In this episode of Breaking the Browndary Podcast, we sit down with Ria Lakhani, a creator and brand founder redefining what it means to be a modern South Asian woman. She’s the visionary behind On Cloud Dine, a feel good food platform that celebrates culture through recipes, restaurant finds, and her beloved “Dad Hacks” series. Ria opens up about her journey from pursuing a traditional law career to following her passion for cooking, freelancing, and content creation.

We discuss:

💼 Leaving law & breaking South Asian stereotypes

🍳 Building a career as a full-time content creator

💸 The money side of freelancing and how it all works

👩🏽‍👩🏽‍👧🏽 Family expectations + cultural pressures ( being the eldest daughter)

🧠 Overcoming imposter syndrome & self-doubt

🌱 Advice for aspiring creators: how to just start

🎙️ Breaking the Browndary shares global stories of South Asians who are rewriting the rules, breaking cultural expectations, and living boldly.

👇🏽 Follow along if you want real convos on culture, self-growth & identity

Instagram: @breakingthebrowndary

-----------------------------------

Chapters

00:00 Intro & Rapid Fire

12:09 The Journey from Law to Content Creation

14:48 The Wake-Up Call: A Life-Altering Accident

17:59 Finding Freedom in India

20:55 Building a Brand: The Slow Process

24:07 Time Management and Avoiding Burnout

26:33 Family Support and Cultural Heritage

28:12 The Journey of On Cloud Dine

32:01 Navigating the Creator Economy

37:30 Challenges in Content Creation

42:38 Cultural Pressures and Personal Growth

49:16 Breaking Boundaries in Content Creation

--------------------------------

Ria's socials:

@on_clouddine

@Ria_lakhs

Trigger Warning: This episode includes discussion of sexual abuse and trauma. Please listen with care.

In this powerful episode of Breaking the Browndary, we explore what it truly means to come back home to your body. I’m joined by ⁠⁠Anisah⁠⁠, a holistic therapist specialising in somatic healing, trauma recovery, and nervous system regulation.

We don't hold back- diving straight into intergenerational trauma, cultural shame, and the conditioning that’s kept so many of us stuck in cycles of control, people-pleasing, and emotional suppression. But we come out of the other sideto explore how we can start reconnecting to our bodies, reclaim our inner safety, and actually feel free. Anisah breaks down how the bottom three chakras—root, sacral, and solar plexus—hold the blueprint for survival, shame, and power struggles, and how reconnecting with the body through simple somatic tools can create deep shifts right now.

You’ll walk away with real tools to:

🔹 Understand somatic therapy & using it in daily life (aka: healing through the body, not just your brain)

🔹 Break free from survival mode and generational trauma

🔹 Use the chakra system as a roadmap for healing (Root, Sacral & Solar Plexus)

🔹 Real-life grounding tools to root into your power(yes, including hugging trees 🌳)

🔹 Practical ways to regulate your nervous system and not just pushing through it

🔹 Set boundaries and navigate cultural expectations(without spiralling into guilt)

🔹 Honour your South Asian roots while creating your own path

🔹 Abundance vs scarcity mindset and how it links to our lineage

🔹Connect to your body's innate intelligence and start inner child healing

This episode is an activation. Take notes, take deep breaths, and get ready to remember your body’s wisdom.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Breaking Boundaries

01:02 Rapid Fire Round: Healing Practices

08:07 Anisah's Journey to Somatic Healing

13:00 Understanding Somatic Healing

15:52 The Throat Chakra: Speaking from your Authenticity

18:00 Intergenerational Trauma in the South Asian Community

20:25 The Root Chakra: Survival

21:28 The Sacral Chakra: Shame

23:23 The Solar Plexus Chakra: Control

26:11 Reclaiming Our Heritage and Healing

29:36 Understanding Ancestral Healing and Privilege

30:36 Cultural Expectations and Personal Growth

31:57 Setting Boundaries in Relationships

35:10 Representation and Identity in the South Asian Community

37:45 Abundance vs. Scarcity Mindset

40:08 The Impact of Somatic Healing

44:01 Connecting with your Body's Innate Language

46:28 Honouring the Female Cycle

48:53 The Mind-Body Connection in Healing

50:16 Guided Somatic Practice: Practical Tools for Somatic Healing

53:51 Grounding Practise: Nervous System Regulation

55:18 Tree Technique: Nervous System Regulation

57:24 Reclaiming Power and Community Healing

01:00:08 Continuing the Conversation on Healing

------------------------------------------------------------------

Anisah's Socials:

Instagram:@holistic.anisah

Tik Tok: @holistic.anisah

------------------------------------------------------------------

If you enjoyed this episode, please do give a follow to Breaking the Browndary Podcast and leave a review as it really helps it to grow.

Stay tuned for the next episode as we explore the incrediblestories of South Asian millennials and beyond, who have challenged conventional norms, and are living life on their own terms.

Instagram:⁠⁠ @breakingthebrowndary⁠⁠

Stay blessed,

Rhea x

Feeling stuck in your life, career, or relationships? Let's break it down and give you some practical, tangible steps to get un-stuck. I promise you this episode isn't just waffle- it's full of frameworks we can use to actually get un-stuck and overcome our limiting beliefs.

Meet Bhavya Arora , a certified life transformational and career coach, and author of “Where The F**k Do I Go From Here?” (yes, that’s the actual title). She’s helped hundreds move from stuck to glowing and grounded – and now she’s coaching us.

This isn’t just another fluffy self-help chat — we get into:
🔹 The silent pressure South Asians face to “have it all figured out”

🔹 Feeling like you're behind in your 20s and 30s (spoiler: you're not)

🔹 Real frameworks to rewire your limiting beliefs

🔹 How to actually take action when fear has you frozen

🔹 Breaking free from family expectations + doing life your way

Bhavya breaks it down with practical tips, mindset shifts, and 🔥 life coaching exercises you can apply today.

✨ This one’s for you if you’re ready to stop playing small and start building a life that feels like yours.

--------------------------------------------------------------------

🔗 Connect with Bhavya
Instagram: @forwardfocuslondon
Facebook: Forward Focus London
LinkedIn: Forward Focus London
TikTok: @forwardfocuslondon

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Don't forget to subscribe to Breaking the Browndary Podcast and leave a review as it really helps the podcast grow. Stay tuned for the next episode as we explore the incredible stories of South Asian millennials and beyond, who have challenged conventional norms, and living life on their own terms.

Instagram: @breakingthebrowndary

Stay blessed,

Rhea x

Chapters

00:00 Intro & Rapid Fire

06:00 Bhavya's Personal Story: From Fear to Freedom

17:40 Common Struggles of Millennials: Career, Relationships, and Growth

19:05 Common career struggles in 20s & 30s

21:08 Common relationship struggles in 20s & 30s

22:45 Common personal growth struggles in 20s & 30s

24:52 The importance of stepping outside of your comfort zone

26:21 Unpacking South Asian Specific Issues

27:53 Practical Advice for Breaking Free from Family Expectations

32:40 Practical Life Coaching Scenarios 1-4

42:17 The One-Size-Fits-All Myth in Personal Development

46:09 Life Coaching Scenario 5

49:46 A Practical Framework for Overcoming Limiting Beliefs

58:11 Understanding Quantum Leaping and Its Impact

01:01:04 The Power of Choice in Creating Change

01:05:17 Breaking Boundaries: Personal and Professional Growth