My daughter is turning one soon and I’m doing some soul-searching about myself and the messages I would be giving

Maya's first dressed-up professional photo at 11 months

to her.  Some thoughts were coming to me (in the shower) about what I would want to say to her (and how I should be living and role-modeling this).  I started a letter to capture some of these and am sharing, as I thought it may be food for thought with the start of the new year.

I plan to keep it in electronic form and keep adding to it.  It would be a nice ritual by adding to it annually, and give it to her before college.  I have a chest where I keep keepsakes for my two kids to have someday – maybe I will put it in there.  I separately started keeping notes about her development from the year.  In case I end up not being around in her future, I want to share with her what I have learned thus far, that may be of use to her.

Letter to my daughter, Maya

Dear Maya,

It is such a privilege and honor to have you in my life and be your mom.  In case I am not able to do so in person when you are an adult, I want to share some life lessons I’ve learned that I wish my mother relayed to me, which may be relevant for you.

• You create your own happiness
  • Do not let anyone, especially a man, control your level of happiness
• Do not wait to be rescued – only you can rescue yourself
  • People around you may not have the ability to rescue you.
    • You are empowering them to believe they can control you and your state
      • Don’t give away this basic power that is only yours
  • Know when you are behaving like a victim and projecting that out to the world.
• As a female, it is important that you understand, embrace, and LIVE the word “empowerment.”
  • Many events that can be viewed with sadness, such as a relationship ending (which truly did not serve you), can be viewed as empowering, if you allow yourself to see it that way.
  • Know and respect your power and don’t give it away to others
• You can only expect from others the level of respect you give yourself
  • Never settle on this – know and stand up for the level that you deserve
• Embracing your intelligence, intellectually and emotionally, is a good thing
  • Do not feel ashamed, question, doubt, and disregard what you know in your heart to be true.

Above all, be open to giving and receiving love.  Know that I have and will always love you.

With all my heart,

Your Mom

For more food for thought, check out my expanding collection of Quotes and Food For Thought