Meet the Founder
“We live in the best of times, yet we are far from feeling our best.”
“I am passionate about well-being and being well. I believe this can attained by questioning and understanding why we think, feel and act the way we do.
Some seek answers in ancient wisdom while others rely in modern science. I believe the answers we seek wait patiently in the space where ancient wisdom and modern science overlap.
I intend for Conarium to be a resource that helps people make informed decisions as they walk their path toward well-being and being well.”
Growing Up
GROWING UP, I WAS INFLUENCED BY MY PARENTS IN TWO VERY IMPORTANT AREAS:
1. My mother’s passion for teaching and helping her students become better citizens.
2. My father’s passion for medicine as a service and a vocation, not as a business.
Instead of taking a lucrative path, they chose to work with people who needed them the most.
I never saw my mom teaching in a classroom, but I did get to meet many of her former students. She instilled in them the value of continuous education and being a responsible contributor to family and society.
To her, learning is essential to a life well lived.
I did see my dad at work when I was young. I went with him when he offered free community service in remote areas of the Panama rainforest.
He first asked patients about emotions, stress, family, work and other areas of day to day life. Only then he would decide if a prescription was needed.
To him, medicine is primarily a vehicle to maintaining health and preventing disease.
Starting a Health and Wellness Company
LIFE WAS VERY GOOD FOR ME IN THE EARLY 2000'S. STILL, SOMETHING WAS MISSING, SO IN 2007 I STARTED A HEALTH AND WELLNESS COMPANY.
Long hours, great plans, but poor execution forced me to close the business. I didn’t help anyone, lost money, but learned about how to live better. In 2010, I decided to focus on motivational content; I collected articles, read books, watched videos and crafted ideas.
I didn’t start a business, but laid out plans on how to collect, collate and deliver content. It was another good idea with no results but with great personal growth.
Becoming Relevant in a New Field
In the following years, I focused on my family and my corporate career, yet, I wasn’t professionally fulfilled. So, in 2017 when a friend asked me to help him expand his wellness business, I jumped at the opportunity.
However, my background is not in medicine, wellness nor health. I have a B.S. and M.S. in Electrical Engineering, and an M.S. in Engineering Management.
For 24 years I was fortunate enough to work and meet amazing people in 50+ countries. That experience taught me to constantly observe and challenge my thoughts because learning (like science) is a process not a destination.
I believe we must constantly unlearn what no longer serves us as humans, relearn what has been actualized, and learn new and challenging concepts.
what should you do with the content on this page?
View this content through the lens of objectivity, verification, and critical thinking, then draw your own conclusions. I am not an expert nor I pretend to be. However, I will work hard to be relevant and deliver quality content. Most importantly, I look forward for us learning and growing together
Interviews and Podcast
Featured guest at “The Experience of you” podcast
Learn a little more about Rafael and his work in this 2021 interview with David Thompson in his podcast The Experience of You.
David is a branding expert, storyteller, marketing leader and career coach. He has helped business owners, colleagues and students achieve their goals based on Belief – in themselves, their talents, their future.
Find out more about David at https://careercoachpros.com/
Featured guest at “The lift oneself” podcast
Rafael shared some of his thoughts in episode 44 of the Lift Oneself Podcast with NatNat Be.
NatNat Be is inspired to remove the stigma surrounding mental health and well-being. In this podcast she has deep relatable conversations about an array of topics with being human. NatNat Be always wants us to remember to Be Kind to Ourselves
Find out the Lift Oneself Podcast at https://liftoneself.buzzsprout.com/1765897