All-or-nothing thinking is so incredibly limiting and it prevents so many of my clients from living their most authentic lives. It’s the concept that if you can’t do it perfectly the first time, you might as well not do it at all. And thats not true! That’s your fear talking and its holding you back. This week, we’re speaking to two Courage Driven Latina Program clients who have over came all or nothing thinking and changed their entire lives.  

Olivia Muñoz is a Chicana writer, artist and educator living in the Pacific Northwest. Olivia believes passionately in the power of creativity and lifelong learning. She has traveled the world, led trainings on diversity, equity, and inclusion, and mentored young Latinas in higher education. As a former reporter for The Associated Press, Olivia published pieces on food, culture, and breaking news in various news outlets throughout the country. She has a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing and earned a doctorate in International and Multicultural Education from the University of San Francisco. Olivia was born and raised in Saginaw, Michigan, to Mexican parents, and her heartfelt poetry and essays explore the Midwest Latina experience. She was recently accepted to the competitive Tin House Winter Workshop in Portland, Oregon for 2024, where she will develop a short story collection. Yes, she is the oldest daughter of immigrants.

Janet Guadalupe Martinez Aguilar, also known as Flaka G, has had an incredible life that has been a remarkable tapestry of triumphs and challenges, woven together with threads of determination, love, and faith. Born in the vibrant heart of Mexico City, she and her family embarked on a journey and she arrived in the United States at the age of 5 years old. Since then, she worked hard to be a beacon of hope for her family, community, and anyone who crosses her path. She has been married for 7 years, she has a 4-year-old who is autistic and an angel baby. She worked as an HR professional for a decade, a non-profit co-founder, a progressive church catechist, and an active mentor in her sorority as our Central Alumnae regional director. Now, she is focusing on changing the world one person at a time as a Career Coach.

In this week’s episode, Olivia shares how she went from hating her job and never publishing her work to getting paid to travel all over the world and getting accepted into prestigious writing programs. Flaka shares how she made her full-time job her sugar daddy while she builds her career coaching business and launch her non-profit organization. Tune in to hear more about these absolutely inspirational women! 

Connect with Olivia:
Instagram @‌oliviamunoz170
Twitter @‌_OliviaMunoz
LinkedIn

Connect with Janet:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/flakageemtz/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/janetmtzaguilar

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janetgmartinezz/

Website: https://poca.us/

Follow Erika on:
Instagram @‌theerikacruz
TikTok @‌theerikacruz
LinkedIn

Website:
http://www.theerikacruz.com

How to work with Erika:
Join the waitlist for Courage Driven Latina here.

Podcast production for this episode was provided by CCST.

Episode Transcript:

Erika: Hello, hello, and welcome back to this week’s podcast episode of Ch*ngona Revolution Podcast. I’m excited about today’s episode because I am speaking to two amazing guests about getting out of the all or nothing thinking and getting out of perfectionism and starting to take the first Steps, because the truth is a lot of you listening, you have a lot of goals, right?

Like you don’t just want to do one thing. There’s a lot of things that you want to do, but on the other side, 

coming from our community, sometimes we can really get stuck in that all or nothing thinking we’re like, Oh, if it’s not going to be perfect, or if I can’t go a hundred percent, then I’m not going to do it. And the two people that I speak with in this podcast episode are examples of how.

the all or nothing thinking doesn’t serve us. It actually prevents us from showing up and it prevents us from serving the people that we want to serve. And also how we can do many things. It’s just about not doing them all exactly at the same time. It’s about doing one thing at a time and then you can execute many, many things.

So if you’re listening and you’re like, damn Erika, I really, I know that I have. These big dreams for myself, but it’s so overwhelming and I don’t know how to take the first step and I’m stuck in this all or nothing thinking, then this podcast episode is for you. Or on the other side, if you’re like, I have a lot of different dreams and I don’t know which one to start with first, then this podcast episode is for you.

I also want to offer something to you. You listening to this podcast, you may be thinking like, okay, you know, I am hearing about Courage Driven Latina. I’m listening to Ch*ngona Revolution, and I know that I’ve kind of been living in fear and what I really want to build is the skill of courage, which is, I’m in the, the middle of courage week right now, when this is released, it’ll be the last day of courage week, and that has been so fun to coach and connect with so many amazing individuals.

So thank you so much for joining. If you joined us, if you did sign up, you got the emails with the recording. But what I want to offer to you is courage is a skill that keeps giving, right? Just like, just like confidence and courage and confidence are little, are besties. They’re like, you know, the ones hanging out for, for galentines.

They’re the ones holding hands, really like supporting one another. And I want to offer to you that you are already courageous. If you have gone through a divorce, if you have gone through a breakup that you maybe didn’t want to happen, if you are a parent, if you are in a relationship, if you have put in your two week notice at a job, you already have courage.

And we all have fear, right, because fear is literally a survival mechanism. We need fear. Courage means to feel the fear and still do it. And there’s been many times when you have exercised courage, I would almost argue that if you are a listener of this podcast, or if you are Latina, or if you are first gen, you are automatically courageous.

You don’t have another choice. You don’t have another choice. You have to be courageous. So, with group programs like Courage Driven Latina, it’s not really so much about teaching you how to be courageous. It’s about teaching you to be very intentional with how you’re using your courage. You already have courage.

This isn’t something you have to go find. This isn’t something outside of you. It’s something you were literally born with. And because you were born with this, With just a little bit of nudging and maybe the right community around you, you will be un freaking stoppable. And I hope that the two stories that you listened to today help you see that.

Because these women have changed their lives in months. In months. And they’re just getting started. So again, if you’ve been really in this all or nothing thinking, or if you feel like you have too many things that you want to do that you’re not starting any, this is the podcast episode for you. I also want to remind you that the doors for Courage Driven Latina are open and they are closing on the 21st.

