I've spent the past year really really working on myself, and I still have a long way to go.

But, I've come a long way and I am proud of the person I am becoming.

Ultimately, I had to put myself first...something I always thought I did, but never actually did.

Putting myself first meant evaluating what I needed. It meant spending nights alone and days spending time doing things that made me happy.

I've said "no" to more people in the past year than I have in my whole life. And maybe since I am such a people pleaser this came as a shock, but people pleasing gets tiring.

This past year has been the best year and the worst year. It's brought on emotions that I never thought I'd have to deal with. Some days it takes a lot of energy and focus for me to be happy. Since so much of my energy is being focused on myself, I have less energy to put into other people and things.

This may have hurt some people, so if you want me to say "sorry" to make you feel better, then I will . . . but there's no reason I should have to apologize for putting myself first.

The fact is my happiness should and will always be my number one priority.

And I don't care how selfish that sounds, but draining yourself to please others is extremely unhealthy and something no one should ever do.

I've always been quite independent. I'm not that girl who always needs a boyfriend or who needs 100 friends. I'd rather form REAL relationships with a few people. I'd rather form relationships with people who love me unconditionally and who do not judge me for doing me. And I'm not going to judge you for doing you either.

The people that I have in my life, the people that truly care about, respect the time I spend working on myself and do nothing but support me.