30 Things My Mother Taught Me

As a kid, I used to dream of growing up and becoming an adult. My mother used to laugh at me and tell me to cherish my childhood. I, of course, did not listen. However, it wasn't until this year that I truly began to value all she taught me -- the year after I graduated college and became my own person. Suddenly, everything my mother taught me about life was coming back to me. Here are 30 things my mother taught me that I didn't believe as a kid, but I 100% believe today:

1.It's okay to make mistakes in life as long as you don't let them define you.

2.Never wear white to someone else's wedding.

3.You, your face, and your body are beautiful no matter what society says.

4.Always wash your face before bed -- always.

5.Respect yourself and others will respect you.

6.Marriage is not easy, but it's a wonderful thing.

(I have yet to test this out, but from what I've seen, this seems to be the case)

7.You will never have it all figured out, but no one ever does.

8.Don't judge others -- even if you think you have the whole story.

9.Rejection is not failure.

(This one took a while to understand)

10.It's going to be hard to succeed as a woman in this world, but you can, and when you do, you'll be unstoppable.

11.Nobody owes you anything in this world.

12.It's not a crime to pamper yourself when life gets too stressful.

(Surprisingly, adulthood gets stressful)

13.Always make your bed before you leave the house.

14.Forgive but don't forget.

15.Try to listen to people before jumping in with your own opinions.

16.No means no.

17.Your dreams are worth going after.

18.Call your grandparents, siblings, and loved ones because one day you won't have the chance to hear their voice again.

(I'm glad I listened to her about this one)

19.It's okay to let a great opportunity go if it doesn't make you happy.

20. Educating yourself will get you anywhere you want to go in life.

21.Stand up for what's right, even if it's not the most popular opinion.

22.Never leave dishes in the sink for the next morning.

23. It's okay if you want to play sports and your brother wants to bake.

(I'm really grateful for this because my brother makes the most amazing double chocolate brownies)

24.Don't do things just for the recognition.

25. Never let the world tell you can't have or do anything because of who you are or where you're from.

26.Travel the world and learn as many languages as you can.

27.Take care of the poor, old, orphaned, and hungry.

28.Don't ever belittle people because you know or have something they don't.

29.Never leave the house without sunscreen.

30.Life is too short for a frown.

Thank you, Mama, for being a caregiver, a wonderful hugger, a teacher, a single parent, and a smart, independent, and confident woman to look up to. Whoever I am today, and wherever I go, it's because of the lessons you instilled in me, and the love you provided.

Also, I'm sorry about who I was between the ages of 12-16.