What lessons from mom do you carry with you? That’s a question I’ve been pondering on lately. Mother’s Day is a special time to celebrate who brought us into this world, and that carries a lot of feelings. The mother-daughter bond is something we all experience differently but our mothers all taught us lessons in their own way.
Our values and how we approach life are a heritage from our moms. That’s the way I see it. What do you think?
Before I dive into the 3 lessons I learned from my mother, I thought I’d share a bit about my background.
My Childhood Relationship with My Mom
Growing up, my mom and I had a good, friendly mother-daughter relationship. She is funny, ambitious, hardworking, prayerful, and she loves to dance! I get that from her. She enjoys hanging out with friends, celebrating, and having a good time.
Since I can remember, my mom has always been an entrepreneur, always going after her passions. I love her drive and motivation to push through and build an establishment for herself. She is the founder and CEO of Tamilo Trades, home goods and gifts store across Nigeria. In the last four years, she founded and manages multiple pharmacies in Nigeria. Her ambition and commitment to succeed are something I admire and definitely inspire me to go after my own dreams.
Bonding with a Mom on the Go
Having a busy mom wasn’t easy, however.
I felt an absence from her growing up. From a small age, my brother and I were cared for by housemaids (that is what we call it in Nigeria). They got us ready for the day, picked us up from school, assisted with homework, gave us food, and put us to bed.
Moments alone with my mom were precious so when she signed me up for creative classes with her, I looked forward to it and would hope the classes never end. We did water-painting classes together, baking classes, sewing classes, and so much more. These were the bonding moments I cherished so much with her.
My mom loves to travel, traveled a lot, and also brought me along. I remember our trips to Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, and Hong Kong like it was yesterday. It remains the best remembrance of my childhood days with my mom. This is why I love to travel and explore new places to this day.
Reflecting On Our Evolving Relationship
Looking back, I would have hoped to have a closer relationship with my mom. It would have helped me to understand who I am and build my self-worth and the self-confidence I needed as a young girl. Now that I’m a mom to two little ones and an entrepreneur, I understand my mom’s choices for my siblings and I a lot better.
Our relationship is a work in progress and I’m grateful for every minute we can build on it. She is currently based in Nigeria which makes it hard, but I miss her so much and look forward to the times we get to spend together.
Motherhood is a journey that we experience uniquely. It’s a journey that requires us to accept support from our family and community. So, I’m reflecting on three lessons I have learned from my mom and hope it encourages you in your motherhood journey.
Lessons From Mom
Lesson 1: Put God first.
At a young age, my mom always encouraged my siblings and I to know God and put him first. She would remind us during challenging times to talk to God and pray.
Our family attended church services and my parents had us involved in bible studies. We also were part of Christian kid activities that encouraged us to seek God. I believe that my upbringing in a Christian home helped me with the circumstances in my life. It shaped my values, and morals, and developed my character by staying grounded in God’s words to live my purpose.
As wives and mothers, we wear a lot of hats and it can be tough to navigate life with these responsibilities. So having a relationship with God gives us peace so that we can find confidence in Him to guide us through the good and the bad.
My mom told me that her success in life is a result of leaning into God for guidance, sowing seeds in other lives, and serving others.
Lesson 2: Keep your friend circle small.
This is an important lesson from my mom that I find myself going back to now. Throughout my life, I have had a lot of friends. Yet, I struggled with feeling neglected and not good enough for these friendships. When I talked to my mom about it, she would say “It’s better to keep your friend circle small and be able to count the number of friends you have with your fingers. Many friends do not bring joy but quality relationships bring substance and growth.”
You can pour into these relationships more and truly support each other throughout life stages.
Lesson 3: Give with no expectation to receive it back.
Per mom, “Give and do not expect anything back.”
The act of giving is a service that my mom doesn’t play with. She emphasizes the importance of it all the time. She believes that what we have is a continuous blessing from God and we should be willing to give to others without expecting anything in return.
With that, not expecting anything in return will also release you from any disappointments. If you don’t have the means to give, you need to be honest and not allow this act of service to be a burden. It should bring more blessings to you and continue to be an encouragement to bless others with what you have.
This is a lesson that I’m trying to get better with. Unfortunately, I have sown into others with expectations and faced disappointments but I’m working on releasing those disappointments and forgiving the individuals so that I can continue to sow into others around me.
Share Your Motherly Wisdom
Do you resonate with any of these lessons from mom? I’m curious to know and I wonder if you can relate to my experience of growing up with an inspiring, successful mom. I’d love for you to share your own motherly wisdom in the comments below.
P.S If you want more Mother’s Day-related content, check out my DIY flower crown tutorial and my gift guide to spoil every mom in your life!
xo, Gbeke
What do you think?