Valentina's father gave her a gift when she was young. Instead of answering her question the easy way, he pointed to the lines on a dance studio floor and told her: your only job in life is to understand which one is your line. Once you understand that, shoot for the moon. Worst case, you land among the stars. She never forgot that speech. It gave her permission to go out and do her thing, to find her own path rather than follow someone else's prescription. That speech was so climactic as an experience that even as a child, she never forgot it. It allowed her to go out in the world and do her thing, knowing she could also ensure her own survival.
The translator between worlds
She spent years struggling with something that looked like a problem. She had too many interests, too many things she wanted to do. They didn't fit neatly into one professional label. She was looking for that polished Instagram bio that everyone else seemed to have. But they just didn't fit with her. She always thought your purpose or IKIGAI was one specific line of work, and that just didn't represent her truth. Eventually she realized... the common thread wasn't a single job. It was a function. She's a bridge, a translator between worlds. As a coach, she brings Eastern and Western sciences together. With her newsletter, she translates local Malaga culture for expatriate experts. Every project has translation embedded in it. Once she saw that pattern, everything reframed. She wasn't scattered. She had a gift for bringing things together. What excited her was the act of translation itself, whether in coaching, writing, or creating something new.
Tiny experiments and patience
She's been careful about the newsletter, building it with a weekly commitment. The first weeks, only Janelle was reading. She had to experiment before she could promise it to people. She's thinking of it as a five-year project for now, though that could be three or seven. What matters is giving herself permission to explore what feels relevant right now without forcing everything into a fixed shape. She mentioned a book called Tiny Experiments about designing small experiences instead of thinking your way to answers. That resonates with her approach. Test first, ask what excites you in the moment, and let the shape emerge. That's how she builds. That's what allows her to follow pleasure and joy and discover the path of meaning instead of waiting for someone to tell her what she should do.
