I know how full your heart is. You are the one who is overflowing with love and just want to share it with the world. For as long as you can remember, you were always happy and wanted to spread it with others, because after all, smiles are contagious. As you started to grow up, you quickly realize that it can sometimes hurt to have this characteristic, but I know how you feel. I am one of those people, too.

Ever since I was little I had a big heart. I was the one who wanted to befriend everyone. A new student moved to our school? I'd be the one to include them and help them feel at home. Fellow friends or peers needed help? I'd be the one to help them, no questions asked, and I’d be the person you could always count on to give out gum after lunch.

As I have gotten older, the reality of the world has slowly hit me just like it probably has for you. We realize that having a big heart isn't all happiness and love; it's sometimes painful and comes at a cost to carry such an asset.

For me, I realized that giving out gum quickly turned to people taking advantage of me, and I was only in 5th grade at the time. Two years later, I realized that helping my peers with homework turned into them just wanting to copy my notes. I have now realized that I can't please everyone all the time, and I'm currently a junior in college.

The world is not perfect, and people can be harsh. Sometimes being this compassionate is as though we are constantly holding a dagger to ourselves because we are the people who care for others too much, and that can be dangerous. When we pour our love into someone, and don’t receive the same back, it leaves us confused and disappointed.

But despite this, we care too much to let people go, and that results in giving those who have hurt us chance after chance, so when they let us down for even the 4th time, we still forgive them. We are people who become too emotionally invested, and it can hurt sometimes.

It’s important to remember though that wearing your emotions on your sleeve and being a caring person is not inherently a bad thing. Having a big heart allows you to be an amazing person; we get immensely happy seeing others happy and thriving on life; even those who we barely know. We love to see others succeed, and sometimes we are even happier for them compared to ourselves.

Having a big heart and spreading love creates a positive impact in our community, and it can have effects on everyone surrounding us. We’re the people who make the world a better place.

It’s important you don’t allow others to take advantage of that. Having a big heart is so amazing, and you should never change it, but society will tell us otherwise. However, by learning to take care of yourself, and surrounding yourself with encouraging relationships, you can have a big heart in a world where there is both love and hatred.

Come to know yourself and you will thrive. Just remember that you can't please everyone, and you need to choose yourself over others at times. It’s OK that you can’t make everyone happy all the time, and that’s because your happiness is just as important as theirs.

Give people second and maybe even third chances, but after that learn to stop. Don’t allow yourself to be a doormat. We are humans and makes mistakes, but learn to recognize when you have done all you can do and it is up to that person to fix their mistake. Let them better their lives before you let them in again, and trust me when I say that you are not a bad person for doing that.

Don't sacrifice yourself and your big heart for people who wouldn’t do the same for you. In a world that is full of hatred, having a big heart is something you don't see too often anymore. So please, don't ever lose that part about yourself. Cherish that amazing part of you, just make sure it’s not taken advantage of.

And once you learn to do that, you will be unstoppable.