Who Am I?
Why am I here?
Why am I different?
Three questions that have been driving me forward, around the world, and inside-out of myself since I was a 5-year-old boy.
I’m adopted from Colombia and raised in Sweden, and all I wanted from an early age was to be like everyone else.
I wanted to be liked, but as a black boy with big curly hair that kids could hide pens in, all I got was classmates, teachers and parents laughing at me and telling me: “go back to where you came from”, “you don’t belong here“, “this is how we do it here” and “you cannot do that” (whatever my idea was).
And to my best knowledge back then, not even my birth mom wanted me (a belief that took me 25 years to unlearn).
So, who am I, why am I here, and why do I have to be so different?
My Story
I looked everywhere for the answers and by today, I’ve lived in 9 countries:
- From the USA to China.
- On luxurious cruise ships in the Caribbean to tents behind a railway station.
- Working in startups to leading global brands.
I’ve been:
- So broke that I almost sold myself as the boyfriend experience.
- Heartbroken to the point I gave up on being me.
- A scout, dancer, runner, yogi, soccer player, volunteer, student, salesman, leader, coach, professional speaker…
You name it, yet, I didn’t get a step closer to the answers until the day I sat down and listened to that uncomfortable silence within, which I quickly learned was far from silent.
For this, I thank the teachers that helped me own my story, through coaching and courses by Jeffrey Allen, Tony Robbins, Deepak Chopra, Marie Forleo, and Simon Sinek.
I am
Who I choose to be in this moment, and every moment forward.
My color, my race, my gender, my environment, and my experiences may influence who I think I am, but it’s who I choose to be in this moment and every moment forward that determines who I am.
By today, I’ve discovered much to the answers of my questions, and I’ll keep exploring them as I keep walking this earth. Frankly, love it, personal growth is sexy and I believe it should be enjoyable (not something hidden behind doors and called, woo woo).
My why?
Nobody should have to be someone they are not.
I believe we all ought to define by ourselves who we want to be and the life we want to live.
Therefore, I’m here to guide, inspire, and challenge you to stand up for yourself so that you can show up authentically and contribute to making this world a colorful place full of vibrant- LIFE!
That’s how I carry out my mission: shaping a world where we all live a life, we are proud of, and I invite you to join that in two ways:
- Through a speech, retreat, or coaching program to get back to YOU and express yourself.
- As a partner, collaborator, or part of my team to share my guidance with others.
We are all remarkable and when we show up as our most authentic selves we get to experience what living is all about, feeling jazzily alive and contributing in the best way possible to others.
So, what do you say, time to own your story or help others own their?
With a hip shake,
Erik
“You don't meet Erik, you experience him”
“Get to the core of your potential”
