Dream Big, Act Bigger: A Mompreneur’s Guide to Overcoming Self-Doubt
Have you ever felt trapped by a cycle of self-doubt and hesitation?
“I can’t do this… I don’t know how to do this… I’ve never done it before… Maybe I’ll just start tomorrow…”
If this sounds familiar, please don’t beat yourself up. We’ve all been there, but that doesn’t make it a good place to stay!
The question is, how do you get out of it? And how do you align your beliefs and ideals with your actions?
As a mom, you probably sprinkle all sorts of encouraging words into your kids’ lives every day.
Whether it’s “reach for the stars”, “you can do anything you put your mind to”, or a simple “you got this”, these words uplift and inspire, helping them believe in themselves and their dreams.
Perhaps the biggest lesson you’re teaching them is to dream big. Nowadays, the sky isn’t even the limit anymore. The bigger their ideas, the further they’ll go. And they’ve got you, their mom, cheering them on, believing in their dreams with all your heart. That’s a game-changer. But here’s a thought: As their mom, do you hold your own dreams in the same high regard?
Do you believe your entrepreneurial dreams matter?
How often do you reflect on the lessons you teach your children and think, “Am I being a good example of this?” Are your little ones seeing their parents lead by example? Can they connect your words with your actions, or is there a disconnect?
In those early years of parenthood, I wasn’t exactly walking the talk. I was telling my girls to be bold and to value their dreams, but I didn’t stop to check if my actions matched my words. Still, I was convinced I had the mom game covered.
While on maternity leave, I learned just how wrong this assumption was. And I got that lesson from the most unlikely of places: a children’s book. This was actually a book we had custom-made for our daughter titled Dream Big, Little Alyssa. Here’s the paragraph that triggered my lightbulb moment:
When you’re dreaming of things to be built, be bold not a house or a town, but a city of gold! You can climb it, You can! For though you are small, No mountains too high, no towers too tall. No achievement’s too great, no matter your size…such dream await Alyssa, when you close your eyes.
Those words were made for my little girl, but as I read them, I realized they apply to everyone – including me and you. Life is a miracle, and we are capable of anything. But we have to be true to our dreams.
In that moment, I asked myself a tough question: Are my actions aligned with the lessons I’m teaching my girls? The answer was no. I was teaching my daughters to dream big, but I wasn’t giving them a real-life example to follow.
I knew I wanted to start a podcast. I knew I wanted to share my story and help other women find balance as mothers and entrepreneurs. But I wasn’t allowing myself to “take a great leap and try something new.” I was holding myself back because I feared failure, online trolls, and the shame that would follow if I didn’t succeed.
First, I did what any mama would do – I kept reading the book to my little girl. But I was reading with new eyes, and what I found as I turned the pages changed everything. The words I’m about to share with you inspired me to finally start my podcast and share my journey. They put me on the ambitious path I’m currently on, working toward leaving corporate life for good and achieving financial freedom by December 2025.
“Take a great leap, and try something new – That something might be the right something for you…. And if it’s not, you’ve still passed the test. We’ll always be proud that you did your best. Trying your hardest and claiming your prize. Such dreams await, Alyssa, when you close your eyes.”
“Take a great leap” – These words pushed me to stop overthinking and just get started.
“Try something new – That something might be the right thing for you” – These words transformed my fear of trying something new into excitement. Before I read these words, I had been pinned down by this idea that I had to make it to the top, quit my job, and be financially free before I could talk about it on a podcast with others. But who says you have to be all the way there before you can share your story? There’s such a beautiful sense of intimacy and camaraderie that arises when we share all the ups and downs of our journey as we’re taking it. My listeners and I are connected because we’re walking the path together.
“If it’s not, you’ve still passed the test” – These words freed me from the fear of failure. Even if my venture into mompreneurship doesn’t pan out, my girls will still get to see their mom in pursuit of her dreams. Regardless of where this adventure leads us, they’ll learn this crucial lesson. So, it’s a win-win, whatever happens. The same is true for you.
“We’ll always be proud that you did your best” – This is how I feel about my girls, but I realized it’s also how I feel about my parents. They worked so hard, they showed us courage and determination to give me a brighter future, and I couldn’t be prouder. Sure, achievements are great, but what really sticks with the people who love you is knowing you’re giving it your all. That’s what truly counts.
“Trying your hardest to claim your prize” – For us moms, that prize is the balance between our family and our dreams. Being there every day to pick up our kids from school, taking them on holidays without worrying about the cost, and filling their lives with love, fun, adventures, and growth – that’s the real prize. Whether we reach our big dreams or not, the fact that we’re giving it our all is what truly counts.
