Wellness in Hong Kong is often sold as an end state—a polished image, a completed marathon, or a successful business empire. But for the visionaries leading our June cover story, true health is not a destination; it is an act of daily rebellion. It is the courage to choose presence over productivity and self-alignment over societal expectation.
In this special feature, we go behind the scenes with a collective of leaders who are redefining the city’s pulse: Rosemary Vandenbroucke, Inez Leong, Yeean Choi, and Sonia Samtani. Together, they represent the diverse pillars of a thriving life—from the mindful discipline of motherhood and the meditative endurance of long-distance running to the visionary grit of entrepreneurship and the deep, transformative work of the subconscious mind.
While their paths differ, their message is singular: wellness is found in the quiet, non-negotiable rituals that anchor us. Whether it is a sunrise run along the harbor, a conscious breath between meetings, or the strength to start a new career from zero, these trailblazers prove that resilience is built through small, steady choices.
Join us as we explore the rituals, the mantras, and the hard-won wisdom of those who are redefining what it means to be well in the heart of the city.
Rosemary Vandenbroucke: The Courage to Redefine Beauty
Rosemary Vandenbroucke is a yoga teacher, health coach and mother on a mission to help people trust their bodies and build sustainable habits that support both wellbeing and thriving motherhood. Once scrutinised for her appearance, she experienced a profound shift when she witnessed how mindful movement could unlock confidence in her students. “Beauty became less about a fixed image and more about how we move through life with presence, ease and kindness towards ourselves and others,” she reflects. Her own days are anchored in small, steady rituals. She wakes early for stretches or a sunrise run before getting her children ready for school, and evenings are sacred family time. Around the dinner table, they share their “thorn and rose” of the day — one challenge and one gratitude — cultivating connection and reflection.
For Rosemary, true wellness is far from the filtered perfection of social media. “Wellness isn’t flashy or perfect. It’s small steady choices — daily practice, balanced meals, enough rest — that add up over time. Healing isn’t linear. There are good days and tough days. True resilience comes from honest, imperfect progress and the support we give ourselves to keep showing up.” By teaching from a place of patience and play, she shows that redefining beauty is an act of courage.
Inez Leong: The Courage to Keep Running
Inez Leong is a mother of two daughters, a golden retriever owner, and a marathon runner who turned her passion into a career. In 2017 she opened her first fitness studio offering HIIT, strength training and TRX, and she now runs a Causeway Bay gym focused on personal training and Pilates, alongside an online supplement shop and active social media presence. Her day starts at 6am with the school run, after which she claims her “me time” — often a run along the harbour or a game of tennis. “When I run by the sea, it’s a form of meditation. I feel relaxed, I de-stress, my whole perspective opens up and becomes broader,” she says. Afternoons are for filming content, managing her gym and online coaching, but she always prioritises returning home early to help her children with studies, read stories or simply play.
The mental wall is a familiar opponent during marathon training. “After 30km it’s a whole new world. You have to use your brain to tell your body to keep going,” she explains. Her mantra is simple but fierce: “If I can do this today — if I can finish this programme or complete this marathon — then nothing can stop me today.” That same willpower drives her mission to encourage more people to start moving, proving that wellness lives where grit meets grace, and where nature becomes the ultimate reset.
Yeean Choi: The Courage to Start from Zero
Yeean Choi left her career as a kindergarten teacher to found a medical aesthetics centre and an AI-based facial contour analysis app, driven by the belief that no one should be defined by others. “In Hong Kong, women face pressures from work, family and societal standards about appearance and age. I wanted to create a brand that combines medical aesthetics with internal health and nutrition — a holistic solution so women can realise their true self-worth,” she says. Her days as a founder demand intense self-management: planning tasks, leading cross-department meetings, personally engaging with customers, solving real-time problems, and driving brand innovation. Even with a relentless workload, she protects time for exercise and reading, convinced that a leader’s mental and physical health directly shapes the company’s future. The entrepreneurial path wasn’t smooth. “The biggest psychological barrier was fear of the unknown and self-doubt. In Hong Kong’s competitive market, I questioned whether I could succeed,” she admits. She overcame that by internalising a simple truth: “It’s never too late to start. Even from zero, you can create your own future.” By focusing on practical action, continuous learning and upgrading her team’s skills, she transformed uncertainty into empowerment. Yeean’s vision is a space where outer beauty and inner health reinforce each other. “When women find that balance, they feel confident, independent and truly fulfilled.” In a fast-moving city, she offers permission to slow down and find a rhythm that honours both body and soul.
Sonia Samtani: The Courage to Look Within
Sonia Samtani, Founder & CEO of All About You, is a clinical hypnotherapist and trainer in Hypnotherapy, Subconscious Identity Recoding and NLP. For over twenty years she has guided high-functioning individuals — people who look successful on the outside yet still live from silent childhood decisions. “When I started, conversations around therapy, trauma and emotional wellbeing were taboo in Hong Kong’s English-speaking community. I built All About You as a safe, unapologetic space where people can confront emotional patterns and reconnect with who they truly are,” she shares. Her own foundation is a set of non-negotiable morning rituals: breathwork, grounding, intentional movement and setting the energy for the day before anyone else’s story enters her field. Between client sessions she takes mindful pauses — just three conscious breaths. At night she reflects, releases any emotional charge, and closes with gratitude or a visualisation of the future.
“The subconscious doesn’t stop working when you sleep, so you may as well direct it intentionally.” When asked about Hong Kong’s most common mental toxin, she answers without hesitation: comparison and the pressure to perform. “Many measure their worth by productivity, income, status — creating a quiet feeling of ‘I am not enough.’” Her remedy is a four-step tool: Pause, Breathe, Name the emotion, then Discern the most conscious response. “The moment you name an emotion, you create distance from it. In that space, clarity returns.” For Sonia, true wellness is the daily courage to shift from comparison to self-alignment, asking “Is this loving towards me?” rather than “Will this impress others?”
Digital cover star:
Inez Leong @inez_leong , Rosemary Vandenbroike @rosemary_vdb , Yeean Choi @yeeanspace , Sonia Samtani @soniasamtani_
Photographer: Ben @hk_tat
Stylist: Veanie Louis
Hair & Makeup stylist: Sheeta @sheetamake.up_
Venue: Hyatt Centric Hong Kong @hyattcentrichongkong
Inez & Rosemary’s outfits: Alice & Olivia @aliceandolivia_hongkong
Inez & Rosemary’s handbags: ANTEPRIMA @anteprimahk
Inez’s accessories: Cocktail @cocktailselectshop
Inez’s shoes: Sam Edelman @sam_edelman_hk
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