There are many people in my life that have been my mentors, literally, by choice, by chance, I owe who I am to so many people. Here are a couple things that these people have taught me- you know who you are.

Don't apologize.

you are who you are for a reason. Don't apologize for your mistakes or for your choices. It's a waste of breath, if someone really needs you to change, they'll man up and talk to you about it instead of blaming you for things that are out of your control.

Listening is just as important as talking.

if you want a successful conversation, it has to be a give and take. If you want to be heard, you have to listen when people are talking to you–hear what they're ACTUALLY saying, and what is underneath their actual words. It will get you far.

Be a leader.

my mentors have given me the courage to jump into something I'm uncomfortable with and to be the leader I've always wanted to become. To not be scared to take risks, and to lead with beauty and grace, rather than being power hungry. There are so many people in this world that want to lead just because they like the title of being in charge, to me that's bull. There is so much more to being a leader than it's title. It means more to me that a leader leads because they want to and because they feel passionate about that thing they're leading, not because they have to.

Always do your best.

then you'll always exceed in one way or another.

Don't take life too seriously.

I've learned more and more to laugh at myself and to learn to live a little. If you don't stop to smell the roses once in a while, your successes don't mean anything. Humor has become such a big part of my life, and I owe my mentors for that. The second I let myself laugh a little, I opened up myself to a world of possibilities.

I've learned so much from the people I look up to, they've truly made me who I am. I have so much to thank them for, they mean the world to me, I can only hope I've been someone's mentor out there at some point or another. Knowing that these types of relationships are everywhere really warms my heart, to know that everyone has someone to look up to, whether they realize it or not is just so freaking cool. I'm so blessed to have said that I've learned this much and more from my mentors, what have your mentors taught you?