discovering what truly matters

Our Guest: Dr. Boy Van Droffelaar
Dr. Boy Van Droffelaar currently works at the Department of Cultural Geography, Wageningen University & Research. He does research in Quantitative Social Research and Qualitative Social Research. Their current project is 'The role of wilderness experiences in leaders' development toward authentic leadership'.

Connect him at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/boyvandroffelaar/

Your Host: YANA FRY

Yana is the founder of the Timeless Teachings Podcast. She is a global speaker, impact coach, wellness retreats facilitator, spiritual teacher, co-author of three books, award-winning poetess, and truth illuminator who inspires, empowers, educates globally.

Yana has been interviewing thought leaders and change makers since 2015 . You can find more of her thought-provoking interviews on YanaTV, an online talk show that amplifies the voices of impactful, influential and conscious people of Asia.

CONNECT with YANA ►

Linktree: https://linktr.ee/yanafry

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yanafry

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yanafry

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Timeless Teachings by Yana Fry has been ranked as a top 3 podcast in Singapore. We talk about human advancement, self-mastery and achieving your full potential.

Women go through so many life changing situations - period, pregnancy, birth, postpartum, menopause….

In this episode, I sit down with Divya, a feminine wellness coach from Singapore who’s on a mission to help women find harmony with their menstrual cycles and hormonal health. She opens up about her personal journey with hormonal struggles, from teenage years to motherhood, and how it shaped her path toward wellness. Together, we dive into the importance of slowing down, reconnecting with our natural rhythms, and embracing kindness to ourselves. This conversation is packed with practical tips every woman can apply to live more balanced and joyful lives!

IN THIS EPISODE

(00:00) How Divya’s Journey with Hormonal Health Began
(01:30) The Surprising Solution That Worked… Until It Didn’t
(03:30) A Life-Changing Diagnosis After Years of Mystery
(05:00) Real Talk: The Pressure to “Bounce Back” Post-Pregnancy
(08:30) Does Modern Society Fail New Mothers?
(10:00) The Hidden Challenge of Postpartum Anger
(13:00) Rediscovering Purpose Through Personal Healing
(16:30) The Secret Benefits of Following Your Body’s Natural Rhythms
(23:00) How Simple Foods Can Transform Your Health
(36:30) Embracing Kindness: The Advice Every Woman Needs to Hear

Divya Malar Chandragesan
Divya Malar Chandragesan is a personal growth and wellness coach dedicated to empowering individuals to unlock their full potential. With four years in tech and startups, she founded Soulsisters Network Malaysia, a nonprofit supporting women's growth journeys through workshops, wellness events, and mentorship. Her passion for coaching was ignited through her work as a facilitator and mentor, leading her to pursue an ICF accreditation. Divya specializes in guiding motivated individuals through life's transitions, helping them find clarity and purpose as they strive to show up as their best selves.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/divya-malar-chandragesan-b9104812a/

YANA FRY

Yana is the founder of the Timeless Teachings Podcast. She is a global speaker, impact coach, wellness retreats facilitator, spiritual teacher, co-author of three books, award-winning poetess, and truth illuminator who inspires, empowers, educates globally.

Yana has been interviewing thought leaders and change makers since 2015 . You can find more of her thought-provoking interviews on YanaTV, an online talk show that amplifies the voices of impactful, influential and conscious people of Asia.

CONNECT with YANA ►

Linktree: https://linktr.ee/yanafry

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yanafry

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yanafry

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Timeless Teachings by Yana Fry has been ranked as a top 3 podcast in Singapore. We talk about human advancement, self-mastery and achieving your full potential.

Is it possible for leaders to balance their responsibilities without burning out? In this episode, I share a personal story that taught me the importance of self-care in leadership. Yesterday, I lost my temper with one of the people in my team - not because that person did something wrong, but because I was very exhausted. This moment made me reflect on how crucial it is for leaders—whether at home or work—to manage their emotions and take care of their well-being. Join me as I explore the simple actions we can take to recharge, lead by example, and create a positive impact on those around us!

IN THIS EPISODE

(00:00) Why leading starts with taking care of yourself first
(01:30) The moment exhaustion took over – and what it revealed
(03:00) The hidden cost of burnout for leaders
(04:00) How your actions shape those who look up to you
(05:30) What’s your health score? A powerful self-check
(06:30) One simple action to shift your energy today
(08:00) Leading by example: How to truly inspire others
(09:00) The surprising power of proximity in shaping your life
(10:30) Are you lifting people up or dragging them down?

