Sometimes, symbolism is a clandestine way of revealing a purpose. With Esmeralda Baez, whose name means emerald, a gem symbolic of truth, love, and inspiration, it’s foreboding of all the accomplishments of the multihyphenate. This Afro-Latina renaissance woman does it all – from leading international business councils to running her own PR firm to being a two-time bestselling author. But behind her impressive resume lies a journey of resilience and reinvention.
Recovery from a health scare led to a personal and professional transformation, and since then, it’s led Esmeralda to center on her purpose, which includes sharing her story to provoke change in others. Read her story of resetting and rebooting life on her own terms.
Her Agenda: I know you have many different titles. What are you currently up to?
Esmeralda Baez: That’s a great question. I don’t have a specific title because I do a rare combination of things. One of the things I do is I’m the director of line affairs for Pacific Rim Business Council, which is based in California and it’s right now in about 48 countries. Outside of that, I’m also the project manager for North Star Group, which is pretty much Source Magazine. I’m the founder of Elite Vision Media, which is a PR firm based in New York where I specialize in Latin music and entertainment, but I have extended it now to also sports, beauty, lifestyle and other things as well. I’m also the creator of an annual women’s networking event that I call Women’s Trailblazer, which is pretty much to empower and support women who are in business or starting [a] business. Also, I’m part of the social, and economic team of experts for the United Nations and just recently became a two-time best-selling author.
Her Agenda: The first question that comes up after hearing all this is how do you make it all work with so many different things pulling you in different directions? What does it look like to manage all of these things?
Esmeralda Baez: I think that having a very well-balanced lifestyle, I have a switch that I know when to turn it on and when to turn it off. So, how do I manage? I think by definitely knowing my purpose. I know that it sounds like it’s all over the place, but as much as it may seem like it’s a lot when you really like what you do, it never really feels like you’re working. I take everything, it’s like fun up to this point for me.
Her Agenda: I know it wasn’t always like this for you. The health part was definitely something major that caused you to shift how you work. Talk to me about maintaining this shift, knowing that you didn’t always do it this way.
Esmeralda Baez: I’m going to give you the whole story. I’m going to bring you back to 2018. Six years ago, I was doing a couple of things. I was a nanny, I was styling and working at a regular job in New York City.
One morning, I went to the gym, and within probably 45 minutes of being in the gym, I started feeling a little weird, very tired, [I] couldn’t explain it. By the time I get to the office, I sit down with just partial numbness in my left arm, tension headache in the back of my head. I just told who was with me in the office, I think you should call 911 because I’m about to have a stroke.
And that’s exactly what happened.
On May 1 of, 2018, I actually had what they call a TIA (Transient ischemic attack, a stroke-like illness), because it wasn’t like a major stroke; I don’t have any long-term damages. But I did find out at that time that I have something called a brain aneurysm, which is something that a lot of people are not even aware of.
It’s pretty much like a balloon in your brain, and if it bursts, you die.
So, I have to pretty much live a very healthy lifestyle. I don’t drink alcohol, I don’t smoke, I eat very healthy, I drink a lot of water, I meditate daily, I try my best to do detoxes once a week, I fast once a week for 24 hours where I don’t eat any food. Prior to that, I wouldn’t say that I had a crazy lifestyle but I would say that I wasn’t as selective. I never really put myself first.
I didn’t understand the power of energy, [but] I became just more selective after that. I made major changes after that. This time around, I wanted to do things a little bit different. I became more appreciative of my time on earth and more appreciative of the people around me. It also was a time when I realized who my true friends were. Because they couldn’t really understand that I couldn’t be out as much anymore. They were just like, why aren’t you out? What’s going on? You’re not fun anymore, blah, blah, blah. And eventually those people had an expiration date.
Her Agenda: That makes so much sense. That’s just such an interesting story because we don’t think about health scares at such a young age.
Esmeralda Baez: I feel like people don’t always talk about it, but I was 30 at the time.
Her Agenda: Everybody feels very invincible at that age.