Do not wait, sign up. You are ready right now. You don’t have to go get a degree. You don’t have to do more research. You don’t have to build more confidence. You don’t have to like wait until you’re more courageous. We just talked about this. Courage is built into you. You are inevitably courageous if you are listening to this podcast, but if you are ready to stop procrastinating and really.

Take action on the thing that you’ve been wanting to do courage driven at the end I was created for you. You get to do it alongside so many incredible driven women. You’re not alone. You’ll have help every step of the way I have my proven framework that has helped over 200 women. Even if you’ve been in the program in the past, now we have Courage Driven Latina 2.

0 with new videos, new worksheets. I mean, it is just a whole new program. We’d love to have you back. Go to CourageDrivenLatina. com. You can secure your spot there and I can’t wait to see you. You’re going to get immediate access the moment that you sign up. Okay. It’s not like you sign up and then you have to wait months or anything like that.

No, you sign up, you get immediate access to the videos and then you get immediately added to our weekly coaching calls. Yeah. Courage Driven Latina is not a course that you go and do on your own. We don’t just say GeteVayaVien with your project. No, no, no. We help you every step of the way with live coaching.

We even give you messaging support. We give you videos. We do trainings. And we also have live events coming up that are exclusively available to people inside of Courage Driven Latina. So if this has been something that’s on your vision board, do not wait. Now is the time. Join us. I cannot wait to support you.

Olivia, welcome to Chingona Revolution podcast. How are you? I’m 

Olivia: doing super good. Thank you so much for having me. 

Erika: I’m so excited to have you here. I love your story and just your overall journey in the last, what has it been, six months or so that we’ve been working together. So for the people listening who don’t know who you are, can you tell them who you are, what you currently do, and what you’re working 

Olivia: on?

Yeah. Hi, my name is Olivia Munoz. Oli for short to my family and friends and all of you. and I have worked for, for the last probably 15 plus years as an administrator in higher education. And it’s something that’s brought me, you know, lots of joy and professional fulfillment, but at my core, I’m a writer and artist.

And that has been. Part of my kind of core, like I said, since I was a little girl. And so that’s always an itch that I’m looking to scratch all the time. And when I first heard about Courage Driven Latina, I was, I was, you know, kind of over my job. It wasn’t horrible, but I just knew that I wanted to do something more, something bigger, and something more aligned with who I was as a person and what I wanted to do.

in the world and for my community. And so creativity is really everything to me. I love, engaging in creative work and art, but writing is really what my jam is. And so I’m happy to have done so much more of that in these last six months than I’ve done, honestly, in like probably the last 10 years.

Erika: So tell me a little bit about how did you find Courage Driven Latina? I actually don’t know this.

Yeah, 

Olivia: I, I had been already thinking about like, okay, what, honestly, this is something where it’s like, maybe this is something I start, cause I was looking for a creativity coach. There’s lots of different coaches, which is great. You know, people find their nuances and niches. but I wasn’t looking to start a business or get into an executive level thing, things like that.

I was like, I just want someone to coach me. Through like what I want to be my creative practice. And so I was looking around and one of my good friends, Rosa Revuelta, who actually works as a, as a leadership coach herself, had heard about your program, just knew about you from social media and said, Oli, I think you would like this.

Like you’re a community minded person. You’re someone who likes to, you know, kind of be in a collective environment. And I just get so much from that. So it was just a referral from someone. Who knew your, your presence and your reputation online, Erika, and it has paid off. It’s come true. Oh my gosh. I 

Erika: love it.

And you really have taken a lead in this, your courage project is actually, can you tell us what your courage project is? 

Olivia: Yeah, my courage project and it’s more, most tangible level is I’m working on, A series of stories about the Midwest Latina experience. I was born and raised in a town called Saginaw, Michigan.

And people are always like, Oh, there’s like Mexicans up there. Latinas up there. I’m like, yeah, there’s, there’s community everywhere. We’re all over the place. And so I really wanted to write like poems and stories that really honored. That that very unique experience. and more broadly wanted to just kind of move more into my writer self.

And so that’s been my courage project is developing stories and most importantly, putting them out so that people can read them. I did. Work on some stuff and was able to I mean, this was just like me by the seat of my pants, like going for it. I applied for a writer’s workshop called Tin House, which is based out of Portland, Oregon, and it’s pretty prestigious, like writers from all over the world apply to this and professional writers who have books and are well known are the ones who lead the workshops and I got in and that was, you know, that was after doing Courage Driven Latina for a few months.

Erika: That’s amazing. Congratulations. Thank you. It’s so scary. Yeah. And you know what, like before we started recording when we were in the green room, we were talking about, so your, your Courage Project, I would consider it content, right, because you’re creating something. And content can be social media, but it can also be writing a book, writing poetry, all of that.

So we were talking about how creativity actually requires so much courage because to put out a creative piece, it’s a very vulnerable act. And we were talking about how So, When you joined, you had, you, you do have massive dreams for yourself. You do have big dreams for yourself between having big dreams and also leading a project or working on a project that requires so much vulnerability and so much courage.

Sometimes we can fall into the all or nothing thinking. And you were kind of alluding to this a little bit right now, whenever you were saying, actually putting them out there, right? Like writing and then actually putting it out there. So tell us a little bit about what was going on before you joined the.

program, because you have always had these big dreams, but what prevented you from actually doing things? 

Olivia: I think most simply fear did, like, like you mentioned, it’s super vulnerable to put out into the world. Something that just came from your own like kind of heart and mind, because what you’re saying is like, Do you understand me?

