Reflective Essay: Five Core, Guiding Values

996 Words4 Pages

Friedman states, “To deepen your awareness— of who you are and who you want to be— look back and asses what events and people have shaped you.” Reflecting upon who I am and the defining moments of my life, this statement rang loud and true. Each of my most important core values engrained themselves from either events, my upbringing, or as a coping mechanism. Fortunately, I am able to look back on my twenty years of life and be proud of who I am and where I am going, all thanks to my five core, guiding values: family, spirituality, adventure and spontaneity, and humor. Growing up in an Italian family, where ten members all lived on the same block at one point, it is not surprising that I hold family above all. Every major decision I have ever made was thought through with my family in mind. It is paramount that I am there for my family when needed, just as they have been so many times for me. As I read, “Reflecting on people you admire taps into strong emotions, because people we admire usually demonstrate a dramatic triumph over harsh realities,” I immediately made a connection to my family. The strongest, most resilient people I know share my blood. I owe my work ethic, will to fight, and optimism to the ones I love most. I come from a family that seems to be doomed at times, but we always find a way to make things work. I believe that the struggles we share bind us closer as the years pass, emphasizing that family is truly what matters most. “Your values— what you

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