On Father‘s Day, I wrote a post about 5 things I learned from my late father. I sent it to my mom. My parents separated more than 35 years ago, but they knew each other since they were teenagers and always understood, and cared for, each other. My mom liked my post and said that I had captured him perfectly. I was thinking of her afterwards and was wondering if she knows how much I appreciate the things she taught me.
I received a request to participate in a Nestlé® Pure Life® campaign. They say:
“Moms are pretty awesome and sure know a lot! They give the best advice and words of pure wisdom that help to make us better people. Through their wisdom, we have been inspired to accomplish goals, overcome obstacles, have a positive outlook or help others.
Some wisdom shared by our mothers has focused around staying healthy and hydrated. Nestlé® Pure Life® Purified Water is on a mission to help families everywhere enjoy healthy, feel-good lifestyles and encourage them to join the Hydration Movement and drink more water.
Nestlé® Pure Life® Purified Water wants to hear your mother, grandmother or great-grandmother’s words of pure wisdom.”
Interesting, and timely, as I was thinking about posting about my mom anyway.
Some wise things my mom passed along to me:
1. Never pay full price! My mom taught me how to find a deal, stretch a dollar and wait/save for what you want. One thing that most people know about me is that I like to find a deal. That was the genesis of this blog. My mom raised three children on a tiny salary. We lived in a nice house in a nice neighborhood. Looking back, we did not want for much. Mom cut coupons, shopped the discount stores and used all of her savvy to get what we needed for less. I will never pay full price (and neither will you if you follow my advice) – thanks mom!
2. Forgive and forget – my mom had a tough childhood and some difficult family members. She taught me that you should forgive and forget and not hold a grudge. Grudges just hurt you and not the person who caused you harm.
3. This too shall pass – keep trying no matter what – my mom was not always given an easy hand. She never stopped trying. I think my perseverance comes from my mom.
4. Keep things clean, stay organized and BE ON TIME! I used to make fun of my mom’s lists next to the phone. Now I have my own. I also made fun of her when she hired a cleaning lady (easiest job in America). I never made fun of her for being on time. I hate being late. She taught me that being on time shows respect. Thank you, mom!
5. Look for love but always be able to take care of yourself. When I think of my mom taking care of us and trying to make ends meet, I realize that she never discouraged me from looking for a great spouse. However, she instilled in me the desire, and drive, to earn a living and to become my own person FIRST. I am really fortunate for that! (AND I have an awesome spouse – a WIN-WIN!)
6. Everything in moderation (well I did not fully learn this one, but mom is good at it!) – My mom eats half a muffin or treat. Her doctor told her to cut down on fats and voila, less fats. She eats sweets and treats in moderation. (I am still working on this – maybe I learned too much from my dad on this one!)
So that is some of the wisdom that I learned from my mom. What does that have to do with hydration? Not much, but she does take great care of herself! (See photos! Doesn’t she look great?) Some of these are stay healthy tips for sure.
Want more wisdom from healthy moms or to share some from your mom? Become a fan of Nestlé® Pure Life® on Facebook and stay tuned for the launch of this year’s Hydration Movement in late July! Nestlé® Pure Life® will continue to focus on healthy hydration, while also embracing “Mom’s Wisdom” – sharing and discovering things that moms have shared over the generations that make our lives better. And one thing all moms can agree on is that it’s important to keep the family healthy, hydrated and happy. They will also have some great giveaways and prizes all summer! Check it out!
Your lessons learned and wisdom from the moms in your life should be shared, too! Visit the Nestlé® Pure Life® Facebook wall and leave a comment with the hashtag #momswisdom sharing what your mother told you and how it has made you a better person.
Stay tuned in the coming weeks for great tips in staying hydrated from Nestlé® Pure Life®, too. And don’t forget, trading just one soda for a bottle of water can help you lose several additional pounds a year. Good Advice: Stay Healthy, Stay Hydrated.
Please note: This post was sponsored by Nestlé® Pure Life® and I have received consideration from Linqia on their materials, tweets and posts.
