5 Things I Learned from My Mom that Make Me Ultra Strong

My special thanks to Hefty® for sponsoring this post, and sparking the idea of sharing what makes me an ultra strong mom. #HeftyPartner #UltraStrongMom

My son heard me say I wanted to write this article about things I’ve learned from my mom that make me a strong woman. A few minutes later, when we got in the car and started driving to his Karate class, he asked me to pass him his bottled water. So, I did.

Then he says: ‘Mom, can you open it for me, please?’  and I said, ‘Bring it closer and hold it tight in your hand.’

I kept my left hand on the wheel, eyes on the road, stretched my right arm, and twisted the cap open in 2 seconds flat.

Wow mom, you really ARE strong. You should write that in your article!

I laughed and said: That’s really cute, but it’s not about your muscles, it’s about your mind, and your heart. It’s about the things that make me strong on the inside.

I adore his innocence. You see, my boy thinks that I am so strong because I twisted open a bottle cap without even looking. He admires me, and that makes my heart sing. Because there are some things in life that you can only learn from your mom. After all, mom knows best!

In honor of Mother’s Day, Hefty® has teamed up with John Cena and his mom Carol Cena, to bring us this ‘Mom Knows Best’ message, and I could not be more excited to be their partner since my wanna-be-so-strong son is a big fan of John Cena.

I put Hefty® Ultra Strong™ trash bags to the test in a back and front yard clean-up spree. Not one sharp tree stick put a tear or punctured the bag thanks to the Triple Action Technology.  In the kitchen, we know a thing or two about messes. Finally, a bag that doesn’t fall inside the can, because of the resistant grip drawstring, and the ARM & HAMMER™ patented odor neutralizer keeps my kitchen free of food waste odors.

Here are 5 things I learned from my mother that make me an ultra strong mom.

1. The Glass is Always Half Full

My mom has this amazing ability to look on the bright side of things. In times where money was tight, she taught me how to see the beauty of the least expensive pair of shoes at the store, or on the borrowed dress from my cousin that had a beautiful handmade macramé detail that the one at the store didn’t.

She taught me that anything, has a positive side and we must always look at it. And I can’t tell you how many compliments I had on that macramé dress!

At the store, I asked my son to look for the Hefty® Ultra Strong™ trash bags and I taught him how to compare prices by reading labels and packaging. Our find was “Hefty, Hefty, Hefty” strength at a low price. With 100% satisfaction guaranteed, or your money back.  

Spending our money on things with true value is a life lesson every mom should pass on to their children. From buying a pair of shoes, a toy, or trash bags, I am always on the lookout for a low price as long as there’s good quality in return.

2. Patience Is Everything

The rush just brings fatigue. From waiting for the flowers to bloom to waiting for life-changing documents to come in the mail, my mom has the patience of a saint.

 

I might have just an eighth of her ability to wait for things to unfold the way they should, but that small fraction of patience has been enough to give me focus, persistence, and clarity. Especially in my professional endeavors.

It could be tomorrow, it could be a year from now, but for us, no step is taken in vain. While we can’t change the past, we can live the present with hope and optimism for a better future.

3. Family is Forever

I am a firm believer that my inner strength comes from the tight family ties we have.  Even though we are all spread throughout 4 different countries, we value the memories we have, the blood that we share, and do our best to pass that onto the next generations.

Forty years ago, my mom changed her entire life by moving to a different country, separating herself from her mother and siblings, in order to start her married life and a family of her own. We (my sister and I) grew up away from grandparents, aunts, and uncles. But the phone calls, the presents, and the cards always came in the mail and we had a true connection with them. Fast forward a few years, and life brought my mom, dad, and us back to her hometown and we had our best years and best memories with cousins, aunts, and uncles.

Today, I value infinitely the fact that my own mother and father, uprooted themselves once again, to be close to us in the US. I do not take one day for granted, having my mom live 2 miles away, see her grandkids grow, and spend every holiday together.

4. Life is Made of Seasons

My mom has taught me that to be content with the life you have, you must let go of the life you did. In simple words: be thankful for what you had. There’s a time and a place for everything.

Just like the flowers in my front yard. They bloom beautifully in the cool and dry South Florida’s winter/spring season. We water them, we cherish them while we have them and take care of them until it’s time to let go of them in the late spring.

When the sun starts wilting the flowers, the petals start fading, and leaves turn yellow, we know it’s time to start pruning and pretty soon, a couple of weeks or so, we need to uproot them and plant a new resilient summer flower.

One of my favorite quotes from Paulo Coelho reads:

You can’t tell spring: Hopefully you will arrive soon, and will last long. You can only say: Come, bless me with your hope, and stay as long as you can.

When my mom became a widow, she went through the natural time of grief and bereavement. But six years later, whenever we talk about it, she only has words of gratefulness for the time spent with dad, the things they shared and the family they built.

Along the same lines, I teach my son to be thankful for summer breaks and vacations on the beach with his cousin. I teach him that we must welcome the new school year and the beautiful season of fall with open arms. After all, there is always lots of candy and costumes waiting for us!  

5. Politeness Does Not Make You Weak

When I say that my mom has the patience of a saint, I also mean she has the heart of one. The words ‘rude’ and ‘my mom’ will never be in the same sentence. My mom’s respect and appreciation for others is a characteristic I picked from her since a very early age. After all, the good ol’ saying ‘Monkey see, monkey do’ holds true.

Social manners and consideration for others is the most valuable thing we can pass to our children. Things like holding the door for someone, springing to pick something off the floor, asking others about them and how their life is, giving honest and heartfelt compliments, are only a few of many ways of showing we care.

At 8 years old, my son knows that being nice and polite doesn’t make him a weak kid. I am passing on to him the fact that politeness makes you strong in mind and heart, and when we are polite to others, they will always look up to you, never down.

Politeness, love, and kindness, lift spirits and make the world go round.

I want my son to remember me as his ultra strong mom that can achieve anything with the right mindset. How would you like your child to remember you?

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Hefty®. All opinions are 100% my own.