Some people I grew up with don't agree with who I am today. Some people I have recently love who I am today. Others don't pay much attention. That's all fine and dandy but what really matters is that I love who I am today. Am I always positive like that? No but I truly love who I've become more than I ever thought I could.

There are so many factors that have played a part in my life in becoming who I am today. I think there are many people out there who can relate to me and my story... Regardless, here's a few things that have influenced my life in so many ways.

1. Hard Times

As a kid I was that perfect child. I never got in trouble and I always had good grades. I went through the unthinkable when I was eleven and my mom passed away. This affected my life in ways that I never knew it would I obviously knew my whole life would change but I didn't realize how much it would still be affecting my life today, almost ten years later. Going through tragedies and other hard times are ways of realizing how really strong we are and how strong we can be.

2. The people I grew up with

I love ya'll and I always will but some of you had a negative influence on me growing up. I never understood this until college but looking back I can see how I treated others. I was constantly told what was right and what was wrong and that people who did those "wrong" things were bad. We may have always been seen as the good kids in school but looking back I sometimes think we were the most judgemental as well. I carried that mentality over to college until I met new people and realized how wrong I had been for so many years. The people I grew up with influenced how I look at people back then and that now influences how I am more open to new people and things today.

3. College

I know It sounds cliche but college has influenced me more than I ever thought it could. It has made me realize who I used to be, who I am and who I want to be. I've learned how to be independent and my views have changed so much just from being more open to new things. College has given me opportunity after opportunity to better my life and enjoy life so much more. It may sound crazy but college has influenced me so much that I feel like I new person.

4. Sports

In my case, softball has influenced my life tremendously. From being eight years old and pitching to the first time to being twenty-one and about to start my last year, I have come to love the game more than I ever could. My summers have revolved around playing, coaching and even some umpiring. I can't stay away no matter what I do. Some people may say that it's just a silly sport and that I need to grow up but softball has taught me more about life than any job ever has. It has given me life lesson after life lesson. It has given me more friends than I could ever count. It has even helped pay for my schooling. It has been a such a positive influence on my life that I would never trade.

Thinking about how much I have changed over the years is insane. Looking back I have realized who and what has influenced my life in both positive and negative ways. There are people out there who don't agree with how I live my life but I'm happy and that's what matters most.