In talking about mentors, I keep coming up with one person who has consistently been there for me for my whole life. She has known me from birth through the present. Sometimes she has lived close, at other times on the other side of the country. I’ve always looked up to her and admired her for the ways she’s embodied and encouraged me to be adventurous, self-confident, and independent…
Adventurous
From the time I was a small child, I listen to stories of trips, faraway cities, and unique experiences. She seemed to be open to adventures. When a job change or a new relationship called for a move–game on!
Self-Confident
When I was in High School, I began really paying attention to pep talks and conversations. I remember on conversation vividly. We were walking in the woods near a rented cottage in Door County. We were talking about careers, business opportunities, and being open to change.
She was so confident in herself and her ability to bring this new venture into reality. I listened and felt the excitement. I had no doubt that the business opportunity was a fit and that she was making the right choice to dive in.
The confidence was more than a hope that everything would turn out. It was a palatable premonition that the best was just ahead.
Independent
The last quality that I’ve always admired was her independence. (I laugh as I say this because people will disagree with me on this one.) But she has always been comfortable in her own skin. She is who she is and she doesn’t try to be anyone else. She knows she has warts, but don’t we all?
Mom, Judy, and I on Christmas morning 1985. There is no significance that this is Christmas, I just love us all looking happy with bed-head.
For those of you who know me well, you may know the mentor I’ve described. It’s my Aunt Judy. I put her on a pedestal for my entire childhood and into adulthood.
I know that it bothers her that I now see her as a peer and a more multi-dimensional woman. She is no longer a perfect, unattainable muse. But Judy continues to inspire and encourage me by telling me how confident she is in my ability to be adventurous, self-confident, and independent.
She’s modeled these traits and passed them on to me.
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