Three Things My Mom Taught Me (That I’m Still Trying to Master)

I think every girl goes through a phase where they realize their mom was right about, well… everything. I’m in that phase right now. My mom has always been my blueprint — she moves through the world with compassion, confidence, and the kind of quiet strength I’m still trying to figure out how to emulate.

So in honor of Mother’s Day, or just because she deserves the spotlight, here are the top three things my mom taught me.

1. Be Confident in Yourself (Even If You’re Faking It at First)

When you’re little, you think your mom is the prettiest, smartest, coolest woman in every room — and I still do. But my mom didn’t just seem confident, she taught me how to embody that energy, even if I had to fake it at first.

She taught me to say thank you when someone gives you a compliment. Not to deflect, not to downplay. Just say thank you. Because why are we taught to shrink ourselves in the name of humility? Confidence is not arrogance. Confidence is believing you belong — and that takes practice. It’s a skill. You’re not born with it. You build it.

I’ve had to lean on those skills a ton in my adult life because sometimes you just have to do things that terrify you. From trying to keep it together in a courtroom to walking into a room full of people I admire after 3 hours of sleep and an existential crisis, I had to do it, even if that meant I had to do it scared.

2. Never Let Them See You Sweat

I hear her voice in my head every time I want to write a paragraph-long text explaining why someone is 100% wrong and I am 100% right.

But the message was always the same: “Kate, never let them see you sweat.”

And she was right. That doesn’t mean suppress your feelings. It means hold your power. It means you don’t have to react to everything in real-time, especially when your blood is boiling.

Let them wonder. You can always come back with a clear head — and probably a much better argument. This advice is something I rarely followed growing up, but every time I didn’t, I wished I had.

So now I pause. I breathe. I text my mom.

3. Be Kind, Be Compassionate, Be Happy (It’s That Simple)

My mom is one of the most compassionate people I’ve ever met. She genuinely wants to help people — not because it makes her look good, but because it’s who she is. That’s why she’s amazing at her job, and I believe it is why she has the energy of a kid in Disney World.

Her life lesson? Don’t dwell. Don’t let negativity camp out in your brain rent-free. Life is too short. People are going to disappoint you. Things are going to go sideways. And none of that should take away your joy.

Being kind doesn’t mean being naive. It means choosing peace over pettiness. And yes, I’m still working on that too.

In Conclusion… Thanks Mom.

My mom is my moral compass, my emergency contact, my personal therapist, and the woman I text every time I don’t know what to do — which is often, like at the very least maybe twice a day?

So here’s to the moms who raised us, taught us how to carry ourselves, and remind us that the world isn’t ending when our train is delayed.

Love you Mom,

Kate