In the Fall of 2020, with the support of BOSS Media, along with an exceptional lead ghost writer/editor who had to pretty much drop everything to make my LostGirl project a top priority, I finally set out to act on a vision and idea that had been cultivating in me for nearly 10 years: I began to write my LostGirl story.
The process involved reliving past trauma (again) and diving into difficult memories from my youth, so the process of writing the story was often very painful. But it was also incredibly therapeutic and brought tremendous new levels of deep healing! After days and weeks in mediation, prayer, and going back to journal entries, I forced myself to re-examine my life and the path I took to find the success I have today. I took ownership of my transformative journey, motivated by the idea of sharing that story with others who could find inspiration in it.
The result, my book LostGirl, was published a year ago this month – and what an amazing (and busy!) year it has been. In October 2021 we held a launch party with so many friends, mentors, family members, and colleagues in attendance to celebrate. The book soon prompted invitations for me to speak at dozens of live events – some with thousands in attendance – and in more than 20 podcasts. My story has been featured in several newspaper and magazine articles as well as TV news and radio interviews. This past year I launched two life journey on line series – Reset You for 2022 and Pain on Purpose, to connect with and guide others who sought a journey of personal growth. On top of that, I also started RC’s Cocina, sharing my favorite recipes and my “love language” of cooking food for my loved ones.
LostGirl has also helped me bring more attention to my philanthropic causes. My nonprofit LaunchPad is very near and dear to my heart, as it benefits underserved youth of the Austin area. I once stood in their shoes, often dismissed and overlooked, facing the prospect of becoming yet another sad statistic – a high school dropout, a teen mother, a Latina living on welfare. In March 2022, I launched a new initiative for Women’s History Month, the Women in Power- Girls of Legacy scholarship initiative. Girls of Legacy is all about investing in the next generation of girls through empowerment and education support so they do can shine in their journey called life. Today we have 10 girls in the program all attending higher education or beauty college. 100% of the money I was able to raise for Girls of Legacy I matched with the first tuition assistance going to the girls’ Fall 2022 semester. This will be an annual initiative to support these girls in their education and development journey! To those who supported the dollar-for-dollar match fundraiser, THANK YOU. To give to Girls of Legacy please visit https://www.rebeccacontreras.com/girlsoflegacy.
More than anything, the most impactful part of this past year was being moved by how much my story has touched thousands, and the outpouring of love that I received from those connections. I am humbled that my story has inspired and influenced so many, and I’m looking forward to learning more of YOUR stories and YOUR challenges and successes in the months and years to come.
In celebration of LostGirl’s one year anniversary, I am collecting testimonials and impact stories from those of you who have read LostGirl. To share your testimonial please click here.
Also for those who have not yet had a chance to order the book, it is now available on audio! To order LostGirl and receive a one year anniversary celebration discount of 20% during the Month of October, click here (use promo code OCT2022 at checkout).
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