That question hit deep. We were in an online class with clinical psychologist Luis Francisco Sandoval. He was leading the workshop in his characteristic style — didactic, precise. Then he launched the arrow straight at the target. Zoom. "Who are you?" I thought to myself: I'm the Chilean Brad Pitt. Ha. No. Silence. Fifty people. Crickets. He started asking around: "Zenaida, who are you?" "Well, I'm a math teacher graduating this year..." "Juan, who are you?" "I'm my family, Guatemalan at heart..." Then he stopped them. "None of you are what you just said. You are simply emotions wrapped in a sack of flesh — and a brain that reacts to those emotions." From where I stand, we spend our lives looking outward. Thinking that we're thinking. And our achievements? Just badges we pin on ourselves so we can say: I am. I'm not saying that's wrong. I honor the effort. I love the human mind. I love progress. But every now and then — look at life from the inside. Watch yourself grow. Nothing more. Leaving that with you.

The people who show up every day without needing applause are the ones actually building something real.

Yesterday, after a question in the tribe, I was brought to tears for hours realizing that I have been saying “no” to myself for years, helping others (anyone really) just because I can. My early childhood programming was that if I don’t help, I am a bad person. That’s not true. Sometimes people don’t have your best interest in mind and sometimes they don’t care for you. Sometimes you have fake friends and you don’t realize it… especially if you are programmed to just help help help all the time! So, up until yesterday I used to tell my younger self “shut up Ro and just don’t”…. Not listening to what Ro wants. Realizing how many times I have done that, made me feel sick in my stomach. Example: I have this one “friend” that only takes takes takes and demands demands demands… She is first to hit me up when I play a bigger show - gets VIP treatment, backstage passes and free drinks… and shows up late for my set and sometimes misses it! Borrows money with promises that she will pay back - never happens. Promises - never mind… always!!! I believe I outgrew this friendship and all of them fake ones!! No more! Last night I acquired my own filter!!! I am pushing my own boundaries by setting boundaries. How often do you bend over backwards for others that do not deserve it?