There is a phrase that I have lived by for most of my adult life, “if it is for me, it won’t miss me”. I repeated those words to myself as I was grinding through 10-12 hour workdays to grow my career as a fitness coach. I prayed those words over my body as I journeyed through infertility. I repeated them hundreds of times as I convinced myself it was safe to get married again. 

I truly do believe that the Universe brings you what you need when you need it. Things work out in their own, perfect time. 

I recently shared that I have been struggling with postpartum depression. Life has taught me that the best way for me to make it through these hard seasons is to create. So, I decided to start writing again. 

I always dreamed of writing a book about my journey of becoming a Latina social media influencer before it was a thing. It was like the minute I made that decision, to start writing to process my pain, the Universe opened doors for me to write my book. 

On the outside, this doesn’t seem like the best time. I have a newborn. I am already feeling overwhelmed. I ‘should’ be slowing down and taking care of myself. But the thing is, this is the way I care for myself. I lean into the things I love. I create. I exercise. I prioritize my needs. 

So, I’m going to write a book this year. I am saying it out loud and writing it down to hold myself accountable. 

It might not be pretty. It might not be perfect. But I am going to do it. I am going to write my story.

I am going to take baby steps toward this dream while I watch my baby girl grow and learn to take steps of her own. 

Wanna join me for the journey? Make sure you are signed up for my mailing list and follow me on TikTok and Instagram @bodybygia. I will be sharing behind the scene sneak peeks throughout the journey. 

In fact, here’s a little teaser of my book just for you: 

____________________________________________________________________________

“If it is for me, it won’t miss me…”

I almost felt giddy. I had a pen in one hand while the other rested on my big, round belly. I felt my daughter kick inside. It was like she knew we were about to embark on a great new adventure…together.

I had waited ten years for this.

The last time the business had been for sale, my YouTube business was just starting to take off. I was making a few thousand a month at that point, but not enough to sustain a whole physical location. Yet, even then, I knew it was meant to be mine.

I knew this was the studio I’d record my videos in. This was the space where I’d hold classes and events. I didn’t know how I’d get there, but I knew I would.

I’ve always said, “if it is for me, it won’t miss me.” And it didn’t. Ten years later, here we were.

The two divorces, grueling lawsuits, stolen Facebook community, and the rise and fall of countless platforms, none of that had kept me from this moment.

The business owner, the property manager (who happened to be my dad), and my husband all sat there at the table, looking at me. I smiled confidently at the stack of papers that held the keys to this next chapter.

My dad’s mirada repeated a conversation we’d already had dozens of times. “Are you sure about this, mija? You’re pregnant. A business is a lot to take on. Shouldn’t you be slowing down instead of speeding up?”

I was 42, newly married, and very pregnant. I probably should have been thinking about slowing down. But following the “shoulds” has never really been my style. I uncapped the pen and pressed it against the paper.

I kind of wished the ink would have sprayed confetti, or been bright pink at the very least. The thin black line felt kind of small and insignificant compared to the true magnitude of the moment. 

The grind. The struggles. The grit. This was proof that it had all been worth it.

Trading my “stable job” at a gym for makeshift fitness classes in my dad’s muffler shop.

The 10-12 hour work days to record and edit videos, teach classes, and train clients.

The years I spent living in a client’s basement, surviving off tuna and veggies so I’d have enough money to pay rent. 

All the times I’d had to explain why I didn’t “get a real job” or “just give up”.

It had all led up to this.

As a Latina social media influencer who started her online career before YouTube was even really a thing, I had been carving my own path for more than a decade. 

It hadn’t been easy. It definitely hasn’t always been fun. But, at that moment, I knew it was worth it. The perseverance, tenacity, discipline, all the lessons learned, they were preparing me for this moment, this next step.

I wasn’t just buying a business; I was buying back a piece of my dream. A dream I had funded with grit, sweat, and an unwavering belief in myself when no one else did. For me, this wasn’t a business transaction. It was a testament to the journey.

My dad was still looking at me, his eyes asking the same question. ¿Estás segura? Are you sure?

I smiled, the highlight reel of my past giving me all the certainty I needed. Every failure, every lonely night, every person who’d told me to get a real job—it had all led me here. To this moment. Pregnant with my miracle baby and still betting on myself. Still rebelling.

I flipped to the next page and pressed the pen to the paper again. The ink flowed, dark and permanent. With each letter of my name, I was signing off on a decade of struggle and triumph. I was ready. Ready for the next step. Ready to share my story with you. 

“If it is for you, it won’t miss you…”

If you are tired of the grind, exhausted from living in a life that drains you, I want you to take this journey of rebellion with me. 

They tell us that the path to success is paved by those who went before us but I’m not buying it. 

No one can define what your life should look like but you. 

There is no one way to live. 

No one path to follow. 

Success, fulfillment, and freedom, you get to define those on your own terms. 

This is the story of how I did just that. These pages are filled with the obstacles, lessons, and successes that took me from broke and self-sabotaging to healthy, wealthy, and successful. 

I am writing this book because these same lessons can help you too. If your soul is begging for the freedom of a life lived your way, this is your roadmap.

You can journey down the road less traveled. You can carve your own path. You can decide what success looks like for you and craft a life that exceeds your wildest dreams and expectations.

I know because I’ve done it. 

Let me show you the way…

_____________________________________________________________

What did you think? If you enjoyed reading so far, let me know in the comments below. Encouraging words will help motivate me to keep going. 

Thank you for being here. Thank you for being a part of the journey!

With love, 

Gia