Over my somewhat short 19 years, I have been able to gain valuable life lessons from my mom. Since not all people have as cool a mother as I do, I thought I'd let everyone in on a few of her secrets.

1. No Money= No Spending

Although it sounds simple, so many people do not know how to live within their budget. With a few exceptions such as college or buying a new home, loans should be a very last resort. Credit cards are most people's demise, not their friend. Only spend money you have in cash or in your bank account and when you must take out a loan, repay it as soon as possible.

2. "He's hot, right? Even better, he does the dishes."

Like most moms, my mother has a list of preferred qualities and characteristics my future husband should have. At the top of that list hangs the following expectation: he does the dishes without being asked. She claims that any man who is willing to stoop to the all-time low job of doing the dishes for you is worth considering marrying and I really think she is on to something with this! A common trait in happy marriages, I have personally observed, is that the hubby happily helps out with dishes. Coincidence or not, I'm not taking any chances!

3.There's No Pause Button for Life.

Maybe your job is tough, you got a bad haircut, or you didn't like lunch today. But according to my tough mamma, life stops for no individual. Sometimes you just have to pick up the pieces and put them back together as you move forward, but the key is that you always move forward.

4. The Worst Punishment is Guilt.

I have made some huge mistakes, but my wise mother knew that I wouldn't learn from harsh consequences. The most vivid, harsh lessons I learned were because I felt guilt and regret for my own decisions and that taught me a great deal. After wrecking my car in high school, I paid the ticket out of my own pocket but my mom didn't revoke my driving privileges. Instead, she made me drive right after the wreck and get over it. I knew how much I let her down by speeding and putting myself as well as my brother's life in danger. She knew I wouldn't do it again, and there was no need to rub dirt in the wound.

5. Do Good Because it Feels Good.

Whether the world's moral standards change or not, my mother taught me to do the right thing because it feels good inside, not because it is correct by other people's standards. As the value of family and marriage degrades around us, I have been taught to protect my own virtue because I know I can feel clean and good about myself. Giving service doesn't literally "pay-off" and is often overlooked by the world but I know, from first-hand experience, that helping others makes you feel good inside. Do good because it feels good, and that truth will never change.

Hopefully some of the advice my mother gave me rang true to you, too. Reflect on the good advice others have given you and feel free to add them in the comments below!