The Advice Her Mother Gave Her

My Mom said do not second guess yourself, believe in yourself even if you have little doubts, just keep saying I believe.

Don't let the world come crashing down on you. There will always be a way to accomplish what you want, you just need to find it.

I met a woman that had three sons who were very successful in their careers. A professor at a prestigious University, Certified Public Accountant, and a Doctor. Their mother informed her young children they needed to make choices a week before their request, and they were not allowed to make any changes. This taught her children to focus and to analyze how to reach their goal. It worked for my children.

My mother taught me not to trust an enemy just because they're honest about disliking you or a friend just because they smile in your face; time reveals intentions better than titles ever will.

Ms. Judy Krentz taught me something years ago that I didn't fully appreciate at the time: first impressions matter. She would talk about how you present yourself, your appearance, making eye contact, standing tall with your shoulders rolled back, and being aware of the presence you bring into a room. When I was younger, I thought she was teaching me about appearance. As I've gotten older, I've realized she was teaching me something much bigger. She was teaching me about confidence, presence, and how we show up in the world. Over the course of my career, I've walked into rooms where I felt completely confident and others where I had to remind myself that I belonged there. I've led through growth, difficult conversations, change, successes, and some incredibly challenging seasons. And through all of it, her words have stayed with me. Shoulders back. Make eye contact. Walk into the room like you belong there. Today, I understand that making a strong first impression isn't about having the perfect outfit or pretending to have all the answers. It's about respecting yourself and the people you're meeting enough to be fully present. And maybe most importantly, I've learned that you don't have to feel completely confident on the inside to choose to show up confidently on the outside. Ms. Judy Krentz may have taught me how to walk into a room, but what she really taught me was how to own my presence once I got there.

Smile through your hard times, allow the pain and suffering to be handled by our Creator, Jehovah God. And always be remembered for your kind heart, your passion, your courage, and the love you poured into everything that mattered to you.

My mother stuck with tough-love-style advice growing up, and the one that now makes sense and was actually true is that I would grow out of my shy phase. I've become bolder, able to make important phone calls and make the tough choices, all because of Mom.

My mother always told me, "Never allow anyone to define who you are or what you are capable of." As I've gotten older, I've learned that not everyone will understand your choices, your journey, or your vision and sometimes trusting yourself means being willing to move forward without their understanding or approval.

One thing my mother says is, "Either shit or get off the pot." LOL. That quote reminds me to make decisions and keep moving forward in life. FYI, she grew up on a farm in Minnesota with an outhouse.