When you have a strong mother, you realize you don’t need a man to find happiness. You realize that any girl can flourish on her own, without a hand to hold. You realize that your love life has zero correlation with how successful you become, with how fulfilled you feel.
When you have a strong mother, you learn to cultivate your independence. How to speak your mind in social situations. How to stand up for yourself during confrontations. How to survive on your own, how to thrive on your own. You figure out how to take care of yourself, just like she did, because you want to make her proud.
When you have a strong mother, you respect yourself. You don’t let anyone talk down to you. You don’t let anyone walk over you. You don’t let anyone look at you as a body instead of a human being. You expect to be treated with a certain level of respect.
When you have a strong mother, you know what love feels like. You know how families are supposed to treat each other. You know what is healthy and what is toxic. What kind of people you should greet with open arms and what kind of people you should keep your distance from.
When you have a strong mother, you are smart enough to see that crying doesn’t equate to weakness. You understand that even the bravest people break down sometimes. That even the toughest girls can feel like their world is falling to pieces in front of them.
When you have a strong mother, you never give up on yourself. You get off your ass after you fall and try again. You tell yourself that you can do this, that you aregood enough. You never accept failure as an option. You keep trying until you get what you want.
When you have a strong mother, you will never forget that you are worth something. You will never allow yourself to be taken advantage of, because you know your mother would not stand for that kind of behavior. You keep your standards high, because you were taught that you deserve something special.
When you have a strong mother, you never feel alone. No matter what, you have someone who will pick you off the floor when you struggle to stand. Someone who will remind you that you are badass enough to get through your darkest days. Someone who will push you to follow your dreams because you are smart enough to reach success.
When you have a strong mother, you have a best friend for life. You have someone who you can talk to about whatever has been bothering you. You have someone who will help you fix anything that you find broken. You have someone who will be there for you whenever you need her, because she is only a phone call away.
When you have a strong mother, she is your inspiration. She is your role model. When you have a strong mother, you grow into a strong woman yourself.
By Holly Riordan for ThoughtCatalog