Do you hear me? Do you like it? Like it returns you to kind of this little kid self. That’s like, please give me some acceptance. I work really hard or I believe in this. and so to get rejected is scary. Right. I think paired with that, like part of my fear or part of my trepidation was like, I’m someone with, with a lot of formal education and to feel dumb or, you know, not good enough is.

would be a new feeling and really scared, scary. But how, I mean, how would you do great things without taking some kind of risk, right? Like this is the advice that any of us might tell our friends or younger siblings and stuff. And so I was like, Oh, time for me to start following my own advice. But yeah, the fear held me back and, and having.

You know, success and status and a pretty good job in one field and thinking like, okay, if I pivot to go fail super hard in another one, that’s what prevented me from doing it. Nowhere did I think you, girl, you can just still keep working your job and try this other thing. You know what I mean? It’s, it’s such an all or nothing mentality that I would get stuck in where I was like, okay, either I win a Pulitzer Prize or I don’t write.

That’s crazy. That’s too much. 

Erika: Yes. And it’s so crazy how many of us fall into that. And I mean, I was also victim to this, this all or nothing thinking, but we’re doing the community that we want to serve a disservice because what the reason you want to write is to also impact people and connect with people.

Right. So if you get stuck in the all or nothing thinking, then you’re also preventing the people who can experience your work and have transformation from your work. You’re denying them that. 

Olivia: A lot. Yeah. Like when I, when I talk about, you know, my project and what I want to do, or what kind of, what I want to write, with my friends, people I grew up with, they’re like, Oh my God, you know, we’ve never read a book about ourselves and like all this stuff.

So I was like, okay, this is what I’m doing it for. It’s not so much for my own glory. It’s because there are people who haven’t seen themselves in certain media. And I get to play a part in bringing that to life. I’m a cryer. So if I start tearing up. It’s just that I get emotional.

Erika: tell me a little bit about, like, how did you go from this all or nothing thinking, like, I either have to do this and do it perfect, to, oh my gosh, maybe I can take the first How did you come to this realization?

Olivia: I came to the realization that it doesn’t have to be an all or nothing thing, through the program, through Courage Driven Latina. I think the way that we’re, and any, any of us can do this, right? Like if you think about it, you can kind of do this, but being part of the program was really helpful because it gave me a space where other folks were doing the same thing and witnessing their Vulnerability, witnessing them, you know, posting, posting on Instagram, you know, just to do it, just to get out there, really help embolden me.

And so thinking about things not as, um, it’s important to keep the dream. It’s important to say like, yes, I’m going to win awards and have this impact. But remembering like anyone who’s ever done that had to start somewhere and they had to take one scary little step at a time. and now that I’ve started to do, and this is the magic of it all.

Now that I started to do it, I don’t feel like I’m taking tiny little scary steps. I’m like, okay, I’m walking a little bit more confidently. Oh, I can jog now. Oh, that’s no problem. I’m going to run to it. So now I’m applying to all these things or just, you know, submitting poetry, like. Five times a week and stuff because I’m like Okay, I get rejected and, and I’m still living, like, it’s still fine and everyone’s in a while one will land.

Erika: Exactly. So tell me how your, your idea of rejection has shifted because I feel like that’s really what has gotten you out of the all or nothing thinking. Like you no longer are fearing rejection and you just said it yourself right now. You said, I’m not. I’m still here. Like, I’m still alive. I’m still fine.

So how have you reframed the way that you think about rejection to be able to take those steps and put yourself out there? 

Olivia: I think I’ve reframed it as Not everything is for me. There are foods I don’t like, there’s movies I don’t care for, there’s music that’s not my jam. And the people who made those things still put it out.

So my stuff is also not going to be for everyone. The people who are reading my poetry and short story submissions are human beings with their own likes and values and things that influence them. And the rejection, I just don’t take it as personal. It just wasn’t their jam. The poem I just got accepted, like a couple weeks ago, it’s called Counter Space and it’s gonna be in a literary magazine.

I wrote that like, I wrote that like 15 years ago. And so, it was just chillin doing nothing. It was a beautiful piece that I loved. But without giving it air, it just was never gonna, how would it see the light of day? I had control over that. I don’t have control over whether other people like it. I have control whether other people see it.

And so I just reframed it as that. Some things are not their jam, just like some things are not my jam. 

Erika: Exactly. Oh, it’s so well said. I’m in the middle of courage week as we’re recording this and yesterday we were talking about social media, which I think is, we were talking about content and the content path, which that’s why it’s so fitting that you and I are talking about creating content now and somebody, we were talking about how specifically this, we were talking about how not everything is going to be everybody’s cup of tea.

And somebody in the chat said something. I’ve, I’ve heard this. I like in the past, but I think it’s such a good thing. Yeah. And I don’t know who it was, but they said you could be the sweetest peach. And there’s still people out there who don’t like peaches. And it’s just so true, right? But because it’s our work, it feels so personal.

And it’s so easy to take that rejection as a measure of our worthiness. But when you’re creating something, you’re creating something for the people that you’re creating it for and not for everybody. And right, like, even with your poetry, you know, it’s not going to be for everyone. Like, you probably don’t want the white man in corporate America reading it because it’s not for them.

Olivia: Yeah, I don’t care if they like it or not. 

Erika: Exactly, and the truth is we’re going to care about people’s opinion. It matters whose opinion we care about 

Olivia: though. Exactly. Yes. 

Erika: Love it. So I was, before we jumped on, I was, I love looking at where people were whenever they joined the program. And when you joined the program, you were in this, like the main thing that you were looking for was clarity.

And you mentioned having a ton of different ideas of what it is that you could do. You talked about maybe feeling like you had outgrown your job. the other thing that you were really, you said, okay, clarity, I have a lot of ideas in Little Direction. I also struggle with self doubt. My life is full of half starts and I’m at the point of reconsidering my career and a potential geographic move.

What do you have to say about that now? Cause that was only a few months 

Olivia: ago. I know. And I, you know, I’m like a, out of sight, out of mind person. Like I’ll do stuff and then forget it. You know, I’m not someone who kind of goes back in time a lot. So I wouldn’t, if you asked me today, like, do you remember what you wrote in that intake form?

