Eight-year-old Cristina loved daydreaming, English, and Art classes. If you asked her what she was going to be when she grew up, she would enthusiastically say “an exchange student of course!" What it was or how it worked were minor details then.

Many English classes under her belt (even on Saturday mornings) and with her mom’s constant help and encouragement, it happened!

Flying to Colorado was surreal. Knowing she was chosen on her birthday of all days, was a sign of good things to come. And many good things keep coming from that experience.
Living there planted the idea in her, of living from the inside out.

It’s been fun to think about young Cristina…

Living from the inside out is my life-long quest.
What does that mean? To me, it means that I am being true to myself, that I am living my values, that I make intentional decisions.
It may sound idealistic, yet it is about pausing. It is about noticing and a whole lot of awareness, it is constant and often hard work.
But taking charge of my choices, good and bad, has been empowering. Feeling the forward progression is encouraging and I keep getting to know myself better as I keep going.

I used to care a lot about how others would perceive me and what they thought of me. So, I fit myself to an ‘ideal’ Cristina I fabricated, which was not a 100% me. I was a pleaser, a rule follower, and taker of other people’s responsibilities.

For a long time, I looked for the values that summarized all I wanted to be, I had a loooooong list, and I wanted them all, I wanted to be all those good words.
I tried and I failed. But I kept at it until 1 more exercise made it easier to get there. I arrived at LOVE, LIGHT, and GROWTH and adopted them as my foundation.
They are the values I aim for as a mom, a wife, a friend, a daughter, a human, as an artist.

With time, great mentors, classes, coaches, books, therapy, good listeners, and lectures, I understand better how love multiplies the more I give it. That anyone’s light shines brighter the more I share mine. And that growth is uncomfortable but good.

Yes, I still daydream daily, only now I call it visualization. I still love English, and now practice my Spanish for my kids to hear. And Art is a blessing that keeps feeding my soul.

I was an exchange student and I will keep being a student for the rest of my life.

What did you want to be when you were growing up?

I would love to hear about your journey, email me or leave a comment below.