I’m Zeva Bellel, a certified career transformation coach for women. I’m based in Paris, France, but I hail from Brooklyn NY. Back in 1999 I left everything known and familiar to to me to follow my dream of one day becoming French. It was a wild decision that made no “logical” sense (especially if you asked my grandpa, Sol, who thought I was nuts).
Since then, in life, as well as in work, I’m fascinated by how we become the version of ourselves we’re meant to become. Especially when our paths are strewn with unexpected challenges, doubts as well as inexplicable urges and desires.
However, in a world obsessed with overnight success stories and fancy ribbon cuttings, we neglect the insights and learnings that emerge during the messy middle of the transformation process. The consequences are that we often believe transformation should be obvious, quick and pain-free, since we have few examples to guide us and inspire us forward.
That’s what On Becoming sets out to do—tell the true transformation stories of inspiring women entrepreneurs, creatives and innovators. Instead of merely focusing on where they are now, we’ll peel back the onion and take a lovingly honest look at their becoming journey. We’ll hear about how they made difficult decisions in the pursuit of deep self-expression and fulfilment, especially when they wandered off course and deviated from the classic path. Listen to find out how their hidden journeys can help unlock your own potential.
Subscribe now to follow every episode.
You can also follow me on Instagram, get my newsletter or book a call with me at www.zevabellel.com
Credits
Artwork Jessie Kanelos Weiner
Editing Matthew Jordan
Music © Fabrice Fortin
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
I’m Zeva Bellel, a certified career transformation coach for women. I’m based in Paris, France, but I hail from Brooklyn NY. Back in 1999 I left everything known and familiar to to me to follow my dream of one day becoming French. It was a wild decision that made no “logical” sense (especially if you asked my grandpa, Sol, who thought I was nuts).
Since then, in life, as well as in work, I’m fascinated by how we become the version of ourselves we’re meant to become. Especially when our paths are strewn with unexpected challenges, doubts as well as inexplicable urges and desires.
However, in a world obsessed with overnight success stories and fancy ribbon cuttings, we neglect the insights and learnings that emerge during the messy middle of the transformation process. The consequences are that we often believe transformation should be obvious, quick and pain-free, since we have few examples to guide us and inspire us forward.
That’s what On Becoming sets out to do—tell the true transformation stories of inspiring women entrepreneurs, creatives and innovators. Instead of merely focusing on where they are now, we’ll peel back the onion and take a lovingly honest look at their becoming journey. We’ll hear about how they made difficult decisions in the pursuit of deep self-expression and fulfilment, especially when they wandered off course and deviated from the classic path. Listen to find out how their hidden journeys can help unlock your own potential.
Subscribe now to follow every episode.
You can also follow me on Instagram, get my newsletter or book a call with me at www.zevabellel.com
Credits
Artwork Jessie Kanelos Weiner
Editing Matthew Jordan
Music © Fabrice Fortin
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Mai Hua is a filmmaker, writer, color designer, and one of the most emotionally honest storytellers I know. Her work doesn’t just explore intimacy, it practices it.
Born in Paris to Vietnamese immigrant parents, Mai was raised to be pleasant, high-achieving, and accommodating. But one deceptively simple question from her then-boyfriend, now husband—“Tell me who you are”—pierced the surface. It cracked open everything she thought she was supposed to be. Her willingness to even try answering it became, in her words, "an act of love."
Mai has been on a creative and spiritual journey toward what she calls l’intime—“the inside of the inside.” Her groundbreaking documentary Les Rivières traced the hidden emotional inheritance of the women in her family. Her second film, Make Me a Man, co-created with her husband, the British psychotherapist, Jerry Hyde, brings viewers into men’s therapy groups where emotional truth is the only currency. Her upcoming project, May Day, follows a 12-day group therapy circle, continuing her exploration of what it means to live and love honestly. And on her top-rated Substack Tell Me Who You Are, she asks and explores the hard questions, in public, with vulnerability, laughter and grace.
In this conversation, we talk about:
Mai’s work invites us to find the courage to speak as close to the heart as your consciousness allows. After this conversation, I felt empowered to have some overdue conversations of my own. I hope it opens something for you too.
💫 Want to take this work deeper? Join me this June in Paris for Creative Camp—a five-day immersive designed to reignite your creative spark. Learn more at zevabellel.com/creative-camp
Connect with Me:
•Book a discovery call at www.zevabellel.com
•Subscribe to my Substack: On Becoming
•Email me: zeva@zevabellel.com
•Leave me a voice message on Speakpipe
Credits: Artwork Jessie Kanelos Weiner; Editing Matthew Jordan; Music © Fabrice Fortin; Mai's photo bt Lyloutte Studio
P.S. If you love this episode, share it with a friend, leave a 5-star review, or drop me a line. I love hearing from you!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
