Moms: I know we forget to say it but thank you

Mothers… we do not give you enough credit. The way you juggle children, run them around to their activities, do chores and errands, homework and fun activities and I know the list goes on. I am in awe of each and every one of you.

Recently we held our third annual Beautiful Me Mothers photo shoot to celebrate mothers everywhere and it was a blast. I was able to meet new people, introduce Self Love Beauty to a few and see many familiar faces. Shoutout to our photographer Kaela Dolan for her amazing work.

I watched how they each interacted with each other and by the end were chatting, talking about motherhood and relating to each other on many stories.

Mothers need self-love and care too. You are incredible. Learning from each of you, I always wonder, when I am a mother will I be just as strong, courageous and empathic? Will I have the skills to become the mother all of these women are? The answer is yes, because I am learning from the best.

See mothers, we watch you and we learn from you. We watch how you treat other people, how hard you work, what you do for us and what you do for yourself. We watch and we learn. I know that role can be tiring and I know we do not say ‘thank you’ enough but deep down inside all of your children and the kids around you, we are thanking you.

We thank you for taking time to out of your schedule to make time for us, for being there when we need it, for sending care packages even when we are 29 (yes thanks mom!) and we appreciate that even when we just need to vent and want you to say nothing but listen, you are there. Those little things add up.

I envy mothers who continue to follow their dreams and encourage their daughters and son and all children around them to do the same. So if you were wondering, am I doing the job right? To be honest, I don’t think there is any right or wrong way, but I can tell you if you are there for your kids, are strong, courageous, kind and loving, you are doing a great job, because we are watching and we are so proud of you.

In just a short time being with these women in the shoot they taught me so much.

Here is some advice they would like to share about how they are teaching their own children to have self-love:

• “To be honest and true to yourself, don’t give in just to fit in for the moment. Live life the way God and your Mama raised you to. Be independent, fun, strong, fearless, don’t be afraid to cry or so emotion and always be a believer in God and your faith. With Him anything is possible.”
• “Before you can take care of anyone, you must take care of yourself. Love comes in all shapes and forms, as does beauty.”
• “I want to teach my children that they should acknowledge their emotions and understand them before moving forward to make things better. I want them to be thankful for what they have in life, or what they look like, and share that love with others. They should be thanking God for the flaws and imperfections in their bodies, along with their talents and amazing qualities.”
• “With my boys I try to teach them to love themselves and everybody. Treat everyone with respect and kindness.”
• “I want my girls to know that they need to Love themselves. They will make mistakes, but it’s ok! I want my girls to believe in themselves and to go after those dreams!”
• “I encourage her to eat healthy. I encourage her to identify her feelings and say them. I encourage her to not take mistreatment from others.”

Thank you to all the moms out there that have taught me so much. I truly appreciate each and every one of you!

Lisa Thompson is the CEO & founder of Self Love Beauty. She grew up in a small town in Michigan, where she was surrounded by fields, farms and great people. Thompson graduated from Michigan State University, with a bachelor in Communication and a specialization in Public Relations and is currently attending the University of Pennsylvania for social impact. She has more than seven year of experience in corporate communications, five years in freelance writing,  is a fitness instructor and is the Marketing lead for a non-profit called Reach Out LaFond to help a village in Haiti along with MMEDRA thats focuses on eating disorders. She is an avid runner and is training for another marathon. Thompson’s vision is to “Create a world where everyone feels empowered to love themselves and achieve anything they desire.”

Work directly with Lisa! Lisa is a self-love expert and coach, she works with individuals one on one, host confidence and empowering workshops, is a keynote speaker and emcee for many events and can help you grow in your journey. Email her at [email protected] to set up a meeting.