JJ Lin opens up about stressful moments and how he's dealt with them

“You have to remember to breathe” is one advice he lives by, says Singaporean singer and songwriter, JJ Lin, as he opens up to host, Class 95 DJ Jean Danker, on the new podcast series, R U OKAY?, which deals with mental wellness.

And to help you do just that, Lin even shared a couple of breathing techniques on the debut episode that ran on Wednesday (Feb 16) – one where "you have to think of yourself as a little puppy and breathe like a dog" and another where you let out a loud "ha" like you're a kungfu master. 

Both exercises are not just great for destressing, he said, but also work as a warm-up for both his vocal cords and his whole breathing system.

On the podcast, Lin talked more about his struggles and the self-doubt he faces, how he manages stress, and he also offers personal tips on how to get back on track. 

He shared that he faced a tough moment "maybe three months ago" where he felt stressed and was down. "I was being misunderstood and there were lies, accusations, randomness and confusion around where I had to kind of figure myself out. You cannot control what people say or do," he said. 

To get past that, you have to remind yourself of who you are and what you believe in, he said. "Because when things get rough, sometimes we start to question ourselves. You doubt yourself... (but) be strong and look out for the good things. You have to not lose sight of that," he shared. 

As for how he gets out of a negative headspace, Lin said that he finds a way to connect to his family and friends – and to remember to breathe. 

When it comes to challenges, Lin said that he appreciates the tough times he’s been through because they've made him the person he is today. “If you don’t go through those stressful moments, you would never be able to appreciate who you are at that given moment or after that you realise that, wow, you’re really fortunate to be where we are,” said the 40-year-old Mandopop star.

He also encouraged people to watch out for friends who may be going through a hard time. "How do you know for sure if yourself or someone around you is feeling down or needs help? That's something that we need to pay more attention to."

In upcoming episodes of R U OKAY?, Danker will speak with celebrity guests Joanne Peh, Nathan Hartono, Andie Chen, Nurul Aini, Elvin Ng, Felicia Chin, Rui En, Taufik Batisah and Sharon Au.

Danker told CNA Lifestyle that she personally reached out to and invited these personalities to her show and that they are some of her “favourite people in the industry”.

“I’ve learned some incredibly great lessons from the people I spoke to,” she shared. “One of which is that ultimately it doesn’t matter how different we all look on the outside, we all go through very similar challenges. If at least one person watches the show and feels better about themselves or their mental health, then it has succeeded.”

A new episode of R U OKAY? is available every Wednesday at 8pm on meWATCH and Mediacorp Entertainment YouTube.