5 years ago I would be checking every single of these statements above, and don’t get me wrong, I am still working on some. Behind my permanent smile, there was fear and insecurity. The image I had of myself was low. I believed I was only worth my image, that I’d only be liked and loved if I said yes to everything others expected from me, and that I had nothing valuable to offer. I constantly doubt my moves, I compared myself to others (which made me feel even worse about myself and my abilities), and I basically lived life moved by life’s inertia. No purpose, no vision, no mission, no goal, no clear identity, no healthy relationship with myself. As years went by, I felt a huge disconnection with myself. I always had to double-check things with my sister and friends to make sure I was doing things right, that I said the correct thing, and behaved the way everyone did. I noticed that something inside was off. I learned that if I wanted to be part of society and become someone, I had to play the same game. Please everyone, be extra polite, get good grades, land a nice job, engage in a stable and long-lasting relationship... I learned to be the extrovert, the hustler, the ego-centered woman. I mastered my masculine energy and forgot about my feminine side. This inner home is what helps me stay connected to myself. This inner home is where I find the resources and tools that I need to nourish myself, guide me, and adapt to the external world. This inner home allows me to see myself in a raw and real way. ​ This inner home allows me to have a loving and compassionate relationship with myself, and consequently with others around me. The process is called SELF-LOVE ​ ​ It is about seeing yourself in the rawest and authentic way possible. It is about listening to what your mind, soul, and body need. It is about taking action in a direction that feels right for you. It is about embodying your masculine and feminine energy to find balance. I know this sounds cliché, but my transformational story gave a flip the first time I landed on the healing island of Bali. The first month I spent there all that I have learned about myself, life, and others crushed. What I believed was true was no longer true. What I believed was a reality was no longer the reality. What I believed about myself was no longer the perception. A lot happened that month, and I remember feeling overwhelmed and confused but at the same time, I felt this inner fire telling me that I was on the right path. That a big shift was about to happen. And it did. Since that trip onwards I have been studying the human mind and behavior, ancient wisdom, experiencing different healing journeys (meditations, yoga, plant medicine, sound healing, ecstatic dance, essential oils, astrology, movement, etc), and have been expanding my knowledge in personal growth and wellbeing. ​ It wasn’t until I began to RECOGNIZE my patterns and the way that I have been conditioned that I didn’t ACCEPT my reality. I began to QUESTION my values, my thoughts, my beliefs, my emotions, and even my behaviors. I used cognitive journaling to organize my thoughts and find clarity on what all these concepts meant to me (success, health, money, wellbeing) until I created my own internal home.