With the TIME 100 Most Influential People of 2026 just dropping, I couldn’t help but spiral into thinking about the people who’ve influenced me—not just globally, but personally, emotionally, spiritually, main-character-wise.
First of all, Alysa Liu. I’ve watched her career for a while now and her retirement. and by 20 she’s out here redefining success, choosing peace, and just casually being like, “yeah, I’m gonna do life my way.” That’s not just inspiring, that’s main character with boundaries energy. We love to see it.
Noah Kahan??? Emotionally devastating in the best way. Like why are you in my headphones making me confront my feelings??? His openness about mental health is so comforting though. It’s giving “you’re not alone but also let’s cry about it together.”
And then Noah Lyles—completely different vibe—pure confidence. Like the kind where you walk into a room and the room adjusts to YOU. He’s not shrinking, he’s expanding. I’m taking notes. But beyond the aura, he’s genuinely crucial to modern athletics right now. He’s not just fast, he’s defining what this era of sprinting looks like—bringing personality, visibility, and swagger back to the sport in a way that feels fresh but also necessary. And let’s not forget, just three years ago he won two gold medals at the World Championships in both the 100m and 200m. That’s not just impressive—that’s legacy-building. It’s giving dominance, discipline, and “I know exactly who I am.”
Historically??? Bobbi Gibb literally said “rules? never heard of them” and ran the Boston Marathon anyway when women weren’t even allowed. And here’s the part that gets me: if you Google “first woman to run the Boston Marathon,” you’ll usually see Kathrine Switzer—and yes, she was the first woman to officially run it in 1967, and that absolutely deserves recognition. But Bobbi Gibb? She hid in the bushes, jumped into the race, and finished it without a bib in 3:21:40. Like??? That’s not just inspiring, that’s rebellious queen behavior. And let’s really sit with this—both of these women were out there doing this before running shoes were even designed specifically for women (which didn’t really happen until the late ’70s). No support, no infrastructure, no permission—just grit. Paved the way without asking for it.
And Hildegard of Bingen??? Oh she was BOOKED and BUSY in the 1100s. Composing, writing, leading, having visions… like okay renaissance woman before it was even a thing. Obsessed.
And then there’s Janine Teagues from Abbott Elementary, my comfort character forever. Watching her slowly gain confidence while still being awkward and caring too much??? That’s REAL growth. Not a glow-up, a grow-up.
Honestly the common theme here is just… being unapologetically yourself, even if that self is still figuring things out. Bold, messy, evolving energy.
