Moms are the heart and souls of
our families. They do a million things and more. They are real superheroes. My
mom did so much for me growing up and still does. But what she did for me that
is probably more powerful than any one single thing is the internal voice she
sewed deep inside of me that continues to replay in my mind every single day.
It started as her voice but has become my own and it is my super power. She planted
within me over the years a true sense of confidence and helped me to grow a
strong sense of self all with her amazing words. This is what she said:
1.
You are beautiful – She said this mostly when I
did something kind, made good decisions, showed independence and strength of
character. Also, when I was sweaty, dirty, messy, and working hard. She taught
me that beauty lies truly inside of me, and in my positive actions, not my
appearance.
2.
You will be a great mom – I remember hearing
this throughout my life. It wasn’t like she was priming me to have children,
but she saw something in me then that I pull on now as an adult every single
day of my life. I can honestly say I have felt run down, exhausted, worried,
and unsure of what to do at times, but I have never doubted myself as being a
good mom.
3.
I am so sorry you feel that way – My mom always
wanted to know my feelings. Even when she didn’t know why, or couldn’t understand
why, she still always had great empathy. Empathy breeds empathy, and we know that
it is one of the most important skills for children to learn in order to have
successful and positive relationships in life. And good relationships build
great confidence.
4.
What do you want to do? – My mom never told me what to do. When she
seemed to think that I might be wandering astray or about to make a
not-so-awesome choice, instead of challenging me or controlling me she showed
me her trust and confidence. She let me know that my thoughts and feelings were
important by asking me about them.
5.
You’ll do the right thing – When trying to
figure out what to do, my mom also told me she trusted me to figure it out. Decisions
are so important for self-esteem, and my mom never second-guessed my decisions.
She let me be in charge of myself. She was there to catch me when I fell, and
was always on my side.
6.
Invite your friends over – My friends were
always welcome at our house. Friends would actually come over even when I
wasn’t home because they knew my mom would invite them in and offer them a
snack. In this open-door policy, she taught me not to worry about the tiny
details of how clean your house is and how fancy your meal is. You just welcome
people.
7.
I’m praying for you – My mom seemed to have a
rosary attached to her fingers while I was growing up, and still does. She
didn’t offer a quick sentiment, she really
prayed for me! She prayed for my boyfriends, she prayed for my friends, she
prayed for my friend’s friends, their parents, and their extended families! She
taught me to pray for my children, which has given me great peace, and my
children an increased sense of peace and security as well.
8.
I love you – of course all moms say this, but my
mom said it all the time. She said it like, if there were better things she
could say to let me know how she feels about me she would, but I love you is the absolute tops and
sorry there isn’t something more, because it seems just a little too small in
comparison to all her actual love for me.
9.
You go have fun – When I was a kid there was
always fun, play, and laughter. My grown-up heart seeks those things out when
life gets big and heavy. My mom still says this to me when I drop my kids off
at her house for a sleepover. She shoves me out the door and tells me not to
worry about a thing. Then she wants to know all the fun things I did while she
took care of my kids. She gets joy out of my joy. She tells me in this simple
way that I am not a burden, I am a joy. My kids are a joy. It makes my heart
swell, like I really am doing a good job.
10.
I am so proud of you – What a gift to grow up
hearing that someone was proud of me, no matter what. I grew up believing that
I could be proud of myself. And I am.
Thanks Mom.
* This article originally published by Parent.co
https://www.parent.co/10-things-my-mom-told-me-as-a-kid-that-give-me-confidence-as-an-adult/
* This article originally published by Parent.co
https://www.parent.co/10-things-my-mom-told-me-as-a-kid-that-give-me-confidence-as-an-adult/
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