We all love and adore our mothers, but let’s face it, sometimes after a certain amount of “Don’t forget this honey,” “Did you remember…?,” or the “Remember what I said about…” we tend to zone them out. Here’s a list of advice that we should always take from our mothers because it’s true when they say mother knows best. The first few are about little tips I’ve learned from my mother and the last few are core principles I’ve taken from my mother and have implemented into my own experiences.
1. Write Thank You Notes
Ever since I was younger, my mother told me the importance of writing thank you notes and I have kept that habit still today. After any birthday, holiday, or graduation, I make it a priority to individually hand write a thank you note. It doesn’t even have to be after a special occasion. Sometimes the best kind of thank you notes are the “just because” unexpected ones. In a world full of emails, Facebook wall posts, online message, and e-cards (I mean, who really uses those anyway), we forget about good ol’ snail mail. We’re so focused on efficiency, we forget about quality. No matter where technology will take us, you can’t beat the feeling of getting a thank you card in the mail.
2. Keep The Buttons From Your Tags
You know when you buy a new cardigan, jacket, or sweater and it comes with extra buttons on the tags? Well, I had to learn the hard way for this one. I can’t tell you how many jackets and cardigans I don’t wear anymore because something happened to my buttons and I didn’t keep them in a safe place, just like my mother does. Find a little zipper pouch and keep all your buttons in one place, you’ll thank your mother later.
3. Keep Receipts
As petty and annoying as receipts may be, it’s important to always keep them. Use them to keep track of your budgeting and worse case scenario, to dispute a transaction. As wonderful as our world can be, you can’t trust everyone. Just take your mothers advice and keep your receipts, it’ll help you practice organizing your finances and learn a thing or two about budgeting (I’m still working on this one.)
4. “Unless you’re playing a game, there’s no point in keeping score.”
We are all guilty of comparing our lives to everyone else’s, whether it’s our own best friends, our siblings, or even complete strangers. If you’re focused on what other people are getting in their life and what you’re not, you may miss out on the things you do have. Don’t run tallies on everyone else – it serves absolutely no purpose. You will end up never being satisfied.
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5. “Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting their own battle.”
Be generous with your time, your money, and your heart. We all get caught up in our own lives that we forget other people may be going through their own personal issues. We are quick to judge if something isn’t going our way. Take a step back and fully evaluate the whole situation. Maybe the way someone is acting has nothing to do with us, so instead of fighting against them, fight alongside them. Time and money are most valued in our society, so why not share it rather than limit it?
6. Live alone, even for a bit.
My mother has always taught me to be a capable, independent woman and one of the best ways to discover who I am is by living alone. Going from someone’s daughter to someone’s wife and then to someone’s mother, leaves no room for being someone yourself. Have some time to focus on yourself so that you can truly focus on other people when that day comes.
7. Never go to bed angry.
Fix the problem, talk about it, and don’t let anger eat you up. You may not get a second chance.
My mother taught me almost everything I know and I continue to learn from her everyday. Aside from the “nagging” we may think we get from our mothers, deep down we know that their advice is the best kind. So take a moment to thank your own mother (and father) for all the advice they have given us throughout the years.
Photo by: Melissa Vega