I recently read a quote that said, “Life doesn’t come with a manual, it comes with a mother.” As a daughter, I stand by this quote, which is so very true.
Mothers are very special. They are our guidance, safe place, personal therapists, and our best friends. A mother’s love is special; it’s quite like no other.
My mom is amazing! She inspires me to do better and be better. She’s taught me so much; all the lessons and wise words I’ve received from her could probably be compiled into a 3-book series.
But, since this is supposed to be a short read… here are the top 5 lessons I’ve learned from my mom.
- The greatest quality a women can have is integrity
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My mom first said this to me when I was 12. In my grade 6 class, the girls in my class were doing a series on women. The teacher told the class to ask their moms, “What is the most important quality a woman can have?” My mom responded, “Integrity.” My teacher told me that day that my mom’s answer was the best answer to the question. I felt so proud.
My mom explained that integrity is about character and consistency. In regards to character, it means treating people with respect, speaking your truth, and doing what is right. Consistency is what supports character, which involves being consistent in the way you act.
Now that I am older, this is a principle that I actively try to adopt, and I believe that all women should do the same.
- Don’t stress; just try to do better than you did yesterday
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These are some wise words. I run a small business, a blog, and I’m a full-time student. I can sometimes feel like I’m not measuring up to my standards or someone else’s. My mom puts it perfectly: “Just do better than you did yesterday.”
This advice has changed my life because it taught me 2 things: first, to value what I accomplish in a day, even if it is very little. Second, life isn’t perfect, and I will never feel like all my ducks are in a row. That’s why the best thing to do is to intentionally do one or two things each day that make you better than yesterday.
- You have to be your biggest cheerleader, ‘cause nobody else will
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My mom says this to me all time! This means that you have to be your own biggest advocate, have the most confidence in yourself, and believe in yourself more than anyone else.
Nobody wants to accomplish your goals more than you! In life, people can come in, put you down, and tell you no, so you have to be your biggest motivator when it comes to your dreams, goals, and aspirations.
- Smile; why not?
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Simply, just smile. My mom told me this one day when I was upset and I couldn’t even tell her why, but it worked. She said, “You have the authority to choose each morning whether you want to be happy or not. In life there are always things to be upset, sad, and angry about, so smile — why not?”
What I take from this is that we can always find something positive in our day, no matter the situation!
- No doesn’t mean never, it means not now
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Last but not least, this is probably the most life-changing piece of advice from my mom.
I always saw “no” as being synonymous with never, but her insight on this totally changed my mindset. Sometimes, when you are given a “no” or something doesn’t pull through, it usually means that something better is waiting for you on the other side of another door.
This helped me to not feel like the world was ending when a plan I had didn’t go through, because it just meant that something else was in store for me.
When I adopted this mindset, my journey through life, relationships, and entrepreneurship changed forever!
I hope you enjoyed this article! Make sure to take the time to appreciate the “mothers” in your life and spoil them this Mother’s Day.
If you are looking for the perfect gift for Mother’s Day and want to support a small business, check out Blank2Life Creations for handcrafted cards/stationery and beautiful spring wreaths perfect for any mother!