The People Who Shape Us: My Relationship Revelation
September mornings in LA hit different, and today I'm feeling extra reflective as I sit on a bench outside the design building, watching everyone rush to their 9 AM classes. Yesterday's vulnerability hangover has mostly faded, leaving me in this weird clear-headed space where I'm connecting dots I never saw before.
I've been thinking a lot about relationships lately - not just romantic ones (though let's be real, my dating app notifications are a whole separate blog post), but ALL relationships. The way Professor Martinez challenges me. How my roommate calls me out on my BS. Even that barista who somehow knows exactly when I need an extra shot.
It hit me this morning while sketching: I am literally a collection of everyone who's ever mattered to me.
My design aesthetic? It's part my mom's classic sensibility, part that avant-garde designer I interned with sophomore year. My work ethic comes from watching my dad build his business. Even my habit of second-guessing myself before big decisions is something I picked up from my high school bestie (thanks for that one, Jess 🙄).
We talk about "finding ourselves" like we're these isolated beings who need to look inward, but what if the truth is we're constantly being shaped by our connections? My most authentic self isn't something I discover alone - it emerges through relationships.
This isn't some earth-shattering revelation, I guess. But it feels significant as I'm preparing my portfolio and trying to define my "unique voice" as a designer. Maybe authenticity isn't about being completely original. Maybe it's about consciously choosing which influences to embrace and which to let go.
The evolution I've been experiencing these past few weeks - from recognizing patterns, to showing up consistently, to embracing vulnerability - none of it happened in isolation. Each step forward came through some meaningful interaction, some relationship that reflected something back to me.
So today I'm sitting with this question: Who am I becoming through my relationships? And which relationships are helping me become more authentically myself?
Not sure I have the answers yet, but asking the question feels like progress. And right now, progress is enough.
Gotta run - studio class in 5 and I promised to help Jen with her color palette. Another relationship, another tiny evolution. That's how it works, right?