Sarah was the adventurous type that always sort of knew deep down that she wanted to see what the world had to offer; though not impulsive, when she set her mind to something, she would follow through with it, no matter how ambitious it might be. So it didn't come as much of a shock to her parents when she said that she was moving to Costa Rica... without ever even having stepped foot in the country before! Sarah's story is one that takes us on an journey through the true meaning of following one's heart, listening to one's gut, and letting present life itself be the best healer of yester-year's wounds. Beyond just a birth story, it is one which examines the outcome of facing challenges head on, checking in with the soul for proper guidance, and trusting that knowledge that all things work out in the end.
Sarah always knew she wanted to live abroad and experience all the different things life had to offer. She had a conventional education and a conventional career, but it didn't stoke the fire from within too much. So, she packed some bags and moved to Costa Rica to work at a retreat her friends owned there...without ever having even stepped foot in the country!
A little while into her stay, a new relationship resulted in a surprise pregnancy that Sarah felt in her heart was an adventure she was willing to take on. The experience was very casual, very relaxed, and quite self-healing. Because one aspect of Sarah's story that really came full-circle was that she, herself, was the daughter to a younger, unwed woman in Russia. Sarah was able to experience her own story in a different dimension by going through many of the same things with her own pregnancy, but was able to close lingering wounds by breaking the cycle and chosing whole-heartedly to embrace the new challenge of motherhood with an "Ok, let's do this!" attitude.
Sarah had an active, healthy pregnancy which culminated with her waters breaking in a "flood gates opened" fashion. Upon arrival to the hospital, it was noted that she had hardly any amniotic fluid at all, and her doctors chose the route of cesarean delivery to ensure a safe delivery of baby. It was an unexpected yet positive experience for Sarah, and she went on to make many empowering decisions for herself, her daughter, and their future to ensure they stayed on a path that felt right and true to heart heart and gut.
”It's a lot of trusting; it's not like a casual 'I don't care what happens in the future', it's just that I'm really putting a lot of trust into leading with decisions from my heart, and not from a place of fear."
If you have any questions and would like to contact Sarah about her experiences or about immigrating to Costa Rica in general, she can be reached on Instagram @la.sarah.elena on Instagram, on YouTube at Sarah Elena (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCalHokE9PKivEfGDwBuj3aw) or on her blog at https://www.lasarahelena.com/. Her company Mindfulness Horse Connection can also be visited on her facebook page here:https://www.facebook.com/costaricahorseconnection/.
TOPICS DISCUSSED IN THIS EPISODE:
Immigration story, unplanned pregnancy, healthy pregnancy, oligohydramnios, cesarean birth, single motherhood, adoption story, a journey to self-healing.
Intro and outro music credit: "Reverie" by Ikson