I’ve never considered myself a bold person. I was incredibly shy when I was young, and even now, I more often receive life as it comes rather than rushing out and grabbing it by the horns.

My mother is not like that. She is all things bright and beautiful, all forms of energy pressed into one being; all possibilities and prayers are magnified within her soul. She approaches life like an artist, explorer and student all rolled into one. She never hesitates to meet new people, try new activities or learn new things. She is the woman who chases the sun, who redeems every moment and opportunity.

And as I’ve grown up, I’ve begun to realize that I want to be just like her.

My personality is completely different than my mom’s and will probably always be so. And that’s OK. (I love being like my dad.) But because my mom and I are so different, because her strengths are my weaknesses and vice versa, by striving to imitate her, I can learn how to live life more fully. So here are three lessons that my mom has taught me that have changed and inspired me:

1. Step out of your comfort zone.

As I mentioned earlier, I was incredibly shy when I was little. Meeting new people has never been my forte, and boy, oh, boy, did I hate it when my mother would pull me aside and introduce me to some friend or acquaintance of hers. As I grew up, even worse were her nudgings for me to go over to someone and introduce myself. (Heaven forbid that I actually initiate a conversation with a stranger!)

But my mother’s proddings have never stopped at making new relationships. No, she made me try swim team as an 8-year-old and dragged my sister and me to a woman’s rifle shoot in high school. Countless other times she’s forced me into events or situations when I would have rather been at home with a book. And now, I am so thankful that she did.

I don’t know when I started to realize that it’s good to step out of my comfort zone. Gradually, I’ve come to enjoy meeting new people and entering unfamiliar territory. It makes one an adventurer. Although I have a long ways to go and am nowhere close to my mother who strikes up conversations with people in the bus and comes home everyday with new activities to try, I am learning to get over the hurdle of myself. I hope that one day I can have the same courage and indomitable spirit as my mother.

2. Truth matters.

My mom is probably one of the most passionate people I have ever met. She grows excited or indignant or tearful just from hearing some announcement on the radio or watching a touching movie trailer. All of her passion, however, is not without a purpose. She is passionate about life because she cares about truth and goodness. She has a high ideal of what is true and good, and she fights for that no matter the cost.

I am not naturally such a crusader and often would rather find compromise to situations than wholeheartedly champion one side or another. And while my ability to see both sides of an argument is useful sometimes, my mom has taught me that one must not be afraid to speak out against injustice or proclaim the truth. To stand up for the oppressed and recognize evil for what it is is an act of courage. May we all like my mother find the same passion for what is right and true.

3. Prayer is powerful.

To my mom, prayer is not just something that one does at meals or at church or before bed; it is a part of every conversation. She'll get an email from a friend who is sick and immediately start praying. I'll tell her about how I am struggling to get enough sleep or that I am unsure about the direction of my future, and she'll sit down on the couch in the kitchen and ask, "Can we pray about it?"

While God doesn't always answer prayers in the way we expect, I have seen him actively work in my life because of my mother's faithful prayers. I am still learning what it means to have a posture of prayer and how to pray for myself and for others, but my mom's example continues to challenge me to take every request, no matter how big or small, and lay it at God's feet.