When asked In one of her interviews about how she overcome self-doubts, she said, "Do you think there aren't times I have self-doubt? When I walked into this room," pointing her finger towards the interview door, "I told myself, don't trip. I do tell young women, you don't have to figure everything out at once, just get up every day and do the tasks in front of you, like go to college, get your degree, learn a trade, you know, anything that is moving you ahead. Continue to do this and in many years to come you will look back and realize the amount of value you have added to yourself." And in all you do, never let society make you feel like you are not enough.
This is one interview of Michelle Obama that lives rent-free in my head. Her words above help me move forward whenever I'm experiencing self-doubt.
I remember a time in my motherhood journey, I woke up one day, looked into the mirror and I can't seem to recognize myself. It felt like the girl I used to know and see in that mirror had died a slow death. So I spent a lot of my energy and time mourning her, wishing to have her back.
That was a tough time for me, for someone who used to have her life under control. So many things were happening so fast, I was mostly overwhelmed and sometimes tired. I knew motherhood was going to be a lot of an adjustment to my life, but with all my preparation, I was shocked with what was in front of me.
Not so long after I watched the said Michelle Obama interview above, I told myself, no more mourning, no more doubting myself, even though I'm no longer the girl I used to be.
Instead of letting myself feel overwhelmed, I began to just take one day at a time, do my best and leave the rest. I remember telling God how overwhelmed I was and that I needed Him to take control and come through for me like He always does.
Gradually, I was beginning to find myself again, enjoy the things I used to enjoy. I realized I was not the girl I used to be before I became a mother, and that is okay. I learned to embrace my new identity, my new role while gradually finding my way back to that girl, the one who knew what she wanted and never let anything get in the way of her dream.
What I have learned in this journey is that sometimes, we hold on too tight to who we used to be instead of allowing ourselves to evolve and embrace the changes. And sometimes being strong is not holding on tight, it's simply letting things go and letting God. It's okay to be tired, it's okay to not be perfect, as long as we are putting in our best and working towards becoming a better version of ourselves, that is all that matters.
This is my entry into this week's Ladies of the Hive community Contest 260, talking about a time I overcame self-doubt.
Thank you very much for your time and support.
The image used is mine 