My Inspirations

I know it sounds like a cliche, but my family is my biggest inspiration. I know that there is not much I could do to disappoint my parents, but keeping them proud of me is what drives me to work hard in life. 

My dad and I are kindred spirits (as seen in the first picture). Ever since I was learning how to walk or talk, my dad has always been my biggest fan and number one supporter. I originally began my college career as a social justice major, which is really fascinating information, but I was clueless on what I wanted to do with that for the rest of my life and I felt lost and out of control. I spent nights awake stressing over unnecessary details and I felt alone. I had a talk with my dad about my strengths, rather than focusing on my weaknesses like I do alone all the time. He told me that he really thinks I would be a good teacher as I work with adolescents a lot already, am a patient person, and a good leader. My dad is one of the main reasons I took a different path and decided to pursue an Education degree. My dad inspires me to think of myself in a positive light. 

My mom is such a beacon of light in my life. My mom inspires me to find the fun in life and to not take everything so seriously all the time. When I am feeling down and need a pick me up, I call my mom just to hear her laugh. Growing up, my mom would tell me that I am like sunshine bottled up into a person, but really that is how I feel about her. The more I grow up and the closer I get with my mom, the more I aspire to be like her. As a teacher, I know there are going to be times that I am frustrated with my students. When that inevitably happens, I will think about what my mom would do in that situation and remember that everyone has to start at some point and to just give them time to learn and not rush anything. I really struggled my first semester of college when I didn’t know what I wanted to do. I even considered transferring schools. I was so clueless. Whether or not to remain at Dominican needed to be my choice, and my mom was there to listen while I mapped my future out in front of me. She reminded me that the grass isn't always greener on the other side, so no matter what my choice was, there would always be some things that wouldn’t necessarily be perfect about school. When I decided to stay at DU, my mom told me to just have fun with it and to make it my own. My mom’s presence constantly reminds me that life is short and to enjoy every minute of it, good or bad. I could not be more grateful for the relationship I have with her. 

  My older brother, Liam, inspires me to work hard and be a leader in everything I do. Liam is the hardest worker I know. He is two years older than I am and also the smartest person I know. We bicker a lot, like siblings do, but I really look up to him. Liam goes to Bowdoin college in Maine and studies Government and Legal Studies and Russian. He is not afraid to take on new challenges and go out into the world on his own, an issue I have always wrestled with internally. I do not like being alone, I never have. Liam constantly reminds me that I am much stronger than I give myself credit for and I am capable of hard things. Without my relationship with my brother, I wouldn’t have the motivation to work as hard as I do and for that I am eternally grateful to my parents for giving me a sibling. I love my family more than anything and I respect each of them so much. They have made me who I am and have helped me map my future the best I possibly can. 

In the summers, I am a swim coach for kids ages 4-18 and I love my job. Being able to teach kids how fun (and harmless) a little competition can be brings me so much joy. The kids that I coach inspire me to be a good leader while teaching them to swim and be respectful opponents in the pool and in life. Working with these kids has helped me gain confidence in my own leadership skills and communication skills. Watching each kid develop as an athlete and as a person is something I am beyond grateful for and is one of the biggest reasons I am studying to become a teacher. Working with youths who are still mentally developing everyday is so cool to see and I am so excited for that to be my career. Being a part of a child’s developmental journey is something so special. 

A historical figure who inspires me greatly is Gloria Steinem. Gloria Steinem is a Feminist, political activist, and  American Journalist who fronted the feminist movement in the mid-20th century. Steinem has always been an inspiration of mine since my parents taught me about her from a young age. I went to Catholic school my whole life, so I was told a lot of stories about how a woman’s role in life is to bear children and stay at home. Clearly that is not true, and Gloria Steinem has been a constant inspiration to me to work hard so I can get far in life and defy female stereotypes. I am lucky enough to have gotten to see Gloria Steinem lecture in Seattle 2019. Seeing one of my heroes right in front of me was such a surreal experience. That night, I learned that success is a mindset and as long as I believe in myself I can achieve anything.