Like Socrates says, “All I know is that I know nothing.”

And truly, that’s how my journey began—full of uncertainty, but with a heart full of questions and hope.

I can't see how we can make the world a better place by complaining, criticizing, or condemning it. 

I feel there are things I can do and ways I can give to the world and those around me from a place of love, not fear or hate—things I can control based on where I am in life right now. Because none of us really know what tomorrow holds.

So I find myself asking the same question: How can I find my happiness and purpose in the world today? 

 

🌱 Introducing: The “Dreamers” Art Collection

This story is inspired by the first piece in my Spring 2025 art collection titled “Dreamers”, which donates 10% of its profits to TheDream.US.

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✈️ Embracing Life’s Leaps of Faith

An Immigration Journey and the Power of Our Minds

I feel for so many in the Latin community in the U.S. right now—people facing immigration nightmares I once feared myself. These stories are happening all around us. I lived in that same uncertainty until I became a U.S. citizen in 2018.

If you are an immigrant struggling right now—even if you don’t become a U.S. citizen or get deported—trust in the universe that better things are coming. You are exactly where you are meant to be. You are never alone. It is their loss, because your path is yours and no one else’s, no matter what the outside world might want to make you feel or see today.

I was 15 years old when my parents brought me and my little sister to the U.S.

I became a citizen at 32, in front of my son—who was seven at the time—my husband, and my beautiful American family from Maryland. They’ve supported me on this journey and truly believe in me.

I’ll never forget that day. After years of battling immigration, I finally became a U.S. citizen! I felt a weight lift off my shoulders. The biggest dream of my life had become a reality.

I could be happy now—or so I thought. I believed that freedom and happiness were based on circumstances, other people, or even a place…

The sacrifices our parents made to bring us to the “Land of Dreams” are something no immigrant child takes for granted.

The earthquakes in El Salvador in 2001 added to the devastation, scarcity, and fear the country was already experiencing—making my parents desperate for a safer, more prosperous place to build our future.

We were lucky to live in America on a temporary work visa. But after 15 years, I felt like a young adult trapped in a beautiful castle—you can’t leave, or you’ll never come back.

I couldn’t travel, go to college, or do much beyond work. Following the “ABCs of life” after high school wasn’t in the cards for me.

Once I realized that, I was crushed. I allowed life and people to hurt me, to take advantage of my insecurities and fears.

There was no lack of effort on my part. I tried so many things—even attempting to join the Air Force! I had an almost perfect GPA that could have opened doors for a U.S. citizen through scholarships and grants.

But none of it mattered every time I was rejected because I was “not a permanent resident.”

I felt crushed and like a failure when I couldn’t find a way to afford a college degree. I had always been a good student—I loved learning since I was a little girl.

Why couldn’t I live like everyone else around me? What was the point of this American dream if all I could do was work?

Time pulled me further from my family back home. I kept letting my circumstances chip away at my belief in myself, pulling me further from my truest potential.

💔 From Temporary Status to Soul Searching

That “temporary” status weighed heavily in my life. At any moment, I could have been sent back. But there was no going back. No giving up. I was trying to build a life here—and I was “better off” than most immigrants because I was here under a “legal status.”

As someone who grew up in the U.S., the thought of being deported to El Salvador was terrifying—especially back then, when it didn’t feel safe for a young woman to return alone.

I could have stopped learning, stopped trying. But that felt like a waste—not just of my pain and sacrifice, but of everything my family had gone through to get me here.

Eventually, many of those dreams became reality—including becoming a U.S. citizen.
And yet...

I still couldn't feel the joy in my heart that I should feel. I could do anything now, right? So what was I missing?

 

🧠 The Belief Shift: Reprogramming the Mind

There was an important piece of the puzzle still missing in my life:

 Everything begins with ourselves—our beliefs shape our thoughts, which shape our feelings, which affect our actions and results.

How I wish my younger self knew that...

Our minds are like computers—they run old programs unless we intentionally update them.

If there’s one thing the 2020 pandemic taught us, it’s that life can’t be taken for granted. The only time we truly have is today.

In each new moment, we have a choice.

The work began with letting go of the old beliefs and identities that were holding me back. I chose to learn to be myself and go for what my heart called me to do.

As the saying goes: “No hay mal que dure mil años”—“There is no evil that lasts a thousand years.” We are all on our own journeys, learning and growing in this short human life.

There are moments in life when we don’t feel ready for the leaps we must take. Sometimes, we don’t even choose them.

A part of us might want to stay safe and comfortable. But those leaps? They lead us exactly where we’re meant to be—maybe even to places more beautiful than we could have imagined.

We can live in the blessings of right now, no matter our circumstances.
If happiness is a fleeting feeling, I want to catch it as often as I can.
I refuse to miss out on today while chasing tomorrow.

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💡 Returning to El Salvador: A New Chapter!

I’m learning to feel all the feels of life—both incredibly blessed and scared—as we prepare to move to El Salvador this summer. We want to be closer to family and give our kids (and my husband!) the chance to immerse in Spanish. This is the heart of our decision.

It’s a big leap—letting go of what felt safe and known to follow what feels right and aligned, even if it’s hard.

I know now that my world starts inside of me. I chose not to live in fear anymore. I want to do what’s right for me and my kids—beyond what everyone else might fear or worry about.

🌈 Living with Purpose, Dreaming with Intention

I’ve learned that to “truly belong” has nothing to do with one country or another, or even other people. It has to do with how I see myself, my beliefs, and the stories running through my mind.

I want to create dreams of my own—not dreams tied to survival or fear.

Beautiful things and hard things come and go. At the end of the day, it’s up to me to find joy in each day. And the more I find it in myself, the more I see joy in the world around me.

It takes work every single day—but it starts with that inner dialogue.

I never would’ve imagined the peace and joy I feel today, thinking back to the 15-year-old girl who arrived in the U.S. terrified, unable to speak English. Today, I feel like a completely different person—yet closer than ever to my true self.

I’m not expecting life to be easy. But I know now that everything begins with what I believe.

I am worthy of going after what feels right...

💭 What Dream Are You Holding Close to Your Heart Today?

Believe. Believe. Believe in you.
Keep dreaming with purpose.

Karina Morales Hines - Purposeful Dreamer