We recently connected with Cari Arguello and have shared our conversation below.
Cari , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Let’s kick things off with your mission – what is it and what’s the story behind why it’s your mission?
My mission is simple: Dream big, be bold, uplift and support others to cross over into thier fullest life. The story of finding my mission in business is the same as the one that has completely altered my life in the best way possible!
After a year-long process of medical examinations, therapy sessions, and psych evaluations, I underwent gastric sleeve surgery on June 8th, 2023, which removed 80% of my stomach. This is similar to the weight loss surgery known as the bypass. It was a decision made out of desperation to **reclaim** the person I once was and to **salvage** a relationship I was fighting so hard to preserve. This decision completely transformed my life and set me on the path to building one that will set my soul on fire!
This transformation journey **has not been without tremendous loss, both physically and emotionally**. I went from weighing 245 lbs (honestly, probably more, but I tended to lower my number back then) to 164 lbs by my 1-year anniversary. I realized that the only way I could get back to living out my dreams was to start fresh. I decided to completely and utterly upturn my entire life and end the 5-year relationship I had fought so hard to save. Not to mention his family, who had become my family, along with my dreams of an upcoming destination wedding in 2024 in my home country of Ecuador. We had also recently bought a house, and I had dreams of starting a family together. I even lost some friendships, and others have grown distant.
In my mission to improve and heal my physical health, I was also forced to look inward and heal my mental health. The transformation allowed me to push past traumas and find my voice, along with **inner magic, talents, and passion I had either forgotten or buried deep down—or didn’t know I had**. I discovered an entirely new world with endless possibilities, becoming overwhelming and truly wonderful all at once. I realized everything I had known to be true had to be questioned and examined with this new perspective. This realization can be isolating, and then the fear and self-doubt crept in, and I realized I was craving a community of people who have chosen a similar path.
I found myself wanting to talk about my findings with anyone and **anybody** that would listen, but I quickly realized that not everyone in my life understood what I was experiencing, and I began to feel isolated and even started questioning my experiences. **Were they really that magical?** Is this mind-blowing realization just me losing my mind? Has this reality been in front of my eyes the whole time? Why are we not talking about these things more openly?
For the longest time, I was ashamed of the surgery, and I only wanted the people closest to me to know, but the more I opened up about my story and the more I led with authenticity, I found that my experiences had the power to inspire others. My story could be the little light of hope for those struggling with weight, eating disorders, or depression. I can’t think of a better use of my voice, my talents, and my new understanding than to help others find their most fulfilling life as I continue to build my own. I can also happily say I have found community near and far; we are not alone, nor do we need to face these difficult changes in our lives without the support of others who have been where we are.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
I have always had a deep passion for travel, and when it came time to decide what I would go to college for, I couldn’t see myself fitting into any of the typical career paths. I landed in **ecotourism**, which would deepen my love for nature, adventure, and the outdoors even further! Especially since, at the time, I was living in my home country of Ecuador. While my travel at the time was limited to the confines of my small country, I was surrounded by an abundant ecosystem and culture. I would spend one day exploring the Amazon rainforest, the next hiking on a volcano in the mountains, and then exploring the magical islands of the Galapagos. Although the beauty is abundant in Ecuador, work was not, and I made the difficult decision to move back to the place that shaped my young, formative years: Minnesota.
I packed my bags filled mainly with my dream of seeing the world, and a one-way ticket leaving my family and loved ones behind. Once in Minnesota, I was consumed by the feeling that I was actually very behind in life, seeing the careers others my age had already accomplished. What did I have besides my suitcase of belongings and $300 to my name? Instead of keeping my dreams of travel alive, I settled for climbing the corporate ladder and taking a few vacations a year to satisfy those needs.
That worked well for years, but it was becoming very clear that the way I was living my life was taking a huge toll on my health. Deep depression and eating disorders became the resounding tone of my private life, but besides the fact that I was steadily gaining weight, I had become quite good at hiding my struggles. After hitting rock bottom and making the bold decision to take back control of my life, I realized I could no longer settle for a life that was anything less than grand!
The places I have traveled to since and the people I have met along the way have given my life more value than I could ever begin to express. Travel allows us to step away from our daily routines and gives us the space to come back into our bodies and see life from new perspectives.
