Personal Growth Coach & Speaker
Personal growth involves aligning with your emotional, mental, spiritual, and physical self, while authentically expressing your true purpose. It's a beautiful and ever-evolving journey, and I'm here to support you every step of the way.
I Was Always a Truth Seeker—the Quintessential "but why?" Kid
I've embraced life as my greatest teacher, weaving every experience into an epic narrative, where each event shapes a valuable lesson and guides my heart and mind to become who I am meant to be.
Growing up, I was often seen as a reserved child to the outside world, concealing my true self—goofy, outspoken, a deep thinker, and a truth seeker. Yet those close to me recognized both my light — and knew my deepest fears.
I vaguely recall the first time I experienced the gut-punch feeling of "I am not good enough." I recall coming home in tears to my mom after facing taunts from schoolmates. Unfortunately, school wasn't a sanctuary, and neither was home. At home, I witnessed my strong mother, fighting for our peace against physical, mental and emotional abuse. Despite facing challenges like bullying and family struggles, I found strength in my mother's courage and the love of God.
Despite finding the strength, I knew I wanted to be in a new environment, far away from my past. A place where I could reinvent myself.
From Self-Doubt to Confidence
I moved to Los Angeles for college to pursue my passion in storytelling and all things entertainment. At the time, my biggest aspiration was to work in the entertainment industry either as television host, journalist, writer, or producer—that was my lifelong dream.
However, that path demanded confidence, a quality I lacked. In college, I studied television and broadcast journalism, fueling my desire to be a charismatic TV host. Yet, as I immersed myself in Hollywood opportunities, surrounded by towering, model-like figures, the more I compared myself, the more insecure and timid I became.
At that moment, I had to decide between doubting myself or taking control of my story.
I made a decision that shaped who I am now. I decided to step out of my comfort zone and start a YouTube channel. This became my medium for self-discovery and confidence-building, both on and off camera. Through online content creation, I found a platform to express my thoughts, beliefs, and ideas to an unknown audience, opening myself up to criticism. I understood that to thrive in the entertainment industry, I needed to cultivate confidence or risk being overshadowed by the relentless standards of Hollywood. Eventually, I not only secured opportunities working on and off camera, I also found inner-confidence.
How I Fell in Love with the Idea of “Becoming the Best Version of Myself”
With newfound confidence, living in the city of my dreams, working in television, I still felt like I was missing something: finding love. My twenty-two old self wanted to experience falling in love. I had no prior experience in relationships, never had a boyfriend, never been kissed and I wanted the romantic comedy story. In my pursuit of personal growth and the "best version" of myself journey, I courageously attended a conference by Matthew Hussey, a motivational speaker specializing in coaching women to build confidence and love themselves first. The conference, "Get the Guy Live," marked the beginning of my commitment to personal development and shaping my current mission.
At that life-changing event, I discovered the power of becoming my best self—becoming my dream girl and learning to love myself first.
Never Have I Ever…
One evening, after having a misunderstanding with a friend and not knowing how to process my emotions at the time, I found myself filling my void at a bar, meeting a guy who, in my eyes, had it all together—traveled for work, adventurous, with an established career. He embodied the qualities I thought I wanted for myself. In my youthful pursuit of validation and a desire to test my own confidence, I reluctantly agreed to join him at his place.
As we engaged in a game of "Never Have I Ever," where it quickly became apparent that his intentions were not aligned with mine. “Never have I ever slept with a guy…” he said. He wanted to test my my personal choices, particularly my decision to remain a virgin. His discovery on my personal choice left me feeling exposed and vulnerable, regretting my choice to be in that moment. Although I didn’t cross my boundaries, the experience left me ashamed, confused, and far from the best version of myself.
My next escape from my emotions? Becoming courageous Karla and doing things that I had never done to become fearless.
Stepping Out of My Comfort Zone and Into My Courage
Tired of being seen as "the shy one," or “the good girl” I set out to build my confidence and courage and do things I would never do. What I discovered was, to gain confidence, I needed to embrace the courage within me. That date sparked and idea. I decided to do a "Never Have I Ever," challenge where I would do the things I was too afraid to do or had limited myself from trying due to resources, excuses or time (while documenting it on my YouTube channel, of course.) I tackled things surfing, running a half marathon, traveling solo, taking singing lessons (despite not being a singer), flying a plane, and even confessing my true feelings to a friend on the other side of the country.
Being brave and putting myself in these situations not only helped me build confidence, but eventually I secured my dream job in the city of angels: producing content for TV shows like American Ninja Warrior, World of Dance and other NBC shows. Everything seemed aligned—until I lost my job and moved back to my hometown, in 2018 as an unemployed 27-year old.
I Became a Human “Doing,” Not a Human “Being”
Initially, returning to my hometown from Los Angeles felt like a breath of fresh air, marking a positive change in my life. I felt a sense of hope. I took an optimistic approach, feeling excited to reconnect with my purpose, passions, and my friends and family. Plus, I finally had the opportunity to launch my first business, a social media and brand strategy business, that took off in just three months. It granted me the freedom to work remotely, set flexible schedules, and collaborate with clients I genuinely enjoyed.
However, despite the outer success, I felt disconnected from my spirituality and purpose. I began to dislike my business and, worse, myself. Nothing felt good enough because I persisted in trying to fill an empty space with actions that would make me appear more successful, fill up my calendar, and obsess over job titles and meaningless relationships.
Instead of prioritizing my emotional well-being and self-confidence and confronting my problems, I sought solace in fitting in at church to alleviate loneliness, only to feel more disconnected. Desperate to feel seen and understood, I resorted to distracting myself with mindless dates, ending up in a familiar, unhappy place.
Actions misaligned with my values led to a profound loss of self.
That’s when I learned that the heartbreak of losing oneself lies in the silent screams of a soul trying to be heard in the vast emptiness left by its own departure. I was craving connection to my true self.
Ditching Labels and Stepping Into My Purpose
Discovering the power of my subconscious mind was a game-changer. It all began with a disheartening memory of my mother's words: “Perdí a mi hija, su luz se fue” (I lost my daughter, her light dimmed). This wakeup call empowered me to confront my shadows—depression, confusion, disconnection—and rewrite my story. I embraced self-forgiveness and let go of perfectionism, reclaiming my authenticity.
In 2020, I went through a personal transformation, I rediscovered my true self, my inner-light and my purpose. I learned that life isn't happening to us; it's happening for us. Studying to become a personal growth coach and practitioner, I got certified in Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), Mental and Emotional Release and Hypnosis—powerful tools for understanding the subconscious mind. My coaching evolved from surface-level strategies to profound inner healing, empowering women to rewrite their stories from the inside out. Over time, I realized courage wasn't just about DOING things I feared; it was about living life fully expressed, versus hiding who I truly was. Once I learned to face my shadows, shed labels, and embody my truest self—embracing my beliefs and values.
Now, as a personal growth coach, I guide women in releasing self-doubt and fears, helping them craft their dream lives and step into their courage.
So, who am I after shedding disempowering stories and labels? I'm Karla—a student of life, a child of God, and a courageous soul at peace with my authentic self. Remember, life's short—let's turn trials into triumphs together and become who we're meant to be!