Preeti ON: turning 30, cultural pressure & doing it for younger YOU
Turning 30 has a way of making everything feel louder. The questions. The comparisons. The invisible checklist you never agreed to, but somehow still feel measured by.
In this episode, I sit down with Preeti, host of the podcast It’s Pretty Personal, for a conversation that feels less like an interview and more like one of those conversations you have with a friend, the ones where you suddenly realise you’re not as behind as you thought.
Preeti describes herself as “pretty happy” right now. Not because everything is figured out, but because she’s finally moving towards a life that feels hers. That realisation didn’t come easily and it definitely didn’t arrive on a neat timeline.
The pressure no one prepares you for
We talk about the weight of turning 30 as a South Asian woman, and how early expectations around marriage, success and “settling down” quietly shape the way we see ourselves.
What happens when your life doesn’t match the script you were handed? And how much of that pressure is actually yours versus something you’ve been carrying for other people?
Preeti speaks candidly about navigating that tension, especially as someone growing up between cultures, where collectivism and individualism often collide.
“What will people say?”
At the heart of our conversation is a question many of us know too well. Not always spoken out loud, but always present.
Preeti reflects on how deeply ingrained this fear can be, how it shows up even when you’re doing something you love, and why unlearning it isn’t a one-time decision but an ongoing practice.
Restarting her podcast meant facing those thoughts head-on. Doubt. Fear. The feeling of being “different” from the person she was five years ago. And still choosing to begin again.
Creating space where it didn’t exist before
It’s Pretty Personal was born out of a need Preeti couldn’t ignore: the lack of nuanced South Asian stories in Western spaces. Stories that hold both worlds at once. Stories that talk about the things we often only whisper about.
Her “why” goes beyond content creation. It’s about making people feel less alone. About hearing a story and thinking: oh… it’s not just me.
And maybe realising there’s more than one way to build a meaningful life.
Doing it for younger you
Toward the end of our conversation, Preeti shares the mantra she lives by now, a reminder that sits quite literally on her phone screen.
It’s about honouring the version of yourself that dreamed freely, before fear, timelines and expectations crept in. And about choosing a life you won’t look back on with regret.
This episode is for anyone who:
feels stuck between who they are and who they’re expected to be
is questioning timelines around 30, marriage or success
has a creative itch they keep pushing aside
is quietly unlearning and relearning themselves
Sometimes, all it takes is one conversation to remind you: there’s room for you too.
📱 Follow Preeti on Instagram & TikTok: @prettypersonal
Listen to the full episode with Preeti now.