In the new year, wellness entrepreneur and actress Sarah Lian revisits recent achievements and looks ahead to the opportunities that 2025 will bring. — Photo: YAP CHEE HONG/The Star; Location: Sofitel Damansara, Kuala Lumpur; Hair & makeup: Joey Yap; Wardrobe: Innai Red
As the Lunar New Year approaches, families all over the world are making plans to celebrate the promise of new beginnings, ancestral ties and the joy of reuniting with their loved ones.
For wellness entrepreneur and actress Sarah Lian, this time of year is not just about tradition, but an opportunity for personal reflection and connection with loved ones.
The veteran TV personality and master of ceremonies, who also has several acting credits to her name, will be experiencing the Lunar New Year differently in 2025.
This year’s festivities will be extra meaningful to Lian – a holistic coach and co-founder of Suppagood, and also the wellness platform Supparetreat – as this is the first year she will be spending it as a married woman, having tied the knot in mid-2024.
“I’ll be celebrating my Lunar New Year with my in-laws, for the first time as a member of their family,” says Lian, 41, who married Khoo Teng Leang, 43, director/producer and founder of Trifecta Collective, last year.
Lian's thoughts on taking care of oneself are simple yet profound: give yourself permission to receive. — Photo: YAP CHEE HONG/The Star; Location: Sofitel Damansara, Kuala Lumpur; Hair & makeup: Joey Yap; Wardrobe: Innai Red
“Luckily we are celebrating in Kuala Lumpur so we will have empty roads for the drive to our reunion dinner! It feels like a beginning of a new era!”
For Lian, the festivities have always been a time for family reunions, especially with relatives scattered around the globe.
“My early memories of this season are filled with big reunions with family coming from all corners of the world. I come from a big family and I remember after dinner in my uncle’s special hall, all the aunties and uncles would sit on chairs with red packets in their hands and us kiddies would line up in order, trying to remember all the greetings to say to them and be rewarded with lucky money,” she says.
An abundance of food was the norm and she recalls hearing the roars of laughter until the wee hours of the morning as relatives reminisced together while creating new memories.
“Now there are more of us young ones than there are of the older generation, we’re also the older ones now and it’s beautiful to see how our family keeps multiplying,” she says.
“CNY celebrations will be ‘angpow vengeance’ for all my cousins as now my husband and I will be giving double to our nieces and nephews in our first year together, it’s a great moment to shift our roles from receiving to giving,” Lian adds.
When it comes to Chinese astrology, she is no stranger to the traits of her zodiac sign (which include, among others, compassionate, generous, honest and optimistic).
“Born in the Year of the Pig, I do believe there are common traits with me and those mentioned in the Chinese Zodiac. I’m looking forward to see what the Year of the Snake will bring!” she says.
A year for growth
Professionally, Lian is looking forward to further growing Supparetreat, the wellness platform she co-founded six years ago which is part of Suppagood Collective, a women-focused initiative.
“As we head into our seventh year, we’re focusing on bringing wellness into the workplace with more intention. Despite a monumental personal year, 2024 was an incredible year for us. We managed to host two transformative retreats, including a powerful rage workshop, and we’re planning even more collaborations across different parts of Malaysia, starting with Johor Baru in March,” says Lian.
The certified holistic coach loves curating empowering workshops and is working on further levelling up her own wellness game.
“I feel deeply privileged to hold space for so many individuals on their journey of self-discovery. I’m also in the process of becoming a certified breath coach to further enhance my offerings and better serve my community,” she says.
Lian will be celebrating the Lunar New Year with her in-laws for the first time as a member of their family. She married Khoo Teng Leang, 43, director/producer and founder of Trifecta Collective, last year. — Sarah Lian
As for her personal goals in the coming year, seeing more of the world is high on her list, as she and her husband are both avid travellers.
Having globe-trotted extensively as singles, she looks forward to their shared adventures, especially their journey as a couple.
“Married life has been amazing. My husband and I have been friends for over 15 years so it’s a gift to have such a solid foundation to kick off our new roles as husband and wife,” she says. “It still feels so surreal that we are here but I’m grateful for the universe’s timing and everything that I’ve gone through in my life to arrive at this place.”
Her personal philosophy to happiness is inspired by the wisdom of The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz, which outlines four main points: be impeccable with your word; don’t take things personally; don’t make assumptions; and always do your best.
“These agreements have allowed me to live my life with a sense of peace over the things that are within my control and that’s a huge component of being happy. I’m living in alignment with so much ease and freedom. It feels like I’ve barely scratched the surface of life and cannot wait to see how else life will unfold from this point,” she shares.
It seems only appropriate that at the start of the year, we should ask for advice on wellness from an expert.
Lian’s thoughts on taking care of oneself are simple yet profound: give yourself permission to receive.
“Remember, you can’t pour from an empty cup. Find ways to fill your cup, and notice how others want to help you do that. Let yourself be loved and allow yourself to give love in return,” she says, adding that this means allowing yourself to take breaks and accept help from others.
She also emphasises the importance of embracing compliments or gestures that make you feel special, and notes that most people mistakenly think that self-care is selfish or indulgent.
“Some feel they don’t deserve anything until they’ve achieved their goals, or they struggle with guilt or shame around receiving,” she says.
“I realised this was one of my biggest hurdles, and overcoming it was a major turning point for me. When you have more compassion and grace for yourself, your view of your struggles will start to change,” says Lian.
Her journey is one of inspiration and renewal, as she navigates life as a newlywed and grows her wellness platform, while taking every opportunity to realign with what matters most.
