Being a mother is hard, but being a single mother? Even harder. I am blessed to have the mother that I do, and I’m even more blessed because, throughout the years, she taught me these 7 things that I will carry with me for the rest of my life.
1. Independence.
I think this is one of the biggest lessons I’ve learned from my mother. Growing up, I watched my mom take on so many challenges and obstacles in our lives just to make sure I was happy and had everything I needed. The best part? She did it all by herself.
2. How to love.
Not only did my mom show me how to love, she showed me how to love right. She showed me true, unconditional love all the time. Whether she was disciplining me or praising me, she did it all out of love.
3. How to walk away.
She taught me how to love, but she always taught me how to know when it’s time to walk away from toxic people. She showed me that I didn’t need anyone in my life that didn’t want or need me, and I would be perfectly fine.
4. How to put myself first.
My mom did an amazing job at teaching me how to love myself first and how to put my happiness first. She showed me that when it comes down to my happiness and someone else’s, my happiness is my top priority.
5. To not depend on anyone else for happiness.
This was a big lesson for me to learn, and maybe the hardest. My mom showed me the importance of finding happiness in myself, and not to rely on other people to make me happy. After all, at the end of the day, the only person that really has you is yourself.
6. To enjoy the alone time.
Growing up, I always wondered how my mom handled being alone all the time. It wasn’t until I was older that I realized that sometimes, being alone isn’t that bad. Sometimes you need the time to yourself to just relax and unwind.
7. How to spot red flags sooner.
From the day I started liking boys to the day I got my first serious boyfriend, my mom drilled this into my head. She always told me to watch out for warning signs, or red flags, and told me to walk away as soon as possible if I didn’t like what I saw. I’m very thankful for this lesson.
To this day, the strongest and bravest woman to walk this earth is my mother. She took on the biggest challenge, raising a child, and she did it all by herself. I only hope I can be half the woman that she is one day.
I love you, mom.
