who influences you

my boss made me take a personality survey recently to help better communicate with staff, supervisors and families. what did i find out? nothing revolutionary, things i knew, just kind of put in my face a little more. i have had a lot of that this week!
it says: i am competitive, convincing, strong-willed, enthusiastic, and decisive. i am over sensitive.
these things i know.
who makes you into those things?
i am influenced by my peers: their opinion of me matters, a lot. probably more than it should.

i am influenced by my husband: he is one of the few people i know (my other being a certain photographer friend of mine) that is really not influenced by society. he is in this life to do what he feels is right, what is best for his family, himself. he is completely unaltered by society. i find it amazing. i dont thing i could ever completely be that way, but i am trying. his best quote is "junk in, junk out" (see i listen to you babe)

i am influenced by my children: they make me want to be a better person. how cliche - i know.
they are so good, so pure, it makes me want to be a good example to them.


see how good and pure they look?

i am influenced by my parents: of course we all are, right? my mom is the most giving, selfless person you will ever meet. i dont think she ever had one bite of warm food while we were all living at home. if we ran out of dinner, she would go without. i remember riding in the backseat while me dad was driving her to the hospital, she was being admitted, and the whole way she worked furiously on my handmade halloween costume. et. even when ill, she was doing for us.
she still does for me every chance she gets. i could only dream to be half that selfless.
and my father, one of the smartest surest people i know. he always knew the right answer when i was little. he had a good quote too, that has stuck in my head all these years "little minds talk about people, average minds talk about things, and big minds talk about ideas. always talk about ideas jennifer, and remember who you are." wow, i sometimes stray from that advice, and then regret it.

i am influenced by my brother: he always has a high opinion of me. he sees me through these rose colored glasses, that i do no wrong. its crazy, really. i do lots and lots of things wrong, but no matter what, he has my back. he is the same way with his wife and child (pictured in previous post). he loves completely, no questions asked. it takes me a long time to get to that point, and i always seem to be asking questions.

so i am for sure a work in progress, but i have lots of good examples... no worries.