I think that one of the most disempowering things people do is to put themselves into lesser categories when considering their achievements. By doing that they make themselves smaller in their own mind. They say things like “not bad for my age”, or “not bad for my size”, or “not bad for a mother of three”, etc.
Why hold yourself to a lower standard than the best? It might make you feel better, but it also puts a ceiling on how far you can go. You shouldn’t use excuses as a crutch and to get people to discount you, because that will hold you back.
There are figure and bikini competitors who are in their 40s and even 50s, and many have kids. They don’t stand alongside other middle-aged women and mothers and say “look how good I am”. They stand on the stage next to the best in the world and women in their prime, and say “look who I can compete with.”
No limits!!