Trust

Lately, I’ve been realizing just how much trust impacts everything — in love, in friendships, in family, even in the way we show up for ourselves. It’s the reason a lot of relationships end. It’s also the reason mine did.

It took me a long time to admit that trust wasn’t something I had much of to begin with. Not because anyone did anything specific early on, but because of the way my thoughts worked. I used to have these little stories play in my head — things that weren’t real, but felt real. At the time, I didn’t know what intrusive thoughts were. I just knew my brain could take the smallest thing and run with it. And when you’re young and don’t have the tools to make sense of that? It sticks with you.

Over time, those thoughts started shaping how I saw people. How I loved. How I protected myself. And honestly? How I pushed people away, even while trying to hold on tight.

Fear

I used to think if I could just stay one step ahead of disappointment, I could avoid getting hurt. But that mindset? It kept me in survival mode. It made me second-guess everything — even the things I prayed for.

Looking back, I spent so much time bracing for the worst that I didn’t realize I was feeding the fear. And when you’re constantly in fear, it’s hard to recognize when something (or someone) is actually good for you.

I learned that the hard way.

Faith

There were moments I didn’t think I’d make it through. I won’t get into the full story — not yet — but I’ll say this: the heartbreak, the lies, the postpartum struggle, the silence, the pretending… it almost broke me. But even when everything felt out of control, I kept hearing the same thing in my spirit: This pain has purpose.

I used to think being the “healer of broken hearts” meant I’d go into medicine or fix other people. But now I see it differently. Sometimes you have to go through the breaking to understand the healing. And sometimes, the heart you’re meant to heal first is your own.

Boundaries

Recently, I had to let go of something — someone — that wasn’t meant to stay. It wasn’t easy. But it gave me this unexpected strength. Once I said no to that, it became easier to say no to everything else that no longer aligned. Including the things I used to excuse in my past relationships.

Do I miss him? Of course. Do I regret it? Not at all. Because now I see that he was just part of the bridge. Not the destination.

When I finally trusted myself — and trusted that God and the Universe weren’t just punishing me, but preparing me — things started to shift. Doors started opening. My energy started attracting peace instead of chaos. And every time I began to doubt it, I’d get another little confirmation: “Keep going. You’re not crazy. You’re on the right path.”

Healing

If you’re stuck in a place where it feels like nothing is making sense… I see you. If you’re scared to leave something that’s been slowly draining you… I’ve been there. And if you’re just holding on by a thread, praying for a sign… this is it.

You don’t have to have all the answers. You just have to trust that your healing is unfolding, even if it’s messy right now.

Leave me a comment or shoot me a message if this hits home. I’d love to hold space for you, the way others once held it for me.

Much love,

Grace Baquera

Alignment

Alignment isn’t always loud.

Sometimes, it whispers. It shows up quietly—when the right doors open, the right people cross your path, and life starts unfolding in ways you couldn’t have scripted, even if you tried.

The funny thing is, the life I’ve been living lately?

It’s the same life I used to dream about as a little girl.

I never fully believed I’d make it this far. I thought that small-town-girl mindset would always keep me grounded in my hometown. Even after I moved to the city, I never saw myself as someone who would chase her dreams—no matter what anyone else thought.

But something shifted.

Once I realized that the only opinions that truly mattered were God’s... and my own,

I started shedding those people-pleasing tendencies.

And ever since? Well, let’s just say life has been falling into place—beautifully, wildly, and in the most unexpected ways.

That’s been my reality lately—with Playboy, with school, with life.

And this rebrand? It’s just the cherry on top of the shift I’ve already been living.

If you’ve been following me on Instagram, you may have noticed a shift. The content I post, my feed layout, even how consistently I show up—it’s all become more intentional. I want you to know: even though I’ve adjusted some things behind the scenes, I’ve stayed true to who I am. I’ve just been working hard to become the brand I believe in.

This isn’t about changing who I am—it’s about being intentional with how I show up. I’m finding that sweet spot between strategy and soul. It’s not perfect. It’s not supposed to be. And honestly? What fun would it be if it was?

I’m running all my pages on my own. I work part-time. I’m a mom. I’m back in school. I’m modeling. I’m building something that matters.

And I’m bound to mess up sometimes.

But I don’t see those as mistakes—I see them as lessons.

Every "flaw" is just a stepping stone.

And I don’t know about you, but I have no desire to stay the same version of myself forever.

The woman I am today?

She’s stronger. Wiser.

And honestly? She’s a force of nature.

Let me be real with you. This most recent shift has been the healthiest one yet.