No, so it’s so interesting to hear, that that Olivia was right. I didn’t need clarity. And that is what the program brought me. I’m so excited that there’s, that Christian and Latina has these new like pathways now, because that makes it so easy for you to kind of. Pick your lane and kind of stay with it until you need something else.

but clarity was really the one for me. So there were, I just remember there being a few, modules and the online kind of videos around reconnecting with your younger self. Like what did you, your younger self do for joy? What did she love doing? And for me, it was always like. writing and art and just being nerdy.

and so I, I was like, okay, I need to believe what that little Olivia believed, which was that a life of that was possible. so it really kind of helped. Return me to that, that goal. That’s a core part of who I am. Yeah. It’s 

Erika: so funny. Cause like it’s, we always knew and then we get so caught up in the other things in life, right.

And we lose sight of it, but we always knew. So tell us about the career move and the, and if you’re okay with sharing. 

Olivia: Yeah, yeah, I can definitely share it. That’s so funny. Cause I, I. I’m amazed that I took action on kind of all of those points that you just read with the geographical. Well, with the career move, like I said, I have a pretty decent job with, like, some status and stuff.

I work at a university, but being real about what’s for me and what’s not for me just helped me. Give my notice. And I, I did it in a good way. I talked to my supervisor about it and was able to give notice that I was going to leave this job at the end of this academic year. Um, that was good. It was great that I had the professionalism and the good relationship to be able to do that and leave on a good note.

And it gave me some months to kind of save my pennies and buffer, buffer my savings account a little bit. But it also, I think, you know, kind of spiritually, like, you, the universe opened up for me a little bit and the geographical move is quite a major one. I told you earlier. One of my dreams was, was to work this program semester at sea, which I’ve done before and.

It’s so, I was like, how am I going to do this program again? Where you’re like sailing on a luxury cruise ship from country to country. Like, I’m just going to throw my hat in there. And I got, I got a call last week that they hired me and I set sail in September, visiting a dozen different countries in Europe, Africa, and Asia.

So I’m so excited. I have 

Erika: chills all over my body right now. As you’re telling us, I’m so 

Olivia: excited for you. Me too. I can’t wait. after that, who knows, but I feel so much less scared about taking that leap because I’m doing things that I’m by now I can trust. Myself on the practical things where I’m like I’m good with my money.

I saved my stuff. I have good work experience I’ll be fine, but knowing that I’m gonna get to travel which is one thing. I really love is so exciting It 

Erika: is and could be getting paid to travel in a luxurious way doing something that you love which is writing How incredible is that and you know that you can always go back to your the university because you left on a good note right, so like that’s the beauty I think sometimes as people think about courage and Making courageous moves, they think it has to, again, back to all or nothing, they think it has to be like, I quit, you know, and, but no, like there’s, there’s a, there’s a way of doing things where you can open yourself up to opportunities and you’re not going to burn any bridges.

There’s so many ways of doing it. And I think your story is a perfect example of that. And I think you’re, you’re also like, one thing I want to point out for you is like, Olivia, you were already courageous before coming to the program. I mean, you already like, were working at this university in a prestigious position.

You already had all of your degrees. You were already writing. So what I really feel that the program helps you all do is really hone in on your courage to use it in an intentional way. Because we all, like, I think just being Latina is courageous. The fact that you are Latina or just a woman of color or like a daughter of immigrants or anybody listening to this podcast, I truly believe that we are already courageous and being in a community like this just allows you to really use your, your, your, your, your bravery.

or your courageousness in a more intentional way. And I know you talked a lot about the community and the space. Can you tell us a little bit about how the community has contributed to all of these courageous moves that you’ve made? 

Olivia: Yeah, the community is so great. And the coaches are as well, like you and my daddy are really awesome.

folks who know how to facilitate our, our many emotions and perspectives, but it’s a great group. I, I love that there are people from just like all walks of life and industries, right? It’s so easy to get stuck in like kind of your one field or your one vibe. If you’re a teacher, you know, other teachers, that kind of thing.

but to hear the perspectives of other folks across different. Ages, Latinas with different, you know, nationalities and heritages. That’s so cool because it brings you a diversity of, perspectives. And you said this on the call yesterday, but just hearing other folks get coached also helps you. So there’s times where I don’t really have a question or anything I’m grappling with, but I still log on.

Cause it just is. That good community feel where I’m hearing, other folks get, you know, their issues really discussed. And that totally, that totally helps us all. Cause it lights up these aha moments for you, where it’s like, Oh, I’ve been in that situation. Yeah. I did that or I could have done that different.

It’s so helpful. and then like really specifically, like people have different strengths or things they’re working on. And so we help each other out. One of the, one of the participants, Flaca, like literally was like, I’m going to set an alarm on my phone. And I’m going to text you the morning that this application for this writing thing is due.

She’s like, I’m, I’m extra. I will do that. I will text her. I was like, okay. And she totally did. And she, she wouldn’t let me miss that deadline, which I, my old kind of self sabotage self would have allowed, would have been like, Oh, I was too busy and I missed it. You know what I mean? She was like, Oh no. I will text you that one.

I love it. The accountability in 

Erika: the group is real. It really is real. As much as we try to create a supportive group of, you know, like holding space for all emotions, as you mentioned earlier, we also want to create an environment of like, okay, no, let’s call each other out whenever we’re playing small because we all know, like, it’s so easy to see everyone else’s magic.

And we all know that whenever you’re playing small, you are affecting, or you, you playing small is affecting the community that you want to serve. And I think Flaca sees what the potential is here with your writing and how it can be so life changing. She’s like, no, I’m not going to let you play small. So I absolutely 

love 

Olivia: that.

