Meet a Mom – Meet The Mom Behind PowerToPrevail, Ana Rojas Bastidas
Happy Monday, Mamas! Today we’re thrilled to introduce you to Ana, the empowering and inspiring mama behind PowerToPrevial, a platform she started to empower women in all ways and an advocate for loving ourselves and our bodies.
Ana advocates for self acceptance and love and challenges us to imagine if we grew up being exposed to all the different body types, shapes, and textures that actually exist in the world besides just 5% we see in media. How much easier would it have been for us to embrace and understand the way our incredible bodies are designed?
Ana started PowerToPrevail to create the conversation body acceptance and looks forward to a world where being comfortable in our own skin, no matter what shape or size, isn’t considered brave. Her hope is that by being open and showing others who she us, she can inspire others to do the same. It’s Ana’s belief that this is something we must all do together.
Read our interview with Ana below to learn more about her journey in motherhood, her heart from entrepreneurship, and how she’s pioneering a new outlook on body confidence!
Where are you from originally and how long have you lived in Houston?
I was born in Bogota, Colombia. We moved to South Florida when I was very young and I lived there for 28 years before moving to Houston 3 years ago.
Child(ren) and Age(s)?
Elias (12), Eliana (10), Jonathan, Jr. (8 months)
One thing people would be surprised to know about you…
I wasn’t always so confident. It wasn’t until my late twenties that I began to reevaluate my perception and embrace myself. It’s been a really long journey but has very much been worth it.
Favorite local things to do in Houston?
I love to support local businesses so we’re constantly on the lookout for ways to support whether it’s a restaurant or event.
Do you have a favorite family friendly restaurant in the area?
We actually don’t go out to eat very much, but have found just about every place in our area to be welcoming and open to families. We like going to two places in Spring called Tapped and Jive because they’re also dog friendly so when we leave for an adult night out, we can still bring our fur baby.
What is your go-to activity for yourself for pampering or for fun?
Anything that involves me being able to be by myself. We have a dog and a cat as well so being able to just be alone is a really peaceful feeling. Anytime I can dance I am the happiest.
Are you involved in a business venture, a local organization, a creative endeavor, or in the corporate world? Please share!
I am the Executive Director for a non-profit that is dedicated to fostering entrepreneurship so I know tons and tons and tons of startups AND I am really proud to say that I am in the beginning phase of starting my own business by creating a new product for breastfeeding individuals. This all happened because of my blog, PowerToPrevail, I began 3 years ago.
How has the Houston-area community been instrumental in getting you to where you are now?
I have never experienced so much hospitality before. I wanted to get to know a few people but before I knew it I was being introduced to all sorts of people. Being involved with The Houston Latina Bloggers helped me to jump start my network and it’s exploded from there.
What is the best advice for juggling mommyhood and running a business (or volunteering, working, etc)?
Do it the way you need to do it. All else will fall into place and you’ll learn your own pace. We can’t believe that because it’s only been done one way that it’s the only way. I have brought my kids to events and my baby into board meetings. We can contribute just as effectively and no one has tried to stop me so it’s obviously working.
What would you tell the old “You” before you had kids?
ASK FOR HELP. Yes you are capable and you are a rockstar but getting through something with the most stress isn’t going to get you any sort of prize. Our village can only be made stronger if we reach out for it so that someone can reach back.
Funniest shortcut/routine for helping you through parenthood?
I make lists for everything. I have chalkboards and dry erase boards all over the house to write down my thoughts because I’d forget it otherwise. I also teach my kids how to do just about everything so when I’m overwhelmed they can take over and feel like they’re contributing. It’s a little stressful at first but has helped me tremendously and gets them ready for independence. Finally, I play music all the time. It sets the tone for the room and reminds me to take a break when needed. That can mean singing really loudly or dancing to my fave song. Those 5 minutes of distraction can make a huge difference!