I used to feel like I needed to share everything. Every win, every doubt, every pivot. But lately, I’ve learned something powerful: privacy can be sacred. Holding things close—giving them time to bloom in the dark before sharing them with the world—has changed everything for me.

The best example? My most recent work with Playboy.

Only a few people knew before I went fully public with it. At first, I needed time. I had to explore it, reflect on it, and find my rhythm before deciding if it was a long-term fit. The people I confided in? They were the ones I trusted. The ones who held space for me without judgment.

That quiet confidence gave me the clarity I needed.

And now? I’m here.

Fully in it. Fully me. Fully proud.

I’m showing up every day—boldly, imperfectly, authentically.

Yeah, it’s scary sometimes. It can be wild.

But every single step, God and the universe keep reminding me: I’m right where I’m meant to be.

For the first time in my life, I’m living my life.

Not the one I was told I should live.

Not the one that made everyone else comfortable.

The one I want. The one I used to dream of.

I’m living my wildest dreams.

And I’m building even bigger ones every day.

I’m choosing me.

And finally—finally—I’m loving the woman I am becoming.

2025

Wellllll,

We made it through the first month of the New Year! I don’t know about you, but I spent January still wrapping up 2024. There were so many things I was still healing from, tasks I needed (or wanted) to finish, and projects I hadn’t even started. So, I won’t lie—I wasn’t exactly excited about 2025.

That was, until the end of January.

It’s funny because, normally, this time of year feels heavy for me. The end of January has always been a tough time, and honestly, the whole back half of the year—starting around August—usually brings on a wave of seasonal depression. But this time was different.

At the end of the month, I attended an event called The Reset. It was an experience like no other. We gathered to chat, exchange clothes, create vision boards, and, most importantly, take part in a powerful sound and breathwork session. My dear friend Amani Edmonson (IG: @mindandbodywithamani), led us in some yoga to start, followed by breathwork guided by Ashley Paige (IG: @ashleypaigecollective) and then we closed with a full hour of sound healing led by Jenelle (IG: @jenelleparis).

When I tell you this was transformative, please believe me.

So many memories surfaced during the experience—some beautiful, some painful. At one point, I genuinely thought I might pass out from the breathwork. But I kept reminding myself of what Ashley said at the beginning: I am safe. I am strong. I can get through this. And I wasn’t alone. I was surrounded by a community of beautiful souls, all there for the same reason—to let go and heal.

I’m so proud of myself for pushing through, for staying present, and for embracing every moment of that event.

In the days that followed, I wasn’t sure what to expect. Would I feel different? Would memories continue to surface? Would I get a sign from my brother? While I haven’t received the clear messages I was hoping for, one thing has changed—I’ve started dreaming again.

For the longest time, I didn’t dream at all. Now, they’re back, and I never realized how much I took them for granted. The mind is such a fascinating thing, and instead of just wondering about it, I’ve decided to learn about it.

So, I made a big decision: I’m going back to school to get my Bachelor’s in General Psychology.

I have a new dream, and I’m done waiting for the “perfect” moment. That moment is now.

I can’t believe I’m actually excited about going back to school after ten years! Of course, I’m a little nervous, but my passion for this outweighs any fear. No roadblock is going to stop me.

So, wish me luck, y’all! And tell me—what’s your dream, and how are you chasing it?

Until next time,

Grace B

decisions

Have you ever realized that a decision can literally change everything? Pause for a moment and reflect on that. Just one choice, one moment, could take you down a path you never expected. A decision can change e v e r y t h i n g. What does that mean to you? For me, it means choosing the path that will bring me the most happiness, even if it feels daunting. Once that decision is made, there’s no turning back and life unfolds as it was meant to. But have you ever wondered what might have happened if you’d chosen the opposite path, made a different decision, or chose a different reaction? Would life be nearly as good as it is now?

When I was in college, I met three different boys who each impacted the rest of my life in their own way. The first boy made me remember that I was lovable, just as I was. I had so many insecurities when I first met him, and although our relationship was so different than the rest of the relationships I had up until that point, he helped me grow in so many ways. Reminding me that life is all about having fun in the most random ways. Even if that means walking around campus just to see what we’d run into. It was the simple things that made this friendship so real. Like trying to get a bat out of the dorms with a BB gun. You see, even though everyone thought that our relationship was more serious than it ever was, we didn’t care, and we didn’t let that stop us from keeping our friendship intact all these years. Up until this day, I know he would pick up the phone if I called in the middle of the night, just like I did in college.

