Who are the biggest influences in your life?

The people we spend the most time with are the biggest influences in our lives. Who we choose as friends, the people we work with, where we work out, and who we live with affect our moods and ultimately our decisions all day, every day.

My husband and sons are the biggest influences in my decision making. However, I think a lot about role models in individual aspects of my life and I want to use this daily prompt as an opportunity to write about my influences across disciplines. I wouldn’t be who I am without their teachings to guide me.

Life is constituted in parts. Eras and aspects. People are flawed. Though Martha Stewart is known for her ability to do things perfectly, those attributes are the same that made her struggle with her personal life and parenting.

To achieve great things, we must stand on the shoulders of those before us, the following aspects of my life are influenced by individuals.

Family & Relationships

The luckiest, closest families all have one thing in common: an individual who acts as the glue that holds it together. Often a matriarch, this person is the one that hosts gatherings year after year, and the reason why family members are close to one another. In my father’s family, that person was my Granny. My maternal Grandmother, Nathalie, also was a frequent host. In my husband’s family, our Tita Joy takes the cake.

In family and relationships, I hope to one day facilitate family closeness by giving reasons to gather like these women.

Business

Those who have turned their art into a multi-product empire, like Jonathan Adler, Ashley Longshore, Andy Warhol, Erin Hanson. On a local level: Kerri Rosenthal

Anyone whose art ends up sold in an URBN brand store

Art

Stylistically: Claude Monet & Vincent Van Gogh

Subject matter and storytelling; Norman Rockwell & George Hughes

Masters whose studies I’ve shared on the blog: Keith Haring, Roy Lichtenstein, Jean-Michel Basquiat

Modern painters that use bold colors and expressive brushstrokes like Erin Hanson, Sari Shryack (who I went on a painting retreat with), Jess Franks (whose work is hung in my dining room) and Alai Ganusa, whose videos taught me about digital painting

Writing

Voice: Joy Harjo, Keise Laymon, Yaa Gyasi, T Kira Madden, Ta-Nehisi Coates, Stephanie Foo, Lily King

Methodology: Robert Greene

Blogging

Seth Godin’s consistency

My friend, Marisa Bloom’s bravado for reaching out for interviews on her successful blog, RockMommy

Srini Rao—not his blog, because he only writes for medium, but rather his podcast. His curiosity has led me to so much of what has become part of me, a huge influence.

Huge fan of newsletters from James Clear and Ingrid Fetell Lee

On the DIY side, Elsie Larson was a huge influence years ago but her content has changed alongside her business model, as with other DIY bloggers I loved back in the day. Instagram changed a lot. Charlotte Smith continues to crank out great ideas on her blog, and she’s local!

Fashion

Fran Fine from the Nanny, and Brenda Cooper, duhhhh

Also, Myra Magdelen, Mrs. Frizzle, Iris Apfel

Beauty

Dita Von Teese for embracing unique beauty rather than following beauty trends

Nutrition

Giselle Bundchen for sustainable, healthy eating that encourages beauty for mind, body and planet

Persona

Frida Khalo, Salvador Dali, Andy Warhol, Jayne Mansfield—anyone decisive, strategic and cartoonish about their public persona

Home

Natalie Papier, Claude Monet, Queen of Carnivalcore Cara Delvigne, Dita Von Teese, Karin and Carl Larsson, Frida Khalo, Jayne Mansfield

Garden

Monet & J. Alden Weir, both impressionists who invested in building gardens that paid them back in inspiration

Piet Oudolf’s natural planting style & Doug Tallamy’s ecological awareness

New York Botanical Gardens: children’s garden, native plant garden & rotating annual art garden exhibits

Community

Julia Cameron & Lois W.

*deep inhale*

Phew! I have so many teachers. James Altucher taught me many years ago to choose my mentors well, even if it was a virtual or parasocial teacher.

I understood the assignment.