Finding Balance Between Motherhood, Dance, and the Daily Grind

Spring has sprung, and so have the tales from my life as a single mom, salsa enthusiast, and all-around chaos coordinator. Imagine juggling soccer balls, Easter eggs, and court dates—all while rocking out to Latin beats just a stone's throw from home. In this episode, I'm peeling back the curtain to share how I navigate the whirlwind of full-time parenting, the sweet solace of dance, and the small victories that come with both. Plus, I'll whisper a heartfelt thank you to you, my listeners, for being the wind beneath my wings, especially when self-doubt tries to take the lead in our dance of life.

Transcript

Speaker 1 0:01

Hello everyone and welcome back to this Is Me podcast . I am your girl , marilyn , and happy second quarter , happy April 2nd . Can you believe we're in April already ? Wow , it's just crazy . I hope everyone had a wonderful Easter weekend .

Speaker 1 0:21

I had a fabulous time with the babies . Let me tell you , rome just started soccer and it is the cutest little thing his pup belly running around that field kicking that ball . So , anyways , I had like a whole festival and activities thing going on and we did that for about four hours . Then on Easter , we went to my girlfriend's house . She's been having like Easter brunch for the past three years and it's been nice . So it was just thank God . Sunday was just absolutely beautiful , but you know , every day is God's day because without him nothing is possible . Nothing is possible .

Speaker 1 1:06

All right , what do I want to talk about today ? I know so as of late . First of all , I , just before I get started , you guys know I have ADD where I jump around , but this is why y'all love me , because you know , you know your girl . I just want to say thank you so much to everyone who reaches out , shows love , just gives me my flowers , and it really , really it doesn't get old . It doesn't get old , because when I feel like I'm not doing enough or I don't see progress you know , because we tend to be our own worst critic you guys come and just remind me like I'm doing , I'm doing it , I am doing it . So thank you . And I say that to say because I was on my TikTok live this morning and everyone was just so gracious . I got into a phone call , spoke with an old friend , said listen , for what it's worth . I just want to tell you that I'm proud of you , seeing how far you've come and it just feels good Like you just need that reminder when you wake up so tired because , listen , I have been exhausted , I have been exhausted , I have been exhausted . You all know I have these kids right now completely full time until whatever happens in court happens in court . I'll talk about that next week . We're back in court on Thursday , but in any event , which segues into what's happening .

Speaker 1 2:42

So , because I've been having the kids literally full time , your girl is tired , I am tired . I have not had a second to just like take a beat , and last week , wednesday , I think , I was laying in bed . Fortunately my niece was over , you know , she spent the night and it was like eight o'clock at night and I'm like I cannot stay in this house . I need to get out . And , granted , I do go to the gym . You know , it's my way to my me time to decompress , but I still don't have the gym bug . I'm going hard in the gym right now . I mean I'm you can't see me right now , but your girl is working but that's not what I'm working . I'm not like whosying and relaxing , I'm still working out , I'm still tired . So I was just laying in bed and I'm like you know what ? I just need to get out . I don't care where it is , I just need to get out .

Speaker 1 3:44

And I started Googling Wednesday night restaurants because you know , I'm on Long Island in New York and everything closes early , especially in a weekday . And fortunately , fortunately , I found a place less than 10 minutes from my house where they had Latin night . I'm like , look at God , would you just look at him ? Because , if um short story about me , I love salsa class . I mean salsa dancing . I love salsa dancing .

Speaker 1 4:13

And my first job ever was at a bakery . Shout out to Campbell's Bakery in Brentwood . It is like a staple , still family . I walk in and it's still as if I still work there . You know , it's what 20 , 30 ? How old am I ? 25 , six years later , anyway .

