For many years now I have somehow ended up trying to prove something to someone, or at least show them what kind of person I am. My parents always encouraged me not to care what others think, even if that was easier said than done at times. Throughout the ups and occasional downs, I have found that no matter how hard we all try there will always be someone that doesn't like, let alone love us.

I have been fortunate enough to come across a few people that have shown me how important I am and that I should always expect to be treated with the utmost respect from others. I have worked my butt off for years trying to be what everyone else wants me to be. It has finally hit me that the only approval I need is from myself. I know what it has taken in order to get where I am today, and a lot of the hard times I spent getting through on my own. I am at a point in my life where it is getting easier to walk away from people who don't value me as a person and I'm happy to say that it is ok if they don't.

As a child, I was always raised to treat others the way I want to be treated and sadly I have poured my heart into so many others that have hardly reciprocated my effort for them. This life wasn't meant to be easy and it definitely hasn't been. I am so grateful for the challenges thrown my way as they only show me what I am capable of getting through on my own or surrounded by those that love me most. We are all so worried about what others think that it is easy to lose sight of who we are and who we want to be.

None of us should be trying to prove anything to anyone but ourselves. The ones who love us will be there and the ones that don't will move on. We will come across people that will challenge us in all ways possible, but all we can do is take the best from every circumstance and move forward. At the end of the day, we can let others make or break who we are but it isn't worth it. We are all more than we like to give ourselves credit for and I am done taking s*** from anyone. I love me for who I am and that means more than anyone else's approval.