[emmaree]

Has anyone influenced your life in a positive way? It may have been a parent a spouse, a teacher, a friend or someone famous.

For me it's a lady named Sun Ho, an incredible person much younger than myself who has achieved everything she set her heart to do and more. She is an Asian Pop star but wasn't always so. She is a young woman who took any challenge thrown her way sometimes in the midst of much opposition. She has faced countless miscarriages but continued to hope, eventually having a little boy.She suffered from chronic depression but made a choice everyday to smile regardless of her feelings, eventually to overcome it (this was a taxing process). She has set up orphanages throughout Asia and funds them, she has started community services in Singapore and reached thousands of teenagers in China, with a positive influence. She has had her life threatened and that of her family but it has never stopped her from archiving her purpose. Has worked so hard to get to where she is. Countless hours of rehearsals. A nodule operation on her throat then hours of voice training to get her singing again. Many plane flights and grueling schedules yet never a diva, always loving, and totally committed to her family and friends.

Every time I face a new challenge something scary and out there I think of Sun. How she has tackled everything sent her way. She has pursued her dreams unrelentingly and has made a success of all she has face.

Her attitude to life inspires me, to do better and try new things

[Kik]

Rafael Nadal the Spanish tennis player.

I watched him play a five hour match against his friend and occasional team mate Nando Verdasco at the semi-final of the 2009 Australian Open. Federer who was due to play thw winner made a backhanded compliment on how they were clones and he wasn't wrong. They were matched in almost every way e.g. both lefties, same size, similar playing style and the only reason Rafa won was because of his incredible mental tenacity. I'd never seen anything like it.

When things start feeling tough for me, I think of him. He's not a superhero, he's just a guy who made a solid decision he wouldn't give up and didn't. I try to emulate that as much as I can.

At the end of the match, Rafa jumped over the net and hugged Nando. Like he couldn't get any more awesome 😀

Edit: Nadal v Federer in the finals of the recent Madrid Open.

[emmaree]

'Kik' wrote on '09:

Rafael Nadal the Spanish tennis player.

I watched him play a five hour match against his friend and occasional team mate Nando Verdasco at the semi-final of the 2009 Australian Open. Federer who was due to play thw winner made a backhanded compliment on how they were clones and he wasn't wrong. They were matched in almost every way e.g. both lefties, same size, similar playing style and the only reason Rafa won was because of his incredible mental tenacity. I'd never seen anything like it.

When things start feeling tough for me, I think of him. He's not a superhero, he's just a guy who made a solid decision he wouldn't give up and didn't. I try to emulate that as much as I can.

At the end of the match, Rafa jumped over the net and hugged Nando. Like he couldn't get any more awesome 😀

Wow. I know what you mean, I saw that match and it was awesome.

[yamerias]

I guess for me one of my Role Models is the guitarist Brian May.

I have always had a passion for music, especially the guitar, and he is truly a hero in my eyes, when you consider he built his own guitar (The Red Special he made as a teen) and his playing skills are amazing.

[emmaree]

'yamerias' wrote on '10:

I guess for me one of my Role Models is the guitarist Brian May.

I have always had a passion for music, especially the guitar, and he is truly a hero in my eyes, when you consider he built his own guitar (The Red Special he made as a teen) and his playing skills are amazing.

Do you write your own music and lyrics? If you have said before and I've missed it ooops my bad

[Martin Reed]

I look up to 'regular' people that make positive changes and take positive risks. When I see people fed up with their jobs and decide to make a go of working for themselves, I admire them. When I see people stuck in a rut decide to go travel the world, I admire them.

I guess my role models are just people that follow their dreams – regardless of where that leads them.

—

If you are ready to stop struggling with insomnia you can enroll in the online insomnia coaching course right now! If you would prefer ongoing phone or video coaching calls as part of a powerful three month program that will help you reclaim your life from insomnia, consider applying for the Insomnia Mastery program.

The content of this post is provided for informational and educational purposes only. It is not medical advice and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease, disorder, or medical condition. It should never replace any advice given to you by your physician or any other licensed healthcare provider. Insomnia Coach LLC offers coaching services only and does not provide therapy, counseling, medical advice, or medical treatment. All content is provided “as is” and without warranties, either express or implied.

[IvanAleisterMesniaa]

'Martin' wrote on '12:

I look up to 'regular' people that make positive changes and take positive risks. When I see people fed up with their jobs and decide to make a go of working for themselves, I admire them. When I see people stuck in a rut decide to go travel the world, I admire them.

I guess my role models are just people that follow their dreams – regardless of where that leads them.

I would have to agree with Martin, I look up to Martin, he's not some super hyped up blogger(I see lots who are just bat crazy) or someone famous, he's a normal guy doing something amazing and is an honest bloke.

