Friday, April 27, 2012

Live Like the Honey Badger: Principle 10

This is the tenth and final post in a series entitled, Live Like the Honey Badger. In each post, I address one aspect of developing confidence, self-worth, a fearless nature and the like. Previous weeks are linked below.

Principle 1: Honey Badger Don't Care
Principle 2: Accept Yourself. Your Whole Self
Principle 3: Surround Yourself With Honey Badgers
Principle 4: Break the Mold
Principle 5: It's Not Selfish. It's Self Fulfilling 
Principle 6: It's Your Life. Take Responsibility
Principle 7: Find Your Strengths and Play to Them
Principle 8: Embrace Failure
Principle 9: Define Your Own Happiness

Principle 10: Pass on the Honey Badger Mindset

As a mama Honey Badger, I feel it's my responsibility to raise my little ones to be Honey Badgers too. I want nothing more in life than to raise confident and powerful daughters who can be proud of who they are and the decisions they make.

Each and every day, I try my best to live my life in a manner that I would want them to emulate. Do I stumble? Yes, at times. But, I never let the little things get in my way (or the big things for that matter) and I use all of my failures to teach them about resiliency and perseverance. I want them to know that hard work pays off and that no one can hold them back except for themselves.

I see every interaction I have with my daughters as an opportunity to teach them a life lesson, be it, compassion or consequence. I am their mother first, their mentor second and their friend third. My methods may seem cold or harsh at times, but I know they will appreciate me for it later.

The lessons I teach are never anything complicated.

  • I tell them to listen before they speak, to think before they act and to treat others as they would like to be treated.
  • I tell them to create their own destiny, to follow their own paths and to trust who they are.
  • I tell them that they are beautiful because of the people they are, not because of what they see in the mirror. 
  • I tell them that it doesn't matter if their clothes are in shambles or if they are covered in slime, their beauty and worth will still shine through.
  • I tell them that they shouldn't care what others think, not because others' opinions are invalid or worthless, but because you should never let someone else define who you are going to or want to be.
  • And everyday, I tell them to be awesome, to make their day awesome and to help those around them to be awesome too.
It only takes a second to pass along these messages, but their effects can last a lifetime. It's not enough to just live your life like a Honey Badger, you need to help those around you do it too. So, go. Pass on the Honey Badger mindset. We'll all be better for it.

7 comments:

Dani said...

Love this last one--my little one is going to be 3 in Sepetember and I already see she takes in everything I do and say. I was never really challenged to do sports growing up b/c I was a klutz and I played into that most of my life. I realize now, at 33 that I am actually a pretty good runner and I have the ability to lift weight. I am trying to be a positive role model for my Lil One so that like yu say, she sees that not everything comes easy and that sometimes it takes hard work and dedication to bring to fruition your goal(s). Great reminder--and maybe the best principle!

rubbish clearance london said...

Great advice. Sometimes I forget that I'm awesome thank's for reminding me.

Unknown said...

I feel a book in the works girl.

Shellyrm ~ just a country runner said...

My oldest now refers to the "life lessons" from his growing up days, when he hears me sharing things with his younger sister and brother. It makes me happy to know that now he see things moments as lessons and he remembers them. Although he may not have applied all of them to how his lives his life right now, it gets me a sense of peace to know that he at least has them inside himself to drawn on as he makes his own life. I just hope that I can help the two younger ones to embrace the things I am trying to teach/demonstrate. The sooner they grab on to them the easier life will be. At least I think so.

Fighthits said...

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carrie said...

Thank you for this series T, I have thoroughly enjoyed it and am trying to put your words into practice. Not just in my life but also my two boys.

Suzanne said...

Those are great lessons to teach your daughters! I wish someone would have taught them to me when I was younger.