Born in Peru, I come from a spiritual lineage of cartomancers, empaths, and intuitives. My grandmother, a blue-eyed, smart and savvy cartomancer, supported her family with her Spanish deck readings and sessions using her Intuitive knowing. She was the equivalent of an oracle to her clientele, as she consistently predicted outcomes so accurately. My mother also relied on her intuition for important life and business decisions and always seemed to be a step ahead with her wit. While I grew up with these inherited gifts, I lacked the understanding and intentionality I now am grateful to have.

I always felt different as a child, deeply attuned to others' feelings. I often could observe when something was off. My childhood memories were a mix of birthday parties, beach camping, getting limpias from my mom or aunt, and attending obligatory bible study. However, I also faced severe asthma attacks, terrorist car bomb explosions, learned tolerance toward abuse, and loss.

When I was nine, my grandmother became suddenly ill. I started avoiding her for reasons I didn't understand. One day, I saw her lying in her bed, and her once vibrant blue eyes looked gray. This made me realize I was avoiding her because I knew her body didn't have much time left. I never told my mother, fearing it would upset her hopes for my grandmother's recovery. A few days later, my grandmother passed away.

braking free of patterns.

The two themes I grew up with were: we accept things we shouldn’t accept, and we don’t talk about any of those things. These themes made me mature into a young woman with “tough skin” and almost unemotional in the face of painful or stressful events. That meant that the same bravado fueling my independence, strong will and focus also led me to tolerate machismo, abusive relationships and a lot of emotional repression because I just had to be tough and push through.

I felt lost in my teenage years. By then, all my grandparents had died or were distant. My paternal grandparents were divorced and rarely visited, while my maternal grandparents were also divorced and preoccupied with their own lives. My dad was fully absorbed in his business, and my mom avoided tensions and was often out of the house. This pervasive absentism from important figures left me confused and unguided. In my 30’s I chose to change my life. I ended an emotionally abusive relationship, quit an unfulfilling job, and moved from a place that didn't align with my purpose.

I asked myself what to do next. I connected the dots… My whole life, I wanted to help others like I wished someone had helped me during my tough times. I left my stable job for a temporary one that gave me time and energy to take classes. Becoming a Certified Life Coach changed me deeply. I looked back at my early years and let myself feel all the emotions I had suppressed. I talked to my inner child, listened to her pain, and let her feel sadness and anger safely, with my adult self supporting her. I validated her feelings, showed her compassion, and promised that things would improve and life would offer new opportunities.