I am very blessed that I am able to be my mother's daughter. I can honestly say that my mom is my very best friend. It was not until I was older that I realized that not all girls have the same kind of relationships with their mothers as I have with mine. Throughout the years, I have learned many important lessons from my mom. She taught me things such as how to decently put on my makeup, how to make spaghetti, and how to maintain a beautiful garden. Sometimes it would take me going against her advice to end up learning the lesson the hard way. (Turns out, it was, indeed, a bad idea to dye my hair black when I was 16. You were right, mom!) As I've gotten older, I've realized that the life lessons I've learned from my mom have helped shape me into the woman I am today. I truly cannot express how thankful I am that my mom took the time to stress the importance of life's vital principles during the years of my upbringing. Here are eight life lessons I've learned from my mom.

1. How to take responsibility for my own actions

From a very young age, I did not get away with very much. My mom would never hesitate to ground me when I acted out. I would always seem to find myself grounded for the trouble I would get in, most of it being fighting with my sister. At the time, I would obviously be pretty upset about being in trouble however, looking back, I am thankful that I lost privileges when I did things that were against the rules. It taught me that if I behaved poorly, I would have to suffer the consequences. It also taught me to take responsibility for my actions and not to blame others for my faults. I am so thankful that my mom stressed the importance of this at a young age.

2. The importance of an apology

After being punished for the trouble I would get into, my mom would always expect an apology for my bad behavior. No matter how mad I was at my mom for punishing me, I would always be forced to swallow my pride and genuinely apologize to her and whoever else was involved. A simple apology for something like hitting my younger sister did not seem to have very much significance to me at the time, but I now realize that it taught me how to recognize when I am in the wrong and offer a genuine apology to others. This is a very powerful thing. It is sometimes hard to do because everybody likes to be right. My mom taught me that no matter how much I want to be right in a situation, it is better to bury the hatchet and apologize.

3. The importance of forgiveness

By now, it is no secret that I got into trouble from time to time in my teenage years. I can be hot-headed and I have said things to my mom that should be unforgivable. No matter how much I would infuriate my mom, she would always find a way to forgive me for whatever I said or did. From this, I learned that holding a grudge is never the right thing to do. She's taught me that having hate in my heart is never worth anything significant in the long run. This is something I try to live by in my adult years.

4. The power of prayer

I have always suffered from anxiety. Over the years, my anxiety has been triggered by several different things. Storms were the main trigger of my anxiety during a majority of my childhood. I remember spending several mornings before school panicking if the sky looked ominous with clouds. My mom would always encourage me to pray when I would begin to panic. I remember the first time I ever took her advice. As I was freaking out about the sky, I began to pray. I remember a sense of relaxation and calmness instantly came over me. This showed me the true power of prayer. We can't always handle our issues on our own. We really do need to "let go and let God" sometimes. That same calm feeling still comes over me each time I pray.

5. How to be strong for others in the face of adversity

My mom, sister, and I have been through some pretty tough obstacles over the years. Most prominent of these obstacles was when our home burned down in 2007. It was during the last night of our vacation in Overland Park, Kansas when we got the call from a neighbor that our house was on fire. We immediately packed our things and set out on the six hour journey back to what had previously been our home. I remember sitting in the backseat with my sister crying most of the way home. Somehow, my mom was able to be strong for my sister and me and get us home safely despite the awful circumstance. My mom still tried to comfort us during the car ride even though she was going through the same heartbreak. This taught me the importance of being strong for others during times of hardship. I can never admire her enough for the strength the showed during that tough time.

6. How to be the best version of myself I can be

There were many mornings in high school where I would wake up being so tired that I simply could not muster the ability to put on any makeup or wear anything other than sweatpants and t-shirts. Like clockwork, each morning I would do this, my mom would say, "Is that what you're wearing to school?" At the time, her saying this would really irritate me. Now that I am older, I understand her intention behind saying this. My mom always stressed the importance of a first impression and the ways in which we present ourselves. You never know when you will need to make a good first impression on someone. Putting effort into our appearance and looking professional shows that we care about whatever it is we are doing. My mom always taught me to present myself in the best way possible. This advice has paid off in adulthood when it has come to things such as job interviews and important meetings. We should always be prepared to make a great first impression.

7. Doing the right thing does not require a reward

Throughout my years in school, I always had friends that would be rewarded money for making good grades on their report cards. I was always incredibly jealous of these friends. My mom would always refuse to pay my sister and me for making good grades. She would always tell my sister and me that we should want to earn good grades for the sake of pride and fulfillment. This made us learn an important lesson early in life: we will not always receive a reward for doing things we are supposed to do. We should not do certain things for the sake of a reward. We should do these things simply because they are the right thing to do. This has kept me and my sister from developing a sense of entitlement in life, which is something I am extremely grateful for.

8. How to love unconditionally

It is said that there is no greater love than that of a mother. I certainly know this to be true. I know that no matter what decisions I make in life, my mom will never stop loving me. This is not only evident in the love my mom shows my family, but also in the love my mother shows others, as well. Being the child of a teacher, I have grown up having to share my mother's love with all of her students at school. My mom is so passionate about her job, and she truly loves her students. Having the ability to show love and compassion to not only your children, but the children of others is extremely admirable. This has taught me that I should always love others regardless of circumstance. It is partly my mother's passion for her students and teaching that has inspired me to pursue a career in the field of education, as well.

My mom is truly unaware of the major impact she has made on my life. I hope she realizes just how much I cherish the lessons she has taught me over the years. I also hope she knows just how thankful I am for her. I would not be the person I am today if it were not for her.