Inspiration
INSPIRATION: The process which mentally stimulates us to do or feel something, especially creative. A lot of people use the word motivation and inspiration interchangeably. Motivation is about psyching yourself up. Inspiration comes from a completely different place. The word inspiration means to be in spirit, when you are naturally drawn to do whatever feels best. Everyone has a source of inspiration, whether it's a famous person, artists or athlete, but there is something special about being inspired by mothers. When I ask someone, "who or what inspires you?" One of the first answers is usually, "my parents, or my mother: The month of May is dedicated to Mothers in most parts of the world. If I have to answer that question myself, I must say that yes, my mother makes first on the list, although it wasn't always that way. The relationship between mothers and teenage daughters can be the most challenging. This Oprah Winfrey quote sums it up, "You can't fix the girls and the self-esteem until you fix the mothers". As Naomi Wolf said so beautifully, "A mother who radiates self-acceptance actually VACCINATES her daughter against low self-esteem". Some mother/daughter relationships are very dysfunctional, which might lead to attachment issues as adults, lowered self-esteem , problems with conflict resolution and increased depression.
As young girls, we tend to imitate and identify with our mothers in a deep and powerful way. A mother's tone and body language programs her daughter with the attitude that affects her for the rest of her life. Mother's also tend to have high expectation for their daughters. As a teenager, I mostly remember how my mother was my biggest critic and the most powerful role model. My mother was big on looks, constantly nagging me to wear lipstick, fix my hair, wear heels. The pressure to look good adds mental stress. It can manifest as subtle thoughts of inadequacy, while for others, as outright self rejection and self hatred.
Daughters unconsciously identify with their mothers. All mothers have significant power to shape their daughters self image. When mother's demonstrate acceptance and self love, they can have a positive and meaningful influence on their daughters and change how they view themselves. When I think about mother now, I can easily say that she is my greatest teacher, a sounding board, the rock that holds the family together. Now in her late 70's, she still thinks like a thirty-year-old with an "I can do it all", mentality. She is the most compassionate person I know. Although my mother is still a critic and a fixer, we connect in an odd and unique way. She now knows when to step in and when to step out. It will never be perfect, as we get older we all change. However, despite of conflicts and complicated emotions, overall it is a good relationship and a very fulfilling one. "Successful mothers are not the ones that never struggled, they are the ones that never give up despite the struggles."