Speaker 1 4:36

So when I used to work at the bakery I was 14 , 15 years old my paycheck , I would take it and go pay for salsa classes because I loved it so much and I wanted to perfect it . You know , I'm Dominican , so I grew up with that in my household , so I already knew how to dance , but I wanted to be like a professional , you know , with all the twirls and everything like that . So the reason why I stopped taking salsa classes was because I was going so much and doing so well that at the time they wanted me to like compete . They were like pressure me , like you should compete , you're really good , so forth and so forth , and I just felt the pressure like , oh my God , how am I going to be able to afford this ? My parents couldn't afford it . Like those costumes , the competition , everything costs money . So I quit . I quit for , for , uh , I quit , I quit for monetary reasons . And so I go to the place by myself .

Speaker 1 5:38

And it's funny because when I lived in Atlanta I used to go out by myself all the time . So I don't know what my reservations were about doing it in New York , but I did it and I had a time . Let me tell you , you just have the best time when you go out by yourself . If you're a big networker , go out by yourself . And it was just like so nostalgic for me . It's like in my element , this is what you do and go out , have a good time . I love to talk to people . I love to meet new people . I'm just fascinated by different people's walks of life . And I went in it was late at night and you know , I ordered me a little drink . Drink and the music the DJ was so good and I just I did not come off that dance floor , I was just dancing and I asked I ended up dancing with the DJ and I'm like , hey , I've been looking for salsa classes .

Speaker 1 6:30

Do you know Benny ? He's like oh yeah , and right away gave me an Instagram . So I started following the person and the next day , on their story salsa classes 7.30 . I said you know what ? I called my son ? I said Kayden , come watch your brothers . Yeah , he's 17 . Come watch your brothers . I said mommy's going to salsa class . And he came and he watched the boys .

Speaker 1 6:57

So I walk into the salsa class and it's an intermediate class and it didn't even dawn on me . So once they start , I'm like in the back , literally two left feet , and it's five , six , seven , eight , five , six , seven , eight . I'm like , oh , I'm like all over the place and I'm just like , oh , my God , marilyn , what did you get yourself into ? I just felt so stupid . I'm like you can't walk out now , like you just do it . And then I'm like you know what ? I put my big girl drawers on .

Speaker 1 7:30

I said I told myself , you know how to dance , it's not like you don't know how to dance . I said pay attention and get these damn counts down . And that's what I did . I mean , I wasn't , I wasn't a pro , but my phone just fell , guys , while we were recording . I wasn't a pro , but I did it . I did it and midway through class I started getting the steps , I started keeping up . Okay , I started keeping up , and at the end of the class the instructor's like , listen , you're not a beginner , but let's just freshen up your tools . I'm like , yeah , dust me off , because it has been many , many years , many , many years .

Speaker 1 8:16

But I say that to say that prior to me just going out on my own . I was feeling very overwhelmed and I didn't understand why or where it was coming from . And I think that in life , we forget what the purpose is . And for me , despite what I'm going through with my ex-husband , for me , despite what I'm going through with my ex-husband , I'm good . I'm very , very grateful for the life that I'm living . My children are great . I have a roof over my head .

Speaker 1 8:44

I took a leap of faith last year you all were with me during that journey and quitting my corporate nine to five job and becoming a full-time content creator and a full-time realtor . And it's scary . It's scary because I have to fight for the next meal , so to speak , and God has just created this safety net , this comfort . He has been by my side and holding my hand through it all . So everything is a growing process , right . So now it's like okay , what else do I need ? What else is part of my growth ? What else is part of my journey ? Because we're never satisfied and we always want more and more and more and more . But I think for me , the more that I need is just to remind myself that , as hard as you work , you should enjoy life just as hard . Enjoy life with the things that you love to do . So I had to ask myself what is it that's missing ? And you know , you write it down , you write your gratitude list and all the things that you are thankful for , and I'm like one of the other things , besides podcasting and talking to you guys that fulfills me , as my passion is salsa .

Speaker 1 10:07

The dance is such an art . There's such a sexiness to it , not to mention the exercise . When I tell you , by the end of that class it was an hour and a half I was hurting . I was hurting really bad . I'm like , girl , you are not going in the gym hard enough because the endurance level was not endorsing Okay . So I even took my ass to the gym right after that Cause . I'm like , no , you got to keep , you got . Now , you did your cardio , now you got to go do your weights . So I did go to the gym right after the class .

