Now, aside from the obvious connotations of this phrase (I’m thinking of business people pretending to know the ropes, when in fact they do not) – what exactly can I mean by “Fake it Till You Make it”? Well, it’s actually a long held secret that my mother once told me – and by divulging this, I’m spreading a family secret – are you ready? Mother always used to say – “smile, even if you don’t feel like it. Eventually, you’ll convince yourself you are happy, and forget all your worries.”
I never quite believed her until I became a mother myself. You see, there are countless days that I’ve sat here wondering how I became the mother of five, business owner, PTA parent, violin teacher, butcher, and baker and candlestick maker – while all my friends were out pursuing fancy careers, and living the “high life”. It was easy for me to get caught up in all the “if only’s” and “what if’s” and I began to feel sorry for myself. It was right about then that my son appeared with a giant smile on his face, a cookie in his hand, and a kiss on the cheek for me. His smile brightened my whole day and I realized, I was living the dream life – my friends had no idea what they were missing. That one little smile, made my whole world brighter – my day better – my life even more meaningful than it had been before. A smile is a very powerful thing.
From that day on, I’ve made it my resolve to smile in times of difficulty, trouble, depression, or fear. If I need help locating that smile, I simply have to reflect back on that sweet little boy’s innocent kiss on the cheek. You see, it doesn’t matter how much life may pile on me, it doesn’t matter what trials may be thrown my way. I am blessed, I am happy, and I am making it regardless of any one else’s expectations or definitions of success. There may be days that I start off faking it, but usually very quickly, I’m not faking anymore. And, more often than not – that smile spreads, because you see – it’s infectious.