Esmeralda Baez: Yeah, we do feel invincible. And you know what, in the book, [it] was my first time being open about that, being open about having a brain aneurysm, having a TIA (Transient ischemic attack). Then after that [I got] anxiety.
The thought of having another TIA was just causing me so much anxiety. [I was] going to the therapist, to the psychologist, to the psychiatrist, and then [was] diagnosed with bipolarism.
I’m like, okay, this is new to me. Now, I just don’t have an aneurysm. But on top of that, I’m also bipolar; what’s going on here? The book is not long. It’s only 85 pages. It’s titled: Reset and Reboot, Regaining Mindfulness. Because that’s what we should all do at some point: reset and reboot. I speak about the power of manifestation, the importance of detoxing every so often, going on retreats, and the power of self-care. And by self-care, I mean anything that you’d like to do, whether it’s to go and eat ice cream on your own take long baths or go shopping, whatever it is that makes you happy. I encourage people to do it at least once a week.
It’s very important. Find a space in your home or wherever you are where you can actually speak to yourself. I’m big on affirmations. I speak of that in the book.
Her Agenda: Are there any new realizations that you’ve had now that the book has been out a while? I know sometimes when you write things, you feel one way about them. And then when you go back and reread them, you’re like, oh, now I kind of feel this way about them. So, are there any new realizations that you have since you’ve written the book?
Esmeralda Baez: Absolutely. I feel that that happens. I’ve been a reader my whole life.
We are in a constant state of evolution. To be honest, when I wrote the book, I didn’t even know it was going to turn into a book. I was just pretty much doing my morning journal. I think I found my life purpose through the book. One of my life purposes is to share my journey of healing and self-discovery with others who may be feeling alone or lost. I want to continue using my voice to promote positivity, spread kindness.
Her Agenda: There was a quote from your book, and it says: to love who you are, you can’t hate the experiences that have shaped you. Make the decision to live more from intention than from habit. The goal is to grow so strong on the inside nothing on the outside can affect your inner wellness without your permission. I love quotes. I love affirmations. So when I saw this, I was like, ‘Oh my God, this is a gem.’ The interesting part about this quote to me though, is that it says don’t let it affect you without your permission. So talk about that. Why is permission so important in those moments?
Esmeralda Baez: One thing that I came to understand is that we allow people to treat us the way they do. No one can do anything without your permission. That goes from hanging out with people to traveling to doing anything. You have the power.
That’s really what the quote is about. We are in a constant state of growing and learning. Don’t take yourself too seriously. Don’t allow other people to have a say in the things that you want or in how you see yourself.
Her Agenda: Do you have a favorite affirmation?
Esmeralda Baez: Oh my God. I have so many: I am beautiful. I love myself. I am confident. I am worthy of good health, joy, and peace. I am a magnet of success and attract my deepest desires. I am open to receiving unlimited prosperity, and I welcome love in all forms into my life. The universe is transforming my fears into faith and power. I am aligned with source energy. I am destined for greatness. I know my talents and accomplishments, what I have to offer, and what leads my life’s purpose. Never underestimate a woman who holds God’s hand. That’s one of the ones that I wrote, and I’ve said it so many times to myself that now it’s like, I can just say it in a meeting, you know?
Within 30 days of you telling this thing to yourself, you’re going to start believing. Your subconscious is going to start believing this.
I think the mind’s natural inclination is to be negative I have worked very hard to turn that into just being a very positive person. And the words of affirmation have truly helped.
Her Agenda: Hearing all this advice, and understanding your story is so powerful. But for someone like you who has overcome, I feel like on the opposite side, there are so many women that are still stressed out, working themselves practically to death, etc. If you could just give one piece of advice to them to put them on their reset and reboot path, what would it be?
Esmeralda Baez: It’s a hard thing because there are days that I still wake up and I’m lost. It’s completely normal to feel lost. But I would definitely say that what has helped me personally is trusting in the process, having faith, believing in myself, knowing that if you are a good person, good things will come eventually, being patient, and being kind to yourself.
[Editor’s note: This interview has been edited for length and clarity.]
