I think a lot about the speeches Karol G has given throughout her career, especially moments like her Billboard Woman of the Year speech.

In that speech, she opened up about how, at one point, she didn’t understand why she wasn’t born a man, because she felt held back in the music industry simply for being a woman. Instead of letting that stop her, she turned it into motivation. She decided she was going to be the one to push through those obstacles and create space for herself.

She also shared three things that helped her get to that moment.

First, she stopped trying to be perfect for everyone else.
Second, she learned to tune out people who tried to discredit her success or say she owed it to someone else. She emphasized that when you know the work you’ve put in, you don’t need to prove anything to anyone.
Lastly, she realized that the most important respect wasn’t from others, but the respect she gave herself.

Another moment that stuck with me was when she won at the Latin Grammy Awards for “Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido.” In that speech, she talked about how she was surrounded by opinions and started doubting herself. But she reminded herself why she started in the first place, for the love and passion she has for music.

That message really stayed with me.

I tend to judge the content I put out very harshly, and sometimes I forget that when I started, I wasn’t focused on numbers or likes. I was doing it because I genuinely enjoyed it. Hearing her talk about going back to that original passion is something that constantly reminds me to stay grounded in why I create.

At the end of the day, her words are a reminder to trust yourself, block out unnecessary noise, and stay connected to what made you start in the first place.