We recently connected with Corinne Aparis and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Corinne thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Do you think your parents have had a meaningful impact on you and your journey?

I grew up with stories from my parents about them leaving a beautiful yet tough life in the Philippines in pursuit of a better future – not only for them, but their own families, and the family they created together. Growing up, I witnessed my parents centering family and community. They were constantly supporting others, from helping relatives back in the Philippines through some of their toughest transitions, to them helping our neighbors find jobs and housing. It wasn’t called “giving back,” it was just how they interacted with others and how they lived life.

As a professional and life coach, I see parts of my parents’ journey in me. I decided to leave corporate to pursue a dream of starting a coaching practice. My pursuit of this dream was not an easy road of course. I fought a lot of my own shame and guilt with leaving a seemingly more stable route in corporate and throwing away the sacrifice my parents have made for me. But something deep inside of me was becoming louder. My heart wanted to work closer with people who were going through transformative moments in their lives and needed an empathic guide. I timidly shared with my parents this dream. Expecting my parents to shoot this down and tell me to stick to corporate because it’s “safe” – but instead they loving embraced my dream.

I was finally seeing who my parents were, a couple of kids who went after a dream for a better life. And here they were, encouraging me to go after a better life – which meant a life led by joy and purpose, where I’m able to be authentically me and be in community with others.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I’m a professional and life coach who supports ambitious and driven folks design a life that’s joyous, meaningful, and authentic. I’m also an ocean lover and lifelong surfer. I incorporate the physical and spiritual aspects of surfing into my coaching.

After 15 years away from home, working in international nonprofit and in the Silicon Valley tech industry, I came back to rest. There I was in my hometown – going on long walks with my parents, drawing pictures of sunsets and flowers with my niece, immersing myself in nature – reconnecting to what really mattered to me. I was creating a safe, gentle, and beautiful space where I could journey to the depths of my heart and soul, and come out of it with more clarity and focus.

I design coaching programs for folks who have started to wonder if there’s more to life than the next promotion, next vacation, or next escape. My programs support individuals who are wanting to make a change – in their careers, with their relationships, or in their personal journeys – and want to go about it intentionally and soulfully.

As a coach I offer gentle challenges and unconditional support, blending leadership coaching with somatic exercises through a wellness lens. I’ve helped go-getters find a healthier rhythm of life that invites more ease and depth. I’ve helped leaders show up authentically in their careers and in their personal lives. I’ve spent the past 10 years helping organizations and teams build a culture of trust. And I’ve helped children of immigrants let go of guilt and shame, and guided them in embracing that they are in fact their families’ most cherished dreams realized.

More recently, I’ve gotten to blend a lot more of the things that bring me joy! The ocean, community, and coaching. I lead and organize ocean adventures for groups. These adventures offer a safe and fun environment for people to play around in the water. Folks leave with a deeper connection to the ocean, and an understanding of the wisdom their bodies hold.

My approach focuses to the whole person, by helping people achieve their goals for today and design a life that nourishes the mind, body, heart, and soul.

Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?

I love being in community. I naturally stay in touch with loved ones and have a genuine care about how people are doing. As I build my business off my core values, which includes community and integrity, I create more space for building relationships when growing my clientele. I lead with openness, collaboration, and curiosity when I meet with folks.

As I meet with old and new friends, I ask questions and I really listen to what they’re sharing. I listen to their journeys, their pain points, their hopes and dreams. Most people don’t get the opportunity to be heard, and I’m grateful I have the capacity to offer this to others. Offering a open heart and actively listening has been the most natural and effective way in practicing my core values as a business owner and growing my community – and eventually growing my clientele.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

I’ve had to unlearn that dreaming and going after dreams is only for certain types of people with a big safety net, that tends to be made of money.

For most of my life I’ve convinced myself that dreaming isn’t for everyone, when I couldn’t be so far from the truth. Both my parents didn’t have generational wealth. They left everything for a better life. I’ve created a narrative that they’ve lived a life of only sacrifice

As I get to know them on a deeper level as an adult, I see dreamers who went after it! They didn’t just put food on the table, they immersed themselves in different cultures, learned new languages, educated themselves and keep learning even in retirement! They dreamt and chased after their dreams. So, I decided it’s time to unlearn this limiting belief that dreams are not for everyone and went after it!

It was a dream of mine to live with more ease and more community. For this dream to happen, I had to tear down many walls that were holding me into a rigid and scarce way of living. Tearing down the walls was a painful process that felt lonely at times, but a necessary process that left me with space to invite more clarity and focus in my life. What prompted this remodel was an internal deep knowing that how I’m currently living my life will eventually eat away at my soul. And what supported me through this time was rest, close loved ones, the ocean, and a deep trust in the wisdom my body has to offer.

My days now start in the ocean, where I get to quiet my mind and be in my body. I bring this energy into the rest of my day, when I care for clients, interact with my husband, my loved ones, my community, and my environment. Unlearning the limiting belief that dreams aren’t for everyone has led me to living a more meaningful life, that’s generous, playful, and abundant.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://corinneaparis.com/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/corinneaparis/

Image Credits

Photo credits to Vivian Sachs and surf photo credit to Gabriella LaManna