This is part of a sponsored campaign with DiMe Media and Buena Vista Home Entertainment. However, all opinions expressed are my own.
I have been in a big writing slump lately. Even this blog post has been a struggle because I’m supposed to write about what inspires me and I’ve not been very inspired to write. My sounding board is my husband – lucky him, I know. On the last day of this project, I mentioned to him my struggle to write what inspires me. The conversation went as follows …
“Are we not your inspiration?” he asked.
“You are my motivation,” I replied.
“Mom, what’s motivation?” my oldest son asks as he listens in on our conversation.
“It’s what makes you want to accomplish things,” I replied.
“That’s also inspiration, my love. It can be one in the same,” my husband added.
He’s right. When I thought about it in that perspective, my boys (husband included) are what (who) make me want to accomplish my goals as a parent, a wife, an activist and an entrepreneur. I have BIG goals to reach so, inspiration is needed on a daily basis to keep moving in the right direction.
[Tweet “What’s hard is losing when you haven’t done enough. #McFarlandUSA”]
In our Latino culture, women are often the caregivers for their families. We do it all. We work, raise our kids, tend to our home and all the while maintain relationships outside the home, too. We volunteer in our communities, spend time with our friends and our family who don’t live in our homes. ¡Ay! It can be overwhelming. And maybe that’s what got me in my slump. All it took was looking through a few photos of mi familia to inspire me to get to writing again.
When I see my familia together, I don’t just think of who I see in front of me but I also think about my family who came before me and I think about my future family. As a Latina mom, I wish to carry on role of the caregiver of my familia. That’s one part of our culture I don’t mind as a stereotype – la vijita who always making sure everyone is taken care of. Don’t get it twisted. That’s not all I want to be or who I am. I’m also an entrepreneur and activist. However, above all, I am my family’s caregiver. And I’ve had some amazing role models like my abuelas, my tías and of course, my own mom. Reflecting on it, it has always been because of my family that I’ve set big goals for myself. I can appreciate where we’ve been, where we are today and the work needed to get us to where we are going.
In addition to my family, I find my every day inspiration in connectedness to people, of course, but also to mother nature. I’ve recently started to set reminders for myself to get up and walk around and drink water. As a work-at-home mom, it’s easy to get into a zone and forget to go outside. So, when my alarm goes off, I step outside for some fresh air and take it all in – the air, the trees, the plants, the birds and when I’m lucky these gorgeous monarch butterflies (pictured above). It never fails that I get back to work refreshed – whether that work is teaching my kids, client work or house work.
Nature plays an important role in our culture as well. As Mexican-Americans, our families are from here. We’ve worked this land and have gained resources from our land. I think that’s why in our hearts we feel such a great connection to it. I don’t have a green thumb but my connectedness isn’t so much about a garden as it is being still and being one with the outdoors. Connecting to the outdoors – even my own backyard – is inspiring.
The Giveaway
How could I forget to mention that a large part of my regular inspiration comes from cinema? I’ve shared my love for cinema and one reason is that I love the way a story can be told on the big screen. When a true story plays out as an inspirational story, I’m completely moved and left completely inspired. That is exactly how I felt when I saw MCFARLAND USA in the theaters and it’s now available on Blu-ray, Digital HD & Disney Movies anywhere.
[Tweet “If you believe in yourself, it doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks. #McFarlandUSA”]
Based on the true story of a 1987 cross country team from predominantly Mexican-American McFarland High School, in McFarland, California, the film stars Kevin Costner as Jim White, the school’s coach, who leads the team to win a state championship. The common themes from the movie are inspiration and family and how these two combine to motivate these unlikely athletes to a fantastic victory. The story is not only about a personal sports victory, but how a community was inspired to keep pursuing their dreams in a new country as well.
One lucky QueMeansWhat.com reader is going to win their very own copy! Please share with us who is your inspiration below for a chance to win! Good luck, queridos!
Disclosure: No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited. Giveaway ends June 9, 2015 11:59 p.m. CST. Sole Sponsor: QueMeansWhat.com. The prize was provided to me by Buena Vista Home Entertainment and I have been paid to blog and promote the film. Buena Vista Home Entertainment is not a sponsor, administrator, or involved in any other way with this giveaway. All opinions expressed in the post are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 ‘Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.’”
