For the entirety of my life, the only person I have consistently had since day one has been my mom. She has been the best mom she could be for the last twenty years, and I honestly wouldn't trade her for anyone. She's taught me several lessons in the last twenty years and I know that she will have many more to teach me for the rest of our lives.

She's definitely way smarter than I'll ever give her credit for and has been right on nearly every occasion. So basically, I take all of her lessons to heart. In honor of Mother's Day, and my mommy, I wanted to share a few lessons with all of you.

1. You don't need a man.

If there is anything my mom has made sure I remember it is that I am a strong, independent, fierce woman, and I should never depend on a man. I can do anything a man can do and sometimes do it better. There is no need to depend on a man for anything because I am not a damsel in distress.

2. Other people's opinions do not define you.

Other people will say what they want, and I cannot do anything to stop them. What I can do is chose to ignore their opinions and continue to conduct my life the way I see fit. If I worry about what other people think all of the time I will never get anything done.

3. Education is important.

My mom made sure I was heading to college. She has always stressed the importance of doing well in school and setting myself up for a career. She does not want me to struggle if I don't have to.

4. Honesty is the best policy.

My mom has always made sure to remind my sister and I that being honest is going to cause a lot less trouble in the long run than telling a lie to save face.

5. Family is important.

My mom has always taught us that family will always be there, even when no one else is. It doesn't matter what you've said or done, family is family and that never changes.

6. Never end a conversation on a bad note.

You never know when the last time you will talk to someone will be. Never end conversations angry or upset. You'll regret it later.

7. Always tell people you love that you love them.

This kind of goes along with number 6. You never know when the last time you will talk to someone will be and even if you're not on the best of terms, always tell them you love them.

8. You are responsible for your actions.

No one can make me do anything. If I do something wrong or out of line, then I have to own up to it because no one was holding me hostage or at gunpoint forcing me to do anything I didn't want to do or knew I shouldn't be doing. I am the captain of my own ship and I must take ownership for things I do.

9. You can't control everything.

I struggle with this one. Life is unpredictable. No one can control every little detail and there is no use in trying. All that will result is the inevitable descent to insanity. Trust me, I would know.

10. You have to work hard for what you get.

My mom has always stressed that things in life don't come free or easy. Hard work is important. I have watched my mom work hard for everything she's gotten and it is that much greater to watch her get something when I know she worked her ass off to get it.

11. Be thankful for what you have.

While we may not have grown up in a mansion on a hilltop, my sister and I rarely had to want for anything and we often took that for granted. My mom has always told us that even though we wanted all of the things we couldn't have, we should be thankful for what we do have. A lot of hard work and sacrifice gave us the things we had as kids and still have. We should never take any of that for granted.

12. It's OK to have bad days.

My mom has always made sure we know this. While we shouldn't spend our lives being miserable, it is OK to have a bad day every once in a while. Sometimes life is gonna rain on the parade and cause a really bad day. It happens. Don't let that ruin everything else.

13. You can not let temporary problems make permanent alterations to your future.

Problems are temporary and minuscule in the grand scheme of things. Life does not end when couples fight. Or even if they split up. Life doesn't end if I have one bad test grade. Life doesn't end when I feel too stressed to function. Life keeps going and eventually gets better.

Bonus: No one will ever love you more than your mom.

My mom and I may not get along sometimes, but she makes sure I know that no one will ever love me or care for me the way that she has. She's worked hard to make me a good person and it has to be out of love because I am a piece of work. She has unconditional love for me and will always be here when I need her.