While I am still in the process of building out my business, that is where the foundation lies: travel. The kind that gives you new and thrilling experiences immersed in nature and vibrant cultures. Mixed with the connection of like-minded people who could be the community you didn’t even realize you craved.
Finding the first location to host what is to be a magical and epic trip of a lifetime was the easiest decision ever! It had to be Ecuador, and who better to travel to such an amazing country than someone who can give you the local experience away from the tourist traps and is deeply passionate about the location. One of the things that brings me the most joy is to experience my favorite places over and over again through the fresh eyes of my fellow travel companions.
There lies another foundation for my business: the local experience! I currently live in Minnesota and realized the U.S. has so many extraordinary places that I have taken for granted. I feel it is my time to put my international travel on simmer and focus on getting to know my own backyard to be able to expand my travel offerings for my business. What better way to do it than **van life!** I am hopping on this trend very late but will be sure to put my own special magical spin on the journey. Now, as much as I love to rough it in the great outdoors, travel will be intertwined with comfort and subtle luxuries, as to not lose connection with nature.
While I am building my business and working towards van life, I have opened up my life to social media to share my transformational journey in the hopes that it will spark a small flame of hope in someone else who could be struggling. I kept my surgery and struggles a secret, but to honor my new self, I am stepping away from fear and choosing to be bold, brave, and authentically me!
My life experiences have shaped who I am and the way I choose to see the magic in this world. It has been a difficult journey to find understanding in the life lessons and in the tools that can be implemented to make true change in my life for the better. It took me absolutely starting over from scratch not once, not twice, but three times in my adult life and losing more than 80 lbs to finally find my way to living my best life. But here is the thing, what if I could support others to find their best life quicker than they would on their own? That sounds like the perfect way to use my voice and newfound hunger for life that is bound to be contagious!
Followers can expect to join me as I dance my way through the ups and downs, taking on new challenges and adventures. I will finally open up about the struggles I have overcome (some continuously working through) and the techniques that helped me navigate these difficult situations. I did not realize how limiting it was to have an extra 80 lbs on my body and how freeing it now feels to be lighter. So while I am enjoying how my new body looks, not to mention the new clothes I can now feel comfortable to explore, I am enjoying much more how my body feels and the things it is now capable of. That means trying many things for the first time! My travels will, of course, also be featured, along with any recommendations or local insights I can pass along. I am just getting started and often feel electricity running through my body with excitement. I hope to continue to use that positive energy to uplift those around me. Stay tuned; I am just getting started!
Coming soon, my sister, Gabriella and I are also launching a YouTube channel. We’ll dive deep into the transformative journeys we’re both on and discuss the challenges we’ve faced, especially those related to identity crises and the relationship we have with our latin culterue versus our American influence. She is the ying to my yang! With me being born in Ecuador and raised in Minnesota and Gabriella being born Minnesota and raised in Ecuador, we share our core values but have very different perspectives on life.
Currently, my sister is attending college in Italy, studying fashion. A true trend setter with her bold, unapologetic authenticity. Meanwhile, I’ve have struggled in these areas governed by insecurities. The funny thing is that despite our lives taking very different directions, we find ourselves on parallel journeys, navigating similar challenges and discoveries in our own unique ways. Join us as we explore these experiences, share our stories, and hopefully inspire others to embrace their true selves. More information on the launch will be shared from my Instagram.
We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?
The lie: Life is a Linear Path. Initially, I believed in a straightforward path to success, happiness, and fulfillment. However, the journey I have been on has been anything but straight, from moving back and forth between Ecuador and Minnesota to experiencing profound personal changes. Life is full of unexpected twists and turns. Unlearning the belief that everything must go according to plan allowed me to embrace life’s unpredictability and view each challenge as an opportunity for growth. I learned that your body has many of the answers you’re searching for, and going inward and trusting your instincts will be an important map to your fullest life.
The lie: Healed was a destination to be reached. My experiences in tumultuous relationships and dealing with body dysmorphia, depression, and eating disorders highlighted the importance of viewing healing as an ongoing journey. I initially thought there would be a clear endpoint where everything would be resolved, but unlearning this lesson allowed me to embrace the ups and downs and continue growing and learning along the way. That also means we don’t need to stay on the constant hamster wheel of healing. Some things can be moved past through radical acceptance of the situation and realizing that how we let it affect our lives lies solely within us. Allowing yourself to enjoy where you are and being present rather than hyper-focused only on where you want to be.
