Meet Ursula Rodriguez

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Ursula Rodriguez. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Ursula below.

Ursula, so great to have you with us and we want to jump right into a really important question. In recent years, it’s become so clear that we’re living through a time where so many folks are lacking self-confidence and self-esteem. So, we’d love to hear about your journey and how you developed your self-confidence and self-esteem.
Growing up, I abandoned myself to survive. Lost connection to my essence and didn’t cultivate a true sense of self. I survived through accomplishments and people pleasing. I prided myself, a chameleon, due to my adaptability. Today, I am no longer on autopilot. I am conscious of who I am, what I want, and day by day, I work on my inner glow-up journey. From living in a constant state of survival mode to actively working on developing a sense of self, my inner glow-up journey was key to building confidence and self-esteem. I define an inner glow-up as a healing transformation that lights up tu vida (your life). When you choose to discover your unique self, true beauty is revealed.

During my self-discovery journey, I took time off to rest, sit with myself, and began therapy. The time I spent in introspection led me to re-discovering my inner mija™ (child). She is an artist with constant curiosity, creativity and is a descendant of strong women who used their handmade crafts as a form of self-expression. Having to sit with myself has been the hardest part. I used to fill my time to the brim and suppress every negative emotion. Learning to be conscious and aware of every trigger, the reasoning behind them, and having to do the work to heal my past traumas has been challenging to say the least. Initially I hated who I was, but through therapy I learned to provide myself with grace and understanding while thanking my past self for keeping me safe. I then gave myself permission to do something unexpected. I got out of my comfort zone and realized that the unchartered territory was pretty wonderful. I gained self-worth + confianza (confidence), overcame limiting beliefs and transformed into a Poderosa (powerful, capable woman).

Today, I use my voice to advocate for mental health while breaking down the status quo and cultural stigma surrounding healing. I share my story in hopes of motivating others to do the work for themselves. “When you accept your unique self + begin your self-healing journey = GLOWing opportunities” – Ursula Rodriguez.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
Ursula Rodriguez is an accomplished Latina artist, motivational speaker and workshop guide. As founder and CEO of Soleil Vida Studio, she hosts DIY craft workshops, that guide women to empower their inner mija™️ (child) through the healing power of creativity. During Soleil Vida’s workshops, Ursula engages the senses to create a powerful healing experience for all and inspires creativity through arts and crafts to alleviate everyday stress as attendees leave feeling empowered.

Soleil Vida Studio is excited to share it launched its website www.soleilvidastudio.com. Choose from a curated Signature package or create your own experience. Invite Ursula to come share about her self-discovery journey as she facilitates a DIY craft workshop for your corporate team building event, mental wellness retreat or girls night. Whatever the occasion, Ursula, inspires connection, creativity, and inner child healing.

SIGNATURE WORKSHOPS:

YOUR INNER GLOW-UP FRAMEWORK FOR EMPOWERMENT
– G: Growth Mindset
– L: Love
– O: Openness/Acceptance
– W: Worth

CONNECT WITH YOUR INNER MIJA™️ TO WALK INTO YOUR PODEROSA ERA
– Acknowledge her
– Validate her
– Nurture her with creativity
– Empower her

HARNESS THE TRANSFORMATIVE HEALING POWER OF CREATIVITY
– Connect with your inner child
– Healing in community
– Mind-body connection
– Healing Transformation

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Soleil Vida Studio is an extension of myself. The values that I defined for myself and my business are growth, curiosity, creativity, and connection. These qualities have been the most impactful in my entrepreneurial journey. Below, I define these values and provide you with steps in developing them for yourself.

I define a growth mindset as the belief that self-improvements are possible through conscious self-awareness, positive self-talk, and a mind/body connection. Sitting with yourself is step one in developing a strong sense of self. Mirror work, defined as positively speaking to yourself in the mirror, promotes inner child healing while building self-love. Somatic exercises are one method of creating a stronger mind/body connection. Try grounding yourself to the preset moment through breathwork or yoga for a body-oriented approach to healing.

Your inner child is full of curiosity, playfulness, and creativity. Tapping into your inner child by taking time to create, diminishes fear of failure, perfectionism and self-doubt. Exercising your creative mind builds self-confidence, a stronger intuition and curiosity. Curiosity is key in making self-discoveries, uncovering opportunities and when embarking on a deeper connection with oneself and la comunidad (the community). Try taking yourself on a self-care date, cooking a new food recipe or crafting a letter to your inner child.

Healing in comunidad (community) builds a sense of belonging, combats feelings of isolation and provides validation through shared experiences. From my own experience, I know an individual can go from surviving to thriving when in connection to a strong support system. Invest time, energy and attention to healthy relationships. Think of it like this, you are no longer confined to your high school to dictate your social standing. Look outside your surrounding area if necessary to build a support system. I have built my support system of mujeres (women) all over the United States through virtual/in-person chats and social media.

Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?
My hope for 2024 is to continue collaborating with mental wellness institutions, corporate environments, educational sites and community empowerment programs. I choose to hold space for the experience of others in pursuit of healing from burnout, anxiety and/or trauma. To nobodies’ surprise finding time for self-care is extremely hard. Women especially prioritize their family’s well-being above their own. I seek to empower mujeres (women) to fill their cup to then pour into others with abundance. I’m on a mission to create a support system of mujeres (women) who want to be seen, heard, and creative on their inner glow-up journey. I strive to create an experience where individuals come together in a safe, judgement free space to share their stories, learn new crafts, all while offering a break from daily worries.

Let’s connect and create together. I invite you to join a hands-on community crafting workshop to nurture your inner child through the healing power of creativity. Check out my new website to find my services page. Pick from my signature workshops, choose your preferred therapeutic arts and crafts activity or let’s create a custom package that’s just right for you.

Contact Info:

Image Credits
Catie Ronquillo Photography Beyond The Light

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