This post brought to you by New York Life. All opinions are 100% mine.
“Keep Good Going” is about the idea of perpetuating the good that positively affects everyone in your life and family. It’s the good you want to pass onto others you care about—in big or small ways—because you know how it can positively shape their life experiences. Even amongst difficult and challenging circumstances (like little Julia in this video – The Happiest Daughter), good can be what you teach, or simply what you show through your words and actions – the good you want to pass onto your kids, and they in turn want to pass onto theirs.
Being a mom is scary. When they’re babies, it’s almost like just having a really needy pet – gotta keep them fed, safe, warm, and that’s about it. But now that I have an almost 2-year-old, I’m realizing how high the stakes really are. Here you have this child, this LIFE, that you are expected to teach, to mold, to shape, to counsel, to guide into an adult. And there is no instruction manual – no black and white, right or wrong way to go about it. But I do have a fantastic example of mothering from my own mom. So when I stop and think, what are the most important lessons I want to teach my daughter? – of course I think of my mom, and what I learned from her.
To me, that is the epitome of the phrase “Keep Good Going” – what is the good that was instilled into me, and what do I need to pass on to my own daughter? One of the biggest, most important lessons that my mother passed on to my sisters and I was “don’t quit.” Of course, there were the practical lessons of commitment and dedication, forced upon me illustrated to me by making sure I followed through with commitments and promises that I made, even when I didn’t feel like it. Music lessons and practicing (oh, so many fights over practicing), concerts, softball games, homework, our paper route…the common thread through it all was don’t quit once you’ve started something. But with my mother, it wasn’t just a matter of teaching me those lessons through words. She kept good going by illustrating the lesson of “don’t quit” through her actions, even when presented with immense challenges.
Choosing to stay home to raise three daughters – don’t quit. Going back to college full-time and graduating at age 40 with a nursing degree – don’t quit. Working 3 days a week as a nurse while still going above and beyond as a mom and managing a household – don’t quit. Getting diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer just shy of age 50 – don’t quit. Months of chemotherapy treatments and continuing to work as a nurse – don’t quit. Losing all of her hair – don’t quit. Not missing any of her daughter’s concerts or events through it all – don’t quit. Being hospitalized for 10 days with a staph infection from her port for chemo – don’t quit. Beating cancer and choosing to become a hospice nurse – don’t quit.
The kind of perseverance that I learned from my mom is not the kind that can simply be “taught.” It was lived. My mom is truly the definition of “Keep Good Going” – and she keeps inspiring me each and every day. I want to be the mom to my daughter that my mother was – and is – to me. That’s how I’m going to keep good going.
New York Life is celebrating Mother’s Day by Celebrating Good. They’ve created a really neat “digital billboard,” which captures and tallies in real-time the moments of family good, both big and small! New York Life believes in perpetuating all the good that’s in your life, and recognizing the good lessons that get passed down from one generation to the next. With Mother’s Day around the corner, they want to remind everyone of this by celebrating moms in a new, innovative way. Below is how they are collecting and showcasing all of this. Share something you’ve learned from your mom by clicking on the below:
You can upload photos of you and your mom, and share tweets with something you’ve learned from her. Learn more about how New York Life can help you and your family Keep Good Going through this amazing initiative!
How has your mother – or someone else in your life – inspired you to keep good going?
I love you, Mom – Happy Mother’s Day! You’ve taught me well. Phil. 4:13 
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I love you sweetheart. No Mother’s Day gift is greater than the blessing you’ve been to me.
What a great post. I love this video!
What a gifted writer you are, Meredith; you just have an easy way with words…and I was moved to tears to read about your Mama’s “don’t quit” perseverance. Mark and I were just listening to a “This American Life” podcast about hospice nurses. What a rare and honorable breed! I have so much respect for her; and it’s no wonder that you are the woman of character and strength that you are. With a Mama like that, the apple doesn’t fall far. Thanks for this inspirational post, friend. Now, I want to call my Mama!
Thanks so very much, Lauren, that means a lot coming from you! And it is so true, it takes a really special person to be a hospice nurse. I am so thankful to have a mom like her!
Annnnd, I’m tearing up. What an amazing impact those 2 little words have, on so many people. Great post Meredith!
Aw, thanks so much ChiWei. It really is incredible what a huge impact a simple lesson like that can have!
Great post – our moms sound very similar!
Your story is very inspiring. Happy mother’s day!
It’s heartwarming to read about how you reflect on the valuable lessons your mother imparted to you and how you aim to pass them on to your daughter. The concept of “Keep Good Going” is truly inspiring, especially in the context of parenting. Your experience beautifully illustrates the power of generational wisdom and the importance of resilience and commitment. Thank you for sharing your touching insights!
I love this idea of “Keep Good Going”! It’s so important to pass on the positive things we’ve learned. Just like you, thinking of your mom as an example. Can’t wait to hear more about the lessons you’ll share with your daughter. 👍
Thinking about the legacy we leave for our children through simple acts of kindness is honestly one of the most grounding ways to reflect on a busy week. I spent most of yesterday afternoon talking with my family about how those small, positive habits we teach today can actually shape their entire outlook on life. During a quiet break from all the deep conversations and planning for our next family outing, I stumbled upon the which had some solid bonuses for players in Spain that caught my attention. I ended up trying a few rounds of Sweet Bonanza and the colorful, smooth gameplay was exactly the kind of lighthearted distraction I needed to unwind. It is a solid way to reset your brain before diving back into the meaningful moments of daily life.