Yeah. That’s great. but yeah, the, the community feel is so beneficial. There was another thought I had about it, but, but yeah, it’s a good time. 

Erika: Amazing. So where can people find you? Where can they connect with you if they want to follow your work? And I mean, honestly, I feel like I’m going to just see your books, like all over Barnes and Noble and like, I’m going to see you at all the awards.

It’s totally going to happen. So I’m so excited for you, but where can people connect with you now? 

Olivia: Um, I am on Instagram at Olivia Munoz, one 70. One 70. Like I’m older. So one 70 upside down is oli and like pager language or whatever. . Yeah. I was like, that’s just for me. I, I know the joke. so Olivia Munoz one 70 on Instagram.

I, I’m, you know, I’m a nerdy artsy girl, so you’ll see like my printmaking on there. I try to post when I have like, you know, writerly kind of accomplishments and stuff. Love it. that’s kind of the main, that’s kind of the main spot. 

Erika: Love it. Is there anything else you want to share with us before I let you go?

Olivia: Oh, this is the other thing that I wanted to mention about Courage Driven Latina. as far as the community, I really appreciate that. It’s a. A non competitive, non judgmental space. So many of the folks that are on our calls comment on, you know, like, sometimes I can’t even talk about this with my friends or family, but I come here and can kind of discuss because they know that everyone’s on the same page.

Journey of like growth and living their dreams. And so I really appreciate that non competitive aspect. Cause there are several of us at the group who are writers. There are several folks working on similar types of businesses and the, perspective and idea is like, Oh yeah, there’s room for us all even more.

Right. Like it’s abundance. and I really, as someone who’s going to go on this, like really multi month travel, I appreciate the courage project framework because. You know, even if and when I’m not part of the program anymore, I can still take those tools with me and carry out projects through the rest of my life, which, which is what I need for my happiness.

Creativity is life. I hope people engage in their own creative endeavors, or at least go for what they really want. They already know what it is. So that 

Erika: was so beautifully said, thank you so much for coming on and sharing your experience and just leading with courage because you really are an example for the rest of the women in the group.

And I agree with you. We, one of the big values is collaboration over competition. And when you. So if you are applying for these writing, opportunities and landing opportunities like you are, it helps the community, right? Because you’re going to help other people get there as well. So if we focus on competitiveness, that serves no one, but collaboration serves all of us.

And one person’s win is everybody’s win. And I really do think that’s something that we focus on in the program. So thank you for reflecting that back to me, because as we created the program, that was one of the big values. And I know I talk about it with like the welcome. Inside of the welcome video.

And, but it’s not really something that we repeatedly say, because I believe it’s implied and even as new people come and join, join the program, everybody who’s already in the program does such a great job of just like being supportive. I think people are almost like, wait, can, is this like really happening?

I can’t even do this with my friends and with my family, to your point. So thank you for reflecting that back to me. And thank you for coming on the podcast and sharing your experience. I appreciate it. 

Olivia: Thank you for having me. 

Erika: I hope you are enjoying today’s episode. I wanted to let you know that the doors for Courage Driven Latina are now open. Courage Driven Latina is my signature group coaching program, which is a 12 month group coaching program where you will take action on a courage project. A courage project is a project that you’ve been wanting to do.

It has to scare you, it has to excite you, and it has to make the world a better place. Place. A courage project can exist in one of four paths. We now have the confidence path, we have the content creation path, we have the career path, and we have the Chingona CEO path. So you get to pick your path. You can do multiple paths if you’d like because the program’s 12 months long.

But clients in the past have worked on launching a podcast, starting the business or side hustle that they’ve always dreamt of. We also have people who’ve worked on their confidence, others who’ve negotiated their salaries, others that have moved to a different industry and really built their confidence within their career or maybe confidence within relationships.

So you get to work on whatever it is that you want to work on inside of the program, which is what makes it so freaking exciting. You follow my courage framework and you’re going to learn how to lead with courage, learn how to make decisions freaking confidently, and have something to show. A project that you get to work on.

Through your time inside of Courage Driven Latina and you get to do it alongside of other women, other badass women who are also working on projects that excite them, but also scare them.

Imagine actually having a project to show for instead of just overthinking what you want to do. And the beauty is that because Courage Driven Latina is now 12 months, you can work on not one, not two, not three, but even four. I’ve had people work on version one of their courage project all the way through version four, and then I’ve had other people work on different projects.

It is such an incredible space. This program has over a thousand people on the wait list. So if you know that you’ve been wanting to join, Make the decision to join today. Your future self is going to thank you. And I just want to remind you that everything you want is on the other side of courage.

Enrollment opens February 12th and closes February 21st. Again, February 21st is the last day to secure your spot. So ensure that you get in before the doors close because I cannot wait to work with you. All right, let’s get back to the show.

Flaca, welcome back to Chingona Revolution. 

Flaka: Thank you. Thank you. Super excited to be here. 

Erika: So for those of you who didn’t listen to Flaca’s episode, I highly recommend that you go back and listen. It is episode number 112, and we all talk, we talk all about the importance of self advocacy and Flaca shares her stories, multiple stories, very vulnerable stories, which we appreciate, and you were just telling me that you’re still getting DMs from that podcast episode.

Flaka: I am, I am. I actually just finished a lunch with a really good friend, who’s been just, she’s like me, multi passionate and trying to figure out how do I put myself out there to start with something. So yes, still getting messages, still going to lunches, still doing Zoom calls, just. networking, networking, connecting.

Erika: I love it. You definitely are multi passionate and you’ve been in the program at this point for a few months, like a little bit over six months or about six months. And, I asked you to share a win whenever we did like the check in survey to see how everybody was doing. And this is what you said in your check in survey.

You said, Since joining the program, I’ve been able to start a career coaching business, start posting more content on Instagram. I’ve began practicing journaling and reading more often. And then now I’m planning to start a podcast and eventually a book. So tell us a little bit about like where you were before joining the program and like how you did all 

Flaka: of that 

Erika: in under six months.

