13 Irreplaceable Life Lessons My Mother Has Taught Me
Let me tell you about my best friend…
Her name is Brooke and she stands about 5’5 but her larger than life personally makes you feel otherwise. She is the definition of beauty and grace but if you cross her, I’ll pray for you. My best friend doubles as my mother and lucky for me, I am her spitting image. One of my biggest prayers is that, one day, I am half the mother that she is to not only my brother and I but to many of our friends. She is truly the backbone of our family and our ultimate hero.
Mom, thank you for being our sunshine on the darkest days. The lessons you have embedded in Cam and I are unmatched and I hope that the eyes who read this article carry these life lessons with them in their own hearts and into their own families.
VALUABLE LIFE LESSONS FROM MOM
JUST GO
My mother is a walking living breathing motto of the phrase just go.Throughout life and through an infinite amount of situations she has pushed us to go. To show up, even when it’s the last thing in the world you want to do. The outcome is another set of lessons but showing up is half the battle.
ALWAYS ASK QUESTIONS
The harm in asking? Well, there isn’t any. Asking questions helps gain clarity, power and knowledge. Do not be afraid to ask and certainly never be afraid to speak up. Ask the hard hitting questions, the uncomfortable questions, the controversial questions.
INVEST
In a mattress.
In bed sheets.
In a knife set.
In staple wardrobe pieces.
In your home.
In friendships.
In your health.
In your skin.
In yourself.
THE GRASS ISN’T ALWAYS GREENER
Never get to caught up in someone else’s grass that you forget to water your own. Mom has always taught us to be too busy working on our own grass to notice if anyone else’s is greener.
LOYALTY
Loyalty isn’t grey – it’s black and white. You’re either loyal completely or not at all. People will always show their true colors and when they do, take note.
STRENGTH
Ah, strength. A trait that so many strive for yet few achieve. This isn’t something that my mother read to us at bedtime, rather we were taught the definition of strength by watching her.
BE A FIGHTER
For your family and for what you believe in. Tooth and nail. Simple as that.
WHO THE F*CK CARES
For the greater front half of my life – I cared. I cared a lot. I gave a lot of fucks about a lot of other people’s opinions. Whether I knew them or not, approval of others consumed me. One of the most freeing feelings my mother opened my eyes to being your own despite of what "they" might think. I can hear her in my head “Chelsea, who care’s?!?” and wouldn’t ya know, she had a point. A piece of advice that I’ll pass along to you as a reader, a friend, is to: give a lot of f!cks about the people who deeply and utterly give a f*ck about you and to everyone else, who f@cking cares.
APPRECIATE WHAT YOU HAVE
Today is a GIFT.
It’s a blessing.
It’s a treasure.
Be so obsessively grateful for today, right now, because we never know what tomorrow will bring.
STAY HUNGRY
She never let us quit therefore, I never let myself quit. Stay hungry for what you’re passionate about. Stay hungry for your relationships, your dreams and your career.
THEY WILL REMEMBER
People may not always remember what you say but they will never forget how you made them feel. Being intentional with your words, actions and gestures is a recipe for being a respectful and respected human being.
BUY FRUIT IN SEASON
If you were to open the refrigerator at my parents’ house there is without a doubt a tupper-ware overflowing with freshly cut fruit sitting on one of the shelves. The fruit is so good most of the time Cameron and I look up at each other with stuffed cheeks saying “why is mom’s fruit always so good?”Know what fruits are in season and purchase accordingly! Oh and mom would be devastated if I didn’t mention this also: buy organic, ESP. meat and eggs.
SHE REALLY IS ALWAYS RIGHT
Even on the days where I say mommmmm and roll my eyes into the back of my head like an annoyed middle schooler and try to convince myself that she’s 100% wrong – she’s right. She is always right. She. Is. Always. Right. (how do moms do that?!)
To all the mothers out there, there are no words that will measure up to acknowledge the job that you are doing and for the difference you are making in shaping your children. I hope your day is full of love, relaxation and a whole lot of "she's right" moments ;) HAPPY MOTHERS DAY!!
