The Women Who Shape Me: A Tribute on International Women’s Day
If you didn’t already know, March 8th is International Women’s Day. That makes it the perfect day to blog about the influential women in my life. Of course, I have to start out with my mom since I’d literally be nothing without her. My mom is one of the hardest working people I know. She takes impossible goals, and makes them possible. She taught me how to love unconditionally, how to think through tough problems, and so much more.
My mom taught me how to be self confident. Partially by example, but even more so by putting me in embarrassing situations. When I was a teen, she always tried to get me to do things in front of people. I’d learn to play a simple song on the guitar, and she’d offer up my services as a musician to anyone that would take me. I remember hating that, yet it taught me to put myself out there. It showed me that I can be myself and people will accept me. I’m sure I could write a whole blog on the ways she’s helped me, but I’ll reserve that for a mother’s day post.
The next woman I have to bring up is my wife. We’ve been together for just over four years now, and she influences me to be better every day. I’ve never met someone so addicted to working hard. Nearly every hour of every day is used to its fullest when she’s around. She cares deeply for others, even people she just met, and is the most considerate person I know. She isn’t perfect, but I swear, if we could all be a little more like her, this world would be a better place. She’s smart, adventurous, and I love her to death.
I know this is getting a bit much like a list, but the next two women are my grandmas. Each played important roles in my childhood, and continue to be worthy mentors in my adult life. They taught me how to play games, how to respect and love family, and so much more. I know not everyone has such amazing grandmas, but mine were and are incredible.
Finally, I need to acknowledge the two unstoppable forces that I call sisters. If anyone inherited my moms hard working ethic, it’s them. Both of them have proven time and time again that hard work and determination pay off. They raise kids, and they’re the only people I know that make it look easy. (Not that they’d tell you it was easy, I’m just saying they’re incredibly capable.)
I feel fortunate to be surrounded by such capable and inspiring women, yet they’re far from the only ones. I owe much of who I am today to teachers, friends, leaders, and all sorts of influential women. To all those I’ve written about, and to the countless other incredible women out there, I have one final thing to say: Thanks for being awesome!
(p.s. Happy birthday to my brother…)