Flaka: Oh my gosh. Okay. Where was I at? I was lost. I was just. Confused again from what I shared in our past episode. I was not sure if I wanted to keep on Trying to do something or just going with the flow And you know finding your podcast really pushed me to let me find out what I need to be doing And then enrolling, I remember I was just telling my friend over lunch this that, on my Flacka page on Instagram, I think I had about 800, 700 followers, and that’s because of the non profit work that I do and just the social butterfly that I tend to be.

And I was growing followers just more naturally because of who I am, not really necessarily with a niche and enjoying the program. I remember we were doing a coaching and I was really in between a lot of different things and specifically narrowed it down after some bill is full of visualization and all of the portal.

Cause I think. I might be one of the, people in the program, Erica, that where I’ve gone through all of the videos, like, I’m like, I’ve done that one. I’ve done that one. Like, I’m like, I got to do them all. And, I’m just trying to soak everything in. And I did the exercises and it came down for me for either a business.

Or law school because I really want to advocate for others and law school is one of those ways to advocate and you And you were I remember you coached me through it and you were like, but do we want to do law school right now? like where are we at and I wanted to do something that was impactful right away.

And in my skill set already. So I kicked off career coaching and I still have the video up on my Flaca Instagram where I officially went on and I said, I’m kicking off career coaching. If you want some support, there’s, you know, a free complimentary coaching call with me and let’s book it. And I think I got a couple of submissions.

And then from there, the rest has been history. Next thing you know, I started connecting with so many of the people that follow you, people in the program, just following a lot of different, new circle people in, online, on Instagram specifically. And I noticed how they were just posting imperfectly and they were just putting themselves out there.

They were just sharing their experiences and their, their niche and their skill sets and I was like, well, maybe I need to try this. And so I started, and I remembered at 1st, I started looking at the videos before I posted them and really analyzing them and being like, should I post it? Should I not post it?

What can I do? What can I not do? And then after that, I started like self coaching when I didn’t want to post anymore. And I was like, you know what? I’m just going to post. I’m just going to post and see what sticks and just coach myself through. I don’t really care what people think. I’m just going to go for it.

And the next thing you know, I’m like close to 1500 followers now. So that’s double, that’s double the followers. I am known as the career person. I get DMs on like, what should I, when should I follow up with the interview that I did? Can you look at my resume? How, how do you suggest that I find this type of role?

Like, it’s just amazing to be able to put my degree that I worked so hard for, to get, to really impact others. And then I connected with so many people because the book part came up connecting actually with Olivia and Claudia from the program and I, yes. And I was like, I, I didn’t want to put myself out there on Instagram too.

Tell my story. So I was like, what’s another way of telling your story is to write a book to share with others through writing So I connected with them and they were like well flaca. I don’t know if you notice this about yourself But you have this like bubbly extroverted personality That we really think you should do a podcast and I was like, whoa That’s a lot of work.

I don’t know if I want to do that and put myself out there. So then it’s crazy how after that, I think was the first time your team reached out and was like, you want to do the podcast? And I was like, Oh, my gosh, this is my sign. Is this my sign? I was like, Oh, my gosh, like, this might be my sign. So I’ve been in the background.

Just, I have a name. I’m trying to come up with what else needs to happen. I know I watched the exercise on that. But honestly, my business has been keeping me just so busy, that I haven’t had the chance to really sit down and brainstorm the rest of the parts for the podcast, but that’s where we’re at.

That’s a good problem to have, that your business is so busy. Yeah, because I ghetto first drafted, right? Like, I just put myself out there, I created Google Forms, and then I am very, technology oriented, so that I reached out, I automate things? And, you know, Airtable, so I’ve been using Airtable, I’ve been using Typeform, and I’ve been tweaking things to, for it to work for me.

and yeah, I at least once or twice a week, I at least have two to four clients. I’ve been having to set up Calendly to be like, I think it gives you like a cushion in between calls. So I had to learn about that because I was like, I also still work full time because again, I do enjoy doing the HR work that I do, and I like having the sugar daddy, right?

So I was like, I’m gonna keep this until hopefully I can make six figures in my business or wherever else my journey takes me. But yes, it’s, it’s just been so, I think the accountability is amazing. The push. If you like go to my content, so many courage driven Latina ladies are the ones that are like, girl, you’re killing it.

So they hype me up and I’m like, okay, what am I going to do next? And then I just do it. 

Erika: I love that. You just threw out so much lingo. That’s like courage driven Latina lingo. Let me translate for people. So when ghetto first draft. Ghetto First Drafted is a concept that we have inside of Courage Driven Latina, which is all about making the most ghetto version of your project just to test it out to see if it works.

And once you have validated that you want to keep doing it, then we can make it prettier. Then we can implement technology. So like Flaca didn’t start off with Airtable and Typeform and all these different things. And if you don’t know what these technologies are, don’t worry, but she’s running a business.

So it makes sense for her to have automations, but it wouldn’t have made sense to pay for automations until she knew what she was automating, right? So the Ghetto First draft is all about helping you just validate your idea to see if it’s something that you want to do without spending a bunch of time, energy, and money.

And then, Flacka also mentioned the sugar daddy. We’re not, we’re not talking about actual sugar daddies. So 

Flaka: this is what we call, I’m married over here. No, this 

Erika: is what we call your day job. When you’re using your day job as a form of just stability and giving you income and health benefits and all of these different benefits that you get, obviously you’re also giving your job, in exchange for money, you’re giving them a service, which is your time.

You’re the work that you’re doing. But we call it the sugar daddy job when you know that that’s not your end goal, when that is just there helping you get to where your ultimate goal is. And for Flaca, it’s, it’s being a full time business owner. And for you Flaca, what I’ve observed when I asked for like volunteers for the podcast, you were like, Oh, I could do one through four.

