The point of the year between Thanksgiving and Christmas is a magical time for so many filled with family, tradition, and love. However, it is also the most popular time of the year for people to make the decision to end their lives.

It seems as though every day I come across a story about someone ending their life. My mind has been saturated with stories of depression winning, of people being pushed to breaking point by senseless acts of bullying. My timeline has been filled with #prayfor tweets and #rip posts.

My life has been affected by suicide. The sad reality is the majority of the people reading that line can relate. Our society has made a substantial attempt at suicide prevention, anti-bullying and mental health awareness. However, it is still so easy to fall through the cracks that we have created. Every time I see the picture or read the stories I want to scream, "don’t leave." People often underestimate the positive power your words can have. People often underestimate the power of thirty seconds.

Here's my 30 seconds, whether you need it or not I hope you allow yourself to hear it:

Don't leave this world unsure of why you were on it. Don't leave behind the people that you don't realize get up every morning caring about you. Don't leave this place that you haven't figured out. The truth is every single person you think is completely fine is struggling too. They don't have it figured out either, you're not alone. Don't leave, don't stop, don't keep staying quiet. Don't leave ashamed, don't leave angry, don't leave. Don't leave because I promise tomorrow may be hard, but it'll be worth it in time. Don't leave because you matter; you matter so unbelievably much.

This holiday season I hope you make a conscious effort to give someone the thirty seconds they need, the words they need. It may seem pointless or cheesy or out of your comfort zone, but it's worth it. People are important, so let them know. Regardless of they way they live, their choices, their beliefs, their race, their background, they are human. Remember your humanity this holiday season.