Family’s Perspective
In talking to my family about my childhood, there was a constant among every member that I spoke to. My creativity has always been a part of my life, and it will forever be a driving factor of who I am.
Whether it is music or art, I was always creating something. I played Viola at a state level, self-taught guitar, ukelele, and piano loved to paint, draw, and sketch. I even wrote up songs and newscasts with my cousins and presented them to my whole extended family on Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Everyone I spoke to has a different collection of memories where we created artwork together. From paper flowers to scrapbooking, I always had a different colorful creative outlet in my hand. I did and still do love to be constantly learning and creating.
I spoke with both my parents and my nana who all had different perspectives on my childhood. My parents spoke more about their parenting and how they perceived my creative style within the home, and my nana spoke more on how she perceived my parents’ style of parenting, as well as the time we spent while she watched me or when I had sleepovers with my cousins.
My favorite part about this round of interviews however was a small snippet of conversation that my papa stuck his head into the call for. He is typically a very quiet man, but he came in to offer a very valued point of advice. He told me that I need to begin to do more things for myself. “Stop pleasing others, and do the things that make you happy, for you.”, he said. This conversation with him actually inspired me to take this creative break, to take some time to not work for or on anything but myself and my personal growth. I am super excited to do so.
In terms of the entrepreneurial mindset, all of these people influenced the person I am today. Many of my personal attributes that reflect in the workplace and the personal work that I do are a direct reflection of the way in which I was raised by these people.
Although the conversation was originally around my creative styles and habits, I am learning that in order to learn the most about myself I must take the time to best understand the people that made me who I am today.
These conversations made me extremely nostalgic and grateful for the family and the support system that I have. My grandparents embody love and care, and my parents show what it truly means to be a parent, willing to do anything for your kids.
This element boosts my creativity and challenges me to better understand the connections that I have with my family, and how they specifically shaped me into the person I am today.
Through this element, I learned so much about my parents and grandparents, and the way that perspective changes the way that you perceive certain events, situations, and people.
My family saw me as a bundle of energy, spark, and creativity. Now, at 19, I am making a conscious effort to connect more with my family to better understand how they helped me become who I am today, as well as discover the ways in which I can be the most like my childhood self as possible on a daily basis.
