Perfectly You
Curiosity could have been my
middle name. That's what my
grandma Clarita used to say
whenever I asked ‘Por qué?’ Why? Always
wanting to know more about pretty much
everything. As I grew up, I learned the skills
of asking in subtle, polite and sometimes
even funny ways, to satisfy my craving
for knowledge.
About the Author
As you probably guessed, I'm a journalist. Later, I
became a motivational speaker after my first TEDx talk
went viral (so far, it has been viewed over 17 million
times) by then, several corporations and universities
were hiring me to help inspire their workforces and
students. Those are just some of the roads where
curiosity has taken me. I also wrote a book titled
"Perfectly You" to share my struggles with the notions
of perfection, especially for women, and my journey of
self-discovery as a Latina immigrant trying to navigate
our colorful, vibrant identity.
By Mariana Atencio
I felt on top of the world, so I decided to leave a
dream TV job at NBC to make it as an entrepreneur,
starting my own company with my mentor turned
business partner. It was January 2020, just two months
before the world was struck by the Coronavirus
pandemic. Terrible timing, right? I found myself back at
square one, facing challenges that I had no idea how to
tackle.
Going through such a big transition in my life,
including a divorce, selling my house, getting a
company off the ground during COVID and trying to
adapt to the new working models, really took a toll on
my confidence.
It was such a contrast to the high times I had lived
just a few months before when I was working on a pilot
for a big TV project, which had fallen through in
confinement. This got me thinking about how I
overcame challenges when I was writing "Perfectly
You". I did it during the biggest hardship of my life:
losing my dad. I found myself comparing notes and
using my proverbial curiosity to look for past clues of
resilience and use them in this new normal to move
forward. It worked!
I confirmed once again that failure, fear or any
other negative emotion or thought is necessary for
growth. It’s a part of the process. One doesn’t exist
without the other.
With "Perfectly You" I learned how to be my
authentic self. This time I had to dig deeper, think of
my advantages and strengths. One of the best, being
a Latina immigrant, qualified me to talk about the
lack of diversity, inclusion, and gender equality in
many industries.
After carefully investigating these topics, I was able
to create my C.O.N.T.R.O.L. framework. A proven
formula based on my experience, over 5,000 interviews
I’ve conducted in the past 10 years as a journalist and
the guidance of specialists in these fields.
I want to break paradigms and teach others how
to take control of their own lives. As a motivational
speaker I teach people how to use the power we all
have to achieve their goals, that’s what I want my
legacy to be!
With Latinos making up approximately 18 percent
of the U.S. population, I believe it’s my duty to help us
take control of our own narrative, amplify our voices,
and call out the stereotypes, representation issues and
any trace of racism or xenophobia against our people
or anyone that's still considered a "minority" due to
their lack of visibility.
Now, as you decide what the next great chapter
of your life will be, I need to ask YOU one question:
what do YOU want? For our community, for your
family, but especially for yourself?
LS
Want to comment or have any questions on this
article? Email us at info@latinastyle.com
Mariana Atencio is a journalist, TED speaker, influencer, and award-winning news personality covering
domestic and international assignments, breaking news, and special reports. As a first-generation Latina who fled
violence and oppression in her native Venezuela, she crossed over from Spanish to English-language television.
Known for her tenacious reporting, she has been named one of the top young voices in American newsrooms.
Her awards include the Peabody Award for Investigative Journalism, the Gracie Award, and the National
Association of Hispanic Journalists “Latino Issues” Award.
46 www.latinastyle.com LATINAStyle V ol. 27, No. 4 , 2021