The second boy, he swept me off my feet from the moment I met him. I remember the first time I saw him. It was college orientation and some of the athletes had to come out and say what they liked about the school and tell them a bit more about themselves. He was the tallest there and I remember just dying to hear his name. His energy was infectious, and I believe that even way back then, I knew he was going to be my future husband. It’s funny though how life can test us and how much we actually trust ourselves, our gut, and ultimately our intuition. This boy and I dated for a short while. Short and sweet, but in that small amount of time, I fell head over heels for this boy. Those first few months were everything, and then they were nothing. Life ended up happening and we split. I remember that break up being the hardest and most heart breaking that I had experienced at that age. I wound up in a very dark place mentally and there were many nights I wasn’t sure if I would be here the next morning; but something always told me to stay. I remember being in my studio apartment late one night, staring up at the ceiling, wondering if any of it even mattered. I briefly considered what I could do to make all the hurt go away… And then I went to my bathroom, looked myself in the eye, and just wondered, why, no how, could I have let him hurt me so bad. Then I broke down crying and I saw a bright light. In the middle of the night, crying on the bathroom floor, I had my eyes squeezed as tight as I could squeeze them, and I could see a bright light around myself and all of sudden I felt this peace and comfort, just for a second, but it helped me remember that there is always a higher power at play. That break up set something off inside of me. School wasn’t going as I had planned, this boy that I thought would be my forever -I had to let go of, and honestly, nothing else in my life made much sense at that point. I made so many decisions during the next few years, decisions that I wasn’t always 100% proud of, but decisions that I always knew would mold me into the woman I am today.

The next few years were honestly a blur. Such. A. Fun. Blur. Some nights I remember as if it were yesterday, and others I long so deeply to picture in my mind and trick myself into thinking that even for just a moment, I’m back in those moments. During that time, I met the third boy. He came out of nowhere. I wasn’t expecting this third boy to ever be a role in my love life, mainly because he and the second boy were such good friends. Some time went by and we started talking. The more we talked, the more I started to like him. I tried to tell myself that he was only there to pass the time, but he ended up being a bigger part of my life than I ever expected him to. Our relationship was so different than the first two, but something about it, called to me. Yet, when the time came to make a decision on which boy I really wanted, I got scared. Boy 3 made me feel free. But boy 2 felt like home.

Boy 2 eventually became my daughter’s father, and that decision, though bittersweet, has been one of the most transformative of my life. It was a choice that, at the time, seemed uncertain, but in hindsight, it was one that shaped me into the woman I am today.

There have been so many mental hurdles I’ve had to overcome since then. It’s funny how time can turn some not so good memories, into memories you’ll never forget and always be grateful for, even some poorly thought-out decisions, along with the ones that were given too much thought, or the ones that were decided on a whim. Each one has taught me how choices and decisions can help us grow in ways never thought possible. No matter the hardship or the decision you’re struggling with today, remember: every choice, every experience, every bump in the road is an opportunity to grow. One day, you'll look back and realize how it all came together to shape you into the person you're meant to be

grace.

Understanding My Multiple Selves

Have you ever felt like there are many versions of yourself, each one emerging in different situations? Recently, I was in therapy discussing how at times I feel like so many different people or versions of Grace that it’s hard to realize which part of me I’m needing vs. what part is actually showing up. I remember always feeling like this growing up. After seeing certain shows and hearing about multiple personalities disorder, or Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID), I started thinking I might have it. After I told my therapist this, she explained more about it and then confirmed I don’t have it. My therapist explained that what I’m feeling is completely normal and multiple personality disorder is so much more intense.

I did some research on it as well after that session and everything I read confirmed what my therapist had said during our session. I realized that I never knew, or realized, that everyone has different personalities, and they all come out at different times depending on the situation at hand. A few days after this talk with my therapist, I thought maybe the best way to truly understand these different parts of myself was to get to know all the different versions. In order to do that, I needed a list. After I created this list, I looked at it and it all made so much more sense. I encourage you all to do the same. Maybe you’ll learn something about yourself or a part of yourself you didn’t realize was there. I wanted to share my life as a point of reference. I hope that this helps you with your list and your journey to self-awareness.

