Here at HER magazine, we love to celebrate trailblazing, hard working women — especially when they are celebrating their trailblazing, hard working mothers. For this Mother’s day, I’ve pulled together a list of ten especially inspiring quotes from the women we admire, as each of them reflect on the influence that one special lady had on their incredible lives.
1. On being our friend…
“There were times when, in middle school and junior high, I didn’t have a lot of friends. But my mom was always my friend. Always.” —Taylor Swift
Sure, it’s hard to imagine TSwift without any friends, but apparently her younger years were no more charmed than the rest of us — and her mother got her through it.
2. On the lessons they taught us…
“Acceptance, tolerance, bravery, compassion. These are the things my mom taught me.” — Lady Gaga
Lady Gaga is arguably one of the most compassionate and brave musicians in the business, so it looks like those lessons struck a chord.
3. On embracing the way you look…
“I have a mom who’s a feminist – she’s an English professor, an intellectual. She really gave me the equipment to understand that you can celebrate yourself without putting yourself down or needing to apologize for the way you look.” – Emily Ratajkowski
Considering Ratajkowski went on to be a highly successful supermodel, it looks like her mother’s encouragement stuck.
4. On being there for us…
“My earliest memory is my mom picking me up after I had fallen down, giving me a big hug and reading me ‘Goodnight Moon.’ From that moment, to this one, every single memory I have of my mom is that regardless of what was happening in her life, she was always, always there for me.” – Chelsea Clinton
With a mother as busy as Hillary Clinton, it speaks volumes that her daughter would describe their relationship this way.
5. On losing our mother…
“I would say that my mother is the single biggest role model in my life, but that term doesn’t seem to encompass enough when I use it about her. She was the love of my life.” —Mindy Kaling
Kaling has opened up about losing her mother in the past, and reminds us that for many, Mother’s Day is bittersweet. No matter how you’re feeling today, we stand by you.
6. On how deeply they are a part of us…
“How simple a thing it seems to me that to know ourselves as we are, we must know our mothers’ names.” – Alice Walker
The novelist and poet behind “The Color Purple” reminds us that no matter where they are or how well we know them, our mothers are a piece of our identity.
7. On believing in ourselves…
“My parents elected me president of the family when I was 4. We actually had an election every year and I always won. I’m an only child, and I could count on my mother’s vote.” —Condoleezza Rice
And, apparently, it was the only vote she needed.
8. On tough relationships…
“I love my mom. My mom loves me. We don’t have an easy relationship. I don’t think we ever will, but I’d rather have a complicated, misunderstood relationship than have no relationship at all.” – Tori Spelling
The actress points out what we all know deep in our souls: even if our mom isn’t perfect, she’s still our mom, and that means something.
9. On knowing just how to fix all our problems…
“Whenever something went wrong when I was young – if I had a pimple or if my hair broke – my mom would say, ‘Sister mine, I’m going to make you some soup.’ And I really thought the soup would make my pimple go away or my hair stronger.” – Maya Angelou
Didn’t it always seem like mom had all the answers?
10. On how we just don’t appreciate them enough…
“‘My mother did this for me once,’ she will realize as she cleans feces off her baby’s neck. ‘My mother did this for me.’ And the delayed gratitude will wash over her as it does each generation and she will make a mental note to call me. And she will forget. But I’ll know.” – Tina Fey
Granted, Fey wasn’t explicitly talking about her own mother, but I think the implication is there.
Have you called your mother today?
Bonus #11: On Being The Voice In Our Head…
“I heard once that how we speak to our children becomes their inner voice, and that is certainly true for me. Whenever I’m worried about failing, it’s my mom’s voice I hear pointing out the endless positive possibilities, assuring me that I can do it, and gently reminding me that failing is not nearly so bad as never making an attempt.”
That one was me, actually. I love you, mom. You’re the best.
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