YANA FRY

Yana is the founder of the Timeless Teachings Podcast. She is a global speaker, impact coach, wellness retreats facilitator, spiritual teacher, co-author of three books, award-winning poetess, and truth illuminator who inspires, empowers, educates globally.

Yana has been interviewing thought leaders and change makers since 2015 . You can find more of her thought-provoking interviews on YanaTV, an online talk show that amplifies the voices of impactful, influential and conscious people of Asia.

CONNECT with YANA ►

Linktree: https://linktr.ee/yanafry

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yanafry

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yanafry

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Timeless Teachings by Yana Fry has been ranked as a top 3 podcast in Singapore. We talk about human advancement, self-mastery and achieving your full potential.

Are you a power woman, who wants to go to the next level in any area of your life? This episode is for you.

My guest is Taya Stapelfeldt, a Somatic Leadership Coach who’s spent years guiding women toward unlocking their true potential. From raising families to leading businesses, Taya helps women redefine leadership and embrace their feminine energy in profound ways. Join us as we explore what it means to truly lead from a place of embodiment!

IN THIS EPISODE

[00:00] - Singapore to Ibiza: A Connection That Transforms Lives

[01:00] - The Secret Power of Choosing Your Own Name

[03:30] - Breaking Through the Invisible Ceiling of Success

[06:00] - Life Redefined: What Happens When Your Reality Becomes Too Small?

[10:30] - The Feminine Awakening: Tapping into Raw Life Force

[17:00] - The Dance of Intimacy: Discovering the True Tango of Love

[20:30] - Rewriting the Rules: How Women Over 50 are Reinventing Their Lives

[27:00] - Unlocking the Feminine Power: Vulnerability Meets Strength

[32:30] - A 2-Minute Practice to Activate Your Inner Power Anytime, Anywhere

[37:00] - You’re Already There: Embracing the Essence of Who You Truly Are

TAYA STAPELFELDT

Based in Ibiza, Taya Stapelfeldt is a somatic leadership coach, mentor, and embodiment trainer for women entrepreneurs and coaches who want it all: a soul partner, motherhood, and a purpose-driven, flourishing business. Over the years, Taya has left an indelible mark on the lives of countless impactful individuals – among them numerous conscious entrepreneurs, celebrity coaches, speakers, as well as renowned artists, guiding them to embody their Higher Selves and navigate the complexities of life with resilience and purpose. Known to her clients as ‘the woman with the key’ – who has the ‘direct connection to truth,’ the essence of magic can be felt when working with Taya because there is an element of the unexplainable about her results. At the same time, she is a somatic strategist with a laser focus on tangible outcomes for her clients in real life. Her unique approach to somatic mastery combines many years of spiritual practice with leadership coaching, mindset, movement, breath- and energy work that enables clients to transform at every level. In her 1:1 exclusive mentorship, she trains conscious business leaders and coaches in unique somatic skills for sustainable impact.

Connect with her at:

www.soulpilot.org/taya-exclusive

https://www.linkedin.com/in/taya-stapelfeldt-894ab7234/

https://www.instagram.com/tayasomaticleadership/

YANA FRY

Yana is the founder of the Timeless Teachings Podcast. She is a global speaker, impact coach, wellness retreats facilitator, spiritual teacher, co-author of three books, award-winning poetess, and truth illuminator who inspires, empowers, educates globally.

Yana has been interviewing thought leaders and change makers since 2015 . You can find more of her thought-provoking interviews on YanaTV, an online talk show that amplifies the voices of impactful, influential and conscious people of Asia.

CONNECT with YANA ►

Linktree: https://linktr.ee/yanafry

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yanafry

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yanafry

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Timeless Teachings by Yana Fry has been ranked as a top 3 podcast in Singapore. We talk about human advancement, self-mastery and achieving your full potential.

What would you do if extreme hair loss transformed your entire life and career?

In today’s episode, I’m joined by Xi Ren Yan, who shares her journey of overcoming the challenges of alopecia areata, a condition that led to her losing all her hair, eyebrows, and eyelashes. After 20 years in corporate HR, Xi Ren’s experience inspired her to leave that path and focus on mental health and resilience. She now runs her own company, Xel Consulting, where she coaches and trains others on how to manage stress and thrive through her C.A.R.E. framework, a method that helped her through some of the toughest moments in her life. Tune in to hear how Xi Ren turned her struggles into a mission to help others!

