A couple of years ago I was asked to give a speech and the title was to be “The Mom I Am.” As the leader of the organization explained to me her vision of where the speech should go, I got another vision. The vision of the mom I am. In the vision I was in my kitchen. Laundry was piled up on the table, dishes were stacked in the sink, my laptop was blinging with work notifications, my hair was up in a clip because I hadn’t washed it in days, and the dog had just pooped on the floor.
My inspiration for the speech, and any confidence I had, collapsed. You see, when I think of the mom I am, what stands out to me is the mom I am not. And of course, the mom I am not is determined by comparing myself to every other mom I see and think is so much better.
Reality vs. Perception About Who We Are
The Mom I Am speech and the mom personality test changed the way I think. I began to realize that what I thought I saw—every mom good at everything—was not reality. In my close circle of friends, Jan was really good at keeping up with dozens of friends, Gretchen was really good at home organization, Amy was really good at being the team mom. But Jan’s house wasn’t perfect, Gretchen wasn’t team mom, and Amy didn’t keep up with lots of people.
The reality is, my friends are really gifted in certain areas, not all areas. We are all different, but as a friend group, we all benefit from each other’s gifts. So how do we celebrate the gifts other moms have without feeling guilty that we don’t? How do we celebrate the moms we are instead of focusing on the moms we are not?
The Mom Personality Test
That is what The Mom I Am Test is all about. We are all passionate moms with different gifts. Some of us are Perfect Moms, some are Popular Moms, some are Powerful Moms, and some are Peaceful Moms. All of us are good moms! Take the test, share it with your friends, and celebrate the friendship that brings all those gifts together for the good of all—including our kids.
What kind of mom are you? The Passionate Mom Personality Test is printable and so are the results. Have at it and share what you learn.