Of course, I didn’t see this with instant clarity when I first read that book to Alyssa. But it sparked something in me, and maybe it will in you too. It nudged me to start dreaming big and building the life I wanted for myself and my kids. In doing so, I saw clearly that our actions count more than our words, and our efforts matter more than the results they bring. And guess what? The same is true for you.
Why do you need to act on the inspirational lesson you teach?
We’re often so busy trying to fulfill our children’s daily needs that we forget to back up the inspirational lessons we teach them with our actions. Sometimes, it’s not even in the back of our minds!
But there are many reasons why walking the talk is important, especially if It’s something you want for your kids. And I’m going to give you three reasons mompreneurs need to take the inspirational lessons for themselves as well!
1. Your children pick up your habits more than your words
According to studies, children learn and imitate behaviors by watching and listening to others. This is called observational learning, and it’s present in every child from a young age.
Basically: monkey see, monkey do.
And if you pay close attention, you’ll see your children exhibiting signs of observational learning from a very early age!
It’s the same case when it comes to teaching them manners. If you want your kids to have manners, you have to lead by example. For instance, we once got told by our childcare worker that Jasmin, my oldest daughter, was pushing kids randomly as they walked past her. Odd behavior, right?
When we thought about it, we realized it actually wasn’t odd at all. Before you get worried, rest assured there’s no pushing or shoving in our family! But we do get our dog Tiffy’s attention by playfully nudging her. For us, this is a cute way to get her to play.
So naturally, Jasmin thought, “Right, to get attention, I must nudge or push people.” Fair enough, right? This was on us, and though it was all done in innocence, we needed to change the behaviors we were modeling.
So, we stopped nudging Tiffy when we wanted her to play. We even started saying “please” and “thank you” to her! This little habit grew in some pretty interesting ways. We use Google Home a lot and soon realized we’d have to be consistent and model polite behavior with Google too. So, we all now say “please” and “thank you” to Google instead of demanding it around. And wouldn’t you know it? Jasmin’s habits have taken a turn for the better.
2. There’s an inner child inside you that needs nurturing
Do you ever feel like having kids has changed everyone’s perspective on you? Your title has officially become “mom.” Of course, this is one of the most important roles a person can have in life. You are a mother. But you are so much more than that as well.
You have an inner child within you that needs to be nurtured through every stage of your life. We tend to believe we’re children for a while but then childhood ends and adulthood takes over. That is a false belief. Childhood doesn’t just evaporate. It’s always within you, and taking care of your inner child is just as important as taking care of your children.
You have to nurture your inner child to be able to nurture your children. Trust me, if you don’t implement the same advice you give them, you’ll nullify your efforts. You must put in the work for yourself if you want them to do the same.
3. You will leave a legacy behind for your kids to follow
My parents came to Australia with $2,000 to their name. Back in El Salvador, we had many more resources at our disposal than we would have in Australia. But they made the leap because they were thinking of their children’s future. They took the risk to show us by action that it’s good to take calculated risks in life.
They paved the way through their actions, and I’m forever thankful for the imprint they made on my life. Today, I’m trying to leave a positive imprint on my children too.
Nowadays, we have many more opportunities than our parents had. Social media, remote jobs, affordable marketing channels, and many more resources are at our fingertips. We can build a bigger dream for our children to feel inspired by as they grow up.
The scary truth is that you will leave a legacy, no matter what. But if you don’t create that legacy mindfully, what you leave your children may not be something that sets them on a positive path. So it is up to us moms to get through the ups and downs of life with a smile on our face and a dream in our eyes!
Here are some of the most important daily actions (and sacrifices) I have had to make to build a positive legacy for my kids:
- I avoid watching TV mindlessly
- I cut back on my drinking habits
- I make plans and take steady, daily steps to achieve my goals
- I spend time intentionally with everyone, valuing quality over quantity
- I push through all my fears and I get uncomfortable to make my dreams a reality
Final Thoughts
In closing, I want to leave you with this thought: Your dreams matter, and your happiness matters. Don’t let fear or self-doubt hold you back from pursuing what sets your soul on fire.
Embrace change, take risks, and believe in yourself because behind every successful woman is her own powerful self. You have it in you to achieve anything you set your mind to. And if these are the lessons you want your children to learn and hold onto in life, it’s time for you to start showing them how!
YOU CAN DO THIS TOO! Create Your 9 to 5 exit plan: Build a Life of Freedom & Fulfilment.
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Or to learn more about dreaming big and embracing the mompreneur within, listen to the podcast episode that inspired this post. And if you want to find your place in a welcoming network of women who are just like you, come say hi in my Facebook community.