"Abuelita...why do you charge 50 pesos for this piece of jewelry if the materials only cost 10?"

"Mija...it might only cost 10 pesos to make, but I also pay the person who made it, the person who delivered it to me, the person that sells it, and the person that keeps my electricity running."

This was my first lesson in business...

My grandma was an entrepreneur. A shop owner in Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico.

She was the first woman I ever met who ran her own business.

And at the time, I didn't really get why she did it...I mean it seemed like so much extra work...

But she was good at it. And she had the freedom to open and close the shop whenever she wanted.

This weekend, she came to me. Twice.

On Sunday, I was at a new moon women's circle where I was being guided through a visualization.

The facilitator said, "There's someone knocking on your door and it's an older version of you."

I opened the door and saw my Abuelita Blanca who passed a little over six years ago.

I was like, "oh must've been a mistake...I was supposed to see an older version of me..." so I tried again, but my grandma didn't move...

"Hola, mi amor, como estas?" She came in, sat down on the couch, and ran her fingers across my face, melting my worries away...

I started crying...

And I'm crying as I write this to you...

My grandma, born in 1939 (14 years before women were allowed to vote in Mexico) wanted to go to college.

She wanted to study. But her parents said no. That she was a woman and women don't go to college.

So she got married, had kids, and did what society expected her to do.

But she still had dreams...she still had the fire inside that told her she wanted more...

On Labor Day (how ironic), I was at home sitting in meditation and saw a bridge before me, one that I was called to cross. I immediately saw her on the other side...

As I walked towards her on the rickety wooden panels, I realized that she's on this journey with me.

As I build my own business, and help other women build theirs, I'm carrying her hopes and dreams on my shoulders...

Some of them that never saw the light of day. Some of them that did.

I owe it to her to, not only bring my dreams to life, but to bring yours to life too. To put the "no, you can't" behind all of us.

Because I know you can do this.

And my grandma would want you to cross whatever bridge you need to cross to go for your dream, even if it scares you.

Because, just like her, you'll die one day.

And your dreams will die with you.

But if you put them out in the world like she did, despite all odds, your dreams will live beyond your lifetime. Cuz would you look at that, her shop still stands today...

She's gone, but a part of her lives on. And I still feel her here with me.

It's as if she's typing through me to tell you that you've got what it takes...

Nothing can stop you. Truly nothing.

In loving memory of my Abuelita Blanca and all the kickass women that came before us,

Kimberly

If you’re new here, welcome! I’m so glad we’re connected! Just so you know, I send weekly blogs like this to my email list and sometimes don’t post it up on my website until awhile after. If you don’t wanna miss a thing, click here to sign up for that inbox party! There’s a few free welcome gifts on the inside :)