Growing up, First Gen Latinas, feel the pressure of being perfect. We put so much pressure on ourselves to have it all figured out. A perfect budget. A flawless credit score. The “right” house. The best investments. And don’t even get me started on being compared to our “perfect” cousin.
But let me tell you what really changed the game for me: a tortilla that looked like a huarache. Yup. I am going to include a corny story. Let’s get into it.
The Myth of the Perfect Financial Plan (Especially for First-Gens)
If you grew up in a first-gen household like I did, chances are no one taught you about investing, interest rates, or how to buy real estate. Your parents were focused on survival. So now that you’re making steady money, that perfectionism sneaks in:
- “I need to save $40k first.”
- “I’ll start once I understand everything.”
- “What if I mess up and lose it all?”
Sound familiar?
This pressure to be perfect is just colonialism with a different face. It keeps us stuck. It says unless your tortilla is round, it ain’t worthy.
The Quest for the Perfect Tortilla
So what does this have to do with flour tortillas? Well, I was making flour tortillas the other day and I remembered the first time I tried to make homemade flour tortillas como mi abuelita. Hers came out a perfect circle. However, til this day I can’t make perfect circle tortillas. They come out looking “como huaraches”, as my mom would say. Straight up a chancla! The most lopsided, awkward tortilla you ever did see.
I was embarrassed until I tasted it. Although they were not aesthetically pleasing, they were still so buttery soft and yummy! I realized that I no longer cared to make perfectly round flour tortillas. Who cares that they were all different shapes. The important thing was that they still made some delicious quesadillas.
Similarly, your financial journey is just like that tortilla. It does not have to be perfect to be powerful.
Your Perfectionism Isn’t Protecting You, It’s Starving You
Being first generation or even second generation immigrants, we feel the need to prove that our family’s sacrifice was worth it. Additionally, we have to “catch up” to our white counterparts and feel we have to do everything perfect. This is because we don’t have the luxury of making mistakes. One mistake can set us back even further.
However, this mentality can keep you in survival mode and too scared to take action. I see it often, where someone is waiting for the “right time,” to start investing in real estate. Although, strategic planning is great, inaction or delaying action can cost you.
Delay = Denied Abundance
Perfectionism will make you wait until you “know more,” “save more,” or “feel ready.” I see it all the time with those who may want to invest in real estate but want to wait until the “perfect time” or “perfect deal.” But every day you wait is a day you delay your freedom, your wealth, your peace.
Shame Keeps You Silent and Stuck
If you’re embarrassed about credit card debt, bad financial choices, or a late start, welcome to the club. We’ve all been there. Don’t let shame stop you from asking questions or making moves. Financial anxiety and financial trauma can keep you frozen.
Stop Comparing Your Masa to Someone Else’s
You may not have the perfectly round retirement plan or the “ideal” credit score. Maybe you’ve got old debt, some budgeting fails, or an investment course you never finished. You’re holding out for the exact right time to start. But just like that tortilla? You’re focusing too much on the shape and forgetting it still holds the flavor.
One of the cultural things we grow up with, as Latinas, is being compared with others. Our mom or Tia’s may compare us to a cousin who may seem more successful than us. But let’s break that cycle. Let’s stop comparing our masa with other’s.
Everyone’s Kitchen is Different
Many of us didn’t grow up with money. I know I didn’t. Some of us are first-gen wealth builders, breaking generational cycles while teaching ourselves as we go. It doesn’t help when we see certain types of financial gurus, making us feel guilty because we are behind and made some “bad” financial decisions. No more guilt! No more feeling the need to reach for perfectionism. Your journey is unique and as long as you are moving forward towards your financial goals, you are doing good.
So no, your journey won’t look like someone whose parents bought them a duplex at 18. No you may not be able to retire at the age of 35.
And that’s okay.
Cultural Healing Begins With Imperfect Action
Nuestra gente didn’t come this far for us to be paralyzed by perfection. You want to build wealth, retire your parents, househack a duplex, show your daughter what financial freedom really looks like? It starts with making messy, brave decisions.
Yes, analyze the deal. Yes, run the numbers. But, also give yourself grace. You’re learning skills your ancestors never had access to. That’s sacred work, even when it’s sloppy.
Final Thought: Eat the Damn Tortilla
Next time you feel like you’re “behind” financially, I want you to remember that ugly tortilla. It’s still delicious. It still feeds you. And so does your imperfect journey.
So if your financial journey looks funky, slow, messy, I promise you it still matters. Just like your abuelita’s tortilla, what counts is the love and intention behind it. Your future self won’t care if it was round. She’ll care that you made it.
You’re not late. You’re not failing. You’re just cooking with love, learning as you go, and serving up generational change, one handmade step at a time.
So eat the damn tortilla. You earned it.
