When I was younger, my family went on vacation to Wisconsin Dells. This particular year we went with some family friends too. Right after we got to the hotel, I was walking down the hallway with my dad and I started running. I turned around after a little while of running and didn’t see my dad anymore. Running back I still couldn’t find my dad and I didn’t know what our room number was. I moved to the side of the hallway, sat down, and started crying. After a few minutes, my mom found me and brought me back to our hotel room. She found me when no one else could and made me feel safe. She has influenced my life in a very significant way over the years. Some of the most significant ways she has influenced my life are physically, mentally, and in my sports career.

From the eyes of others, I am definitely my mother's child. By that, I mean everyone tells me that I look a lot like her. I personally believe that I look like my mom more than my dad. She and I have the same hair color and hair type, the same height and body structure. We also have a similar style of clothes. They are not the exact same though. When we are shopping together whatever she picks out for me I usually like and if I find something for her she usually likes it too. Even though they are not the same, we understand each other's styles and like them. Other than what people see at first sight, I have bad eyes, narrow teeth, and long legs just like my mom. Physically is not the only way she has influenced my life though, she has also affected my life mentally.

The second biggest way my mom has influenced my life is mentally. I would not have the same personality that I do today if it wasn’t for my mom. She has taught me so many things about what to do and what not to do when talking to people, dealing with drama, and how I respond to different scenarios. I also tend to overthink everything just like her and she has helped me deal with all of it. Whenever I have a problem with my schoolwork, friends, or anything else, I can talk to my mom about it. I feel that she understands me in a way that no one else does. She will know what I’m going through in a different way than anyone else. Confidence is another significant thing that my mom has helped me with. In all different areas of my life, I have dealt with confidence issues. My mom has really been there for me in those times. She has a lot of confidence in what I can do. Mentally that helps me a lot when it comes to building up my own confidence. My mom changing my life physically and mentally are two of the biggest ways, but another significant way is in my sports career.

My mom has never let me down with my sports career. Whenever I needed anything or if there was anything she could do to help me succeed she would do it. That ranged from bringing my jersey or shoes if I forgot them to signing me up to do a league outside of Cannon Falls. She has spent so many hours in the car driving me to different events. She always encourages me to step outside of my comfort zone to improve myself. Her encouragement has helped me a lot when it comes to improving myself in a positive way. There has been plenty of times where I didn’t want to do something because I was scared that it wouldn’t turn out the way I wanted it to, but then my mom encouraged me to do it. Almost everytime that has happened it has turned out better than I expected. She has impacted my life significantly in many ways, but her impacting my life physically, mentally, and in my sports career are the most impactful.

I would not be the same person I am today without the drastic ways my mom has influenced my life. My physical life, mental life, and my sports career have improved dramatically over the years from the different things my mom has done for me. Even when I was young and got lost in the hotel, she was still there for me and never let me down. It doesn’t matter how much I think I know or how much other people teach me throughout the years. I will always want to continue to grow and develop as a person from my mom.