Each person that I have known has taught me something, but a significant amount of what I have learnt and implemented has come from my mom. The fact that my mom has had the greatest influence on me is simply because she is the person who has taught me to be responsible for myself, something which has also helped me to discover who I really am. Her sense of independence is an aspect that has had a profound effect on me; I believe that independence opens up many opportunities because it requires that a person be confident in his identity and that he know his needs, goals, and limitations.
My mom was taught to be independent from a very young age – my grandparents are strong, hard-working people who knew that self-sufficiency was necessary if goals were to be achieved. What my mom has always stressed is to lead an active life, pursuing dreams and not waiting for them to materialize. She has a sense of invincibility that enables her to pursue anything without the fear of failure; only