The Identity Crisis

Dear Delyara, I spent my life being 'The Mother,' 'The Wife,' and 'The Boss.' The 'Grind' of those roles eventually erased 'Me.' I woke up at 45 and realized I didn't have a single hobby, a single dream, or a single thought that wasn't about someone else's needs. I was a ghost in a very busy house. I had to start 'stealing' my life back. It started with fifteen minutes of reading in the car before I went inside. Then it was a solo walk. My family didn't like it at first—they were used to the machine that never stopped. But the 'Grind' would have eventually turned me into a bitter, resentful woman. By saving myself, I actually became a better mother. I showed my kids that a person is allowed to have a soul that doesn't belong to the collective. I found my Victoria in the quiet moments where I am just myself.