We were lucky to catch up with Daniela Rodriguez recently and have shared our conversation below.
Daniela, so many exciting things to discuss, we can’t wait. Thanks for joining us and we appreciate you sharing your wisdom with our readers. So, maybe we can start by discussing optimism and where your optimism comes from?
My optimism is part of who I am, I have always had a strong belief that things can always be better. Life is an amazing adventure and I am totally in love with it, so I make it a habit to stay thankful for everything, and that opens up an entire new world of possibilities. Once we start looking at things from the perspective of gratitude the realm of “the magical” opens up. I am all about dreaming big and imagining the best outcome and by staying optimistic, I usually find that I create my reality. That feeling of looking on the bright side, it’s a little fire inside me that never goes out. It truly fuels my soul and it helps me celebrate being alive.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
Writing has had a huge impact on my life, and that’s why I decided to create my own line of journals and stationery. I have always been into introspection and processing my thoughts, dating back to writing in a diary when I was younger, and I truly treasure those memories.
The idea for my brand, Universe Child, came about during a time when I was questioning a lot about myself, my identity, and my purpose. So as I started focusing on self-discovery and practicing meaningful self-care, I realized there might be others out there going through the same thing.
So, I started designing journals that aren’t just pages to write on. They’re like personal companions that help guide you back to your true self. Each journal is packed with real-life questions and prompts that gently encourage you to reconnect with who you really are. It’s like a journey of self-exploration, one page at a time.
Universe Child is my way of reaching out to anyone else who’s on this path of self-discovery and I want to do my part to help make the world a little better.
My brand is all about providing a space for discovering ourselves, helping people dive deeper into those important questions, and finding a way to a more meaningful and fulfilling life.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Looking back, I’ve come to realize that three significant aspects played a pivotal role in this journey for me. Firstly, the unexpected power of resilience truly stood out. I underestimated the challenges that the journey of self-discovery entailed. What I thought would be a simple task like any other quickly showed me to be continuous work. It became clear that not only did I need to extend compassion and kindness to myself, but I also had to persevere through the hard times. The practice itself demanded navigating a lot of discomforts that come from facing fears and dismantling limiting beliefs. The very process of redefining myself required completely reshaping personal definitions and standards.
Also, self-compassion was a game changer. Admittedly I did not excel at extending kindness to myself, but this practice brought a remarkable transformation. It helped me shift from working against myself to finding self-assurance and acceptance within. Moving away from perfectionism and self-criticism turned out to be a much better kind of fuel for myself and my goals.
Lastly, this self-discovery journey highlighted the power of reframing things and the innate ability to choose how we see things. Evolving as a human entails having to challenge not only ourselves but also our perceptions of the world around us and examining the internal narratives that shape our identity. Overcoming self-imposed limitations required a deliberate effort to change how I perceived myself and what I thought was possible for me.
With this in mind, my advice is to stick to it. It doesn’t have to be perfect, and it doesn’t have to be pretty, but it needs to be real, and meaningful, so I do want to say to anyone going through this that you can not stop until you like what you see, in yourself and out in the world.
Alright so to wrap up, who deserves credit for helping you overcome challenges or build some of the essential skills you’ve needed?
In all honesty, the journey of growth and development isn’t one I could have undertaken alone. The saying that it takes a village resonates to my core. The support, guidance, and camaraderie of my tribe have been invaluable. It would’ve taken a lifetime to do this work alone.
I’ve always been a firm believer that healing happens in community. The ability to openly discuss my journey, share my challenges, and witness the transformative experiences of my friends and family has been a source of inspiration and motivation.
From my perspective, it’s an honor to witness the evolution of those around me, and to see them embrace new phases, standards, and beliefs, it’s truly gratifying. Their progress serves as a living testament to what’s possible and becomes a living example of what is possible for all of us.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.theuniversechild.com
- Instagram: @universechildlife
- Other: Personal instagram @dani_bella
Image Credits
Pictures by @danieljrigdon
