There’s something alluring about hats. You can change your whole look with one accessory. What hat should you wear today? It all depends on what you must do (or who you want to be). It’s considered a badge of honor to wear many hats: A mark of versatility, usefulness, and the ability to grow and learn.

I had a challenging and exciting career when I got pregnant. My husband and I had been married less than a year; I had a close circle of friends and a sense that I knew who I was. I was scared that I’d trade all those things for a single moniker: Mother. I feared facing a life where I would only wear a single hat from then on. Little did I know that motherhood would turn my world upside down, introducing me to a kaleidoscope of roles I never imagined I'd play, a closet full of hats to choose from, and parts I’d try to master.

The first hat I wore was that of the stay-at-home mom. This was a drastic change from being A Working Woman, and it was initially uncomfortable. That hat felt like a new baseball cap. It was stiff and awkward, but after some wear, I broke it in (or did it break me?). The Mommy hat requires patience and flexibility, and at first, I wasn’t sure if it fit or if I liked it enough to wear it all the time. Soon enough, it seemed I’d never want to wear anything else, and each day I put it on, I felt grateful (tired, often, but always appreciative).

When my kids started elementary school, I tried on the Volunteer Hat. This big, floppy hat is covered in finger paint, glue, and glitter. It’s comfortable, fun, and up for anything. I remember this time as glorious and exhausting in equal parts. I grew confident in my role as a mom, and this felt like the next step in the evolution. I loved this time – and it led me to seek out leadership roles and organizational challenges. Of course, there were boo-boos to kiss and more than a few challenges to navigate with friends and school, but I kept reminding myself that the stakes were low in elementary school. As a bonus, I found a new network of friends, and we joyfully wore our Mommy hats together on playgrounds and field trips.

We were in the middle of all the school things, and life was busy but manageable when the tumultuous Pandemic hit. I’d just started trying on the Working Woman’s hat again, and it felt pretty good. I sadly replaced it with what felt like a construction helmet, as I was now in the role of Protector in Chief. Back when there was so much we didn’t know about COVID, I wiped down everyone and everything, relying on my diligence to keep us all safe. If there’s a hat for those of us who survived a year of remote learning, it’s undoubtedly a hard hat.

Since then, I’ve returned to life as a working mom, but it feels different this time. My role at the incredible company where I work is challenging and exciting. It allows me to wear the hat of a marketing strategist, creative director, designer, social media manager, writer, and even podcast producer. How lucky I am to have found a place where I can grow and learn and feel part of a team of multi-hat-wearing all-stars.

On the home front, the Mommy hat is not the same as it was in my early days of parenthood. I’m a basketball coach, a homework help line, a short-order and gourmet chef, a social director, a lousy day fixer, and a movie night organizer in chief. The boo-boos are both smaller in dimension and more prominent in significance. I can put aside the mom stuff more often and wear my date night hat more often. My husband and I laugh about all the hats we’ve worn and dream of all the places we’ve yet to go together.

As I look back on my journey, I realize that each hat has shaped me in its unique way. In this journey of motherhood and life, we never know which hat we'll need to wear next. But that's the beauty of it all: Being ready to don the right hat for the moment, adapt, and grow. So, wherever life takes me, I'll be prepared for whatever hats are required and embrace them with pride and gratitude. Life is a collection of hats, and I am proud to wear them all.

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This article originally appeared in the September 2023 Issue of Fete Lifestyle Magazine.