We were lucky to catch up with Araceli Soriano recently and have shared our conversation below.

Araceli, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Let’s jump right into how you came up with the idea?

Towards the end of 2016 I started having unexplained symptoms pop-up. They were affecting my everyday life, and my quality of life was impacted. I went to the Dr., and they gave me medications, which subsided the symptoms. But in the spring of 2017, all the symptoms’ times 100 showed up in what seemed like overnight. Waking up bent over in excruciating pain and crying over it because I couldn’t get out of bed, made me call off of work. Over the course of 2 weeks I was in the ER three different times and would leave the ER without an answer to my problem and only with a referral to see a specialist. The next day wasn’t as pretty. It took a few days to get another appointment into the Dr. and then the pains were too much I asked for a week of vacation. Everyone thought I was truly going on vacation. Instead, I was dosed off and high on pills that the days seemed to blend in and mirror one another. My week was up, and I was back at work and 10 pounds lighter. This was the beginning of hell.

I call the symptoms unexplained because from 2017-2023, I spent most of my time in and out of different Dr’s offices and seeing various specialists. Every single one of them had me get tests done to see the problems on different areas of my body. The pains and symptoms weren’t just localized in one region. It was my whole body at different times. When the bloodwork and test results would come back with all negative results, I was in shock. This time I was crying due to the lack of answers in what I had hoped would solve my problems. Drs started thinking that I was imagining the pains in order to get refill of medications or get them to increase the dosage. Little did they know that they were writing the prescriptions, but I wasn’t getting them filled at the pharmacy. And if I did, I wasn’t taking them at home. The medications didn’t do anything, or the side effects were worse than the actual problem.

I kept changing Dr’s because if they didn’t trust me or my judgement, why should I believe what they said in terms of my own health. I knew what I was feeling, and God knows it was true. As the years passed me by, I started to watch videos on YouTube and learning about a holistic lifestyle. More Dr’s were advocating for that lifestyle, and I started looking into them locally to see them in person. They would cost an arm and a leg to see them because most insurance policies DO NOT cover holistic care. Not only that, but the treatment plans that they’d offer were outrageous in prices. I gave in though. I needed that relief. To my despair, the treatments helped but weren’t making my situation any better. Finally in 2023, I started reading books about holistic care and about the mindbody syndrome. One author would prompt me to another and another and I couldn’t put the books down. A good friend of mine introduced me to manifestation and laws of the universe. That would mirror off of what the selfcare books on the mindbody syndrome was teaching me as well.

Yes, every treatment I went through helped enough to mitigate the symptoms, but they weren’t solving the chronic pains. Unfortunately, medical professionals aren’t trained well enough to treat chronic pains and instead are taught to treat life-threatening issues and acute pains. This is why I never had an explanation to my issues, because I could only get as much information from someone that only knew so much. This is when I took matters into my own hands and was teaching myself about my body, the universe, and what turned out to be my biggest lifesaver, the power of the mind! I am now living a much better, healthier, and fuller life. Our bodies are always throwing signals at us when it comes to pain. It’s up to us to dissect that and figure out what is going on in our lives to see the roots of it and attend to it.

As I have been on my healing journey, I realized that around me there are many people going through similar situations that I did. They’re all falling into the medical money trap, and I want to help advocate for a better and healthier way of living in the world. What I also noticed is that there are very little resources available for the Hispanic community. It all stems from our mindset, and if I was able to see this and apply it in my own life, I am sure that I can help others achieve their goals as well. We’re all battling something, whether it be in financial, health, work, or relationships. Why not be there for support and show people the way just like the famous authors from all the books that I’ve read did for me. This is how Inspirate Con Celi was born. At the moment all of my inspirations are in Spanish in hopes that someone in that community gets the message that they’re looking for.

Araceli, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I got into the coaching industry following what I like to call my mentors, from books, videos, and podcasts that I started reading and following. The coaching that I provide is more of a self-help mentorship to guide people with knowledge in their journey. I am not a medically trained health professional, and you should always consult with your Dr first before following anyone else’s advice. But majority, if not all of the issues that we face as human beings begin with our mindset and by doing our own work is the only way that we can truly “heal” from anything. What sets me apart is that I don’t magically provide the antidote that will solve the problem overnight. Each individual has to look within themselves and figure out what is the problem(s) in their lives. They’re doing their own work and figuring things out for themselves. I am just a guidance or support to help guide the course. What I am proud of is that this is one thing that I can say “I did it and I know you can too”. Because of the fact that I am bilingual, I can bring the cultural aspect through my coaching and personally associate more with individuals instead of just spewing out words that majority of folk won’t understand. The saying “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks” is so far from the truth, yet society makes people think that the older you get the worthless you become. People are living beyond their 80s, so we’re in it for the long haul. Why not actually live the BEST life we can while being happy with it too.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

I believe that the fact that I never gave up in finding an answer to my health problems showcases exactly who I am. Nobody else is going to care enough or advocate for you like you do for yourself. Resilience isn’t something you can teach. It’s something that you go through. The question is are you a follower or a doer? I definitely do not follow the norms. I question the processes because I like to see how I benefit from it all. It’s not selfish, it’s called self-care and self-love.

Looking back, are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

I wish I came across all the learning resources I started in 2023 way sooner in life. Everything happens for a reason, and I believe that I had to go through this journey to find my true calling in coaching. Without the “pains” in my life, would I have stumbled across all the books and podcasts that literally have saved my life? I don’t think so.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @inspirateconceli
• Facebook: facebook.com/enlightenedimpressions
• Youtube: @inspirateconceli

Image Credits
Pictures taken by Katelynn Dee, Jazmin Morales, and Austin Johnson.