The other day I was scrolling through Instagram and came across a post about Women’s History Month. I was surprised because I had no idea that it was Women’s History Month or that it even existed. Eventually, I got to thinking about all the amazing women in my life, the things they have accomplished, and how they have shaped the person I am today. For me, it’s evident that the most influential figure in my life has been and continues to be my mom.Â
My mom immigrated to Canada when she was 7 years old and she had the opposite of an easy life. Not only did she have to learn to speak English, but also acclimating to life in a new country. Despite growing up living in poverty, the values of hard work and education were instilled in my mother. While putting herself through school, my mom worked to help pay rent and keep her family afloat. Although she had to make many sacrifices, she never gave up, as she had hope that one-day things would get better. Â
Eventually, I came around and it was just the two of us cruising through life together. My mom was a single mother for a while until she met my dad who was a never ending supply of love and laughter. Nonetheless, for the years that it was just me and her, she had to work really hard to give me the life she wanted for me. I don’t think I can put into words how much I love and appreciate my mom and everything I’ve learned from her. So, in honour of Women’s History Month, I’m going to celebrate my mom and share the most insightful lessons I’ve learned from her.Â
Trying your best is simply your best.Â
Putting effort into everything and doing your best is the most important thing, even if you fail. My mom has always emphasized the value of hard work and dedication, rather than solely focusing on achieving a result. When I was growing up, my mom always taught me to take pride in my efforts, regardless of the outcome. It’s easy to become discouraged when things do not go as planned, but this has always reminded me that I can always take pride in the fact that I gave it my all. Everyone’s best effort will be different, and that’s okay. What matters is that you push yourself to do the best you can with the resources available to you.Â
You dictate your happiness, very little is needed to make a happy life.
My mom has always been able to find joy in the smallest things. She has never let her hard life come in the way of her happiness. She believes that happiness is a choice that each person has the power to make. External circumstances or material possessions do not play a significant role in determining our happiness, and even simple things like watching a movie can bring joy and contentment. Happiness is not dependent on external factors, but rather on one’s internal perspective and attitude toward life. Personally, having the ability to take pleasure in the most mundane things has grounded me and allowed me to get through hard times.Â
Never let yourself be defeated.
Sometimes we win and sometimes we lose, but we should never let ourselves feel defeated in our own eyes. My mom has always said that defeat is a state of mind rather than a physical or external circumstance. It implies that we have the power to choose how we respond to adversity and that we can choose to remain resilient when facing challenges. When I’m going through a tough time, my mom continuously tells me that defeat is not a permanent state, but rather a temporary setback. She encourages me to keep pushing forward and not to give up on my goals no matter how difficult something may be. The only true defeat is giving up. As long as you continue to strive towards your goals and learn from your mistakes, you can never truly be defeated.
My mom has definitely accumulated a lot of wisdom over the course of her life and her ability to share just a little bit of that wisdom with me is so special. I hope that this advice is able to help you the way it has so greatly helped me. Happy Women’s History Month!