Exploring My Identities

Grace Baquera Berry

• Mental health advocate and all about promoting well-being

• Model / Creative Artist / Influencer

• Single mom

• Co parent

• Living a life that wasn’t wanted but making the best out of it

  Grace Berry

• Legally Berry but will always be a Baquera

• Aley’s mom

• Divorced

• Co-parent

• Living a life that wasn’t wanted but making the best out of it

Grace Baquera

• Model / Creative Artist / Influencer

• Networking

• Collaborative work

• Brand work

• Runway model

• BTS / Production Assistant

  Grace – Aley’s mom

• One parent household

• Priority is spending time with Aley

• Attempts to be consistent, keep a rhythm, while also keeping the house picked up

• Gives self-grace when unable to keep with executive tasks

  Girl Bossed Too Hard Grace

• Med Spec specialty scheduler

• Respectful to colleagues

• Helpful

• Team player

• Not afraid to reach out for help

• Confident in ideas

The Importance of Self-Awareness

I added things to a list that I either felt I embodied or traits I aspire to embody. Creating this list has significantly impacted my mental well-being. I can now recognize which part of myself is present in any given moment and which part I want to bring forward. This is still a work in progress, and I’m okay with that. I believe we will never fully know ourselves and all our versions completely. As we grow older, we’ll continue to uncover parts of ourselves that emerge only when needed. It’s in these moments of growth that we begin to understand the different identities we carry within us.

As we explore our identities, I invite you to reflect: what hidden aspects of yourself might you discover?               

grow.

2 Peter 3:18 AMP

“…but grow [spiritually mature] in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be glory (honor, majesty, splendor), both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.”

For the past four years, a project called "Grow with Grace" has been blossoming in my heart and mind. Its roots trace back to a series of unexpected and deeply challenging events that unfolded in my life at a time when everything seemed to be falling into place.

It was February 14, 2020—a day that would change everything for me. I’ll never forget the moment I took that pregnancy test. I positioned a mirror just so I could witness my own reaction. When I turned the test over and saw those two lines, pure joy flooded my heart. All I had ever dreamed of growing up was to be a mom, and here it was—my dream finally coming true!

But that joy was short-lived. In the blink of an eye, happiness gave way to shock. I remember staring at myself in that mirror, whispering, “HOLY SH*T.” With excitement, I rushed to share the news with my then-husband. His reaction, however, wasn’t what I had envisioned. In hindsight, it became clear that he wasn’t truly happy, even if he said otherwise. Deep down, I felt something was off—my intuition was trying to tell me something.

The truth eventually unraveled. At eight months pregnant, just after we had closed on our family home, I discovered he had been having an affair. We attempted to salvage our marriage through counseling and therapy. I sought help for my mental health and postpartum struggles, believing he was genuinely trying as hard as I was. But eventually, the truth emerged: I was being gaslighted, and I felt like I was losing my grip on reality.

I share this not to vilify my ex-husband but to illustrate the power of resilience. If I can overcome such a tumultuous experience, so can you. Perhaps you’re facing something similar, or maybe your struggles take a different shape. Regardless of the specifics of your story, remember: you have the power to change your outcome.

Throughout this journey, I have faced numerous unexpected challenges, yet I strive daily to be the best role model, mother, and person I can be. It’s not easy, but as humans, we are works in progress. Growth takes time, patience, and grace.

"Grow with Grace" is not just a project; it’s a reminder that we can emerge stronger from our struggles. Let’s embrace the journey, support one another, and continue to evolve into the best versions of ourselves. You are not alone in this, and together, we can thrive.

welcome.

Welcome to Grow with Grace!

I am so freaking excited to share this space with you all! This space is something I’ve been working on for a really long time now. Ever since I was in high school, looking at other girls blogs and thinking, one day I’ll have a story to share, and the confidence to share it. It’s so wild to think, that nearly 15 years later, we made it. After years of wondering what the hell the reason for my whole existence was, years of looking around and seeing literally everyone with a significant other, years of hoping, wishing, and praying, that one day I’d be grown up, living with my husband and kids, living that happily ever after life… That was the exact OPPOSITE of what ended up happening. There’s really nothing else I can do at this point but laugh. I’m blaming that on the trauma though!

So, here I am, 30 years old, living that single mom life with my 4-year-old in the big city. It hasn’t been the easiest journey. It’s actually been the hardest journey and I’m still currently on it. I’ve been waiting for the “perfect” time to release this blog, this community, this space, but the longer I wait, the more I realize that there really is no perfect time in anything. We have to make the most of the time we have now, because we never really know what tomorrow holds. So, without further ado, I’d like to extend my sincerest welcome. I hope you stick around and stay tuned, I have so much insight that I’d like to share from my own personal experiences with you all in hopes to help someone else. This space is a complete judgment free zone, and my messages are always open. Until next time…

All my love,

Grace B