In honor of 15 years of KWF, we are sharing 15 gifts & life lessons, my mom, Karen Wellington instilled in her family, friends and all those happy strangers she met along the way. We encourage you to take some time today to read through them and toast to her legacy. A legacy that now includes thousands of women like her, who too, know the importance of having FUN on the calendar. 

Cheers to the next 15!

-Angeline Wellington

15 Life Lessons My Mom Left Behind...

1. Celebrate strangers. Celebrate the people around you. Go above and beyond, no matter how big or small their milestone may be - life is worth celebrating. Buy the dress, eat the cake, book the damn trip…

2. If you have a roof over your head and a hot meal on your table, you are privileged. Therefore, reach back and help those who were not afforded the same good fortune and opportunities as you. Show them they are worthy of the same love you receive. When you get to the end of your life your legacy will not embody all that you did for yourself, but rather how fiercely and unconditionally you loved others. 

3. Be the first one on stage and the last to leave the party.

4. Your family is made up of the people you surround yourself with every day and that extends far beyond your bloodline. 

5. Find humor in things that aren’t always funny - like cancer. It is okay to laugh through difficult times. In fact, sometimes it is the only way to move through the obstacles life throws your way. 

6. Learn how to apologize. And get really good at it. Hurting others is inevitable, but making amends is crucial. It’ll make them feel better. It’ll make you feel better too. 

7. Don’t settle for average, because “you are not an average person.”

8. “Use your brain.” Make good judgments that will benefit your life down the road.  

9. Be a great friend. The type of friend you want by your side through it all. 

10. Create music and art and share them with others! Talents and passions are not something to be kept hidden. 

11. Learn when it is time to let go of what and who are no longer serving you. 

12. When life throws difficulties your way, it is okay to be sad. You can cry all you want but in the end, you must remember to pull yourself up and keep moving despite it all. Your strength extends further than you know. 

13. Protect the ones you love as well as those who don’t have the ability to protect themselves. Use your voice for good.

14, Be adventurous, take risks, move mountains, and shake up the norm. Don’t ever live inside your comfort zone. It’s boring in there. 

15. Above all else, courage.