Who inspires you?

A common theme in the discussions so far is inspirational leadership. What Makes Leaders Inspirational to People and What is an inspirational leader? both cover inspirational leadership, and How do you view "inspire"? covers the word inspiration. All three talk about what an inspirational person or leader is like, but none of the topics focus on people who are inspirational.

I might be a bit biased based on my response to the last one, but I think a key part of being an inspirational leader is setting a good example for others and motivating them to reach your standards or higher. I also think it's important to find examples of any form of leader; those examples can ironically inspire you to become an inspirational leader.

So who inspires you? And why? Anyone is far game - world leaders, celebrities, family, friends and professors are all possible answers, as well as anyone else you can think of.

The first person that I thought of when posing this question was Greta Thunberg. If you've never heard of her before, Greta is a sixteen year old girl from Sweden who started "climate strikes" - school strikes where students leave classes to draw attention to the climate change crisis. Greta has been on strike since 2018. She's spoken to the UN, traveled the world in the most energy efficient ways possible (like taking a sailboat across the ocean) and just concluded visits to climate change protests in the Northern Hemisphere. She also has faced her fair share of criticism from climate change deniers, who often have little problem with publicly threatening her or dismissing her as childish.

I find Greta inspirational because she has continued to be passionate about the fight against climate change, despite the online attacks she regularly deals with. She also is inspirational for her decision to take a stand when no one else would - in her "how dare you" speech to the UN, she is courageous enough to tell a room full of people far older and more powerful than her that they have failed our generation. Greta Thunberg does not want to be a leader, but she is inspirational because she has taken the responsibility that no one else wanted to take.

One person in my life who inspires me is Nick Vujicic. If you do not know who he is, Nick was born with tetra-amelia syndrome, which means that he was born without all four of his limbs. He is very inspirational and a model for all because he has been through many hardships but that does not affect his view on life. When he was 10 years old he attempted suicide in result of being tormented. He was able to grow from his experiences and become a better version of himself. He inspires people to love life and to live without limits. I find Nick inspirational because instead of looking at everything he lacked, he decided to look at everything he could have. Therefore he was not letting what he could not control dictate how he lives his life.

The woman in my life that truly inspires me is my Ema, my grandmother. Growing up as the eldest of seven children, she persevered as they struggled to get by as an economically low-class family. After my great grandfather passed away when my Ema was 16, she took on much more responsibility raising her younger siblings as her mother tried to pay the bills. As you can see, she was facing pain and experiences that few have at that age. Her strength as always been so apparent to me and that is what is so inspirational. She and my grandfather married young and had children young, and as they built a life together she chose to put her higher education on pause after her first year. A leader makes sacrifices and that is what my Ema has done her whole life. Later, she was able to graduate with a degree from UCONN in her forties and pursued her dream career as a counselor. Now, she dedicates her days to helping others through their darkest struggles with addiction. She has grit and even when she is in the hardest of trials she still loves on those closest to her. She vehemently puts others before herself. So, when she was diagnosed with breast cancer in February of 2016 and then on the brink of death after infection complications in August of that same year, she still showed her resiliency and wanted to ensure her loved ones were not too worried about her. She later beat cancer defying many odds. She is a leader because of these gestures of love and I aspire to have her strength.

One person who inspires me is a paraprofessional at my high school named Lisa. Lisa is a wonderful role-model for her students and is always in a good mood. She has a very demanding job, but she somehow always keeps a smile on her face. She is also amazing at connecting with the students. Her job lets her work with students as they progress through grades 1-12, so she has established very special long term relationships with her students that are not often achievable by teachers. Going into the special education field, Lisa is a person that I strive to be like.

Someone who inspires me is my mother. My mom is the biggest role model in my life. She works a full time job and has climbed up the ladder of healthcare through her hard work and perseverance. Along with that, she was always there for her family. My mo had great morals of openness, honesty, and communication. This had allowed for a good environment, and with everything my mom has done, she is a great leader and helped me understand what's important in the world.

My grandparents have always inspired me, and they shaped who I am today. They immigrated to the United States from Germany as they were experiencing economic hardships in Germany. They already had three young boys (my uncles) and my grandma was pregnant with another boy (my dad) when they decided to leave the only home they had ever known in Germany and come to the United States in hope of a better life. Neither my grandfather nor my grandmother had any idea where they would work or live once they got here, they knew very little English, and they had to leave all their family behind in Germany. They encountered many hardships but persevered and succeeded in providing a better life for themselves and their children. Ever since I was young, my grandparents instilled a dedication for hard work within me and stressed the importance of resilience and resourcefulness. They have always inspired me to try my hardest and never give up.

One person who inspires me in my life is my high school English teacher, Mrs. Sorrentino. Mrs. Sorrentino taught freshman English at my high school and she also ran a club called the Letters With Love Club. In the club, students would be paired up with students with disabilities at a special needs school. We would write to these children once a month and make a craft to send to them. At the end of the year, we took a field trip to the school to meet our pen-pals in person. When we met our pen-pals, we were able to see how much the letters meant to them. They loved receiving them and they were so excited to meet us in person. Mrs. Sorrentino's thoughtfulness and compassion truly inspired me throughout my four years of high school.

A person in my life who inspires me is my older brother. While he was in eighth grade, he was diagnosed with depression and began abusing substances. At this point in time I was only in sixth grade so I really had no idea what was going on. I was unaware that he was having a hard time, especially because he did not want to tell me. My brother began going to therapy and meetings to help him through the rough patch in his life. From this experience, he joined the Peer Ministry at the church in my town and told his story to young kids and changed many lives. Today, my brother is a junior in college studying to be an engineer and is healthier than ever.

Someone who inspires me is my Dad. He has been extremely influential in shaping who I am today, from my love of reading to my sense of humor. Although sometimes a pessimist, he appreciates small things in life like watching Netflix as a family, walking our dogs, or emailing me funny news articles throughout the day. I also admire how he stays true to himself (however eccentric) and disregards the criticism of others, which is a skill I am still learning. He also returned to graduate school and changed his career in order to find a more fulfilling job. He works harder than anyone I've ever met, but knows how to see the bigger picture and not worry about things that aren't necessarily important. My Dad inspires me to be myself, and reminds me that life doesn't always follow a perfect plan, but we can enjoy the simple things along the way.

Someone who inspires me is my mom. I would not be the person I am today without her. She is kind, strong, brave, funny, and motivated. She is a dedicated mother and wife to my brother, dad, and I. She works extremely hard and always accomplishes her goals. I know that I can come to her with anything and she would be there to listen. She always knows what to say and how to solve any problem that I throw at her. She has told me that her main goal as a mother is to give my brother and I as many experiences as she can. I think she has exceeded in this goal and I hope I can do the same to my kids one day. She inspires me to be the best person I can be and to start everyday with a fresh and positive perspective.

Someone who inspires me is my dad. My father is a contractor and has expertise in structural engineering as well. While we may have the occasional arguments, there is nobody who I would consider a closer friend than my father. He has taught me much in the ways of manhood, discipline, fortitude, social networking, and basic trade skills. We go fishing, we work on his houses, we play cards after dinner, we go to the Italian clubs, and we depend on each other to get things done around the house. My dad inspires me to be a leader by displaying responsibility for everything under my control in life. He has taught me that if you are responsible about your work, then you are almost guaranteed to do well with it. This includes meeting deadlines, showing up on time, and even just getting up in the morning. I am very thankful to have a father like the one that I do now. I know that my life would be very different without him around.