The Day I Decided to Show Up for Myself

By Louriza | iamlouriza.com

There is a version of me that almost gave up on herself.

She was a stay-at-home mom, pouring everything she had into her family — her time, her energy, her dreams quietly set aside. She was grateful for her children, deeply in love with her role as a mother. But somewhere in between the school runs, the meal preps, and the endless routine of keeping a household alive, she started to wonder: Is this all there is for me?

That woman was me. And the day I decided to show up for myself changed everything.

When Silence Becomes a Prayer

I won't pretend it was easy to admit I needed more. There's a guilt that comes with wanting something for yourself when you're a mother — as if wanting growth somehow means you love your family less. But the longing wouldn't go away. So I did the only thing I knew how to do.

I prayed.

Not a polished, put-together prayer. A raw, desperate, honest plea to God. I told Him exactly where I was — stuck, uncertain, wanting more but not knowing how to get there. And I asked Him to open a door.

He didn't just open a door. He opened a whole new world.

The Opportunity I Never Saw Coming

Out of nowhere, an opportunity came to work as a Clinical Dietetics Coordinator in Qatar.

I remember staring at it, my heart pounding between excitement and terror. Qatar. Another country. A professional role. Me — a stay-at-home mom who had been out of the workforce for years. Every insecurity I had screamed at me to say no. To play it safe. To stay small.

But I had prayed for this. And I believed God doesn't give opportunities to people He hasn't already equipped.

So I said yes.

Learning Everything, All at Once

Nothing prepares you for the kind of growth that happens when you step completely outside your comfort zone. In Qatar, I didn't just learn the technical skills of my role — I learned how to lead, how to communicate across cultures, how to solve problems under pressure, and how to carry myself with confidence in rooms where I once would have shrunk.

I learned that I was capable of so much more than I had given myself credit for.

And the best part? I was able to bring my family to Qatar with me. My children grew up watching their mother work hard, pursue excellence, and refuse to give up. I didn't just build a career — I gave my family a front-row seat to what determination looks like in real life.

That, to me, is one of the greatest gifts I have ever given them.

Coming Home With More Than I Left With

When we returned to the Philippines, I came back different. Not because Qatar changed who I was — but because I had finally become who I always had the potential to be.

And because I never stopped learning, I was able to take everything I had built and pour it into something new. My husband and I established a furniture business, and the skills I had developed — in coordination, management, operations, and people — became the backbone of how we ran it. What started as his dream became our shared success because I had done the work to grow.

People sometimes ask me how I managed it all. The honest answer is: I didn't do it perfectly. I did it persistently.

Four Kids, Short Courses, and No Excuses

Even while working full time and raising four children, I never stopped enrolling in short courses. Not because someone told me to. Not because it was easy to find the time. But because I had made a decision about the kind of woman I wanted to be — and that woman never stops growing.

There were late nights with textbooks open after the kids were asleep. There were weekends spent studying instead of resting. There were moments when I was exhausted and questioned everything.

But I kept going. Because giving up on learning felt like giving up on myself.

I'm Still Going

Today, I continue to seek new opportunities. New skills. New ways to grow. Because the version of me that almost stayed small — she deserved better. And so do you.

If you are sitting in a season that feels like it's too late, too hard, or too uncertain — I want you to hear this from someone who has been there:

It is not too late. You are not too much. And God has not forgotten about you.

Show up for yourself. Even when it's scary. Especially when it's scary.

Your breakthrough might be one prayer away.

— Louriza

Did this story resonate with you? Share it with a woman who needs to hear it today. Follow my journey at iamlouriza.com