Is there someone special in your life who really inspires you?  We all need to have people around us who believe in us, who love us unconditionally, and who see more in us than we see in ourselves.

I am blessed to have many mentors, both personally and professionally, who do encourage me, stretch me and challenge me to be the best I can be. However, THE person who really held me to my best was my Mother. She passed away at New Year’s and I have felt the loss over these past many months.

My mother and I were estranged for close to 10 years but, for the past 6 years, we restored that relationship and our bond was like cement. I know that many women entrepreneurs can relate to having a difficult or challenging relationship with your mothers – or no relationship at all. This article is intended to inspire you and to give you hope. I learned a lot of life lessons from my mother – she was an amazing, courageous, brilliant, inquisitive woman – and I applied those lessons to my business. Here are my favorites.

Lesson No. 1 – Living In Your Past Will Not Serve You In Your Future.

This lesson was specifically applied to my mastery as a public speaker. My mother, in the past few years, has been totally amazed that people would pay me, and pay me very well, to speak in public. She constantly reminded me of the days, in elementary school, when she had to literally ply my fingers off the chair rails and pull me out from under chairs, to get me to go to school. I was painfully shy! (yes, really!) The lesson here is that we all have great potential – but we also tend to dwell on the past, on what people have said about us, what our beliefs are about our abilities – and, therefore, we do not use our potential. I read a note on Facebook lately that sums it up: “If someone tells you that you cannot paint – then just start painting!” Enough said.

Lesson No. 2 – Work Hard.

I grew up in a military family – we had no money. My Dad was a great role model when it came to work ethic. He was proud to be able to support our large family – and I learned a lot from him about discipline, focus, time management (that’s why I am a bit of a compulsive punctual, I will admit!), and respect. My mother was a ‘stay at home’ Mom for many years and I know it is no easy task to manage a household of 9! My father was away a lot and for long periods of time – my Mom worked hard to keep the family happy, healthy and together. Things don’t necessarily come easy – and so we must work hard. It’s easier, of course, when you are doing work you love. I do work hard – and I play hard, too.

Lesson No. 3 – Say What You Mean.

My mother was never shy when it came to speaking her mind – sometimes, those words were quite brutal, actually. But I did learn that honesty is the best policy (we can ‘temper’ some of our statements though so they aren’t hurtful!). Be your authentic self and say what you mean.

Lesson No. 4 – Ask Questions. Keep Learning.

My mother was extremely inquisitive – almost to the day she died. She was always asking questions. I remember, just a few years ago, she was dying to know how computer animation worked – she was 86 years old at the time! And she really wanted to know. It intrigued her to no end. I loved that about her – and I am a chip off the old block. My Mom made it ok to ask questions constantly, to keep learning about many different things and to keep your brain active.

Lesson No. 5 – Stay Connected.

While we were estranged for many years, once we restored our relationship, it was important for my Mom to stay connected with me. She had a sincere curiosity about the work I do and the places I go – especially when I was on the world tours. She followed my travel blog on her computer and, when I would return from business trips, she would be the first to call to ask how things went (and, what did I learn?! – always her question!). I miss those phone calls now because they not only helped me, and my work, to feel validated – but I love to share, too. Staying connected is critical to our human wellness – I strongly believe that’s why Facebook is so popular. People want to feel heard.

There are many more things I learned from my Mom – and many ways that she inspired me – to be the best person I could be and the best business woman I could be.

All the life lessons are easily applied when it comes to business.

So, who inspires you? If there is no person like that in your life right now, be sure to reach out and ask someone. It makes a world of difference – and, hey, my Mom would be proud of you!

Who inspires you and why?

Let me know your thoughts – I’d love to hear from you!