Everyone has a story worth sharing

It seems very fitting to honor my mom two days in a row, considering all that she's done for me: Today, for International Women's Day, and yesterday, on her 71st birthday.

For her 70th, I gifted her the card and magnet pictured above and a subscription to Storyworth - a service that helps preserve personal stories and memories by emailing Mom weekly questions for one year, the answers to which they'll compile into a personalized hardcover book.

As the gifter, I'm copied on Mom's responses. It's been incredibly touching to learn about aspects of her childhood and life that I knew very little about, but that left an indelible mark on her and shaped the woman she is today. As we await the hard copy, here are some inspiring and practical things I've learned from Mom:

• The source of all her happiness is serving others and supporting her tribe. Mom values assisting others over achieving results. She and my dad will be married 50 years this June (no small feat!) and have worked together just as long! Owning an automotive repair business in our town, they've built their lives around a commitment to serve others. The first to lend a hand to a neighbor, make you soup when you are sick, package meals when you have a baby, bake meatballs for the church bazaar, and make you a Cricut craft or painting, Mom loves doing things for others without any expectation of return.
• It's okay to have chocolate cake for breakfast (birthdays are a great reason)!
• Make acronyms and mnemonic games so you can easily recall things. SQ3R (Survey, Question, Read, Review, Respond) - helpful middle school study skills and a great aid for the dreaded reading comprehension portion of the S.A.T. "U-CAN!" (Utah, Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico) - helped me go from "you-can..." to "I did ace my 4th grade geography test."
• Sometimes you need a good cry.
• Save for a rainy day. Rainy days happen and if they didn't, you wouldn't fully appreciate the sunny ones. ?
• There is no one way to be a perfect mom, but there are a million ways to be a great one.
• Dream big! (She's applying to be a Philadelphia Phillies ball girl) ?

Now, as President of a Women Owned Small Business and mother, I fully recognize how things have changed in Work Life....and where they haven't.

According to the latest Women in the Workplace Report:

• Two-thirds of women under 30 aspire to be senior leaders. My mom shared that she and her friends didn't feel as though they had options other than a teacher or secretary. And, as the middle child, there wasn't enough money to send everyone to college, so that opportunity was only afforded to her older brother.
• Women are requesting work flexibility and an "8-5 that doesn't interfere with their 5-9," especially when household responsibilities, irrespective of earnings and role within an organization, remain disproportionate. My mom was a great role model in the 5-9PM which happened after her 7-5 and entailed shuffling kids around to after-school activities and well visits, grocery shopping, cooking, laundry, etc.
• Knowing the need to perform, women are hungry for more feedback and coaching.

I'm grateful for the opportunities I've been afforded and for my women friends who have taught me how to learn, lead, serve others, and become my best self. International Women's Day belongs to everyone, everywhere.

Once upon a time, you were a little girl with big dreams that you promised you’d make real one day. Don’t disappoint yourself.

Resources that have helped me be a better mom and daughter the past month:

• Sax, Leonard. Girls on the Edge: Why So Many Girls Are Anxious, Wired, and Obsessed – and What Parents Can Do.
• Podcast: Good Inside: Parenting with Dr. Becky.
• Gift idea for the great women in your life Storyworth
• More data from The Fund for Women and Girls Blueprint Report can be found at https://www.thefundcc.org/research