When Gwyneth Herrera was just a few days old, her mother Ruth was having a ‘new mom’ moment. She recalls Gwyneth looking over at her with a profound certainty as if to say “mama, calm down.” Ruth felt grounded and more than that she felt her baby girl’s soul through her steadfast gaze. This same soul sat in front of me almost 10 years later to share her very expanded and enlightened world view.
Growing up with two incredibly talented and creative parents, Gwyneth’s innate abilities were in the most loving hands to be nurtured. Gwyneth believes “every child has intelligence within them. Society, environment and the way people think influence children.” Gwyneth’s father experienced this first hand growing up as his unique gifts were shunned more than embraced. Carlos displayed exceptional artistic abilities, at age 6 he learned to paint without any formal lessons. Yet at school his peers and even educators challenged and denied that this could be the work of a young boy. This resulted in Carlos suppressing his pain and hiding away his talents. Carlos’ experiences growing up however birthed his loving and accepting nature towards his daughter’s inquisitive mind and creative expression. When asked what she would say to children and adults today who are not encouraged to follow their dreams, Gwyneth shared this: “We all have talents. It is very important to have time to figure out why we are here. Have a moment and reflect. Visualize. Practice what you do.” Her answer spoke clearly of a young woman who although has the external support of her parents and many others, is very much rooted and connected to her internal guidance system.
When asked about where she derives her inspiration from, Gwyneth referred to her ‘gut’ first. This gut feeling is a driving force within her, and as I listened to her speak I knew her words were guided from that place. That place of just ‘knowing’ as this bright 10 year old was deeply connected to herself and honoured what she felt intuitively. How did she know when to listen to this gut feeling? Gwyneth described it as being “…happy for life.”
It takes self-awareness in one to recognize this beauty in another and both of Gwyneth’s parents have this amazing ability to see with pure love. Her mother Ruth describes when Gwyneth was little and she would paint around the house, “other people would call it a mess but I knew she was exploring.” They broke the ‘rules of parenting’ because they recognized their child could not excel in conformities, Gwyneth was already creating her own path outside of the ‘box.’ Since the Herrera home is headquarters for three visionaries it was not surprising to learn of their ‘creativity incubator.’ This was a dedicated space for creation, to share ideas and bask in the energy of inspiration.
Gwyneth at 10 years old has acknowledged that the point of attraction where everything begins and anything is possible, is you. Her self-awareness is awe inspiring, even as her parents listened they could not contain their smiles and marvel at the wonder that is their beautiful little girl. “She’s unique on her own, it’s her own Soul,” said Mama Ruth as we listened to the wisdom flow from Gwyneth’s heart and soul captivating us all.
Gwyneth shares from a place where she is full, she expresses “you need to help yourself first than you feel the openness to help others.” Whether it be motivational speaking, her art work or her upcoming book series, there is a calmness and certainty that is undeniable in this young woman. Gwyneth shines not only because her parents have embraced her completely but she shines because she has embraced herself. That is truly a super power.
There were many things that struck me and inspired me during our interview and one that really stayed with me was when Gwyneth said: “Be aware, more than worried.” It was packed with so much truth and in that moment it was as if she had revealed a major key to life. She exemplified what it meant to live in the present moment and allow life to move you to do incredible, positive and love-fueled things.
Gwyneth has tapped into the power of belief which she says is like an “adrenaline of happiness!” Regardless of what others might say, she is firmly rooted in the belief that she can and she will and we are so excited to watch her blossom!
