Not unlike most daughters, I often sought my mother’s approval. From the jobs I took to the men I dated; I wanted my mom to be as thrilled about them as I was. But my mom was never the type to approve or disapprove of my choices. She never told me if she thought my job title was impressive or if my salary was substantial; she asked me if my work fulfilled me. She never told me that she did or did not like my boyfriends; she asked if they made me smile and treated me well. Because my mom never cared what I did, so long as it made me happy.
When I started working for True Nature Travels, I was, of course, attracted to the travel aspect. I’m an avid traveler and have been moving around the world since I was 18. But the “true nature” side of things touched a more personal part of my heart. True Nature boasts a wide calendar of events that guide participants through a variety of exercises and life-changing adventures to help them discover their True Nature and learn how to embody it every day of their life.
Upon some reflection, I realized that’s what my mom has been doing for me since I was a little girl. Like the time she rode the Tower of Terror with me, even though everyone insisted it was too scary for someone my age, because she knew I needed to explore the edges of my bravery. Or the time she spent two years 
taking me to the ranch three times a week because I was convinced I wanted to be a cowgirl. Or flying halfway around the world to visit me in Ethiopia and see what this travel thing was that I had become newly obsessed with. My mom has always been there to support my whims, encourage my curiosity, and help me chase down my True Nature.
This Mother’s Day, I want to say thank you. Thank you, mom, for being my biggest cheerleader. Thank you for not just saying, but truly believing, I could do anything I put my mind to. Thank you for driving me to lacrosse camp for the one week I was certain I was going to be a world-champion lacrosse player. Thank you for being the first person to enroll for that one yoga retreat I led when I was convinced I was going to be a career yoga teacher. Thank you for laughing at my terrible improv performances when I knew I was a natural performer with a long and fruitful career ahead. Thank you for supporting every different path I’ve taken along the winding journey.
Most of all, thank you for always asking, “does it make you happy?” Thank you for always reminding me to step back and analyze why I was doing the things I did. Thank you for guiding me through those 
miscellaneous offshoots and helping me return, over and over again, to my center. Thank you, Mom, for helping me discover my True Nature.
About the Author
Sarah Dittmore, the Director of Operations at True Nature Travels, is always seeking a new adventure. When she’s not barefoot hiking in the mountains of Peru, kayaking around an island off the coast of Italy, or camping in a rainforest in Costa Rica, Sarah writes about her adventures on her travel blog, Autobiography of an Adventurer. Join her as she travels the world and documents the wild and wonderful things she discovers along the way at www.autobiographyofanadvent
