She became pregnant at 13.

Had her daughter at 14.

Entered foster care.

Grew up surrounded by poverty, gangs, drugs and violence.

And for years, Valaery Rose struggled with the belief that maybe this was simply the life she had been given.

But eventually, she made a different decision:

The cycle was going to end with her.

In this episode of the How To Battle Podcast, Carlos sits down with Valaery Rose for a raw conversation about teen motherhood, foster care, gang culture, toxic relationships, self-worth, motherhood, healing, personal development and the power of choosing a different future.

Timestamps:

00:00 Pregnant at 13 and entering foster care

01:08 Surviving darkness and becoming a light for others

03:18 Growing up around gangs, poverty and addiction

05:02 Feeling abandoned by her parents

07:15 The streets, fighting and becoming a teen mom

08:25 What it feels like to be pregnant at 13

10:32 The moment motherhood changed everything

11:29 “I became the mother I wish I had”

12:06 Leaving her daughter’s father and breaking the pattern

17:03 Nine years inside a toxic relationship

19:48 How she finally found the courage to leave

20:25 “No one is going to come save me”

24:41 Stepping into the unknown and rebuilding herself

27:15 The personal-development practices that changed her life

32:20 Why Carlos began living life like an adventure

36:00 Why young people are drawn to gangs

40:52 Be loyal to yourself—not the streets

42:34 The social worker who showed her another life

45:07 How Valaery became a life coach

49:39 Her definition of success

54:29 Becoming a motivational speaker

55:31 Why Carlos sometimes feels like it’s never enough

59:39 Do we need rock bottom to change?

1:00:20 Where Valaery sees herself in five years

1:04:03 The power of vulnerability

1:06:52 Build a life that you love

Valaery's life is proof that your environment can influence you without having to define you.

Your family can shape you without determining your future.

Your mistakes can become lessons.

And the life you're living today does not have to be the life you're living five years from now.

Sometimes transformation begins with one very uncomfortable question:

What am I allowing in my life that I already know needs to change?

If this episode speaks to you, subscribe to the How To Battle Podcast and share it with someone who may need the reminder that they are allowed to want more for their life.

Connect with Valaery Rose

Instagram: @valaery.rose

Linktree: https://linktr.ee/valaeryrose

Connect with Carlos

Instagram: https://instagram.com/carlosvasquezofficial

Substack: https://open.substack.com/pub/carlosvasquezofficial

#BreakingTheCycle #TeenMom #SelfLeadership #Resilience

#ValaeryRose #CarlosVasquez #HowToBattle #HowToBattlePodcast