Thinking back on the past twenty years, I don't think there has ever been a time in my life where I have not been compared to my father. Whether it was a little league coach, a friend or a family member (usually a combination of the three), anyone who came into contact with us has always come to the same conclusion: I am the spitting image of my father. For some reason in society, there seems to be this negative connotation of being a "Daddy's Girl"; but for me, I wouldn't want to have it any other way. Here are a few reasons why:

He Gave Me My Personality

Going back to the idea that I am my father's daughter, I cannot deny that when it comes to personality, I inherited mine from him - I am the younger female version of the man in every aspect. As much as I would love to believe that act, speak and walk just as gracefully as my mother does, sadly that is nowhere near the truth. Just like my father, I have a big mouth and I am not afraid to use it. Whether I am upset, angry or on top of the world, I almost always have an opinion and I have no qualms about voicing it (whether that gets me in trouble or not is a completely different story). I have a big heart. Sometimes I wish I didn't, because people like to take advantage of it. But then I stop and remember that it is one of my best qualities. I am quick to get angry, but also just as quick to forgive. I am willing to do anything to help the people that I love, and my sarcastic sense of humor is out of this world. All of these things are attributed to the head honcho of the household, and I couldn't be happier.

He Was Loving, But Stern

One things that I admired most about my dad growing up was his unwavering and unconditional love for me, even when I did something wrong. If I made a mistake, he showed me the error of my ways and if I dared to do it again, he made it known that there would be consequences. Even when I messed up, he was forgiving, but never complacent. This is my favorite quality about him, because I knew that no matter what I did, I would always have him on my team. Although it was frustrating when I was not allowed to "just hang out" in town, go to a party that all my friends were going to, or spend the night at a friend's place when he didn't know the family well enough, now know that it wasn't about not letting me have fun. It was about me learning responsibility and understanding that I need to make the right choices, whether I wanted to or not.

He Taught Me The Importance of Work Ethic

My father is undoubtedly the most hard-working man I have ever come across in my entire life. There hasn't been a day in my life (even if I can't remember it) or in his for that matter that he hasn't worked tirelessly to provide for himself, and later on, for our family. This is a quality that I always admired and later learned to inherit as the years went on. The phrase, "If you're going to do something, do it right or don't do it at all" is one that was often repeated in my house, and it is now one that I live by. Whether I'm cleaning my room or beginning my first office job, I always give 100 percent, and I have to give credit to my dad for instilling such an important concept in me so early on.

He Taught Me to Always Stay Positive

To this day, I still receive comments like "be careful what you post" and "you need to be a little more positive" and although I might feel like I have a broken record ringing in my ears, I am grateful forever grateful to have not just a father, but a life coach and personal cheerleader like him. I am grateful because when people tell me that every time they see me I'm always happy or that I radiate positivity, I know that all those years of my dad teaching me the importance of looking at situations with the "glass half full" mentality rather than half empty is something that has been so beneficial in my life. Because of my dad, I have been conditioned to look for the best in every situation, and that is truly a beautiful thing.

I Learned A Lot About Respect From Him

Anyone who knows my father knows that he is big on respect. From the time I was able to spell the word, I was taught that one of the most important things to do is to go through life respectfully, especially to your elders. This is such an important lesson to learn because in life, you are going to be put in situations that aren't ideal with people that you don't want to be in them with; how you handle these moments is a strong reflection on who you are and how people look at you. That is why to this day, you would be hard pressed to see me disrespecting anyone, regardless of the situation. It shocks me when I see teenagers screaming at their parents or anyone being disrespectful in general. But, then I have to remind myself that not everyone was raised with the same morals and values that I was.Thanks, Dad.

He Was The First (And Most Important) Man To Ever Love Me

More importantly, he was the first to show me how I deserve to be treated, and to never settle for any guy who fails to treat me any other way. He taught me to set my standards high and to keep them there, and that anyone who wants to be a part of my life will be willing to raise to those standards with no questions asked. And if not? Sayonara. He also taught me to choose my friends wisely, for they are a reflection of me. He taught me that people make mistakes and that I shouldn't end a friendship or relationship over that, but that I should also not ever let someone walk all over me, mistreat me or persuade me to do anything that I don't want to do. He taught me never to compromise myself or my values for someone else. He taught me to fight for what I believe in and to always stand up for what's right. These are all lessons that I have and will continue to take with me for the rest of my life.

The relationship between a father and daughter is such an extremely important one - it establishes love, trust and stability very early on. It sets boundaries and promises unconditional love. The way a father cares for, disciplines and spends time with his daughter sets the stage for the way she will go through the rest of her life. Luckily I was blessed with one of the best in the entire world.

So here's to you, Dad. Thank you for raising me to be the kind, loving, respectful, independent woman that I am today. I couldn't have ever gotten here without you. I love and appreciate you more than anything!