Mothers are everyone's personal self-help books. A mother carries years of wisdom on topics from love to parenting. I am edging on 18 years of living and there hasn't been an important life lesson that my mom has helped guide me through. Here are 18 things my mom has taught me in my (almost) 18 years of living.

1. Don't hide who you are from the world.

The most harmful thing you could ever do to yourself is hide your true self from everyone. Hiding who you are will confuse you. You'll spend a lot of time "finding yourself" alone instead of going out and living life to the fullest and figuring it out along the way. You'll also spend a lot of time going through groups of friends who aren't right for you at all. Always be yourself and great people will enter your life organically.

The only time my mom isn't herself is when she's ordering food over the phone and she uses that "fake mom" voice every mom has.

2. Respect yourself and make others respect you.

Respecting yourself goes along with #1. Be secure in who you are and respect every little detail about yourself. You're truly all you've got. This is the only body you'll get. This is the only mind you'll get. Love it all. When people see your confidence, they'll have the utmost respect for you. Confidence is key everywhere in life.

As a child, I was encouraged in every way possible. My mom always made me feel like the smartest and most beautiful girl in the world and that confidence has carried me a long way. I am confident in everything I do because I know my mom is even more confident in me.

3. True love is real.

True love is out there, but it doesn't always have to be in the form of a person. My parents have been together for 25 years and they are my "relationship goals". But I have learned that I really don't need a husband to make my life complete. I can build a relationship with my writing, with nature, or anything and it could be just as fulfilling as sharing my life with another person! You do not need another person to make your life worth living.

I have yet to truly experience a relationship with another person, but my mom doesn't make me feel awful for it. If anything, she respects me for putting myself first and not settling for anyone who isn't perfect for me.

4. Family is everything.

If you are going to sacrifice for anything, it might as well be family. Even when you are angry at them, they will always have your back. Return the favor. You never know when you'll see a loved one for the last time, so make every moment count.

I have witnessed countless arguments between my mom and her sisters. No matter the damage, they'll be on the phone the next day laughing again.

5. Chocolate is always a good idea.

There isn't a thing that couldn't be fixed with a Hershey's bar or a bowl of chocolate ice cream. It's as simple as that.

6. Work for what you want.

The best things in life are not always free and nothing truly amazing will ever be handed to you. Working hard will always get you where you need to go and if you take shortcuts, the prize at the end will not be as good as it could've been. This applies to everything: relationships, school, work, etc. You will never truly have it all if you didn't go the extra mile.

7. Choose your friends wisely.

It's always better to have a small group of close friends. Your friends are a reflection of you and say a lot about the choices you make in life. Always choose to surround yourself with people who positively represent you and positively impact your life.

8. Don't overthink it.

No matter what it is, nothing is really worth worrying yourself sick. Move along.

I am the world's worst worrier. I worry about everything to the point where I can hardly sleep. My mom's confidence in me can truly cure all of life's most troublesome moments that I lose sleep over.

9. Hand all of your worries to God.

Following up on #8, sometimes you just have to pray about it. Whatever it is, God can handle it. When you truly feel like you've done all you can do and you don't know where else to turn, turn to God and He will work it all out. Just talk to Him.

10. Don't believe everything you hear.

Whether it's in the news or it's gossip going around school, you shouldn't believe everything you hear. Not everyone is trustworthy. Carefully choose what to believe in.

11. Sometimes you just need a break.

Sometimes you need a break from work, from people, or from life itself. Always take a break when you need it. Sleep in. Skip school. It's healthy in moderation.

This is not an excuse to slack off! My mom let me take breaks from school, but she would never let it become a habit. Education is too important to waste on multiple "treat yourself" days.

12. Never throw away your values.

Always remember what's important to you. You cannot throw everything away for one moment of freedom or one moment of happiness. Get your priorities in order and keep them in order.

13. The worst they can say is, "No."

This applies to a lot of things as well. For me, it's always been about boys I've liked. Always put yourself out there because the worst thing anyone can say to you is, "No." And that isn't even that bad! You can bounce back from rejection! But holding in your feelings and never taking a leap of faith is something you'll carry around with you for a long time.

14. Life isn't fair.

Life wasn't meant to be a fair game and it never will be. Nothing will ever go exactly the way you want it to! And that's okay! Don't let that discourage you. Take your failures and turn them into success stories.

15. Don't take yourself too seriously.

No one likes that person who can never laugh at themselves. Laugh at yourself! It's so good to be able to look back at mistakes and just laugh. It's good for the soul. If you don't make it a joke, someone else will. So you might as well be the first one to laugh.

16. It won't matter when you're older.

That boy that didn't like you back. That job you had as a teenager and hated. That test you failed in chemistry. It all doesn't matter. It won't follow you to age 40. Let it go right now and you'll feel better. You'll feel lighter.

17. Explore.

Explore everything. Explore your mind, explore your hometown. Go out there and see it all. Life is too short to not do what you want. Say yes and go.

18. Mother knows best.

Whoever your maternal figure is in your life, trust them. Always listen to them. They know what they're saying! If you don't listen to them the first time, you will be listening to them when what they said would happen, happens.

Trust them about the people you hang out with and when they say that your bad eating habits will catch up to you eventually. Roll your eyes at them now, but go back and seek their wisdom again.

I wouldn't be anything without my mother, literally. I am so blessed to have a best friend, a therapist, and a life coach rolled up into one human being. I wouldn't have made it this far without her constant advice. She is the reason I am doing as well in life as I am and I thank her for that.

Moms are the greatest gift to the world. Always cherish yours, no matter what.