Achieving Collective Healing with Yung Pueblo

Self-help and personal healing have become priorities. In the process, we have forgotten how to heal collectively. We have become fixated on our political differences. We have lost sight of our shared objective of making the world a better place. 

Author Diego “Yung Pueblo” Perez joins Rosie in this episode. They talk about the value of collective healing in global transformation. They also give a glimpse of Diego’s writing process as Yung Pueblo. They discuss his thoughts on writing about relationships, healing, and the journey to personal growth. Lastly, Diego shares excerpts and insights from his newest book, Lighter! 

Don’t miss this episode. Learn to value personal growth and achieve collective healing! 

HERE ARE THREE REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD LISTEN TO THE FULL EPISODE: 

  1. Get excerpts and insights on Yung Pueblo’s newest book. 

  2. Discover how to look beyond political differences and achieve collective healing. 

  3. Find out the value of social media breaks in your personal growth! 

Resources

    EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

    [02:48] About Diego Perez

    • Diego has been writing as Yung Pueblo since 2014.

    • He started by writing poetry and short prose. He began exploring non-fiction writing in 2017. 

    • In writing Lighter, he combined his thoughts on self-love, healing, emotional maturity, and relationships. 

    • Diego wants Lighter to inspire people to take their growth journey seriously. 

    [04:19] Diego’s Writing Process as Yung Pueblo

    • Diego tries his best to be gentle with himself during the writing process. 

    • He pays attention to himself to align with moments and write about them.

    • He sees writing as a process of building a relationship with his creativity. Forcing it will not bring out his best work.

    • He allows himself time to process, write, and stop accordingly. 

    • Writing his latest book, Lighter, was an eight-month process of start-stop-start-stop.

    [05:50] Writing During Pandemic

    • Diego wrote two books during the pandemic: Clarity & Connection and Lighter. 

    • Clarity & Connection is more focused on relationships.

    • His harmonious existence with his wife in their one-bedroom apartment in New York City inspired it.

    [07:09] Tackling Relationships in His Books

    • During his early writing career, Diego was ‘quietly sitting’ behind his pen name Yung Pueblo. 

    • With Lighter, he was able to share about his marriage personally. It includes how he and his wife came together and the mess during the first few years. He also wrote about how they figured out the relationship — together and as individuals. 

    • Diego connected lessons, ideas, and reflections he hoped people would bring into their relationships. 

    • Diego also incorporated poems and prose in Lighter so people would know him as a poet and prose writer.

    [08:24] “We allow ourselves to love because it's worth the risk. Even though there is the chance of loss or hurt. We take the leap again and again. Because love is one of the best parts of being alive. We don't do it because it's easy. We do it because connection makes everything brighter.” - Click Here To Tweet This

    [09:41] Origin of ‘Yung Pueblo’

    • Diego’s pen name emerged from his Ecuadorian roots. Yung symbolizes the opportunity for growth, and Pueblo means masses of people.

    • The name took on a new, deeper meaning with Diego’s meditation. He saw his immaturity and how much he had to grow up. 

    • He realized deep socialization only begins in kindergarten. That's when teachers educate children on the fundamentals. That includes sharing, being king, being truthful, and not hurting each other. 

    • However, people do not know how to do these fundamentals collectively as a society. 

    • He saw this opportunity for important growth as individuals and society. He wanted to write within the context of Yung Pueblo — maturing collectively. 

    [12:10] Collective Healing and Global Transformation

    • In writing Lighter, Diego wants to show the bridge between personal healing and global transformation. 

    • Diego recognizes the importance of individual healing. But he also sees the importance of healing as a society. 

    • He decided to tackle these topics. Most personal development writers do not touch global structures, global peace, and collective healing. 

    • Power brings out the worst and roughest parts of people’s egos. 

    • He saw that access to healing will help people handle power better. 

    [14:08] Spiritual Bypass Trend

    • People tend to veer on the positive side and silver linings. They forget to shine the light onto the dark spaces. 

    • Not focusing on the things that make you uncomfortable is a form of spiritual bypass. 

    • Through Lighter, Diego opens a dialogue on the dynamics of the way people take power and reestablish themselves. 

    [17:15] Diego’s Advice for People Who Feel Powerless

    • ‘The inner creates the outer, and the outer molds the inner.’ — Jiddu Krishnamurti 

    • It boils down to trying to accept yourself fully — even and especially the darkest parts. 

    • Understand that these dark parts and personal burdens mold your inner. Those are the things heavily influenced by the people around you. 

    [17:53] Healing Through Politics 

    • People often approach healing or changing the world from a space of emotions. That’s because it is easier to understand. 

    • However, there is a need to understand politics and structural compassion. 

    • People have become so used to a lack of stability.

    • People need to veer away from political differences and focus on commonalities. That includes wanting safe neighborhoods, excellent schools, and quality healthcare. 

    • Respect that people can have differences of opinions and belief systems. 

    • Approach from a place of compassion. 

    [18:58] “Whether you see yourself on the right or the left, like, there are immense commonalities like you want to be safe, I want to be safe… We should try to have these conversations, but using our equanimity, using our compassion, using our peace, and trying to be more imaginative about how we have these conversations.” - Click Here To Tweet This

    [21:48] Having Personal Boundaries 

    [22:56] “You can love something and also want something to change.” - Click Here To Tweet This

    • Do not fall into the trap of sharing everything on social media. 

    • Rosie advises sharing only a small percentage of your life on social media. That includes your thoughts and what you care about. 

    • Create your boundaries and develop self awareness. 

    • Take periodical hiatuses from social media. 

    [27:48] “My happiness is more important than what people think.” - Click Here To Tweet This

    [28:37] Rosie’s ‘You Are Radically Loved’

    • Rosie wrote You Are Radically Loved to show her self-love and healing journey. 

    • She shares about growing up as a child of two immigrant parents in a gang environment. 

    [31:13] Power of Social Media Breaks

    • Rosie and Diego both take time off social media. 

    • Diego goes away for 30 to 45-day meditation courses where he takes time off of social media. 

    • It is normal to feel anxious about missing out on opportunities during these breaks. 

    • Ultimately, your personal growth is what matters. 

    • Prioritizing your personal growth is the best way to be in the present.

    [32:28] “Ultimately, doing what's best for my personal growth is way more important than [the small things] I could have gained if I was out in the world like everybody else.” - Click Here To Tweet This

    [36:04] Where Diego Feels Radically Loved

    • Diego feels radically loved when he has his attention inward and is okay with what’s in his heart. 

    • There is so much peace in the moments when you truly accept whatever you see inside you.

    • He feels loved when he is himself without judgment or validation. 

    ABOUT DIEGO

    Diego Perez is more known by his pen name Yung Pueblo. He is a meditator and New York Times bestselling author. As a New York Times bestseller, he writes about the power of self-healing and creating healthy relationships. He also shares the wisdom that comes with working on knowing ourselves. He has authored three books. They are Inward, Clarity & Connection, and Lighter: Let Go of the Past, Connect with the Present, and Expand the Future.

    Learn more about Diego’s works through his website or email him at info@yungpueblo.com. You can also connect with Diego through his Twitter and Instagram. 

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    To feeling radically loved,

    Rosie

    Rosie AcostaMindfulness Teacher, BIPOC Meditation, BIPOC Meditation Teacher, BIPOC Mindfulness Teacher, Latinx