The people in our lives shape us for who we are as people, whether it’s good or bad. People, education, environment and experience are the main keys to shaping us into the individuals we are today. It shapes our understanding of the world and how we see it. I could go deeper on that topic, but for today, I am only focusing on the ones closest to me, how they influence me to become the woman I am today.

The first person to mention is my mother, Cheryl. Growing up, I’ve always had conflicting views on my mom and it made me question on alot of things and assume alot of things. I thought she isn’t strong at all and my dad is, but I was wrong. Little did she know, she influenced me to be, pardon my French, a boss bitch. In the workforce, she displays a strong presence of feminism and it’s no wonder why her boss kind of considers her the boss of the company even thought the company is under his name. She’s too a woman who holds her own at work but there’s an inner strength that I tend to overlook. She was a college dropout and her quarter life crisis is very similar to how I am experiencing it right now but unlike me who deals with mental health issues and has a hard time going by, she preservers and became this badass woman today. So that inner strength and feminist drive is something that I can see in myself quite a bit.

Like my mother, my dad Tom is someone whom I’ve had conflicting views on but as I get older and know him as Tom the man instead of Tom the dad, I see that he did have an impact on who I become. He’s a storyteller, the creative one and the model of what a perfect suitor for me would me. I didn’t become an art student just because, I became an art student because I am my father’s daughter. He has done a handful of artwork in his life; one of which was a portrait of me as a 2nd grader for mom. The portrait was kind of drawn off of my parents favorite school photo of me. I did something similar but different. Instead of drawing another person, I’ve drawn my childhood home and it wasn’t to a T but it did justice. Writing and storytelling came from my dad. He has written and published 2 books already and we are collaborating on a third. Outside of creative impacts, my dad was the one that instilled that never give up mindset. He probably got it from his own father who had a tough upbringing and was a marine in WWII, but also it kind of helped me out in challenging situations from college to minor parts in my life. My dad really did influence me to be strong and creative at the same time.

Another person that influenced me to never give up on anything I want to achieve in life is none other than my home, heart, my love, Brennan. Before we met in February of 2021, I was in a very narcissistic relationship with someone in the armed forces who kind of double crosses with the government by being apart of an extremist group, and as you can imagine, it was not the type of relationship I don’t want to be in and it has scarred me for the rest of my life. When Brennan came into my life, he basically cleared that dust and asked filled plate. he showed me what a man should be in the first place: a place of calm and comfort and security in a person without adding another layer of stress. Sure, personally struggles like when our own health compromises us or a significant loss can increase stress but he taught me to never give up in a relationship, let alone with someone you love so much. Don’t believe me? We split twice, and in both times, I fought for us to come back and work it out. So far with number three, it’s a lucky number. Despite me being very stubborn in a few things, he pushed me to be the very best I can be in life no matter the circumstances. And he shows me what true love is like which is not just to love the person through the good times, but also the challenging times and fight for them and for each other. And little didn’t he know, he helped me be stronger as well.

Like my dad, another best friend influenced me and my creativity, and it’s none other than my best friend of 18 years Emily aka Bud. We’ve basically grown up together since the first grade and never really left each other’s side when we went to different schools and now living in different states. She gave a good idea of what to be in a relationship when we are only two girls in a best friend scenario. She taught that it’s ok to be weird, normal is boring and whoever I’m going to be with will have to embrace that goofy side. And also to embrace that creative side no matter how old you are. From being lions on the rocks of the playground at our elementary school to playing Warriors (cat series by Erin Hunter) while camping in the woods and all the way to drawing our hearts content. Even though we don’t draw as much as we’d like to for fun, we are achieving an art-related field in life.

I know other people in my present and past have influenced me in who I am and who I become. But all I got to say is 25 years is a long time to shape me from something small to something wonderful.