And I’m like, yes, you can. Right. So the, you’ve literally, even though we didn’t have paths until like, until like the beginning of this month, you’ve literally taken all the paths. You’ve taken the confidence path. You just told me that the person you went to lunch with asked you, how do you build confidence?

And this is what will happen. Like when you join a program that has you like really do the inner work and the growth and build the confidence, people are going to notice. And they’re going to ask you, how did you do that? Help me with that. Right. So the confidence, and then you also took the content path where like you put yourself out there, started posting imperfectly.

And you also leveraged your career as a sugar daddy job and you’ve started a business. You’ve literally taken all of the paths. 

Flaka: Yes. I have to tell you. So, one of the things that we also talked about in lunch today was how did I find the job that I found? And you also coached me through that because I was at a six figure full time managing a warehouse.

And I was not going to be able to grow a business, create content or do any of that with that. But knowing that my end goal was my business when we were coaching, it was like, what do you, what, what is the priority right now? Is it money or is it freedom? And at the time it was freedom. So I decided to look into what safety we had financially, and we had enough for one month and I focused that month.

To find the remote role that I have now and which gives me the freedom to be able to do the rest I took a pay cut but I was able to do that. So yeah people reach out about that all the 

Erika: time I love it. Oh my gosh. They swear. 

Flaka: I don’t work. I work for full time. Y’all. I still work. I get it. Like, I think one of the things is like the confidence that has been built so much and showing like, this is all I do.

I just work my business. I’m an entrepreneur, but I’m not even like there yet. And I want to emphasize that everything I’ve invested in automating didn’t even come from the sugar daddy. It came from my business. Because that’s how, that’s how well, and that’s, that’s a decision that I decided, or that’s one of the steps I decided to take that my business was going to need to invest in itself, not me in my business, if that makes sense.

Erika: It definitely makes sense. Yeah. And the other thing that you’re leaving out is you also have a non profit. 

Flaka: Yes, I do. I have FOCA here. 

Erika: So you have a full time job. You’re a parent, you’re a wife. Yes! Um, you have started a career coaching business and creative content. How do you manage everything? I also 

Flaka: volunteer at my church a lot.

I am also a director for my sorority. Shout out to Kappa Delta Chi sisters out there. I manage everything by, I’ve gotten really good at time management and priority. And I’m breaking it down, by days. So like I know, so I know like money Monday. Money Monday means I got to make sure my invoices are set to go, that I have my content that’s going to bring in clients ready to go, that I have followed back up with clients.

So money Monday is my business day. Like I’m like Monday, we got to get the rest of the week planned out. Tuesdays will be like training Tuesday. So I focus on Curse German Latina videos. I focus on the exercises. I focus on. My nonprofit, because we’re still fairly new. We were established in 2020 in the middle of the pandemic.

So we’re still getting our feet wet. So I just break it down by day. I time block a lot and I use technology to help me out. So I set up reminders on my phone. journaling has really helped because I just brain dump, before I go to sleep. And then I double check in the morning and I just take a glance at it.

And then I just do, I, I even have it on the back of this door on a big ol like post it note. The, I listen to the journaling episode. And when I’m like falling off, I go back and I listen to it again because you provide us the different types of journaling. And the one that I think it’s called, the one that I use the most, it’s like the three things that I’m going to get done that day.

I just glance at my brain dump and I’m like, these are the three things that I need to get done today and then the rest I can do later. And there is chaos sometimes, where I may not sleep as much, or I have to really be like, I’m not available for lunch today, I’m not gonna post today, I’m not gonna jump on Netflix, I’m not gonna, I’m not gonna be able to cook today, and I have to be able to accept that, or I have to reach out to my husband and say, hey, I’m behind on this project that I really need to get done this week.

Can you wash the dishes? Can you do the laundry? Can you watch CJ? So, yeah, 

Erika: cause when you say something, you’re saying no to something else. Right. So it’s like, you have to say no to certain things to say yes to the things you really want to say yes to. So I love it. And I think you also, as much as you’ve done all these things, there’s always been like a primary project that you’re working on and sometimes people think.

Oh my gosh, I want to do everything and I can’t do it. And it’s not that you can’t do everything. It’s that you can’t do everything exactly at the same time, but you can still work on a lot of different things, but sometimes being a parent is your priority. Other times being the nonprofit, like owner co co owner is also going to be a priority sometimes.

The career coaching side is going to be a priority. So it’s not that you can’t do everything, but it’s that you can’t do everything at once and you can’t do everything at a hundred percent. So it’s also, actually, you know, what’s so funny. You talked about Olivia in your interview and she talked about you.

I just spoke to her. I’m not kidding. 

Flaka: I love it. I was 

Erika: talking to Olivia, I should have just grouped you two together. But when I was talking to her, she was saying that, like we were talking about all or nothing thinking, and I think that with. Being in a group like this that allows you to take messy action and do it imperfectly instead of waiting for things to be perfect or try to do them all in.

so thank you for sharing that. And then what I’ll, I’m just going to share what she shared about you because then you shared something about her. She was talking about submitting, a piece that she was going to submit one of her writing, one of her poetries. One of her poems to like one of her pieces to some type of, of writing thing.

And you were like, Oh, I’m going to set my alarm and I’m going to text you. And you did. And you held her accountable 

Flaka: and she did it. Yes, I still remember that. Cause I’ve been pretty good about networking with everyone. I think I’ve spoken to every single person in the program. And she was one of the ones that has just been a little quiet.

And she shows up and she gets her coaching and she hasn’t really dumped in the wins chats or on the slack too much So when I saw her say, I’m going to do this, I was like, I have to make sure, like, I don’t know why I felt like I had to make sure that she got it done. Cause I feel like she just has so much to say.

