The 5 People/5 Traits Post, Pt. 3: Family

Originally, this exercise was meant to compare and contrast the strongest traits of the top 5 people I spend the most time with the traits I want to gain/improve. I wasn't sure how to go about this exercise since the 5 people I spend the most time with are the ones in the image above, my family. I'm with them more than anyone else -  I know their best and worst traits, I know them better than anyone else in the world can know them and this made the challenge a lot more difficult. However, I managed to pull through and this is the final product.

My Dad - Wisdom
There is a difference between wisdom and intelligence. Intelligence can be acquired through time in studying and with practice. Intelligence is a skill and it lives in the mind. However, wisdom is a step further than that. Wisdom communicates between the mind and the soul - it's deep and rich. 

We abuse truth because it hurts us, so we cover it up with false ideas, emotions, and opinions. Sometimes we disregard the truth and try to hide it because it's uncomfortable. My Dad is a strong man because he fights the urge to deny truth. He doesn't abuse the truth, he embraces it. He has the ability to see through the lies society uses to cover it up but he's not afraid to fight for his beliefs. He's a very respectable man and he's taught me more truth than anyone else.

My Mom - Warmth
I'm not sure if the term warmth is enough to define exactly my Mom's best trait. She's warm but she's a strong warm. She's loving to anyone and everyone - she always goes out of her way to help others and be supportive to anyone she can, but she does it with strength. Somehow my mom has the gift of serving others but without allowing them to take advantage of her. She knows how to stand her ground, she fights for what she believes, but she is also very open and honest with others. I admire my mom for displaying this trait to me and my siblings and she's always been very great at helping me emotionally because of this. She's taught me that strength and kindness can (and should) co-exist.

Micaela - Strength
Both mental and physical strength -  we jokingly refer to her as "she-hulk" because she's very sweet and innocent but she could also beat you up if she wanted to. She's always been daring, the kind of girl that would have no problem fighting someone if they tried to hurt her or anyone she loves. That's just her personality, she's been that way ever since I can remember. However, she's much like my mom in that she's very warm. She can be loving and thoughtful, but she has a very strong and bold personality.

Matthew - Observance
Sometimes my brother can surprise me with how observant he is. It may be a result of his creativity and attention to detail, but he's very good at noticing subtle actions or expressions in others. He notices patterns, comparisons and contrasts with his surroundings and has an eye for art. He's alert, he looks out for others. He notices things that sometimes no one else will notice. It's in his element to sit back and observe others. It's in his nature to watch how people act, he pays attention to what happens in his space.

Elijah - Boldness
I wrote an entire post, "Shut Up", and it was inspired by this little guy. He's definitely a character, he knows what he likes, what he doesn't like, and who he is. He's bold. Even at his young age he's not afraid to stand up for himself and he's not afraid to speak his mind. 

This is my third and final post in the 5 People/5 Traits series and I can honestly say I've learned much more than I expected. I didn't think I would gain much after naming 5 traits that I wanted to gain, or improve, but I was wrong. I started to notice a pattern with the people that I choose to surround myself with and I am very please with them. One of the mistakes I tend to make is not taking the advice of others, sometimes I think I would rather learn things my own way and I can't say this is something I consider a good thing. This exercise opened my eyes to realize that the people in my life actually line up with my goals very conveniently and I want to challenge myself to take advantage of that, learn from them, and learn to open up more.