Spend 10 minutes with my parents and me, and you’ll quickly discover that I am my father’s daughter. There’s no denying it once I break out the high kicks and dumb jokes. But spend a month with me and you’ll also start to see parts of my mom.
You’ll see the gentleness I have when approaching a touchy subject. The quickness at which I tell someone their blinker is still on. And the stubborness I have when going after something I want.
In honor of Mother’s Day, a local newsletter asked readers to submit the best piece of advice their mother ever gave them. Since my mom is a woman of actions, not words, I decided to note the 3 most prominent lessons I’ve learned thus far from her.
I’ve been fortunate enough to grow up around some damn good leaders. Not the kind who make history books and change millions of lives, but rather the kind who take over their small corner of the world (JRM) and leave it a little brighter.
What I’ve realized is that they focus on how they can help. Sometimes that looks like winning cases and designing innovative buildings. Though, most times, it looks like investing in those around them. It’s not just that they understand that life is a group effort (and more fun) with others, but more so that they just genuinely care. They want to — both professionally and personally — help others achieve their dreams.
It’s not that my mother is afraid to speak up. I can one-hundred percent assure you, she will speak her mind when she wants to. It’s more so that she understands real power doesn’t come from how loud one’s voice is (unless you’re six and just asked when dinner is going to be ready after she’s sat in traffic for an hour 🙃) or whether or not they are the first to speak.
Instead, it’s about listening. It’s about understanding the full story. It’s about reading facial expressions and watching body language. It’s about getting to the heart of the matter. It’s about giving people a space to breathe. It’s about being present. It’s about making people feel seen, heard, and loved all at once.
I’ve seen my mom start a handful of full-time businesses and side hustles. Some have lasted. While others have left just like her favorite ball cap one summer day on the jet ski — too quick to save. Regardless of what the outcome was, I learned the importance of acting on ideas. I learned that it’s not about deeming something “successful” or “not successful” — these are subjective.
Instead, it’s about learning more about yourself — what you want in life, what makes you feel seen, and what lets you express yourself. It’s about connecting with others. It’s about failing and standing back up. It’s about sitting through the awkward silences and the gray space. It’s about learning everything will be okay.
I’d say she’s a pretty dang good one to share some genes with.
—JTM
♥️♥️♥️