Mom-isms: 4 Things My Mom Taught Me

Hi Friends! I know its been a hot minute since I’ve been back on here.

I hope y’all are doing well!

I decided to do a Mother’s Day Inspired post for today.

Moms are literally superheroes. The way they impart wisdom and the way they love–is unlike any other.

I feel so thankful to have an amazing mom who is so supportive and isn’t afraid to tell me the truth.

She is my best friend and my number one cheerleader.

So in honor of one of the most selfless people I have ever known, here are a couple of Mom-isms.

Growing up Latina, Hispanic moms just have a way of saying something so short but yet carry so much meaning the older you get.

These are often colloquialisms that I have learned throughout the years and some hold more weight for me than others.

Below are four phrases that still stick with me to this day and I can’t wait to show you what they mean and how they influenced my life.

So let’s get into it!

Ponte las pilas

Pronounced: P-OH-N teh L-AH-S P-EE-L-Ah-S

As many children of Latin Moms, y’all know very well what this means and the emotional baggage that comes with it haha.

But for all my friends out here who have no clue what it means… It translates to: Put on the Batteries.

You may be wondering: “where do these batteries go?”

“Wait put on what batteries? Huh?”

And the funny thing is this is something that my mom would typically say in response to me getting my grades up.

Ponte las pilas means to essentially get going. Like power on, turn on your mind and work to get the best possible grade.

Charge on, stop slacking, put on the batteries so that you can be great.

Ponte las pilas is a means to getting closer to your goals.

So if a mom says ponte las pilas it means she knows your potential and wants to see you accomplish them.

Ponte las pilas friends!

Tienes que sacar todo lo que tengas para salir adelante

Pronounced: TEE-ENES Keh Sah-Car T-OH-Doh Lo Keh TEN-G-AH-S PAR-UH Sal-eer A-DEH-Lan-TEH

Translated literally it means: You have got to take out everything you have to move forward.

For all my friends out here who are confused as to what “everything” is in relation to moving forward, it means using whatever energy you have in you to push yourself to move forward.

This phrase is powerful to me because my mom reminded me of this like a couple of years ago and it really changed my life from that point forward.

I was in a depression.

I had moments where I didn’t want to do anything.

I dreaded going to work and it was just hard getting through the day.

My mom opened up to me and told me that she too, had moments like these and then she said this phrase.

And lowkey, I was intrigued.

How was it that the strongest person I know has days like that? and how hard is it to just propel yourself forward like that?

It turns out–it’s not hard at all.

You just gotta use whatever energy you have and make something of the day.

I know it’s hard to think about, friends, but if you think about what you need to do and how you can use the amount of energy you feel you have, I assure you, you will be unstoppable.

I am not saying, however, to over-extend yourself.

I’m not at all condoning over-extending yourself. That’s not what the phrase means.

It just means you need to reframe your thinking from “ugh I don’t know if I can do ___ today, I give up” to “yes, I do feel a little worn/tired, but I can go forth and do these things to the best of my current ability”.

It’s a means of acknowledging that you’re not at your best and serves as a reminder to you that you can take care of things you need to take care of.

It may take you a bit to complete them, but nonetheless you are doing the tasks you needed to do.

And that’s something to be proud of.

You’re doing it using the energy you have and you are working with what you have in the moment.

Paso por paso y lo vas a lograr

Prounounced: P-AH-SOH pour P-AH-SOH EE Lo V-AH-S AH Lo-GR-AH-R

I used to get so discouraged when I saw others accomplishing goals faster than me.

It crushed me to paste on a smile and then tell the person, “congratulations”… for accomplishing something sooner than me.

But in telling my mom this, she told me that I’ll get there. that just going a little by little you’ll accomplish (those goals).

So now, anytime I see someone accomplishing something, I’m more appreciative of that and know that it doesn’t have to throw me off my course, that I can be a work in progress and still acknowledge the success of others.

Because I know that by going bit by bit I’ll get to where I want to be.

Todo Tiene Solución, menos la muerte

Pronounced: T-OH-Doh TEE-En-Neh Sol-OO- See-OH-N , Meh-NOHs la MU-ER-TEH

Saved the best for last!

The literal translation for this phrase: everything has a solution, minus death

So anytime I was spiraling down a well of despair, helplessness and straight depression, my mom would remind me that things can be fixed.

There is hope and there is a solution to help you navigate better relationships, better sense of self, and better life over all.

The only thing that we do not have a solution for is, quite simply, death.

Because once you die, that’s it. There’s absolutely no going back, so this mom-ism is a reminder to all of us that there are solutions out there to help us.

and if it feels like there isn’t a solution or all options have been exhausted, then the best solution is to let it go and leave it up to the universe and God.

Thank you all so much for taking the time to read and learn something new over here on A Dynamic Mentality.

I had so much fun writing this for all of you and I am wishing all the Moms a happy mothers day!

Sending a ton of love and light your way,

This has been a graphic created by: @eighthfloordesignco

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