Now I will not lie I'm not a like able guy people say I intimidate people because I say what I want, I'm not fake, I don't hold anything back but those who do get to know me value me, I'm blunt cynical, misanthropic, I'm House exactly as people say, always have been and I bet I always will be this way, but I enjoy finding people like Martin who can bring people together for something like this the friends I made here I would never give up and I have him to thank for the rest of my life.

I also look up to people as my hero's, role models etc when they go through hardships and get over it, I don't mean think positive, I mean when people go through something like a parent with a mental illness, like when my mother tortured me for years due to her mental illness the things I went through that I haven't felt strong enough to talk about, I don't know if I ever will be strong enough to talk about some of the worst things, but I got over it, I had to.

I look up to people who overcome things that some people just can't or won't.

I only have a few heroes that are famous, Steve Irwin, George Carlin and Hideo Kojima(Famous for the MGS series) I love those games so much, mean more to me than some people I know, when I had a hard life I had those games.

Another would be Jim Carroll, I only heard of him last year through my friend Tyler and instantly fell in love with People Who Died, because it's so similar to how I've had a few friends die, suicide, one to drugs, another of cancer. I would consider him someone I look up to or a hero.

And my biggest hero and person I look up to is Tyler, we went to the same school when we were younger, and same junior high school, he dropped out and got into drugs heavily and became an addict, he was into everything except needles, I didnt know him a huge amount, just to say hi, and I remember he messaged me out of the blue on msn(he got my email of my cousin who was his neighbor) and we started talking and I remember he told me when he was leaving for Choices(rehab clinic) and he came back clean and hasn't touched anything since(nearly two years).

He means more to me than any other friend because of what he did, him and I only started hanging out in mid 09 and it's been the fastest growing and best friendship I've ever had.

I value him and look up to him like no other and I have told him he won't go back down the road of drugs cause I won't let him, I'll smack sense into him literally if I have to and he said he would want it.

That's pretty much it.

[seenafterscene]

It's interesting to see the variety of people–famous or not, that we (as a community) look up to.

For the longest time my biggest role model was Elizabeth Wurtzel. I think, like a lot of people that read her book(s), I read it and went “Wow, that is me right down to every last miserable detail.” She's best known for writing “Prozac Nation.” Later she wrote a memoir on addiction, which I also have had bouts with here and there. She hasn't written a book in years, but I imagine she writes for some website or blog or newspaper occasionally. I recently she discovered she's now an attorney. In fact, she literally just finished law school and passed the bar a few months ago.

Along with liking her writing style (even Richard Roeper said he had a time making it through her self-induldgence, but praised her skill with words), I like the fact that she has overcome so much (in the mental health realm) along with other random things along the way, nothing special per se, just to see someone with such similar issues continue to overcome them, fail at them, and then overcome them again–which has been the pattern of my life, is inspiring.

That said, I'm a different person now, so I'd have to ponder who I would consider a role model now.

[emmaree]

Wow I really like the variety of answers here , I also have to add that all of you in my eyes are role model worthy.

As far as I'm concern I like the honesty I see in your post and how you just keep on going no matter what you tackle.

[Mike Hooker]

My wife, Donna, is my role model. That's not to say that all women should be like her; I don't mean that.

She has been a super wife to me and for me. In all of our 34 years together, she's supported me in every decision I've made that would affect the family.

She certainly hasn't agreed with all of my decisions, but she's supported me anyway.

And she's borne the brunt of family finances several times: When I was in college, then years later when I was in seminary, and now.

I currently work for a large shipping company. I work the evening shift which is only part-time. But my company supplies gobs of benefits and a decent hourly wage. The bad part is that it's only part-time, resulting in a part-time income. The point of having this job is that it allows me to sleep until I wake up–without an alarm clock.

Because Donna has lived with my insomnia for as long as I have, she's never forced the issue of me finding another full-time job because I'd likely have to work day shift again, and once again having to answer to an alarm clock.

She knows the toll that insomnia exerts on the insomniac as well as the other family members.

Fortunately, she's very good at her work and makes an income that off-sets my lack of a full-time wage. She's in sales and sells more than $1,000,000 worth of credit union products each month–she's the credit union's top producer.

She'd love for me to have another full-time income, but she doesn't force it.

And I'm thankful for that. She understands. She's great!

[emmaree]

She sounds amazing Mike, you are a blessed man. I like when guys see the virtues of their wives and not take them for granted

[Mike Hooker]

'emmaree' wrote on '18:

She sounds amazing Mike, you are a blessed man. I like when guys see the virtues of their wives and not take them for granted

Thanks for your comment. You're right. I am blessed.

[Author]

Posts