Many First Ladies have stood out and made their marks, apart from being charming hostesses. Pat Nixon was the first to open up the Executive Mansion and gardens to the public. Nancy Reagan actively supported the Just Say No to drugs campaign to raise awareness about substance abuse. And how about Michelle Obama, the first African-American First Lady? She is stylish, intelligent, and passionate about her beliefs and values which are at the heart of some really inspiring lessons for us all.
“Barack and I were raised with so many of the same values, like you work hard for what you want in life. That your word is your bond, that you do what you say you’re going to do. That you treat people with dignity and respect, even if you don’t know them and even if you don’t agree with them.”– Michelle Obama
Here are 5 inspiring lessons we can learn from this First Lady.
1. She is teaching us about healthy eating.
The First Lady wanted to improve the family’s diet and that meant healthier food. What better way than to use the White House Kitchen garden as a place to grow vegetables and fresh produce for both the first family’s meals and White House events? It would be an inspiration for other families to do the same. Watch the video where Michelle and the White House chef explain their views on healthy eating.
“And let’s be clear: It’s not enough just to limit ads for foods that aren’t healthy. It’s also going to be critical to increase marketing for foods that are healthy.” –Michelle Obama
2. She is encouraging kids to get more exercise.
As you can see from the Let’s Move site, Mrs. Obama advocates a healthy lifestyle in which physical exercise is a key component. With child obesity increasing at alarming rates, this is an inspiring example for us to follow. Just think that the average child and teen is spending up to seven hours a day checking out social media, video games and their cell phones. Even if children spent just one hour a day doing physical exercise, they would grow up healthier and more active. Michelle Obama is no stranger to getting up very early to look after herself.
“Exercise is really important to me. So if I’m ever feeling tense or stressed or like I’m about to have a meltdown, I’ll put on my iPod and head to the gym or out on a bike ride along Lake Michigan with the girls.” –Michelle Obama
3. She is helping war veterans and their families to find employment.
Mrs. Obama and the Vice President Joe Biden are leading a campaign to encourage companies and businesses to employ war veterans who have specialized skills sets which will be an asset for any enterprise or business. This campaign is called Joining Forces and it ensures that service members and their families are supported all their lives and not just when serving. This has inspired people not to forget about these veterans and to help them in a practical way.
4. She is inspiring people to give back to the nation.
The First Lady has inspired people with her speeches since she always emphasizes the idea of giving back to the nation (any nation) and at the same time creating a better, more equal and just society. Her key message is to give back so that others, less fortunate than ourselves, can succeed.
“And in my own life, in my own small way, I’ve tried to give back to this country that has given me so much. That’s why I left a job at a law firm for a career in public service, working to empower young people to volunteer in their communities. Because I believe that each of us — no matter what our age or background or walk of life — each of us has something to contribute to the life of this nation.” –Michelle Obama
5. She inspires parents through her great example.
Mrs. Obama feels that parenting is her first and most important task. She and her husband are very much hands-on parents. As a ver old-school type of parent, she likes to lay down rules and stick to them. She does not worry too much about disappointing her daughters and has a very dim view of Facebook:
“I still am not a big believer in Facebook for young people… particularly for them, because they are in the public eye.”
–Michelle Obama
Dinner is always at 6.30.p.m and the President is expected to attend no matter how busy he is! They allow their eldest daughter to have sleep-overs and they make sure the girls tidy their rooms and are not spoiled by White House staff who might be tempted to wait on them hand and foot. Michelle inspires parents because she is determined that her daughters will grow up to be well functioning adults in spite of the limelight.
“My first job in all honesty is going to continue to be mom-in-chief. Making sure that in this transition, which will be even more of a transition for the girls… that they are settled and that they know they will continue to be the center of our universe.” –Michelle Obama
Featured photo credit: First Lady Michelle Obama speaks to Cleveland Elementary School students/ US Dept of Agriculture. via flickr.com
