This is the official launch of The Extraordinary Self! While there are two previous episodes, this marks the first under its true name—a name that reflects exactly what this podcast is about: embracing who we already are and discovering the extraordinary in our everyday lives.

In this episode, I share why I chose this name, what it means to me, and how it connects to my book, An Ordinary Girl’s Journey to Self-Love. I dive into the five transformative shifts that changed my life and how implementing them can reshape the way we show up—not by trying to become someone else, but by calling forward who we already are.

This podcast isn’t about fixing ourselves or striving for some future version of worthiness. It’s about presence, self-acceptance, and fully living now—not waiting for some big achievement to feel like our lives have truly begun. If you’ve ever felt like you’re searching for more, this episode is a reminder that everything you seek has already been divinely placed within you.

I can’t wait to share this journey with you. Tune in and let’s step into our extraordinary selves together.

In this deeply personal episode, I take you inside a guided meditation experience that changed my perspective on self-love and transformation. Drawing from Jungian shadow work, Debbie Ford’s teachings, and the wisdom of Jeff Foster, I share what it was like to meet both my highest and shadow self in a sacred mental space—a lush green forest where clarity and self-acceptance unfolded.

We explore how our wounds, as Rumi reminds us, are the very places where light enters. I discuss the importance of shadow work in integrating the parts of ourselves we often suppress and how true meditation—both from a spiritual and biblical perspective—guides us toward wholeness.

By the end of this episode, you’ll have practical steps to start your own journey of self-integration, from journaling and mirror work to conscious dialogue with your shadow self. If you’re ready to move beyond self-rejection and step fully into your highest self, this episode is for you.

Tune in and begin the journey of embracing all of who you are.

In this episode of An Ordinary Girl’s Journey, we explore the emotional impact of rejection and how it can leave behind a lasting “rejection wound.” Host Maria del Gaiso shares a deeply personal story about writing a heartfelt letter to her mom at 16 and never receiving a response, a silence that shaped her understanding of rejection. The episode defines a rejection wound as the emotional imprint of feeling unworthy due to rejection and examines how it can influence our self-perception and relationships.

Drawing from her book, An Ordinary Girl’s Journey to Self-Love, the host shares practical steps for healing: recognizing that rejection reflects the other person’s struggles, reframing rejection as redirection, and practicing self-compassion. The episode emphasizes the importance of embracing self-love so rejection loses its sting. It ends with an uplifting reminder that pain from rejection does not define your worth and that self-acceptance is the ultimate key to healing.