CHEW ON LIFE – A MEMOIR FROM ELIXR FOUNDER RICHARD CHEW
A few years ago, I began toying with the idea of writing my memoir. At the time, it felt a little self-indulgent. What changed my mind was the generous feedback I received from many of you about Chew on It, the monthly newsletter I began writing when Elixr first opened in August 2002. Your responses reminded me that sharing experiences – honestly and thoughtfully – can sometimes be of value to others.
Over several decades, my life has been… interesting. In fact, perhaps too interesting, which is why these days I value simplicity, peace, and enjoyment more than ever. I have experienced both the highest highs and the lowest lows – in business, fitness, karate, and my personal life.
In business, I enjoyed great success with my first fitness centre, Healthland. I also faced failure, including bankruptcy from running a restaurant business I had no business to be in. I had to rebuild from that point, and I was very fortunate that my vision of a mind-body health club – Elixr, with its focus on Pilates and yoga – eventually became a reality and a success.
What I am most proud of is the community that has serendipitously grown at Elixr. We have members ranging from babies in swim lessons to nonagenarians in aqua classes – and everyone in between. For many, Elixr has become a sanctuary and a place of connection. I have been deeply moved when members have told me that, at difficult moments in their lives, Elixr was a saving grace.
Karate has also been instrumental in shaping my life. I began teaching adults at the age of fifteen, and that journey eventually led to Australian citizenship through representing Australia at World Championships – first as a competitor and later as a coach. I am a proud Australian, living in the country of my choice, in the beautiful city of Sydney. I believe we are privileged to live here, and I find it upsetting that this privilege is too easily mistaken for entitlement.
My personal journey has been a rollercoaster. I developed depression at the age of eleven when I was sent from my privilege childhood home to a regimented boarding school in Sydney. In adulthood, depression returned twice, triggered by business stress – one episode lasting more than six years. Those were dark and difficult times. Eventually, a therapy called Journey Therapy helped lift my depression, and it has not returned.
Nothing, however, prepared me for the loss of my beloved daughter, Talena, in 2009. The depth of that pain is something one learns only to endure and accept. Yet, even while carrying that grief, I continue to see and experience the beauty and joy that exists in the world. I still remember my daughter once telling me that I was an eternal optimist, regardless of the challenges I faced.
I recently came across a definition that made me smile: an optimist is just a pessimist who hasn’t lived long enough. I would describe myself as a pragmatic optimist – able to acknowledge life’s difficulties while still choosing to see and experience its joys.
Every one of us will face challenges and, at times, tragedy. I don’t believe things happen for a reason. Life simply happens. What matters is the path we choose from that point onward, because that choice ultimately shapes the quality of our lives. It is, quite simply, what we make of it.
As Maya Angelou wisely said: You can be in pain, but you don’t have to be a pain.
My memoir, Chew on Life, shares these experiences and the conscious choices I made to keep moving forward rather than spiralling downward. My hope is that it offers comfort and inspiration to those who are facing – or have faced – their own life challenges.
Let both the positive and the difficult moments in life help shape the person you choose to become.
I can say that I am now the person I want to be – although a few less kilos of body fat would be ideal, and I’m working on that.
If this book interests you, Chew on Life is available via the Elixr website.
