SD Voyager: Meet Cindy Tsai, MD

Today we’d like to introduce you to Cindy Tsai M.D..

Hi Cindy, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I was a shy introvert with good girl syndrome. Ever since I was a little girl, I thought I had to be perfect and do all the right things in order to be liked and accepted. I followed in my dad’s footsteps to become a doctor to help people feel better. I worked really hard attending top schools (Johns Hopkins and Dartmouth) to become the best physician I could be. After jumping through all the hoops and completing years of medical training, I was so relieved to finally start working as a “real” doctor. I thought I could finally relax and enjoy my life.

Life looked good on paper. I checked all the boxes… But something didn’t feel right. I wanted to help people be healthy and well, not just take medication as a bandaid for the rest of their lives. I felt stuck and didn’t know what else I could do.

I tried therapy and other things. Still stuck. And then I started working with a life coach and things shifted completely. I learned tools and skills to manage my stress and overwhelm. I gained confidence to explore other options and speak up for myself. I discovered that I could help people in many other ways. My worth as a human comes not from being a physician in a white coat but from how I felt about myself. This was the best news! And I knew I had to become a life coach to empower other women so they can feel better and enjoy their lives with ease and joy.

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
I am incredibly grateful because I have been very lucky and fortunate in many ways. (Though I didn’t always believe this and definitely made life harder than it needed to be.) Of course there have been struggles and challenges along the way but they have been great learning experiences for me to grow and become a better version of myself.

One of the most important lessons is learning how to befriend my inner critic so that I could let go of my perfectionism and people-pleasing tendencies. As I learned how to reconnect to myself without the judgment and self-doubt, I was able to explore new possibilities to start living and creating a life I truly wanted.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I’m a board-certified physician, mindfulness teacher, and life coach. I see coaching as a great way to optimize your health and well-being. I coach high-achieving women who are feeling stressed and overwhelmed to prioritize self-care and manage time effectively to live a meaningful life with ease and joy.

I am experienced and trained in many different wellness, coaching and healing modalities and bring all these tools and resources to my coaching process. I blend the science and the unconventional to effectively get you where you want to go in the easiest way possible. I want you to be successful and reach all your goals but be able to enjoy the process every step of the way, not just when you get there.

I love helping clients increase belief in themselves and empower them to live the life they’re meant to live.

We love surprises, fun facts and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
I don’t really watch TV but I was a big Golden State Warriors fan and would spend hours watching all the games including the post-game interviews!

Article originally appeared on SD Voyager in 2021.