Top Motherly Wisdom

I love my mother fiercely.  She is my best friend. She has a depth of intuition, wisdom, and common sense that is rare in this world. Here are some of the lessons I have received from her that have made the most profound impact in my life.

1.  Don't burn any bridges.

I live by this day in and day out.  My behavior is a reflection of myself. I can't control anyone else but I can decide how I show up. We may not connect or resonate with every human being but we can treat everyone with respect. We also never know when we will cross paths with someone again. That one person that you may have said harsh things to may just end up being the CEO of some business that in the future you want to try and get a job at. You just never ever know. We can strive to walk away from any situation respecting those around us and that every situation can have something to teach us in how we would want to better show up for others than potentially how we were met and seen.

2.  Say hello when you enter a room and say goodbye when you leave.

When you enter a room a transition has happened. A simple act of just saying hello (whether it be to a loved one, a family member, a stranger) can smooth that transition and let the other person know you come in peace.  Whenever I came home or left, my mother simply wanted an update on whether I was there or not. When those around us have to guess what we are up to or when we are coming home or leaving, a little bit of tension can be created. There is an uncertainty and an unknowing of what to expect. When you inform those around you of your presence or lack of presence, we are supporting a relaxation response in their body and mind. When we say goodbye, we are honoring the time we have spent with that person and easing another transition. For example, you wouldn't just answer the phone and not say hello. The other person would probably hang up not knowing you were there. And if you don't say goodbye and just hang up, you leave the other person hanging on to the experience that just happened with no definitive end. How you enter and leave a situation not only eases your life but it creates peace in those around you as well.

3.  You eat an elephant a bite at a time.

I can get overwhelmed easily at times. My mother’s response to any overwhelm that would ever arise for me was, "Stephanie, you eat an elephant a bite at a time."  When given permission to take as much time as needed to “eat an elephant” i.e. to complete a task, the pressure is off and the ability to rise to any challenge can increase. Anything that feels huge, daunting, scary, overwhelming is doable. What can get in the way is our thoughts and fears. Fear of mistakes, fear of failure, fear of success. When we release the pressure, the harsh internal thoughts, the fears we can more easily connect with our creativity, our confidence, our intuition. Nothing is too big for you. Give yourself all the time you need.

4. Have fun in your life.

My mother has the best laugh. It is infectious. She has reminded me throughout my life how important having fun can be to a thriving body and spirit. We have a lot of “shoulds” in our world in how we are “supposed” to show up, be, look. Some of the best memories can be created when we release the shoulds, the supposed to’s, and just let life unfold on its own. To invite fun into our days can be a practice, and yet such an important one to support in providing meaning to everything we do. This moment you’re experiencing right now will never ever happen again. How do you want to step into the moment with joy and appreciation for how your life is just as it is? Every meal to my mom could be the best meal ever, every adventure could be the best adventure ever. Where our attention goes, energy flows. When we bring our attention to what is going well, we can appreciate how things are just as they are more and more.

I hope these lessons support you as much as they have helped me.