Since I can remember, I have been able to describe my family in a phrase that Luke Bryan puts perfectly: "A huntin', fishin, and lovin' every day." That is my family in a nutshell and that is the way that I would describe us to other people if they were to ask me.
My grandfather, who is almost 80 years old, sold insurance for a long time near my hometown, but that isn't where my roots are planted. They are planted in hunting and fishing, for starters.
We would go to my grandparents' house and eat toast with hot chocolate, waiting for my grandpa to come home and tell us about what he shot that day, whether it was a duck or a big buck if it was deer season. I didn't know any different. I grew up knowing that any of us could go hunting if we wanted to, and that the best place to be was to be outside experiencing life. I could do that by hunting, playing or fishing. Fishing was my favorite thing to do as a kid on Lake Erie with different members of my family, especially my grandpa. I feel like my roots are planted in the sand of those beaches up there. I think I can speak for all of us when I say that we all enjoyed our time spent together at the lake.
Along with hunting and fishing, our family loves every single day. Every member of my family is stubborn and driven in their own way, and also rather giving. As a result of that, we all live each day to the fullest, for the most part. Each of us are taught that from a young age and it is a family trait at this point, quite honestly. As a result of that, my roots are also planted in investing in others, and leaving them feeling positively by my interaction in their life.
Now, I bring all of this up, not just to talk about my family on the internet, but to bring up one point: embrace your roots.
Everyone's background is different, and some backgrounds are harder to embrace than others. Some of us would probably like to forget where we came from entirely. I don't think that is something that should happen completely, however. Embracing your roots can set you free, in a sense. Once you embrace them and you say "this is who I am", you begin to appreciate all of the things you have experienced in your life. Letting your roots, or your past, be apart of your future in some way lets you be more transparent. You are able to use the things you learned in your younger years to help you make better decisions in your life now. That is something that has irreplaceable value in one's life.
It is a scary thought to think about being so open about where you come from and what you have experienced. Everyone you interact with then will know something about you, something that is rather personal. But, that can also be a good thing. If they see how much you accept who you are, they will eventually appreciate your confidence and see that because you are so sure in who you are, you will be able to be sure in other decisions you make.
Embrace your roots, your background, your family, etc. can be a good thing to do. It may take time, but doing so can benefit one in confidence and in other areas of their life without them even knowing it.