Speaker 1 10:40

Um , but it's me pushing myself , challenging myself , and I think that that's where I am in my life right now is just really challenging myself . Um , it's almost like well , what else can I do ? Well , what else can I accomplish ? Well , what else ? You know , and that's the part of life and not being stagnant . And if you're not happy , guess what ? You have the control to change . You have the control to write your movie . That's what my sister says write your movie , girl , because my life is literally like a movie and I should share it more . And I am going to share it more and I try to be a little bit filtered to respect people around me . But it's not . That's not .

Speaker 1 11:25

I can't happen anymore , because you need to know all of the details in order to be like oh my God , you're going through that , oh my God , that happened so literally I wake up every morning like , all right , what's my movie going to be today ? All right , what's the miracle , god ? What's the win ? Kid you not , I , kid you not . I wake up every morning I was like okay , okay , god , thank you for the day , thank you for all you have blessed me with , thank you for all the opportunities that you have given me and are going to give me . And what is the win today ? God , show me a miracle , show me who you are , show me your blessings . I'm telling you keep god first , worry about your daily bread , and your life will be right in your head , it'll be rent free , you will not live foggy and listen , I'm not perfect .

Speaker 1 12:17

There are days where I'm like , oh my God , because I'm thinking about something next week . So I have to check myself , like , what are you doing , chill ? What are you going to do today for next week ? Chill , don't get ahead of yourself . So yeah , that's what's been happening . That's what I did . I went up on myself . I'm taking salsa classes oh , speaking of which , with this whole full-time content creator , because literally it's waking up , answering the emails , doing the content , negotiating your prize and I am happy to say that I made good money in one month and not to say that that's going to be every month . As a content creator , same thing as a realtor . Understand , if you get one fat check , there could be a possibility that you're not going to get a one fat check three months later . So you have to chop it up and make a stretch .

Speaker 1 13:22

But I'm in a good place , I'm heading in a good place is just a confirmation to me that you have to take a leap of faith . You have to take a leap of faith . The world is worlding right now and it's the energy , the people , things are just shifting to just not a good space I just don't see . That's why it's just so important for you all to just make sure you continue to stay grounded , to continue to stay in your prayers , to continue to stay in your purpose and set your boundaries Boundaries Y'all remember I was huge on them boundaries , because the devil will come disguised in any which way . So that is all I have for you guys . I just wanted to share . Um , you know , still in my healing journey and my growing journey and taking leap of faiths in different areas , who knows where I'll go with this salsa class . Maybe I'll become a profache , you just don't know .

Speaker 1 14:34

But a hobby can turn into something . A passion could turn into a hobby , can turn into a profession . But you don't know , unless you leave your house , unless you try different things and unless you get out of your own way . That is the message today Get out of your own way . That is the message today . Get out of your own way , live your life . Don't wait until , don't wait until . Oh , I'm going to do it next year , I'm going to do it in six months . You know what I'm going to do it Just do it .

Speaker 1 15:00

Just do it and don't worry about if you don't have money . I know that's crazy . There are you barter ? I bartered myself a a trainer at the gym . You just barter . What do you have that you can offer someone that they don't have ? It works . If you get stuck on . I don't have money , I can't do it . I'm gonna wait until honey , you do that forever . You're gonna be sitting there forever because a bill is always going to have to get paid , a problem is always going to arise , because with the good comes the bad . So if you want to do something , you manifest it , manifest it , see it , write it down . I want to do this , I want to do that , and don't worry about how it's going to get done , because it's going to happen . Believe in manifestation , believe in God , believe that your prayers are heard . Lord hear my prayers , he hears them . You just got to believe it . All right , I'm done . I'm done with my rant , as always , thank you . Thank you for the continued support . Like comment , subscribe and , as always , I will talk to you .