Whether you're seven years old and the boy you are fond of told you he liked your light up shoes, or you're 18 and you are deeply smitten with the boy that has captured your heart with his humor and crooked smile. Crushes are a part of life, and sometimes they end up crushing us right back.

I like to blame listening to Michale Bublé at the age of nine and watching an unhealthy amount of high school musical led to my unrealistic expectations of what liking a boy is really like. In my head, I figured that when you like someone, they HAVE to like you back. I learned very young that was most defiantly not true, but to no avail that did not stop my heart from dropping down to my stomach every time I talked to an attractive guy for more than ten minutes.

I think we have this notion that crushes are only a thing from like, age seven to high school. Which, may be true for some people, but I can assure you that there are many young women who find themselves falling for a guy, only to find themselves rejected in return. The worst part of it is the rejection isn't even real, to begin with. It's like you get rejected before you even get the chance to prove how great you are otherwise.

So this is for the girls who had their hearts set on the dreamy boy in their math class, who very intentionally sat in the same row as the guy they like, who daydream about the boy that is too good to be true, and then find themselves running around in circles in their heard trying to figure out why this perfectly good boy does not like them back.

I am here to tell you that it happens. And when it happens, it does not mean you are any less of a person. You are still all the great things that you know yourself to be, you are still funny, beautiful, and intelligent. The boy that you may had your eyes set on just didn't see that- and that is okay. I can assure you, sweet friends, that there is much more to life than pining over a guy that didn't see the greatness in you. There are genuine friends that love you unconditionally, places to explore, and so many more outlets to show the world how great you truly are- no matter if you have that boy following you around behind you.

So if you, or someone you know, finds themselves curled in a ball wrecking their brain to find out why oh WHY doesn't this boy like me? know this. Know that before anything else, you are not someone else's love. You are you. Creative, silly, quiet, loud, adventurous, daring, courageous. Today can suck, you can wallow for a little while. But tomorrow is a new day, and that new day is meant for you to live your life known that your worth is far too precious to be held in the decision of some backstreet boy look alike. Go to your favorite lunch place with your girlfriends, hike down to your favorite trail with your siblings, spend time serving your community.

There is so much more in you to discover before you let a guy determine that. Always remember that.