My family keeps me grounded, cheers me on whenever I reach new heights in my life, and has always supported me in making my dreams a reality. One of the many gifts that my parents gave me was the freedom to dream without limitations and without judgment. When I was seven years old, my parents suggested that I write a list of my life goals and dreams. I wrote a short and concise list: I wanted to be a ballerina, an actress, and a singer. They still have that list and treasure it because I have been blessed enough to be able to check off all three of my goals.
My parents always treated my
two siblings and I like
adults and always
spoke to us
with respect
and honesty.
They were
hands on
when we
were young
and always
made sure
we spent
quality time
as a family.
When we
got older, my
parents trusted us to
make our own decisions
and were a bit more hands off.
If we made mistakes, they allowed us
to figure out how to deal with them on our own. They knew that by allowing us deal with the results of our mistakes early-on, we would grow much more than if they cleaned it up for us - and that we probably wouldn’t repeat that mistake twice. They trusted themselves enough to teach us well, which fully supported us to make our own thoughtful choices.
My parents taught us that there is no right or wrong way to dream. They encouraged us to pave our own path and that our path is supposed to be different and unique so we didn’t waste time comparing ourselves to others. They told us that if you have the passion and fire to go after your dreams, those dreams are always attainable - but don’t forget to enjoy each step of the journey.
My parents taught me to dream big dreams, without guilt, and told me how important it is to do whatever it takes to manifest those dreams. I left home at a very young age to pursue a career with the San Francisco Ballet. My parents knew that it would be difficult to let me move to the big city, but always trusted me and
believed in me. Perhaps if they asked
their peers or relied on “social
norms” of what to do, they
would never have had
the “guilt-free”
confidence in
themselves,
which led to
developing that
type of
confidence in
myself. That
kind of support
allowed me to
take risks and
push myself
past my
comfort zone to
make my wildest
dreams come true.
My family is also very competitive and always strives to win. Despite our competitive edge, we always root for each other and motivate each other to keep going - especially through the tough times. We are always there for each other and there is no better way to show our love than by supporting one another.
Although we were always taught to strive, my parents have also been a great role model for my siblings and I by teaching us to stop and smell the roses, to look up to admire the clouds, enjoy the beauty that surrounds us everyday, and not to feel guilty about any of it! They taught me to appreciate life and look on the bright side of everything because then we will always have something to be grateful for.