I recently asked myself this question when I was confronted with an issue I needed to find my way through, and it helped me to answer this question, because it offered me some touchstones.
Who and what I admire has changed throughout the years. When I was younger I needed the fatherly presence and advice of my older brothers, and they certainly helped shape my early adulthood. I admired them a great deal (and still do) but for different reasons now. I needed a strong fatherly figure to give me guidance as a young adult, but now in midlife, I can be a father to myself and can navigate through the world pretty well. Now I admire them for being there for young women who did not have anchors at a time in their lives when they were young, in love and free, but they choose to help see us through difficult years, and that was very admirable and unselfish.
I have always admired my sisters, they all bring something special into my life: they are whimsical, practical, assertive and one is an "equalizer"! My husband is strongly protective of his family, and I admire that energy, and am also thankful for the that strong confident presence that surrounds and protects me.
So how did asking myself who I admire help me muddle my way through life recently? Because by identifying what we admire in others, shows us what our values are, and once we are clear on our values, decisions become easier. When we make decisions with our values in mind,, the decisions "feel right"; the decisions may not be easy, but aligning your life with your core values is a way to live with integrity and peace.
On a lighter side, I greatly admire people with a sense of humor! I love to laugh and find myself and others very funny. Although life can be very serious, if we look for the lighter side of most situations, life feels a little less heavy.
