Impostor Mom
Patty Rodriguez shared at We All Grow Latina's Summit this past weekend. She touched on her success story and something called Imposter Syndrome. I had never heard of that term before and somehow I knew exactly what she was talking about. I was sitting in a room full of powerful, confident and influential women. I was listening to their inspiring stories. I was moved by the change each one was making in the world. So what the hell was I doing there? What was my purpose?
For 3 days my Husband had our kids. He would bring my youngest on my breaks so that I could nurse him and then it was back to being child-free again, which is highly unusual for me. I ate leisurely, I chatted with other women without being interrupted and I didn't even have any breast milk or spit up stains on my blouse. One woman even mistook me for a beauty blogger. Cue an animated eye-popping GIF!
It was wonderful. It was as if Ana Flores was my fairy God Madre and I was Cinderella at this 3 day ball full of magic, beauty and swag- So much swag. I soaked in all of the info I could and left over the moon. Then it was over.
I returned home with a gnarly cold and my 6 month old welcomed me with his own mocos and a fever. This was anything but fabulous. Where is the Disney magic? Where is the sparkle? Where is Neutrogena's glam squad? Where is my can do attitude? I left it at Hotel Maya. Fast forward 3 days of a congested mommy, baby and an under stimulated 4 year old dying for mommy's attention and time and I felt defeated. Exhausted. I felt like 'just a mom'. I am not like those women who spoke at summit. What mark will I ever leave on the world? I am with my kids all day.
"Yes, Pity party of one!"
As I started to wallow in the lie of my mommy mediocrity I came to. My children are the future, and if God entrusted me with these beings then I must be doing something right. I'm not "just a mom", I'm a woman full of love and passion for her family and for people. I want to leave my print on the world and leave it better than I found it. I adore putting smiles on my family & friend's faces and showing them that they are loved and wanted.
I choose to believe what those who love me say about me and I choose to live with a purpose. I am a mother, but I am so much more than that and I can't wait to show my children first hand what you can do when you jump into life with both feet in. I am not threatened by the success of women who've stepped into their destiny before me, I am empowered by them and their strength, I look up to them and I'm blessed to be surrounded by them.
My story doesn't look like yours and thats OK, we all have our own part to play and our own destiny to discover. I deserve to move forward with a sense of purpose and pride, I deserve my children, I deserve this platform for I have so much more to give and to pour into mothers and women of future generations.
Impostor no more!
*Special Thank You to Ana and the We All Grow team for this fabulous summit and for equipping women with the tools, empowerment and encouragement to be the best version of themselves!
