A few months ago Clara Angelina Diaz, life coach reached out to me. She was kind enough to share a lovely self worth poem. I wanted to know a bit more about this generous woman.

Epifania: Describe your childhood. How did it help you become the woman you are?

Clara Angelina Diaz: I was born in the Dominican Republic and I lived there until the age of 10. My family from both my mother’s and father’s sides had small-business backgrounds, so I grew up around the spirit of entrepreneurship.  I had a lot of freedom when I was a little girl to run around, explore, climb trees and just be outdoors. I have always cherished the idea of being free. As a child, I also saw a lot of injustice, poverty and domestic violence, and I just knew deep down in my heart that there had to be another way to live. I was determined to find that other way. I came to live in the United States. Adapting to the new way of life of this country has  to be the greatest challenge of my life. I learned English very quickly because, as the oldest of four, I wanted to be a good example for my siblings and also help my parents communicate.
All of this shaped the woman I am today. It made me strong, confident, an explorer of life and a catalyst for positive change. 

Epifania: Did you know that you wanted to be a life coach when you entered college?

Diaz: Not at all, I did not even know that profession existed. I thought I wanted to be a lawyer and then I switched my major to finance.  After one year of college, I dropped out and I got a job at a bank. I started making a very decent salary thereafter in the mortgage industry. I didn’t go back to school for another six years and finally graduated by creating my own major: Life and Business Management at Lesley University in Cambridge, Massachusetts.  

Epifania: People tend to think life coaches have it all together. Describe a moment or moments when you needed to find your inner strength. Who and what helped you?

Diaz: The most important thing about being a life coach is that you have to walk your talk. I have challenges just like everyone else; the difference with me is that I have a lot of tools and practice in how to overcome them, because I have made many mistakes in my life. I am committed to growth in all areas of my life and that is why I have my own coach, sometimes more than one at a time. I am currently working with an intuition coach, because I want to get better at listening to the voice of my heart and trusting that. Over the years, I have gotten really good about being aware of not just my strengths, but also my shortcomings and getting the help I need when I need it. 

Epifania: Why the book? Why make a book about each day of the year? 

Diaz: It was a long time dream of mine to write a book; however, I find myself always listening to books, instead of reading them. That’s why I created an audiobook program. My intention is to help as many people as I possibly can, so I thought this would be a great way to do that. I want people to learn how to coach themselves and be inspired to live the best days of their lives.
I believe that we can do something every day to move us in the direction we want to go. Consistency is key. 

Epifania: Who inspires you? Why do they inspire you? 

Diaz: These days Danielle Laporte and Marianne Williamson inspire me. I love their modern and practical approaches to spirituality. Both of their messages are centered around universal truths of empowerment that can be applied to people’s everyday lives. 

Epifania: How do you push yourself?

Diaz: I don’t push myself anymore. I truly love myself now and I have very clear intentions as to how I want to live my life. I am clear about how I want to feel. This year my major intentional goal is to be the best mother I can be, live my life in the present with joy, and get my message to as many people as I possibly can, while feeling peaceful, joyful and free. I also focus on doing one thing at a time and doing it well. It sounds simple, but it’s very hard to do because I am a natural multitasker. 

Epifania: Why women? Do you have plans to branch out to youth and men? 

Diaz: I choose to work with women, because I am a woman and I understand us women deeply. I feel called to empower women. I have worked with men in the past very successfully and I will occasionally take on a male client if it’s a very good fit. However, I feel that my calling is in empowering women to realize how amazing we already are and to create the lives we envision for ourselves. I think I can do the world a greater service by empowering the fellow mothers, sisters and daughters of this world. 

Epifania: You have so many workshops. How did you pick the topics? What were topics that your audience members helped you create?

Diaz: My workshops are usually tailor made to my audience; the ones you saw on my site were created for each audience. 

Epifania: How do you reset? Meditation? Netflix? Champagne? How does Clara find Clara when Clara is lost?

Diaz: I get as much sleep as I can. I take nature walks with people I love. I do love champagne, but also meditation, audio books and journaling to find myself.  I have a daily practice of writing down three things that will move me forward that day.  This daily checking really helps me stay grounded. 

Follow Clara on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn. 

Hugs and Smiles,

Nicole