ON EMBRACING CONSCIOUS LIVING AND REWORKING EXPECTATIONS

Everyone knows that the foods you eat have a big influence on your health and quality of life. Enter Charlotte Mei - a talented presenter and nutritionist, Charlotte helps others build a better relationship with food. As you listen to her speak about her advocacy for conscious living, you see that spark when passion and work have crossed that parallel line. Read on to find out how this certified nutritionist and beautiful ball of energy has made a career out of her passion.

MY STORY IS … 

When I was 17 and deciding what to further my studies in, I felt unsure about what career path I wanted to take. I had many peers in the same position who decided to apply for a general degree such as Business or Marketing which would be applicable in a broad spectrum of opportunities in the future. However, I was quite the science nerd and wasn’t too interested in business or economics, so that path didn’t appeal much to me.

At the expense of sounding cheesy, it is important for me to find purpose in the things that I involve myself in, especially when it comes to learning. I thought of the concept of university studies as a means to learn more about something I am interested in – after all, it is an investment of time and money, so I best make the most of it! So, I decided to find out what was it I was truly interested in, aside from the standard school subjects I spent 10 years learning about in school. In order to do that, I wrote down all the questions that came to mind within a given day (I still remember very clearly what the piece of paper looked like)! It turned out that most of the things I was curious about were related to the human body, food, and how one affected the other!

I took to the internet to find out more and learnt that there was such a thing as studying food nutrition, food science, and dietetics. The moment I made the discovery, I went down the rabbit hole! I was researching different degrees and schools, and the rest I’d say was history.

I’m really thankful to have discovered my true interests and to have the privilege to pursue my studies in it. It made my academic journey in university a very enjoyable one mostly because I came from the angle of curiosity when it came to learning.

This also landed me in the role of a nutritionist today which I really enjoy as I’m able to help others understand how they and their families can live better lives through the decisions they make around food.

Could you tell us a little bit more about how your journey has been so far since university?

After university, I decided to come back to Singapore to understand the climate here when it came to food and health and see how I could make myself useful as a nutritionist. I first worked with a company where I developed and conducted nutrition talks to businesses in the corporate and industrial sector, and this was where I realised that many were lost and confused when it came to their health and diets. This made me further pursue my interest in improving people’s understanding of the topic in our local context.

How did you get started with your career in the media industry?

I joined a televised food competition Eat List Star which opened the doors to the media industry for me. I then hosted my own food show Crave - which was a dream come true as I always pretended to have my own cooking show since I was young after watching so many shows on Discovery Travel & Living! I then helmed an evening drive time show and food podcast on the radio which was a fantastic experience that I never saw coming!

What made you decide to take the leap and start your own business?

I didn’t quite see myself in the corporate setting and neither did I want to be signed on to fully be a media personality, so I was straddling the two for a while! I decided with the way social media was going, I could give a go at creating my own role of sorts of using the media to speak about my passions around nutrition and sustainability. 

Do you have any advice for those who want to take that leap to pursue something they're passionate about but are afraid to do so?

Do your research, speak to people in the industry, ask lots of questions - to the right people, be clear about why you’re doing it (this will help you whenever you find yourself going through any tough times), and build a strong support network. 

You said that your curiosity motivated learning - do you think it is important to cultivate this throughout our lives and why?

My fear is to ever remain constant and not improve or develop myself. I love asking questions to broaden my knowledge, especially in areas that are not my expertise, and see how I could link that to my current knowledge. Almost like expanding the mind map of what I know. I feel that when learning comes from a position of curiosity, it makes it an enjoyable process as one is actively seeking answers. Science has also shown that one is more likely to retain the information when they are curious about a certain topic. This is also why I decided to pursue my degree in something I was interested and curious about. If I were to go through something for 3-4 years, I would at least make it an enjoyable experience as much as possible!

Who has been your key inspiration through your journey? 

The people who have been supporting me since the beginning: my parents, siblings, close friends, and mentors. Their support and belief in me have inspired me to do the same for myself. Without them, I don’t think I would’ve been able to persevere through any moments of doubt or uncertainty. 

Where can one begin if they are faced with a challenge and looking for insight to move their life forward?

Speak about it, reach out to individuals you look up to and that may have gone through similar experiences.

What is your approach when it comes to self-care and taking care of your mental health?

Having an organised calendar, haha! Having an organised calendar helps to ensure that I don’t end up jamming too many things to a point that I do not have space for myself. I enjoy socialising, but it is also important for me to have time for myself, so I would block out such times for myself. I have also learnt how to set boundaries when saying ‘yes’ to something. We speak so much about saying ‘no’ (which I too had to learn to do!), but I’m not a fan of the binary yes/no solution, so I worked on learning how to say ‘yes’ to certain things I genuinely want to say ‘yes’ to but to accompany that with a set of boundaries too.

What is your crazy?

I believe in having your cake and eating it too. It’s all about balance for me! When it comes to the advice I share with my audience in the field of nutrition or sustainability, I make it a point to encourage others to find a balance that works for them individually.

Life is too short (and too long) for one to be following strict rules that don’t work for them!

photography Revathie Dhanabalan