Breaking Barriers: My Health Coaching Journey from The Jerusalem Post to Wellness

Daniela Gleiser
Feb 11, 2024
4 min read

— And the Power of Words, Perfection, and Self-knowledge

The Jerusalem Post first page, designed by Daniela in September of 2016. (CREDIT: Daniela Gleiser)

My personal background

My mother once told me that I learned my first words before I even turned a year old. She lovingly called me a "Vieja Chica," a little old lady in the making. Born in Spain but moved to Chile at the age of four, my linguistic journey began. I had to adapt to new words and ways of communicating, as some words I knew were considered "not nice" in Chile.

As I grew, I was often labeled as shy or introverted. I preferred observing and learning about everything before expressing my thoughts. I became a knowledge sponge, always eager to memorize and acquire new skills, driven by a desire to help others.

Obsession with perfection

My father was a perfectionist, the type who'd adjust an object by two millimeters if it wasn't perfectly aligned. I, too, became obsessed with doing everything perfect.

I've always had a penchant for talking. Just ask my sister or my mom, who had to silence me at night because they wanted to sleep. I never had a specific chilean accent, and I avoided using words that I considered "not nice" or vulgar, which often made me sound different from a proper "Chilenita". I took pride in pronouncing foreign words the way they were meant to be spoken, not the "Chilean" way.

I inherited my father's love for learning languages, but I didn't speak them fluently. Instead, I focused on expanding my vocabulary and understanding because "I didn’t know enough" or know how to pronounce it perfectly so I was embarrassed to speak.

Art was always part of our family and music flowed through our household, with my mother's love for music and my father's knack for instantly picking up any musical instrument. Jazz, blues, and classic rock set the soundtrack for our lives. My great-grandmother recited poetry, while my maternal grandmother adored Tango, and my grandfather was an opera enthusiast.

Singing was my passion, even though playing instruments eluded me. I dreamt of being a singer but felt I wasn't perfect or pretty enough to grace the stage. My voice wasn't perfect enough, and I lacked instrumental skills. I doubted whether I could make a successful career out of my passion.

A Shavuot supplement magazine designed by Daniela in 2017. (CREDIT: Daniela Gleiser)

Choosing a different path

So, I chose a different path—Graphic Design and Visual Communications. It was a safer route, one that allowed me to leverage my artistic family background.

Graduating with honors, I enjoyed my chosen field, but I knew I had deferred my true calling. My longing to study Judaism outweighed my fear of failure and rejection. I made a bold decision to move to Israel, a country where I didn't speak the language, to deepen my understanding of Torah and Judaism—subjects I had never explored before—while immersing myself in English, a language I had never spoken.

I vividly remember my early classes—I heard a class that I happily understood everything, second class, the same, third excitement turned to brain overload in a matter of hours. But I persevered, met new people, and made friends despite my broken English. Then, I embarked on the journey of learning Hebrew.

Eventually, I paused my studies, my father passed and sought a stable job. That's when I joined The Jerusalem Post as a graphic designer, where I worked for seven years. On my first day, my boss asked me:

"What language would you like me to speak to you, Hebrew or English? If I knew Spanish, I'd be happy to speak it with you."

That phrase changed me, and that moment taught me that effective communication transcends language barriers. Thanks David!

Graphic design, much like language, is about conveying a message effectively. It's what I enjoyed most about my job—finding the best way to communicate messages clearly.

Holding The Jerusalem Report magazine, designed by Daniela on October of 2020. (CREDIT: Daniela Gleiser)

This is what I did and tried every year that I worked for them. I even got to write some articles for the magazines and newspaper and I’m glad I did.

We had people from all over working at the newspaper, many languages and everybody could communicate in their own way, with one goal: to deliver news and stories effectively as possible.

Pursuing Integrative Health Coaching

I began reading books in English and took online courses. My next goal was to study Integrative Health Nutrition and Wellness Coaching, all in English, to help people in their daily lives through words and various forms of expression.

Here I am today, sharing my story with you despite my broken English and proud Latina accent. I've embraced the importance of overcoming fears and working on them. None of my languages—English, Hebrew, or Spanish—are perfect, and while I understand Portuguese and Italian, I'm not yet able to speak them fluently.

I still have an obsession with words, communication, and delivering messages with clarity. Words hold immense importance in my life, even though I'm not a professional writer, I'm starting this blog to share my perspective on how we can become the best versions of ourselves. Hope you enjoy it.