IN THIS EPISODE

(00:00) – From Corporate Leader to Wellness Advocate: How a life-altering experience pushed Xi Ren from HR leadership to wellness coaching.
(01:30) – Stress and Its Hidden Dangers: Xi Ren opens up about the stress that nearly derailed her life and career.
(02:30) – Coping Gone Wrong: How binge eating and punishing workouts masked deeper pain.
(04:30) – The Power of Positivity: What happens when you stop suppressing emotions and choose positivity?
(05:30) – Vulnerability Is Strength: Xi Ren reveals how vulnerability became her greatest asset in healing.
(07:00) – C.A.R.E. Framework: Learn about Xi Ren’s science-backed strategy that’s helped her overcome life’s toughest challenges.
(09:00) – Turning Pain into Purpose: Discover how adversity became the fuel for Xi Ren’s global mission.
(13:00) – Redefining Beauty and Self-Worth: Losing her hair was just the beginning of a deeper transformation.
(15:30) – From Stress to Success: How Xi Ren transitioned from corporate HR to empowering others through wellness.
(22:30) – Dreaming Big: Xi Ren shares her vision of global impact and helping others rise above their struggles.

Our Guest: Xi Ren Yang, Motivational Speaker on Mental Health

At the age of 35, Xi Ren Yang faced a traumatic experience of alopecia areata, which occurred after a period of intense stress and poor stress management. Her condition was severe, resulting in the complete loss of her long, thick hair, eyebrows, and eyelashes, deeply affecting her self-esteem and mental well-being.

Her journey inspired the development of the C.A.R.E. framework, grounded in science, which has helped her navigate personal and professional challenges, including job loss and unemployment during the onset of Covid. Leaving behind a 20-year corporate HR career, Xi founded Xel Consulting to empower professionals, offering coaching, training, and keynote speeches aimed at helping individuals manage work stress and enhance their well-being.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/xi-ren-yang/

YANA FRY

Yana is the founder of the Timeless Teachings Podcast. She is a global speaker, impact coach, wellness retreats facilitator, spiritual teacher, co-author of three books, award-winning poetess, and truth illuminator who inspires, empowers, educates globally.

Yana has been interviewing thought leaders and change makers since 2015 . You can find more of her thought-provoking interviews on YanaTV, an online talk show that amplifies the voices of impactful, influential and conscious people of Asia.

CONNECT with YANA ►

Linktree: https://linktr.ee/yanafry

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yanafry

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yanafry

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yanafry

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Timeless Teachings by Yana Fry has been ranked as a top 3 podcast in Singapore. We talk about human advancement, self-mastery and achieving your full potential.

How do you balance the joys of motherhood with the demands of a fulfilling career? Join me as I sit down with Jiezhen Wu, a fellow conscious leadership coach and mother of two, who has mastered the art of leading a conscious life while nurturing her growing family. In this episode, Jiezhen shares her journey from maternity leave to the boardroom, offering insights on how she helps conscious leaders thrive in their professional and personal lives.

Discover how she navigates the evolving roles of being a mother and a professional, and learn practical tips for finding your own rhythm in the delicate dance of work and family life!

IN THIS EPISODE

(00:00) How do new mothers manage work and family? Explore the challenges and strategies for balancing professional life with motherhood.
(01:00) What is conscious leadership for mothers? Learn how conscious leadership principles can guide mothers in their dual roles.
(02:30) How does a second child change your career? Understand how becoming a parent of two impacts professional priorities and routines.
(04:00) What should you consider before returning to work? Gain insights from a Harvard professor on the mental and emotional shifts after childbirth.
(09:00) How can you create a work-life playbook? Discover Jiezhen’s approach to designing a flexible and fulfilling work-life balance.
(25:00) Can working mothers have it all? Reflect on what it means to "have it all" and how to prioritize effectively.
(27:00)] How can you stay present as a mother? Learn tips for being fully present with your children and at work.
(31:00) Why is presence more important than perfection? Emphasize the value of being present over striving for perfection in parenting.
(36:00) How can workplaces support returning mothers? Explore ways organizations can better support mothers rejoining the workforce.
(38:00) What does "having it all" mean to you? Reflect on defining success in alignment with your current life stage.

Jiezhen Wu

Jiezhen is a Leadership Consultant and Coach, and a Senior Principal with Korn Ferry in their Leadership Advisory - CEO & Board Practice and is based in the firm's Singapore office. She is committed to helping individuals, teams and organizations find clarity, alignment and ease amidst uncertainty in building a more intentional and conscious world.

Before moving back to Singapore from the United States, Jiezhen was a Senior Consultant and Coach with Linden Leadership as well as an Equity and Inclusion Fellow and part of the Mindful Leaders Collective at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education, where she completed her master’s degree focusing on leadership, inclusion and impact.

Connect with her on LinkedIn (linkedin.com/in/jiezhen) and Instagram (instagram.com/jiezhen and Instagram.com/thepossibilityplaybook).

