In honor of Mother’s Day.
This post is a reminder of the things we learned from our mothers.
Some are big and some are little, but they are things we can take away as Mothers Little Helpers. As I wrote this I thought of a lot of things I learned from my mother and worked to pare it down to a more consumable list of five Mothers Little Helpers.
Fan Fact: Remember all those things you thought you learned in kindergarten?
Guess what? You probably already learned them from your mother.
Kindergarten just reinforced them!
Your mom (or mother figures) helped you before you even knew you needed help. As we grow up we too often find ourselves flashing back to those suggestions, comments and lamentations. I can tell you from experience that when we have kids … we find ourselves repeating those same things. Much to our chagrin.
This post is in honor of your mother and all the mother figures in your life.
Thank them! Today and every day.
Mothers Little Helpers
What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you think of your mother? Hopefully it is something positive and memorable.
I took an informal and crowd sourced survey on Facebook the other day. And, in addition to some of the things that I thought of I am going to include some of the comments that came back from others. If you see any similarities to something you said or something that comes to mind when you think of your mom … Thank your mother!
Here are Five Mothers Little Helpers with my interpretation what she may have meant. Feel free to add your best Mothers Little Helpers in the comments.
#1 – Write Thank You Notes
Even if you don’t get in the habit of writing thank you notes, get in the habit of expressing your gratitude. Let people know specifically why you are thankful and what you are grateful for receiving. Even if it’s just a compliment.
#2 – Be Punctual
There is an old saying in sales that also applies to Mothers Little Helpers “If you aren’t 10 minutes early, you are late!” I wrote about this here and I’m quite sure my mom helped me realize the value of timeliness. It doesn’t always stick, but it is something to strive for.
#3 – Stand up straight / Sit up straight
First impressions are lasting impressions (hey, there’s another one right there!). And, it is true with the way someone sees you for the first time or even the 101st time. Carry yourself with pride and look people in the eyes when you talk to them (Hey, there’s another one).
#4 – Wash Behind Your Ears
I think this means everything from literally washing behind your years to paying attention to details that you can’t always see.
A few of these are oriented to how people may perceive you. The intent of these Mothers Little Helpers is not to change the way people perceive you, but to help you realize that the way you present yourself is also a reflection upon you.
#5 – Above all else … Follow the Golden Rule
Which is as simple as:
Treat others as you expect to be treated yourself.
What did you learn from your mother?
- What do you find yourself repeating that your mother said?
- What do you wish you would’ve followed more closely?
- What advice would you like to get back to your mother?
Add your thoughts here in the comments so we all can learn what you learned from your mother.
As mentioned at the beginning this is in honor of your mother and also in honor of your mother figures. Some people have very broad maternal relations and some have almost none. Hopefully you had someone as a mother figure to guide you, lead you, and show you the way.
Now, go hug your mom or your mother figure and let them know how much you appreciate everything they’ve done for you.
