UNSTAGED TRUTH FROM PERFORMER TO MOTHERHOOD
Since the age of 6 I was already dreaming of the life as a performer. Nothing else interested me growing up as long as dance was a part of my life, I was a very happy girl. I am so grateful that my parents gave me the freedom to do what really inspired me through my growing years and allowed me to either grow through the industry or perhaps take a different path. Well I never did take that different path, I knew music, movement and creativity was what made my soul happy. I knew this was my path in life and I never doubted it for a minute.
This was the beginning of many years of hard training and finding my niche as a performer wearing many different hats being as versatile as I could be. You end up being so conditioned in a way that you grow a thick skin to keep you striving for the result you crave for. The set backs as well as the gains no matter what, the show must go on.
After many years getting to experience the life of a professional performer in the industry, injuries came up and stopped me in my tracks. So when you’re given the ultimatum by specialists to hang up your dancing shoes, you then start to re-evaluate life again. Teaching and choreographing was always something I enjoyed doing in the background because this too was also inspiring and fulfilling. This became my fundamental base while I knew my body couldn’t handle the strenuous hours of rehearsing for a show anymore. As the saying goes, rejection can always open the doors to redirection.
A couple years after that I became a Mum. A show-stopper of a surprise, but one of the most toughest yet rewarding gigs I have ever experienced. My life changed immediately! This was the beginning of all things new and exciting. My thoughts as I was watching my beautiful daughter develop and grow by the second, was that I am now a working mum in the performing arts. So now not only was I stepping into this stage of motherhood, 9 months into it I then become a single mother. Yet again another challenge I was willing to face with everything I had for my little girl. I could have fallen in a heap right there and then but I didn’t, it was my role as a mother to believe in myself even when I felt like I had nothing left. I definitely did have my days though when I needed a good cry and to let it all out because although I was happy, it was just so tough! I was sleep deprived and exhausted but then, I would have amazing days too that kept reminding me that I’m on the right track. I have never taken for granted that I am one of the lucky ones that has an amazing support system with my family and friends that surround my daughter and I reminding me, that they are always there for that helping hand whenever in need. I know I am not the first or the last female to have the same experience as there are so many of us out there. This is now my new norm.
Being a mum is hard within itself and yet very rewarding. Not having set hours like the usual 9 to 5 can also be rewarding because of the flexibility, but definitely has its challenges. Not having the set hours can have you working many long hours and late nights especially when choreographing a production, rehearsing for a show or even just a gig and not to mention the travel that can be involved. I have spoken to many mums in the industry, and it’s inspiring to see how our passion for what we do pushes us even more to become that superhero within ourselves, and for our children. It’s all about work life balance and a whole lot of LOVE.
I am very grateful for the wonderful people in my life who have supported me in many ways to be able to continue doing what I love and being the best mum I can be. Creativity is my gift that I have been given and for that I am thankful. When we have a gift in life, I see how that inspires our children to know that you can do what you love and make a great living and to not listen to what society sets in my place of what the ‘right thing’ to do is now that you’re a mum. What benefits you and keeps you smiling each day is a natural benefit for your children. By setting healthy boundaries and knowing your priorities, you won’t miss a beat and you will be thankful for each and every minute you get with your kids.
Don’t ever sacrifice what keeps your heart happy to please others, you have someone looking up to you everyday believing in you and loving you for everything that you are.
“the secret of change is to focus all of your energy,
not on fighting the old, but on building the new" - Socrates
