My self-discovery path

Goco here!

When I was 18, my entire paradigm shifted.

 Before then, I had believed I would be dead or in prison just like my father and the many people in my life who became victims of the cruel criminal justice system our country built to keep Indigenous people down. 

Well, I was 18, alive, and I had opportunities. 

That day, I drove to the nearest beach and I cried tears of joy. I also promised myself that I would live a life worth four. 

I promised myself I would be well off physically, emotionally, and financially so I could share opportunities for others to enjoy. 

Back then I had a grand vision of life, but no real clue how I would do it. I just felt it. 

So I traveled to escape my reality for a new one. Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil, Mexico, England, France, and others. My first instinct was to travel to experience life from other perspectives. To see the photos I once admired from magazines in real life. 

It was a pretty great first attempt, but there was something missing. Something fundamental to my happiness and fulfillment. 

I didn’t realize I needed to turn inward. To embrace my emotions, my trauma, my story, my subconscious belief system of myself, and my place on this planet. 

There was so much to acknowledge. To breakdown. To build back up. To sow for the future. And I had no clue about the ocean within me that I needed to navigate.

That was when I entered a 27-month service engagement in the Dominican Republic. I was asked to serve as a community-based volunteer in a small village along the Dominican-Haitian border. 

Here life was slow. 

It was the perfect environment for me to grow internally. To finally explore inward and to do all those things I mentioned before. 

This period of deep self-reflection allowed me to conquer deep-rooted fears I didn’t even realize existed. One is the fear of being a failure as a father and a man. 

And, so, I became a father. I fell in love with an amazing woman who insights me with her intriguing and bright perspective. She inspires me with her talents and vision. 

Our daughter a growing flame who will burn hot and strong as she grows. Seeing her grow inspires me to grow for her. 

The path I traversed could have landed me within thousands of lives. But the one I choose is just so beautiful, and I know it would make past me sitting on that beach proud. 

Peace Goco