On Christmas Day, my family and I spent the day together - the first in a very long time where all my siblings were together with my parents. We celebrated each other and what each person meant to us. I realized that people come into your life; some are there for life, and others are there for just a season, but they all - knowingly or unknowingly - influence who we are and who we will become.
So, I want to celebrate those who have been in my life and made me who I am today.
My parents were married young, and it could not have been easy for them to raise four children (including identical twins). They have been role models for me, even though I was too caught up in my own world to notice. My father only started to have my attention when I was 19. I realize how much I look up to him even today and how much of him I recognize in myself.
Paul was in my life for just a short time before he died. He taught me to reach for the stars and then reach even further. He inspired me to follow my dreams and made me believe that I could do anything, become anything. Even to this day, our song, Celine Dion's "Because You Loved Me", brings me close to tears - as close as I can get because, as a rule, I don't cry.
My mentor was in my life for a few years, and he taught me everything I know about marketing, tourism, and dealing with clients. My time with him was the most career-fun I've ever had, and trust me, we had some unbelievable what-the-hell experiences with, among other things, interns and employees. These experiences made me doubt that I'd ever be a good employer. But I've since had two PAs for brief periods, and my son recently joined the company. If I could be half the mentor mine was, everyone who has me in their lives for a short while may hopefully grow for the better.
I have longtime clients who took a chance on me when I was just starting out. This had a huge impact on my self-esteem, determination, and growth as a businesswoman. I wish that I could have observed one of these clients, in particular, in action on a daily basis and learned from him - I’m sure I would have been a better businesswoman for it.
Recently, I've had new people come into my life. I was wary at first, but apart from being there for me through a difficult time, they've been encouraging me to write and to grow even more.
I've mentioned in previous articles that I don't do friends: I have people I like and people I tolerate. But without these connections, I could never have grown to be the person I am today. Most of all, as a spiritual person, I believe that God brought all these people into my life to answer many prayers - from that day on the beach when I had to start over to even a few months back when I lost so much.
So, I celebrate these people in my life, who, mostly unknowingly, changed it for the better.