In our sixth installment of our 6 part campaign we present Ingrid Borborema to talk about what it means to her to BE YOUR OWN Woman in the 21st century.
I’m a holistic health coach and yoga teacher born and raised in the Brazilian Amazon. I am currently based in Los Angeles, California where you can find me consulting for vegan restaurants, recipe testing or running in between yoga classes. I am passionate about food, yoga, and mindfulness but this hasn’t always been the case. At age 22, I was diagnosed with an early stage of cancer. I got my results, and in the same week, I also got the news my parents were divorcing. My biological mother, whom I’ve never met, added me on Facebook. And after years I finally realised I was in an abusive toxic relationship with my then fiancé.
I was petrified my life would end right there. (Yet before this, I had never actually been alive).
Being mindful of my body, heart, mind, and spirit was a huge act of self-love. It was absolutely the most challenging time of my life, and yet the biggest gift I could ever receive. It forced me to ask questions that I didn’t consider before, such as knowing what do I need and discovering how do I want to feel and what it actually is that makes me happy.
Today I help other women finding their strength and to cultivate health + happiness.
I grew up in a traditional family in the Brazilian Amazon. I was not taught how to love or take care of myself. I was taught that in order for me to be happy, I had to make others happy. I tried so hard to make my family, friends, and boyfriends happy and I gracefully failed at it, which made me miserable. I became self-destructive and without realising I indulged myself in absolutely everything that would make me feel bad in the next day. At age 22, I was diagnosed with an early stage of cancer. I had to almost lose my life to wake up and take full responsibility for my own happiness. My path was painful, but yours doesn’t need to be. You do not need to be in a life or death situation to realise that life is a precious gift!
The biggest question is how do you want to enjoy your gift? What makes you happy?
It took me a painful life turn to wake up and realise that life is way too precious, but at the moment I realised it, no one could hold me back – not even myself. It was an internal revolution and as every revolution, it required me a great deal of courage and passion for what I believe it was worth fighting for – my own happiness.
The truth is, that to BE YOUR OWN Woman is liberating and THE BEST TIME IS NOW. This includes taking risks, trying different paths and embracing possibilities that maybe you never considered before. Finding what makes you happy can be scary sometimes. But when times of doubts come along, just believe in yourself and you can achieve anything. Have patience and remember Beyoncé was not built in one day!
For the first time in history, we can go online and find a community of like-minded people living extraordinary, successful lives doing simply what makes them happy. Social media allows people to discover and receive support from virtual communities. And I have personally used to find mentors that can guide me through my mission to cultivate health + happiness. Take advantage of the system and believe you are also worthy of the life you wish. Reach out, ask for help, feel inspired by other women, but do never forget that you are your own!
It is a great time to be alive and we together are building a better future where women anywhere can feel empowered to be themselves and do what makes them happy.
For me to BE YOUR OWN Woman in the 21st century is to have the courage to be happy.
Twitter: @wellnessgalaxy
Instagram: @wellnessgalaxy
Website: www.wellnessgalaxy.net
