There is an old saying that life doesn’t come with a manual; it comes with a mother. I particularly love that quote because for me, it holds so much truth. Overall, my mother has been my biggest supporter and safe haven since the day I came into this world kicking and screaming. She has been the person who kept me grounded when I needed to be, pushed me to take risks that would advance my life, and did so while demonstrating to me the genuine definition of what unconditional love means.
All in all, my mother has helped shape me into the person I have become today with her endless love, wisdom, and guidance. She is my role model – the perfect image of the woman I want to embody myself. But as insightful as every piece of advice she gave me was, there are three distinct ones she delivered that have stuck with me as I ventured into adulthood, ones that I want to share in hopes it will positively impact your life as it has done mine.
1. Always Treat People with Kindness
If you want to be approached with kindness and integrity by others, then you must first look at how you treat others. In short, you cannot expect to be treated with the kindness you deserve if you are not giving off the same respect. Simultaneously, being a kind and caring person is exactly what the world needs more of. So, be mindful of your demeanor, reactions, and tones towards others, and don’t underestimate how contagious kindness can be.
Keep in mind that there will be times when your kindness is not reciprocated, and that is okay. Sometimes people might be going through a hard life challenge, are overly stressed, or perhaps they are just not the right interpersonal connection for you. Regardless of what you receive back, hold your head high, recognize that what is going on is a direct reflection of them and not you, and refrain from allowing that negative energy to hinder your wellbeing.
2. When You Work, Always Pay Yourself First
My mom has always been a strong advocate for paying yourself first. For those new to the term, ‘paying yourself first’ is a popular phrase in the personal finance and retirement planning sphere and refers to being diligent with saving money each week or month. Even if it is just a small percentage, starting early (or now) means those small additions will add to significant amounts later in life, thus supporting your mission towards financial security. Whether it be for building your retirement accounts or emergency funds, pay yourself first because your future, less-stressed self will certainly thank you for it.
3. Always Forgive Yourself
Lastly, forgive yourself no matter what. You are only human and it would be silly to think that you can walk through life without making mistakes along the way. It is perfectly fine to mess up and have setbacks once in a while. But what my mom made clear is that it is not okay to let those mishaps hurt your quality of life, self-esteem, and happiness. In summary, forgiveness is the key to self-growth, tolerability towards yourself, and being open to new life manifestations. With that being said, don’t ignore the mistakes you’ve made; learn from them so you can continue persevering towards becoming the best person you can be, flaws and all.
Thank You, Mom
In the end, I hope that my mother’s advice she instilled in me can be used to advance your lives as well. Not only are these three pieces of advice pinnacle on their own, but they each have the ability to bleed into just about every day-to-day aspect, regardless of where life may take you. Being kind, paying myself, and practicing forgiveness are key players that have helped pioneer my successes to date, a valuable outcome that I hope every one of my readers get to experience during their own journey towards self-development.
As a final note, I want to end this with a massive thank you to my mother. Thank you for all that you have given me and taught me. Thank you for loving me even on the days when I was not so lovable. Thank you for the laundry list of advice that you have given me that I can now share with others. But most of all, thank you for giving me life and guiding me on how to actually live it to the fullest.
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