When I think about the most inspirational person in my life, one face always comes to my mind. It is my grandma.
I know many people say that about their parents or elders, but for me it goes far beyond just being family. She has been my first teacher, my living example of resilience, and the one person who showed me what it means to live with both strength and compassion.
My earliest memories of her are not of luxury or comfort, but of long days where she worked tirelessly just to keep everyone afloat.
She never complained, not once. Even when times were hard and meals were small, she carried herself with dignity and a quiet confidence.
It wasn’t that life was easy for her far from it but she made it seem possible. That’s the part that shaped me most: her ability to face storms without letting them crush her spirit.
One story stays with me more than anything. There was a time when our family was going through a rough financial patch. Bills piled up, and I could sense the weight she carried even though she tried to hide it from us.
One evening, I saw her sitting by the light of a small kerosene lamp, mending clothes. They weren’t just ours, but neighbours’ clothes too, because she had taken up sewing to bring in a little extra income.
I remember asking her why she didn’t just rest, and she smiled at me a tired but gentle smile and said, “Rest will come. For now, I must keep moving.” That line became something I have carried in my own life like a sacred scripture.
She taught me that progress is often slow, built not in leaps but in small, consistent steps.
That’s something I now try to share with others, especially friends who feel overwhelmed by their goals.
I always tell them, “You don’t need to finish everything today. Just do something today.” That lesson came directly from her example.
Another thing I admire about her is her faith in people. Even when others wronged her, she refused to let bitterness harden her heart. I remember once when someone close to us borrowed money and never paid it back.
I was furious, but she calmly said, “What I gave, I gave freely. If it returns, good. If not, it was never truly mine.” That level of grace is something I still struggle to understand fully, but it has inspired me to be more generous and less calculating in how I treat people.
Her kindness was not just in words, it was in action. My grandma would share food even when we had little.
She would take in people who needed shelter, sometimes at her own inconvenience. And in doing so, she taught me that wealth is not measured by how much you keep but by how much you give.
What do I do with this inspiration? I share it in the way I live. I try to embody the patience she had, especially in my own entrepreneurial journey.
There are days when I feel like giving up, when results don’t come fast enough, or when setbacks hit harder than expected.
In those moments, I remind myself of her words: “Rest will come. For now, keep moving.” And somehow, I find the strength to take the next step.
I also share her spirit with others through conversation. Whenever someone comes to me for advice whether it’s a colleague, a friend, or even someone younger just trying to find their path I always tell them stories about her.
I talk about how she created opportunities with almost nothing, how she believed in discipline more than luck, and how she taught me to value consistency over bursts of energy.
One habit I’ve adopted from her is writing down small wins. She used to note little things at the end of the day, like finishing a batch of sewing or paying off a small debt. I do the same now in my business.
No matter how small the achievement, I record it. Over time, those notes become a reminder of how far I’ve come.
It’s a practice I encourage others to try too, because it shifts your focus from what you lack to what you’ve already built.
And perhaps the most important thing I’ve learned from her, which I share with anyone willing to listen, is that success is not just about personal achievement.
It’s about lifting others. My grandma always helped neighbours, supported friends, and treated people with respect regardless of their status.
That has shaped how I view leadership and business. It’s not just about profit—it’s about impact.
When people ask me why I keep going, why I continue chasing goals even when the journey gets heavy, my honest answer is simple: because I saw her do it. And if she could carry so much with such grace, then I can carry my share too.
The most inspirational person in my life didn’t give speeches on big stages or write books that sold millions.
She simply lived her truth every day, and that truth became my compass. And now, by sharing her story, her lessons continue to live beyond her, reaching others through me.
But inspiration is not only about admiration it is also about challenge. My grandma’s life challenges me daily. It challenges me to live with integrity even when it is inconvenient.
It challenges me to treat people kindly even when they don’t return the same. It challenges me to keep striving even when fatigue whispers that giving up would be easier.
In this way, she is not just an inspirational figure in my past she is an active force shaping my present.
There are times I sit and wonder where I would be if I had not had her as a role model. Would I have learned to stay calm in the face of pressure? Would I have believed in patience as much as I do now? Or would I have grown up bitter, always thinking the world owed me something? I cannot say for sure, but I know that having her example has given me a different lens through which I see life.
I think every person needs someone like that someone whose life speaks louder than words, someone who shows rather than tells.
For me, that person is my grandma. She may never be celebrated in history books, but in the story of my life, she is the central figure.
So, if there’s one thing I could pass on from her to anyone reading this, it’s this: don’t underestimate the power of small, consistent actions.
Don’t let hardship steal your kindness. And above all, remember that even when life feels too heavy, you can still keep moving forward because rest will come.
And when it does, you will look back and realise that the strength you carried, the patience you practiced, and the grace you gave to others were not just survival strategies.
They were the building blocks of a life worth living, a life that inspires others, just like hers has inspired mine.