Sometimes it’s hard being a nice person. We get taken advantage off more easily, walked all over, counted off as a dunce and often looked at as that one person who will be okay with everything you say to them, even if it hurts or insults our intelligence. I’ve been that person who gets insulted, walked all over and counted off as ditzy, and I’ve lived to tell the tale. Yeah, it might still happen in the future, but I’m here to say this as disclaimer to anyone who wants to take my heart for granted. Well, let’s just say that I have a few words for you.

Don’t take my kindness for weakness.

Since when did being a nice person mean that people could walk all over you whenever they please? Just because I’m kind, thoughtful, empathetic and mild mannered does not mean that I’m the pavement you stomp all over on. I might be kind, but I’m not a sidewalk.

Don’t take my humbleness for a lack of confidence.

Just because I’m humble doesn’t mean that I’m ready for you to put me down just to pull yourself up. My repeated refusal to boost myself up isn’t a sign of self-esteem issues. Not at all, actually. It just means I rather not spend my time blowing myself up just to look good in front of people.

Don’t take my silliness for dumbness.

Yes, I might be silly, fun, free-spirited, and accepting of many things—but that does not mean that I don’t know whats happening in the world around me. I’m actually more aware than you might think. Whenever someone asks me in a joking way what I know about the world and it’s issues, I can sense the air of superiority…and I’m not here for it.

Don’t take my quietness for being opinion-less.

I don’t need to talk about every thing that’s happening right now, nor do I need to state my opinion on topics that might be irrelevant to me. Just because I don’t talk about these things doesn’t mean I’m this inept girl who knows nothing—I simply just don’t like to talk about it. Is that such a hard thing to grasp? Since when did quietness mean that you’re dumb? Whenever people talk to me about social issues, politics, etc., they expect me to not know what I’m saying. Nah. I meant what I said, and I said what I meant. I know from experience that when you talk about these issues with people, it always leads to some type of disagreement, so what’s the point? Trust me, I’m saving us both from a conversation that’ll go nowhere.

…so don’t be shocked when I actually do express that opinion that you’re just dying to hear.

Shocked that I actually said something? Yeah, welcome to the club. I’ve been through too many debates, side eyes, disagreements and conversations that go on for an unnecessary amount of time only for them to all end the same way— me not caring and still sticking to my opinion, because it’s mine and it has my name written all over it, and there’s no changing it. Let’s be real, what’s it to you what my opinion is? I don’t really care about yours, so why care so heavily about mine? I’m cool with your opinion, like it’s great that you have one—so why can’t you be cool with mine?

Don’t take my leniency as being a pushover.

I’ll always give someone the benefit of the doubt, just because it’s in my nature. But when you keep pushing me down, questioning my opinions, making it seem like I don’t know what I’m talking about/don’t know what I’m doing, and make sly insults, do you expect me to forgive it all? Well, I only have this to say: Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Fool me three times, you’re cut off and there’s no going back.

Don’t take my kindness, humbleness, silliness, quietness and leniency as a means for you to diminish me as a person.

Because if you have the urge to tear me down, seem more superior than me, get mad at my opinion and try to make me feel dumb, then you really don’t deserve to witness any of these characteristics in me because honestly, if you take advantage of my heart, but refuse to accept me as a person, then maybe you never really deserved to witness my heart at all.