Dear readers,
It's been a busy few days for fantastic women! In the UK, it was Mother's Day on Sunday and now today, it is International Women's Day.
So I thought I'd mark the occasion by celebrating the best woman I know; my mum.
She has to be one of the most self-assured, contented people I have ever met in my life, and I have always looked up to her, even in times when she would rather I didn't. To me she will always be a mum first, but she is so much more than that; an athlete, a warrior, a wife, a daughter, an accountant, a fervent follower of politics, and an aspiring rocket scientist!
My mum is my ultimate best friend and I would not have it any other way. She is, to me, the epitome of a strong, independent woman. In a time and culture where woman's marriages were more important than their education and careers, she refused to accept that as fact, and married only as and when she chose to. She was strong and confident just because.
She is just a good person; that's a pretty vague statement, I know, but she is. She's taught me so much, that as I grow older all I wish for is to be even half the person that she is now.
She has taught me...
1. To be forgiving - you never know what someone is going through and why they are the way that they are so let them off the hook every now and then.
2. To be kind, BUT not taken advantage of - life is for you to live and you can judge the times when kindness is really needed, over the times when a tougher stance is required.
3. To laugh - she has always been forever smiling, even through the hardest days of her life. She hates more than anything the fact that people restrict themselves of the joy to laugh, loudly and energetically.
4. Not to conform - "you are you and that is better than anything else you could be", my mum to me, in my insecure moments.
5. Not to apologise for having an opinion - she has never allowed herself to be hushed, and loves to interact in a barrage of noise and bustle where people are learning and sharing thoughts and discussion.
6. That anger/bitterness burns at your soul - no one and nothing is worth that loss so, darling, let it go!
7. To appreciate a good eyebrow - you need to not worry about anything else if your eyebrows are full and framing your face.
8. That you should never leave the house without a swipe of lippy and a smile - it brightens your face and hides your troubles. No one else should have to know when you're not at your best and problems are dealt with more dignity when only those who need to know, do know.
9. Always acknowledge your good features - she never once told me I was pretty or lovely, without qualifying that with mention to a specific feature, and I'm so grateful for that. She allowed me to see the good things, without dwelling on the parts of myself that I didn't really like as much.
10. To take care of my skin - she made sure moisturising and cleansing were a priority for me from day one. She said to always massage the moisturiser into your face upwards to stop sagging skin!
11. That home cooking is about heritage - I'm still a hopeless cook but she taught me to appreciate the culture behind all food and to know my own culture through the food specific to it. Persian biriyani anyone?
12. To never skip breakfast - if you want to have a good day, why start it hungry?
12. To read - to read openly and widely, and just to learn about the world and humanity and history and politics in any way that I am happy with. To read is to never be left alone, for you are sharing in the experiences of others.
This is only a handful of the things that she has taught me and I'm sure she will continue to teach me much more. Basically, she's amazing and I hope she reads this and knows just how loved she is.
It is International Women's Day today, and the current tag line is #onedayiwill. One day I will be as confident and assured as my mum.
My momma's a badass, and so is yours! So let me know what it is that your mother or any other women in your lives have taught you.
Until next time, be inspired...
Love, Z
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