Everyone says that mother knows best, and while our 13 year-old, know-it-all, eye-rolling selves might not have known this to be true- we are now and forever 100% convinced. Seriously. Mother always knows best- and has been sharing her wisdom with us since day 1. We are so lucky to have been raised by the most amazing women, who taught us to take all of our makeup off before bed, never to get in the car with strangers, and basically how to function as a person. We could not be more thankful for our moms for teaching us all of the life lessons and shaping us into the women that we are today. BOXFOX founders Chelsea, Jenni, and Sabena are sharing the best advice that their moms have given them. (And their #Wordtomymother. Read Chelsea's, Jenni's, and Sabena's from last year here)
S A B E N A //
The best advice my mom ever gave me was to be the best version of myself, and not worry about the rest. This might sound generic, but for me, it was everything. She was always really good at math—she has her MBA and used to work on Wall Street—and yet here I was, a daughter who would cry every time she had to do her math homework. And yet, it was never something she dwelled on. She probably taught me the 9’s trick in multiplication 5 times, but I could never get it right. But what I could do really well was write, and there was no one more proud of my love of language. Like, copied and framed an essay I wrote kind of proud. As I got older, I realized her attitude was about so much more than times tables and thesis statements. What she really let me do, with her unconditional acceptance of who I was, is let me accept myself, too. She raised me to be someone who focuses on and plays up who I am, instead of focusing on what I’m not. In trying to navigate the craziness of my 20’s and as an entrepreneur with constant “am I doing this right?” syndrome, I’m so glad I learned this lesson early on. Thanks mom!
C H E L S E A //
My mom's filled with the most amazing all-knowing advice. Looking back though, the best advice she ever gave me was right before I started high school. She told (begged) me to get involved. I didn't really listen at the time, and it definitely took me a few years to find my way, but she instilled in me that the best way to make a difference and make things better, was to get involved yourself.
J E N N I //
My mom has taught me so much over the years, but I think by far the biggest lesson I’ve come to appreciate is the idea that you can always create something out of nothing.
Like my Grandma, she’s such an artist. Her creativity is contagious! She’s inspired my brother, sister and I to use our imaginations and work with whatever we have in front of us — whether we were building magical blanket forts, working on a school project, or whipping up a smoothie.
Beyond teaching us to be resourceful and inventive, she also emphasized presentation. Before dinner, she would tell us kids to go out into her garden and bring something back that would add even more life to the table. Sometimes we’d go grab a single rose, or handfuls of daisies, and sometimes we’d come back with eucalyptus branches to build elaborate centerpieces. This wasn’t just before dinner parties or special occasions, it was all the time - and I loved it! I’m so thankful that she was training my creative eye, encouraging me to find & create beautiful things with character.
