Hi friends! I’m so excited to bring you a guest post from a wise, insightful mommy I know named Taleisha. We met at a work training in 2012, before there were any husbands or children, and I’ve loved watching her beautiful family grow ever since. Taleisha is here to talk about a subject I’m sure you can relate to: overcoming insecurities and reclaiming yourself in motherhood. Read on to see her bold dreams and how she’s finding the confidence to pursue them!

The first 5 years of motherhood I was stuck in this mindset that I had to sacrifice so much of myself to do what was best for my family. As if I was not being the best mother or wife if I did not put everyone before myself. Although it seems like the worst time to start thinking of yourself, it wasn’t until I was pregnant with our 3rd child that I started to really open my mind to the idea of making myself and my desires a priority.

I had to let go of this box I had stuffed myself in and the excuses that kept me so small. I had to be honest with myself that as much as I wanted to blame my obligations to my family as the reasons why I was not challenging myself, I had to own that I was also hiding behind them. I knew I did not want the next 5 years to pass by and be stuck in the same space. I also knew that I had to lead by example. Why was I okay with telling my daughters that they could be and do anything, that they should always shine bright unapologetically when my own light was flickering. I knew it was time to step over the toys and into my greatness.

To be honest, I stayed in this step of the process for a while. I was pregnant and knew that I needed change, big change, but wasn’t sure where to start. Plus, I felt limited…looking down at my big ol’ belly (which was definitely the biggest of the 3), I did not feel motivated to get out there and try new things.

Soon, I realized that I needed to start with my mindset. This part I could do regardless of whether I could see my feet or not. So, I started to listen to audiobooks that inspired me. There were two that I had on repeat for months; You’re a Badass at Making Money by Jen Sincero and Abundance Now by Lisa Nichols. After listening to these books, I became obsessed with the idea of being and doing so much more. I was open to new opportunities and promised myself that I would say yes when they came my way.

It’s funny when you make yourself a promise like this and then you’re tested soon after. Almost as if the universe is saying “prove it”. Well soon after, it was time for me to do just that, prove it. I had an opportunity to shoot a national campaign that would be in 3 magazines and hundreds of stores.

Now, I’ve had a couple of opportunities in the past to start modeling and didn’t take advantage because of fear. I hid behind excuses of not having the time or being too busy to fill out paperwork or get pictures, but the truth was that I was scared. I was scared of other people seeing my insecurities and what other people would think of me for being a model.

Typing it now it seems silly, but I couldn’t get out of my head to get ahead. So, when the opportunity came back around, I was excited and then quickly let that fear creep in. The idea of being on camera 2 months postpartum made me sick to my stomach but I knew it was my second chance and needed to prove to myself that my change in mindset was enough. I said yes even though I was not confident. I knew that it didn’t matter if I was confident, I just knew that on the other side of the fear was growth and I was ready for the growth.

It ended up being a great experience. This one photoshoot ignited a self-discovery that I’m still on months later. Since then, I have been taken out of my comfort zone many times and have accepted that my why is more important than my comfort zone. I no longer use being a mom as an excuse to not go after my dreams but rather my fuel to go after it with more passion. My children will know that the biggest form of self-love is believing in yourself.

I share this with you not because I’m sitting on some kind of pedestal, I am in the trenches with you. I believe there is a sunny beach with a pina colada not too far in the distance and I want to cheers with all of you. Motherhood is hard and it is easy to lose yourself in it. It’s nice to hear reminders that we are individuals with our own dreams and going after them actually makes us better mothers. The lessons our children will learn as they see us love on ourselves, believe in ourselves and watch us go after our dreams will be much more impactful than simply telling them.

Taleisha Goodson is a mother of three who has recently started a modeling and acting career while working full time as a manager. She is like most mothers, trying to juggle it all, dropping a few balls along the way but showing up for herself and her family daily. Taleisha is excited to share her journey through self-discovery and motherhood.

To see more of Taleisha and her family, follow her on Instagram.