And I also bought, I bought one of her things. She did some writing and she was like freelance selling it or something online and I bought it and it was so good. It was so good that I was like, why is this girl not doing more? So now every time she says, I’m going to do this, or I need to submit this or I need to submit that, yeah, I remember cause she really wanted an accountability person and it’s just in my nature to be HR, but I was like, okay.

I’m setting up a calendar reminder and you’re going to get it done. So here we go. I’ve done that to so many people. And they 

Erika: appreciate it. But I think the beautiful thing, like what you just said about Olivia with, you know, like, Oh my gosh, more people need this. Like we ourselves can be our own worst critics, but being in containers like this allow you to see the magic that other people have.

And we’re like, wait, why are you playing small? Right. Even like in the containers that I’m in as a student, like the community piece is it’s make or break. Like the vibe in there really makes or breaks it. And I just love that everybody inside of Courage Driven Latina hypes each other up and like never questions anybody’s courage project.

Like we’re never, we never think somebody’s crazy for having dreams or having big dreams. We’re like, hell yeah, we’re, we’re over there like the biggest cheerleader for them. And that sometimes actually, Olivia and I talked about this, how sometimes you feel more seen and heard from the people in the program than you do from even like your friends and family, just because we show up in such a like vulnerable and open way in the program about our true desires and our true goals and dreams and our like doubts that are holding us back.

Flaka: Yes, I agree. It’s been, it’s been really powerful because. It’s been, we’re a bunch of strangers all over the country. Like sometimes, sometimes I forget like who is where or what it like, what time zones they’re in and what they’re exactly working on, but I know that. If I want to express an idea or I have a certain thought and I was talking to people that are showing up to courage week and I was telling them that’s exactly one of my most favorite things that you show up and there’s so many minds that are showing up for you.

Like we’re all showing up for each other because you see it on the camera, you see it on the chat, like they’re genuinely, they’re listening and we’ll give you feedback and even if it’s something that’s painful, like I think last night the theme was dating and even though it was Even though it was painful, it was like, why are y’all playing?

Stop playing and just go date. So even though it was, it was hard to put them out of there or get them out of there comfortable, right? But we were all doing such a good job at being like, you can do it. You got this. Like you got this. I love that. That’s one of my favorite 

Erika: parts. Yes, I agree. Well, I’ve just got to say it has been beautiful to watch you bloom.

I remember when you joined and you were just, again, if you haven’t listened to Flacas episode, go back and listen to episode 112, but you were in so much pain and almost like, who am I at this point in my life? And I feel like seeing you over the last few months, like really blossom into our little logo used to be a butterfly.

So for the, for Courage Driven Latina. I look, when I, when I see people, I’m like, Oh my gosh, they come in as like little caterpillars. And then we just see them fly away and like doing their amazing things. But I mean, you still have so much time left in the program and you’ve already done so much. So I just want to thank you for contributing so positively to the group.

I know everybody loves you. Usually when I’m talking to people about the community, they bring up Flaca’s name. that’s why whenever, no, I’m serious. Everybody brings up your name. Oh, you’re going 

Flaka: to make me cry. It 

Erika: really is a beautiful. Right. And I, like, it would be a disservice for me to be like, Oh my gosh.

Like my coaching is great. My daily coaching is great. Our videos are going to change your lives because a big part of it’s also the community. Like if all we did was show up, start the zoom meeting and let you all coach each other, even that would be amazing. 

Flaka: I agree. It really would. And you know, I, I had an idea about my logo for my business before the program.

Like, I wanted a butterfly. I mean, we have butterflies for everything. Like for Boca, it’s a monarch butterfly representing immigrants. Yeah. But I wanted a butterfly in one way and it’s just crazy that you mentioned that because if you pay attention to my HR Mommy logo, one side of it is like a butterfly flying away.

And the other side is a human. And it’s a blue, it’s all blue, and then the butterfly, whenever I lost my baby, I was able to, I kid you not, I have a whole picture and everything. When we buried him, there was a little white butterfly that showed up, and I was like, I’m gonna do something with butterflies one day.

And That’s what encouraged that side of my logo, but my four year old is also autistic and the autism color is blue. I’ve always been obsessed with blue. So I just feel like God, the universe, energy, whatever you believe in, like there’s a timing, there’s a place and there are the people and it’s, I just, I just feel it in this group.

Like it’s my time and it’s. It’s just, it’s just the time, which is crazy. Like, I, I didn’t not expect to be where I’m at. I’m not 30 yet, but I was somewhere completely different by the time I’m going to be 30. And it’s a completely different I never in a million years, like, life coaching. I had no idea what that what, like.

What that was. Therapy? No. Psychiatrist? Never. Like, you know, I didn’t want to be the loca. So, your program, the community, everybody’s pushed me through this entire healing journey and all the vibes and being so extroverted and being able to connect with people that are meeting me at my ambition level has just been life changing for me.

Erika: Oh my gosh. Yes. I couldn’t agree with that more. Like it gives you so much space to fully go into your ambition and not question yourself because I think our community is kind of stuck between like, should I just be grateful for what I have or should I strive for more? Because I have more than what my parents had, you know, and it’s, and it makes sense that we would have that, but no, like if your parents sacrifice, go make the best life you can 

Flaka: make.

Yes, absolutely. 

Erika: I love it. Amazing, Flaca. so much for coming on. Where can people connect with you and how can they find you and work with you? 

Flaka: Yes, so my Instagram is hr. mami in Spanish, M A M I. Because I’m a mom and I love human resources. Um, my, website is hrmommy. com and you can find me in that way on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn.

We have to leverage LinkedIn, especially for your career. So Janet Martinez, that’s my official government name. So you can find me on LinkedIn. 

Erika: Amazing. Thank you so much for coming on and I will see you on our next coaching call. 

Flaka: Yes. Thank you.