My mom recently shared three lessons she received from my grandmother and it inspired me to share what she has taught me over the years. She was always leading by example and inviting me and my siblings to walk beside her as she navigated her journey, allowing us to choose our own paths and knowing that her guidance would steer us in the right direction. Many of you may not know that I choose to walk in my mothers footsteps every day. I work for her as her CEO of her brand where I get to help grow and foster the legacy of my Mom. It is lessons I have learned from her that inspire me to follow my dream of this flourishing brand. To her readers… thank you! Thank you for letting me share in this passion I have with you!

So, in honor of my Mom, I am sharing three of my favorite lessons I learned from my mother, Debbie Macomber.

You have to get up early to get it all done. Many of you know how disciplined my mother is about her morning routine. She reads scripture and journals her gratitude, whether she is traveling or not, and that has made a real impact on me. I start my day early now as well, usually getting up around 4AM for a little me time. It’s something I do for myself, I read, workout, go running, whatever the day calls for. I have found that if you don’t take time for yourself, it won’t happen. So, like my mom did before, I make my time before my family needs me.

See the best version of others. When my mom meets people, she does it with joy, viewing them through a filter that reveals their potential and the best versions of themselves. Every year we have a tradition of shopping the day after Thanksgiving. And on that day in particular, my mom aspires to be extra thoughtful to those working at such a harried time. There is one year that stands out to me. My mother pointed out that a cashier had given her $50 extra change by accident and the woman broke down in tears, saying that she would have lost her job if my mom hadn’t been so kind and had kept the money. It was that one act of kindness that changed the way I started to see people and situations. Now, I try to look for the best in everyone too.

You can have it all but not all at the same time. A character in one of my mother’s novels said this and it still resonates with me today because it is as true in life as it was for that book when I read it. My mom once said, “let life have its seasons and relish the season you are in because you can’t have ‘now’ again.” You can’t save it for later, so enjoy everything you have at this very moment.