YANA FRY

Yana is the founder of the Timeless Teachings Podcast. She is a global speaker, impact coach, wellness retreats facilitator, spiritual teacher, co-author of three books, award-winning poetess, and truth illuminator who inspires, empowers, educates globally.

Yana has been interviewing thought leaders and change makers since 2015 . You can find more of her thought-provoking interviews on YanaTV, an online talk show that amplifies the voices of impactful, influential and conscious people of Asia.

CONNECT with YANA ►

Linktree: https://linktr.ee/yanafry

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yanafry

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yanafry

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yanafry

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Timeless Teachings by Yana Fry has been ranked as a top 3 podcast in Singapore. We talk about human advancement, self-mastery and achieving your full potential.

What does it truly mean to embrace motherhood after years of soul-searching and personal growth?

In this episode, I, Yana Fry, share my journey into motherhood. Growing up with a single, overworked mother, I faced numerous challenges and uncertainties about having children. After years of healing, introspection, and spiritual exploration, I finally felt ready to welcome a child into my life.

This episode is a testament to the power of inner work and the importance of support, showing how you can transformed your fears into blissful experiences of pregnancy and motherhood. Tune in now to discover how to balance personal growth with the demands of being a new parent!

IN THIS EPISODE

(00:00) What transformative experience kept the podcast off-air for two months? I share the incredible life-changing event that led to a temporary pause in the podcast episodes.
(03:00) How did early life experiences shape my views on motherhood? How growing up with a single mom and observing unhappy mothers influenced my thoughts on having children.
(07:00) What crucial question shifted my perspective on having children? Discover the powerful question from a psychotherapist that made me realize I needed to heal before embracing motherhood.
(10:00) How did 12 years of inner work prepare me for motherhood? I delve into my extensive journey of coaching, therapy, spirituality, and self-discovery that led me to feel complete and ready for a child.
(15:00) What mindset helped me through pregnancy and childbirth? Learn how my positive mindset and inner preparation resulted in a blissful pregnancy and childbirth experience.
(20:00) How did I cope with the challenges of early motherhood? I share my strategies for surviving the first few weeks with a newborn, including the importance of asking for help and delegating tasks.
(23:00) What mystical experience did I have postpartum? Explore the mystical and transformative nature of the postpartum period and the importance of resting and healing.
(27:00) How can new mothers avoid postpartum depression? I offer insights on preparing mentally for motherhood and the significance of support systems in preventing negative emotions and depression.
(29:00) What role does delegation play in balancing motherhood and professional life? I explain how delegating tasks allowed me to continue my professional work while thriving in my new role as a mother.
(31:00) How do I plan to continue empowering women through my podcast? Hear about my plans for future podcast episodes focusing on human potential, consciousness, womanhood, motherhood, and more.

Your Host: YANA FRY

Yana is the founder of the Timeless Teachings Podcast. She is a global speaker, impact coach, wellness retreats facilitator, spiritual teacher, co-author of three books, award-winning poetess, and truth illuminator who inspires, empowers, educates globally.

Yana has been interviewing thought leaders and change makers since 2015 . You can find more of her thought-provoking interviews on YanaTV, an online talk show that amplifies the voices of impactful, influential and conscious people of Asia.

CONNECT with YANA ►

Linktree: https://linktr.ee/yanafry

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yanafry

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yanafry

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Timeless Teachings by Yana Fry has been ranked as a top 3 podcast in Singapore. We talk about human advancement, self-mastery and achieving your full potential.

How can you tap into your inner self for peace and clarity in just 10 minutes?

In this episode, we explore a simple yet profound practice of deep breathing and internal focus. Join us as we journey through connecting with our body, emotions, thoughts, and soul, discovering newfound sensations and insights along the way. Learn how just 10 minutes a day can lead to transformative changes in your well-being and decision-making. Tune in for a guided session that promises to unlock your inner potential and pave the way for a happier, more fulfilled life!

YANA FRY

Yana is the founder of the Timeless Teachings Podcast. She is a global speaker, impact coach, wellness retreats facilitator, spiritual teacher, co-author of three books, award-winning poetess, and truth illuminator who inspires, empowers, educates globally.

Yana has been interviewing thought leaders and change makers since 2015 . You can find more of her thought-provoking interviews on YanaTV, an online talk show that amplifies the voices of impactful, influential and conscious people of Asia.

CONNECT with YANA ►

Linktree: https://linktr.ee/yanafry

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yanafry

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yanafry

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Timeless Teachings by Yana Fry has been ranked as a top 3 podcast in Singapore. We talk about human advancement, self-mastery and achieving your full potential.