Inspiring Women Magazine May 2021
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PROFILE<br />
Flourishing While<br />
Practicing Self-<br />
Compassion<br />
Veronica Lopez, member of IWC<br />
Munich, is a well-being coach who<br />
works with clients to give them<br />
self-awareness, self-love and selfcompassion.<br />
I grew up in the suburbs of Chicago and moved<br />
around quite a bit as a child. Nothing drastic, just<br />
from suburb to suburb. However, I remember this<br />
having a big impact on my identity because I had<br />
to change schools every time we moved. As a<br />
result, I became highly adaptable, which is a great<br />
skill to have. However, there was a point in my life<br />
where I felt like I didn’t know who I was because I<br />
was always adapting myself to new environments<br />
in an effort to connect with others.<br />
The lack of clarity with regard to my identity<br />
subsided over time but only after investing<br />
substantial effort into self-reflection and selfawareness.<br />
And, perhaps, unsurprisingly, I’m still<br />
learning about myself: my values, strengths,<br />
needs, etc. It’s actually quite wonderful knowing<br />
that self-actualization is a learning experience that<br />
never really ends.<br />
Leaving home<br />
Veronica Lopez<br />
I left home to attend the University of Michigan in<br />
Ann Arbor and I never went back (except for<br />
visits). At U of M, I received two degrees – Political<br />
Science and Ancient Civilizations and Biblical<br />
Studies. After my four years there, I attended law<br />
school in Chicago, and then went on to practice<br />
law, as well as following the common societal<br />
trajectory: getting married, buying a house, car,<br />
and so on.<br />
Bucking the trend<br />
The only thing I didn’t do that society typically<br />
expects of women is having children. It has<br />
become more common now – to find women who<br />
don’t want to have children - but when I was<br />
growing up, it was very uncommon. As a result, I<br />
often felt misunderstood, judged, and like<br />
something was wrong with me for not wanting<br />
them. I’m glad times have changed and that more<br />
and more women feel comfortable enough to<br />
admit they don’t want children and are brave<br />
enough to build a life based on what they want<br />
versus what society expects.<br />
My life today<br />
I currently live in Munich, Bavaria and moved in<br />
August 2020 (just in time for all the lockdowns).<br />
The journey to Munich took several years because<br />
Me at elementary school<br />
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