The lie: Prioritizing my wants and needs is selfish and a quick way to not be accepted. For a long time, I felt compelled to put others’ needs before my own, whether it was staying in an unhealthy relationship or trying to live up to others’ expectations. The turning point was when I decided to prioritize my mental and physical health, rediscovering my voice, my magnetism, and my true desires. Unlearning the belief that prioritizing yourself is selfish allowed me to be brave and bold for my dreams. The more I lead with authenticity and accept that vulnerability is not a weakness but a strength, the more I find deep, meaningful connections and build lifelong friendships with extraordinarily magical people. It’s time to let go of the idea that I always need to be strong and independent without showing vulnerability to succeed.
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
My family and I immigrated to Minnesota when I was five, and while we had our challenges as such, I will take a moment to recognize I come from privilege that has opened doors others may not have had access to.
It was at age 12 that I was first diagnosed with anorexia and depression, and it would follow me throughout my life, transforming with my environments and at times even staying almost imperceptible to me if I really tried to push the negative thoughts away. But for the majority of my life, my appearance, weight, or food was on my mind every minute of every day. Constantly comparing myself to those around me, desperately trying to fit in, choosing my words, and actions carefully as to not make a fool of myself or even worse speak my opinions before knowing they will be well received. As you can imagine, this leaves little to no room for other things in my headspace.
As I grew up, I learned to adapt and blend in, just like a chameleon. I grew accustomed to the internal voice doubting and putting myself down, but I pushed through. I discovered ways to make myself feel better in the short term but that would leave me feeling even more empty inside. I looked for a more long-term fix, thinking if I fall in love, get married, and start a family, my life would be fixed, and I would feel complete.
I pushed so extremely hard to achieve this, but every time I got close, something would happen, and my world would be flipped upside down, forcing me to start over. In my last relationship, things did not move as quickly as others have, and I had time to sit with my thoughts, and this time I could not use enough band-aids before the feelings of depression would creep back in. On the exterior, my relationship was stuck, both people disconnected and floundering on our own islands. I would steadily gain weight to new heights each year, hiding myself more and more from the world, even my family and friends back home, and once again became quiet and timid.
On the other side of two years of weekly therapy sessions and my weight loss transformation, I finally allowed myself to venture back out into society. I was excited to experience life from the perspective of this new body and, ultimately, confidence. I reconnected with friendships and family members from my past. I started a new job at a smaller company as a manager of a large amazing team and it has allowed me to work remotely, providing that much more freedom in my life. Funny that when I tell the people I work with about the person I used to be, they are shocked and can’t imagine me being shy.
I was done hiding and gave myself the permission to experience life again. I even returned to a very magical mountain that holds a special place in my heart. It was during a challenging hike that I was faced with the silence and pure nature that allowed me to connect with my inner self. At almost the top, I looked out over the valley below and could not contain my tears and the knowing that my life no longer fit like the clothes in my closet. I knew deep down that I would have to make even more difficult choices. I could no longer follow the path society has set as the standard and would be stepping off the beaten path into the unknown.
Now that I have done the healing work, when I look back at pictures of myself at that age, I think, what was I thinking? I looked great, and I would love to look like that again. Body dysmorphia is one of the things I still experience from time to time currently, but there are ways to move through these self-deprecating thoughts back to love. I am noticing now that if I catch myself turning to these false comforts, like food, it is because something is not quite right, and reflection, maybe even redirection may be needed. I recently learned that sometimes the magic lies in the redirect; trust the redirect. The outcome could be even better than you originally intended.
Being newly single at 33 would have been a terrifying thought before. But I am trusting the redirect, and instead of focusing on finding a partner to come and “complete or save” me, I am learning to love myself enough that finding a partner down the road will only be the cherry on top of an already fantastic life! That is why this is my year of YES, the year of loving myself deeply, and the year of up-leveling my entire life.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cariarguello?igsh=YTl2bnJtdXRqemsw&utm_source=qr
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/caridad.arguellobaez?mibextid=LQQJ4d
- Other: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cariargu?_t=8odNMX79RiE&_r=1
Image Credits
Diego Barragan and Mark Rose