Be Your Own Hero on International Women’s Day

With International Women’s Day upon us, I wanted to share more on a topic I have discussed in the past and that is around how incredibly nervous I was having a child. It’s been amazing and of course, I wanted to have kids, but I was scared about what it would do to my career. It was a constant fear I had as a woman in the workplace. The stigma of being a mom. The thought of leaving my (GASP)…career to start a family. The whole concept seemed regressive, especially when I was having a lot of success.

Around this very same time, Sheryl Sandberg had just released her book, Lean In. It was the start of the modern-day Women’s Revolution. It gave us the feeling that we were at the top of the world. No one was talking about babies, they were talking about their successful careers. That was me. I wanted that. I didn’t want a baby who I thought could potentially ruin everything I worked so hard for in my life.

I feared the idea of starting a family. Would I have to sacrifice one for the other?

Fast forward to December 2016, we welcomed Sebastian into our lives, family and marriage. As I snuggled up to this little human in the hospital bed, I knew things were about to change…for the better. That feeling is one I can’t put into words. 

I’ve been given the opportunity to raise a child and pass along everything I have learned and experienced in my life with Sebastian. The good and the bad. These first few years, it is less about teaching him lessons of course, but rather, more about creating an environment for him to grow up happy and healthy.

Now that he has reached a point where he is starting to understand being old enough to start understanding right from wrong, there are three things that Matt and I want to teach Sebastian. Be confident, stand up for yourself (and others) and have a strong work ethic. The later coming over time. Every so often, we talk about what we want for him and what we don’t want for him. But these three characteristics are always the common thread between us. The pillars that shape the person I have become and the ones that we hope shape our little Sebastian. 

Be Confident

I’m 100% sure this got me to where I am today. The ability to believe in yourself is one of the most important things you can learn as a person. Every day we try and teach this valuable lesson with Sebastian. Reward him when he does something right and encourage him to keep reading his books, pronouncing his words, singing, climbing, throwing the ball, etc. Whatever it is he is trying to do (so long as it’s the right thing to do), we are his biggest cheerleaders. They are small things, but they add up fast. We’ve already seen him use the confidence we’ve taught him to make decisions on his own.

Stand up for Yourself

Matt and I both have a strong opinion about this subject, but we believe you should always stand up for yourself, others and what’s right in this world. Lead by example and don’t waver from your beliefs. 

Strong Work Ethic

Matt and I both come from humble middle-class families. We both started working at a very young age to have what we wanted in life. It taught us to earn and not expect things to be given to us. Neither of us was ever handed anything in life and we want to pass these same values on to Sebastian. No matter who you are, where you come from or what you do, we all have the ability to master our mind to achieve whatever it is we seek. 

 

 

 

Stay Inspired

This is sometimes easier said than done. There are always stumbling blocks along the way. We all have those moments when inspiration strikes but over time it can fade. The hard part is to stay inspired and in those moments where inspiration starts to sputter away, only we can pull it back into our path. Find inspiration in your everyday life. We should all be able to point to something positive in our life and use that and seek more out. One of my biggest sources for that is Sebastian, my little mini-me. The way he looks up to me makes me feel like his hero. What more inspiration could I ask for?

On International Women’s Day be your own hero and know that the sky is truly the limit. There are times in life that can make you pause and sometimes even cause serious doubt. Don’t let that keep you from achieving what you want. I was nervous about having a child but knew that is what I ultimately wanted to do. I found a way to have the baby of my dreams and continue in my career at the same time. Those moments of course can create new opportunities and other ways of thinking about things. Find that inspiration and make it work for you. You will thank yourself later on, I have no doubt!

Today, I’m wearing my inspirational t-shirt from Old Navy. No matter what happens throughout the day, I’ll have it to serve as a not so subtle reminder. It acts as a reminder that I have this amazing person who follows my every move. This day shows the power we all have as a collective unit to share positive and powerful messages to bring light to whatever it is that we believe in and strive for. This shirt and others in their collection are the perfect symbols and also serve as a great transition to the best season of the year, Spring! Don’t forget to pick your’s up!

Let me know in the comments below what makes you feel like a fearless hero and how you inspire yourself and others.

 

xo, Olivia

This post was sponsored by Old Navy.

Olivia’s Look |  T-Shirt  |  Denim Sandals  | Purse  |  Earrings

Sebastian’s Look |  T-Shirt  | Pants | Shoes

4 Comments

  1. Sarah White wrote:

    What’s your career plan after blogging? What stepping stone will that put you at later down the line since you’ve stepped out of the traditional work force and were so junior at your previous company?

    Posted 3.7.19 · Reply
    • olivia wrote:

      This is my career path! It’s hard for someone outside the industry to understand how much works that goes into running this business. I edit photos, do marketing, business development, sales, the list goes one. Social media isn’t going anywhere, it only continue to grow! Having worked in sales for 10 years, I wouldn’t call myself junior 😉 I have zero plans to enter back into the traditional workforce. If you ever have dreams to start your own business, do it! It was the best decision I made in my life!
      xo, Olivia

      Posted 3.7.19 · Reply
  2. Delia Lozano wrote:

    Love this post! It was a great read from start to finish. Thank you for always putting yourself out there.

    Posted 3.7.19 · Reply
    • Olivia wrote:

      Thank you, Delia, for reading and following along. I really appreciate the support!

      Posted 3.8.19 · Reply

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