We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Laura Barajas. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Laura below.
Laura, sincerely appreciate your selflessness in agreeing to discuss your mental health journey and how you overcame and persisted despite the challenges. Please share with our readers how you overcame. For readers, please note this is not medical advice, we are not doctors, you should always consult professionals for advice and that this is merely one person sharing their story and experience.
This question makes me realize how far I’ve come. Even just last year I had dark days but I try to remember that feelings of anxiety or hopelessness are momentary. I am taken aback and begin to reminisce. At first, I was angry with the anxiety I felt. “Why me?” I asked myself. I realized it was because for over 20 years, I kept feelings of abandonment, anger, and all together sadness hidden inside. These feelings eventually evolved and became anxiety. They manifested in different ways- becoming overly attached to men I dated or even friends; a desperate need to be loved and accepted; but with age I have come to realize that if I don’t love myself, no one else will. With each day that comes, we get a new start and even though this might sound cliché, it’s been true for me. I have sought out different ways of healing and this is what brought me to the road I am in now; this was one of the reasons we started the sticker business. Acupuncture, magnet therapy, hypnotherapy and psychotherapy have been a few of the things I have used to overcome my anxiety but the most beneficial one has been listening. Listening to my anxiety and hearing what it is saying to me. “Laura, you have a lot of pain and I am here until you put yourself first and start prioritizing your needs.” I am not saying I am 100% healed, life has a way of throwing new things your way when you are getting comfortable, but I have tools and an amazing support system to help me through.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
My name is Laura Barajas. I am of Mexican descent. I am first generation. I am a small business owner. I am mom to an 8 year old boy. I am the oldest daughter. Yikes! Talk about responsibility. Being the oldest, I have carried a heavy weight on my shoulders. A weight which has been a source of guilt and responsibility that does not belong to me- this created unresolved issues within me that eventually became anxiety. This was one of the many reasons that lead to creating our sticker business. Dealing with a mental health disorder, I wondered if there were others out there feeling the same way I did and soon I learned there was. The more I talked about it, the more people seemed to relate. In our Mexican culture, we don’t talk about feelings- you fall, you clean yourself off and keep going. You didn’t talk- you did. Maybe this was helpful as our grandparents and parents were growing up but this didn’t sit well with me and definitely is not the way I am raising my kiddo. Our stickers became a motivation to bring mental health issues to life. We all struggle and the only way to heal is to talk about it and not hide in the shadows. I honestly never dreamt of owning a business. When I was younger I dreamt of becoming an immigration attorney. I have always enjoyed helping others, but the universe had a different plan for me.
Las Chingonas Tambien Lloran is the perfect name for our business. “Bad ass women also cry” loosely translated as my partner would say. This brand has a powerful weight to it and because it’s ours, we pledge to keep going with it.
We are constantly trying to keep ourselves in the loop. We started with stickers but now have expanded to bookmarks, cards, emotional support crotchet plushies and t-shirts. We thank our customers and supporters. We couldn’t be where we are now without you all. Keep on healing!
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
I would have to say empathy- putting yourself in others’ shoes but also self-compassion- treating myself as kindly as I try to treat others.
Staying authentic would be the advice I’d give myself 20 years ago and I would say that it is still relevant today.
Before we go, any advice you can share with people who are feeling overwhelmed?
I pray, I call my mom, but most importantly I allow myself to feel. I used to be afraid of feeling and avoided my emotions. The more we avoid them, the stronger they become. Sitting with your emotions allows you to understand them and realize what triggered them in the first place.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.laschingonastambienlloran.com
- Instagram: @chingonastambienlloran
Image Credits
Stephanie Torres-Molinar
