As a child born in the ’70s, it was a very different time. It was not unusual for moms to stay at home and care for the house. I was fortunate enough to have just that. A mom that made sure I made it to school on time, cleaned my room (although I didn’t), and attended all of my after-school activities. While this seems like an amazing thing, what I did not realize then, that I realize now, is that perseverance in hard times is what truly defines who you are.
As I entered my teen years, our family fell upon some hard financial times, which forced my mom into the work world. This was a first for her, as she married my dad at only 20 years old. My mother embraced the challenge and truly showed me that whatever you put your mind to, you can accomplish. Over the years, my mother’s role as the “bread winner” only grew in necessity and she flourished.
Recently, my mother was the recipient of an award at her company based on “Core Values”. Voted on by her peers, this award is given to someone that exemplifies the high standards that the company expects in work, family, and life. This award has been given out over the last 8 years and my mother is the 2nd woman to win this award. Truth be told, I never even know when my mom wins something, because she is very humble and does not seek out attention. The only way that I found out about the award was because her assistant posted it on social media.
I am proud to say that my mother is one of the top, most respected realtors in Charleston, South Carolina. She started her business from scratch, consistently maintained her integrity, and never let anything stop her from doing what is right for her clients.
The three main principles that drive me today are rooted in my mother’s guidance and success:
- Always be true to who you are, and don’t let anyone compromise that.
- Hard work puts you on an equal playing field despite your gender or differences, since the true measure of your success is solely determined by you.
- Life will continue to throw you curveballs and you might not always have the answers, but if you remain focused, you can achieve anything.
While my mother and I have had very different paths in our adult lives as it relates to work, what she has taught me continues to be my guiding light. I am truly blessed, not by my own accomplishments, but because I am supported unconditionally by a woman that will never truly understand her impact on my world.
Lauren Rubin has spent over 15 years in sales, management, and creating and executing marketing and brand strategies both domestically and internationally. She is an Enterprise Account Manager at Glassdoor based in Boston.
Originally published at www.glassdoor.com on March 7, 2017.
Originally published at medium.com