What did you learn from your mother?

I feel blessed to be able to introduce my beautiful mother to you all.  Whether your mother is not with you anymore, in another country, cognitively impaired or living next door to you…write her a letter about all the things that she said or did that made you the woman or man you are today.

My sisters and I often exchange mum’s profound anecdotes, her thinking was always off-centre and different to those around her.  Share your mum’s wisdom with on us on Instagram #drliannetaylor – we can learn from them. Hopefully our daughters will integrate their wisdom sooner than I did!

Through her indomitable presence my mum taught me ‘almost’ everything there is to know about these FIVE ways of living a fulfilling life:

Love your body

Fashion – be original

Beauty – present the best you

Food – eat small and often

Pilates & Yoga – practice everyday

Love your body

It doesn’t matter what shape you are – take pride in your body.

My mum felt confident enough to lie naked with her legs up in the air – try it and feel liberated!

Fashion

Have your own style – style comes from inner confidence.

Don’t worry about what others are wearing – create and own your individual look.

Like her Grandmother, it never worked when I told my daughter that all the other little girls would be wearing party dresses while she wore jeans!  She is like living with my mother all over again…

Beauty

Always put on your face (i.e. your makeup, creams and sun protection) before you meet the world, sometimes before your lover or little kids (in my mother’s case) wake up.

Mum had her share of tears, but she would cry in the bathroom, and reapply her mascara.  She loved her local pharmacy!

Food

Only eat small amounts – little and often

Mum used to get full just looking at large plates of food.  She always cut things up into small pieces and left it on a plate to nibble later.  

Exercise

Pilates – make exercise part of the housework, reach for a plate and suck your tummy in to your belly button.

Yoga – watch tv and hold your toes legs out stretched, don’t mind who is watching.

Mum was working her core and practicing Pilates and Yoga long before I knew the names!  She would walk across the floor on her bottom, throw her legs into the air or whip her body into a should stand doing bicycle movements up in the air.  She often sat in Asanas on the floor twisting her body because it felt good to stretch – she didn’t call it Asanas of course!

And finally, my mum was a major influence in my love of 1960s fashion.  She wore it well….bring back kitten heels and hipsters.  What would you like to bring back from your mother?