There’s Power in Sharing Your Story

I’ve been a storyteller my entire life.

I dabbled with creative writing and poetry in middle school and found my passion for journalism in high school. After college, I went on to become an award-winning journalist for the Omaha World-Herald, the largest newspaper in Nebraska.

I had experienced the power of storytelling many times throughout my 14-year career as a reporter and editor. I saw firsthand how stories can magically connect, inspire and uplift people with all different beliefs and backgrounds.

But it wasn’t until I shared my own story, some of the darkest times in my life, that I realized my own power within to help other Latinas. I had no idea how cathartic it could be to open up about my own setbacks.

On January 27, 2018, on a stage in front of hundreds of people, I openly talked about my divorce and custody battle and feeling like I had failed as a wife and mother. It was the first time in my life I dug up enough courage to be vulnerable and share my truth. While I was hesitant at first, I figured if one person could be uplifted or inspired, it would be worth it.

But I never imagined inspiring millions of people, especially Latinas who had similar experiences.

Here’s how it happened:

During my divorce in 2015, I moved back into my parents’ house so I could get on my feet financially. That meant sleeping in my childhood bedroom underneath dozens of glow-in-the-dark stars I had stuck on the ceiling in the sixth grade. I made wishes on each one of those stars as a kid. On one of the first nights back at my parents’ house, I remember crying and looking up at those stars, wondering, “Is this a demotion in life? Am I really sleeping in my childhood bedroom in my 30s?”

Those small, plastic stars were still glowing every night. They were my reminder that, despite what I was going through, my dreams were still out there.

Even amidst a difficult divorce and balancing being a single mom with a full-time job, I decided to empower myself and go after my dream of earning a master’s degree. I knew I had to pour all of my energy into bettering myself and feeling good, rather than dwelling on the difficulties of divorce.

In January 2018, I received my master’s degree from Bellevue University and was selected to represent my graduating class as the commencement speaker.

I wanted my fellow graduates to know that no matter what obstacles we face in life, we can always pursue our dreams. I shared the story of how my glow-in-the-dark stars motivated me to keep dreaming — even during the darkest time of my life. I even gave each graduate a glow-in-the-dark star as a reminder to never give up.

Immediately after my speech, a fellow graduate stopped me to thank me for sharing my story. She said she almost didn’t attend her graduation ceremony because she was dealing with a difficult breakup and a custody fight. My speech, she said, gave her hope.

It was in that moment I realized how therapeutic it is to talk about the disappointments in our lives. In that moment, I knew sharing my story could give others hope.

About four months after graduation, I was contacted by the motivational media company, Goalcast, who wanted permission to share my speech with millions of people on social media. I agreed and within just a few days, it had more than 1 million views. Now, it has more than 6.5 million.

I had messages on Facebook from women and men all over the world — India, Canada, New Jersey, Texas — thanking me for courageously sharing my story and giving them a sense of hope. They called my speech, “incredibly powerful,” “inspiring” and “motivating.”

What I want other women of color to take away most from my story is how the most terrible things in our lives can actually redirect us to the best things that will ever happen to us. I want my story to be proof that when you put faith over fear, anything is possible.

After living with my parents for about 14 months, I was finally able to buy my own home. And a few months after that, I landed a dream job working in government communications. I felt like my stars were aligning and my storm was finally passing.

After my commencement speech went viral, I was sought out to speak at a variety of events and conferences. It was through some of the most difficult times in my life that I was able to discover my passion for motivational speaking. I’ve been the keynote speaker for events and have led talks and workshops. I even landed a speaking gig at a women’s leadership conference in London.

Now, I’m currently working to publish my first book, A Star for Stella, a memoir that shines a light on trauma, alcoholism, divorce and fighting to be the best version of me so I can be the best mother possible.

My dark times have given me a platform to help others and I am so honored and humbled to be able to inspire so many. I am no longer afraid to talk about my setbacks or failures. I embrace them. My darkest times brought me to some of my brightest days, and my most heartbreaking struggles forced me to heal and grow in unimaginable ways. I am grateful for all of it – the good and the bad – because it’s made me who I am today.

Tips to overcoming obstacles & unleashing your best self:

Surround yourself with supportive people
Embrace failure – some of your toughest setbacks will lead you to your biggest comebacks
Visualize your best-self daily
Practice self-care
Journal regularly
Ignore naysayers
Take risks – the magic happens outside of your comfort zone