I have some amazing family members in my life who I learn so much from. They have countless wonderful traits that I admire; these are some of the ones I wanted to highlight.

I’ll start with my mom’s confidence. It’s unwavering. She’s never afraid to act herself and be outgoing. My mom always tells us that we have the coolest mom ever, and seeing her authenticity, no matter the crowd she’s in, inspires me a lot.

If we tell her she looks pretty, it’s not a “thank you”; she says “I know”. (Though don’t worry—to people other than her family, I’m sure she’d say thank you. And while the response is a half joke from her, I know she believes it, which further reinforces her confident appearance).

Having her as a model of confidence has benefitted me on my own confidence journey greatly.

My mom will also talk to anyone. She calls herself a chameleon, fitting into and adapting to any environment she finds herself in. I’ve always admired that extroverted quality about her, and I’ve aimed to replicate it in my own life.

I think it’s so powerful to be able to talk to anyone, to be so open-minded about having conversation, and to have the talent to make the other person feel at ease in conversation, no matter who they are. It’s a true superpower, and she has it.

Now for my dad. My dad is one of the most knowledgeable people I know. He knows a lot about a lot, and I’ve always admired that about him. He’s constantly reading, he’s constantly learning, and it’s clear he’s always evolving as a person.

When I ask him a question, I’m confident he’ll have an answer for me. Whether it’s sharing with me an answer based on his experiences or something he’s learned or recommending me a book on the topic I’ve raised, he helps me in some way.

He’s a big advocate for learning, and that love for learning has definitely made its way to me.

My dad is also incredibly patient in times I’ve come to him sad or overwhelmed. I’ve come to him crying many times before, and he doesn’t get upset at me for doing so. He doesn’t yell at me; he listens to me.

I know not everyone has a person in their lives who will be understanding or patient with them as they cry; many don’t feel comfortable crying in front of the people in their life, fearing they’ll get yelled at or look weak.

My dad’s made me feel comfortable expressing my emotions, and I appreciate that greatly. I will aim to replicate that comfort with my own kids one day and in all my relationships with people.

For my uncle, I admire his minimalism in fashion and his possessions. It’s true that I mainly see him when he travels—a time when a person is minimalist by nature—but in general, he is intentional about the items he owns.

Whenever I see him, his possessions are always in order, the colors in his wardrobe are minimal, and I’ve always found it super cool. I’m well into my minimalist journey (which I’m loving), and my uncle was a main inspiration I looked to when envisioning and planning my ideal minimalist lifestyle.

He also doesn’t sugarcoat anything with my brother or me. And I appreciate that honesty a lot. While other adults in my life may, he won’t laugh at a joke I say unless he actually finds it humorous.

That’s led me to trust his judgement more, and if he laughs, I know it was actually funny. He’s very real with my brother and me and is down to earth.

I aim to replicate that honesty and realness in my own relationships, and he’s a great example of how you can do it in a direct, but loving way.

Next is my grandmother. She’s one of the most thoughtful people I know. She’ll remember your birthday, your favorite color, and that product you wanted from the store.

My grandmother is constantly thinking about others, and she remembers the small details about the people in her life, which feels very special to be on the receiving end of.

I like to embody this thoughtfulness by randomly getting my friends their favorite candy or in general, remembering the things they like and the things they tell me.

It feels nice when someone remembers things about you and acts on those memories, either by buying you a gift or simply bringing them up, and she definitely is a person who does that.

She’s also incredibly put together. Her hair, makeup, and nails are always done. No matter that she’s had children and grandchildren, her outfits are carefully selected, and she steps out of the house looking her best, always.

This inspires me a lot because she’s a busy woman. She does a lot throughout her days, and seeing her, makes me realize that even if I’m busy, I know it’s possible to still put effort into my appearance and appear as put together.

The way you appear in the world gives off an impression, so she’s definitely someone I look to for inspiration with her consistency in looking put together.

Next is my grandfather. He’s incredibly well-spoken. When he speaks, you can just tell he has great knowledge, and he communicates that knowledge very well.

He gave speeches in the work he once did, and those skills show. You want to listen to what he has to say, and being a good speaker is a skill I’m working on and can learn a lot about from him.

His vocabulary is extensive, and he’s a good writer as well. His ability to convey his thoughts is amazing in general, and I’d love to learn from his skills in speaking and writing.

Another thing about my grandfather is that I never doubt how much he loves his grandchildren, my brother and me. He’s one of our biggest supporters and won’t ever hesitate to tell us that.

When we played sports, he’d always be there to watch our games. He’d pick us up from our after-school activities, showing up half an hour early and standing outside his car, waiting to greet us when we came. 

My grandfather loves us very much, and I’m incredibly grateful for that. He also doesn’t doubt our abilities to succeed in any way and is supportive of our dreams and goals. He honestly thinks we can do anything and tells us that.

He tells me I’ll be the first female president, and in a conversation about being around millionaires, he said he sees me surpassing that status easily.

His huge belief in us, instills a larger belief I have in myself, and for that, along with his overall love, I am extremely grateful.

I have an amazing family, and my family members have such admirable traits that I aspire to embody, myself. I’ve learned a lot from the traits they’ve passed down, and I’ve become a better person because of them.