“Real life is a funny thing, you know. In real life, saying the right thing at the right moment is beyond crucial. So crucial, in fact, that most of us start to hesitate, for fear of saying the wrong thing at the wrong time. But lately what I’ve begun to fear more than that is letting the moment pass without saying anything," writes Taylor Swift in her prologue for her "Speak Now" album.

I remember reading this prologue in my bedroom at home during my sophomore year of high school (because that’s when it was still important to have a physical copy of a CD). How silly it seemed to me to speak my mind. High school was all about going with the flow. All of my friends and I tried to be the exact same person--our hair was styled the same way, our clothes had the same brand names on them, and we wore the same shoes. But still, I remember how inspired I was. I don’t think I made an effort then, but five and a half years later, (and two more Taylor Swift albums later), I think I finally understood what she meant.

Do you have any idea how important words are? They’re the essence of every day. Without words you wouldn’t be able to order breakfast, say hello to your friends, talk with professors or even listen to music. I wouldn’t be able to write this article and you wouldn’t be able to read it. Everyone has something to share and a story to tell, have you ever stopped to listen to someone’s? Or share yours?

I used to keep a lot of things to myself. I didn’t volunteer in class, I didn’t tell people how I felt, and I didn’t ask my professors for help when I was struggling. These may seem like trivial examples, but I was afraid of being wrong, being laughed at and being looked down upon. Until something changed. I learned how to speak up. I realized the importance of offering my suggestions and I discovered that it’s OK for someone to tell you no, or to disagree with you. Not everyone will understand you, but that’s OK. Maybe your words aren’t for them.

I never thought I would be someone who would write articles every week, but here I am, and here you are too (I hope). Through my articles, I've been able to connect with even more people than I ever could have imagined. I never realized how impactful words could be until I was given the opportunity to express myself.

But, you don't need a platform or a microphone or a website to do this. Speak your mind all the time. Use your words for good and allow them to better yourself and the people around you. There are over a million words in the English language today. How many will you use to tell your story?