In honor of Mother’s Day, I have decided to pour a stiff drink and share some wisdom I’ve learned from my mom.

As most of you know, my mom passed on to heaven a little over two months ago (you can read more about that here) so this will be my first Mother’s Day without her. She wasn’t much of a drinker, but her drink of choice was a vodka and tonic with a twist of lime — true old school. So, in honor of my mom, let’s have a drink and I’ll share my top five “tips for a happy life” that Mom taught me…

Tip #1: “To have friends, you must be a friend.”

She knew that in order to have friends, you needed to be a friend. In other words, don’t look for what people can do for you, look for what you can do for others. This builds a lasting bond and a deeper connection. You are in that friendship because you really care for that person, not because they will benefit you in some way. This brings a happiness that only real friendship can.

Tip #2: “Cut people some slack, no one is perfect.”

She knew that perfection in people was not possible. People are flawed and we need to cut them some slack and move forward (of course, we are not talking about accepting destructive and dangerous behaviors). Forgiveness is a choice, and, when given, it frees us to live a happier life not weighed down by the exhausting energy spent being angry or holding grudges. We get our happy back.

Tip #3: “Trust in the Lord as He will never forsake you.”

Some of you may have read this in the Bible before, but she lived this out for me to see on a daily basis. Life is difficult and often hard (if not impossible) to understand. However, trusting in and aligning yourself with the Lord brings a happiness and peace this world can never offer.

Tip #4: “Choose to see the glass half full.”

Make a choice to look for the positive. This does not mean not acknowledging difficulty, sadness, etc, it means acknowledging those things but not letting them define you.  A sure path to a downward cycle is a “poor me” mentality. Remember most things are temporary and happiness is sometimes only a change of perspective away.

Tip #5: “Have a sense of humor.”

My mom had the best sense of humor. It was not a loud one but a smart, unexpected, clever and always hilarious one. It is one of the things I miss most about her. She could make me laugh about almost anything and laughter truly is the best medicine. After a good laugh, feeling happy is pretty much guaranteed…and laughter is contagious.

Happy Mother’s Day, Mom! I miss you and thank you for all the wisdom and love you gave me.

What are some of the best pieces of wisdom your mom gave you?

                     (this is a little grainy, but it is me and mom at my university graduation)