I have repeatedly stated: “The past is the past. You can’t change it, but you can learn from it.”

Your past is called your past for a reason because you are not supposed to look back and dwell upon it. You shouldn’t live in fear of what you “should” have done differently. Your past is a stepping stone; a way to move forward with your life. Your past can be a series of mistakes, mishaps and bumps in the road. But does that make you a bad person? No. It just means that you did what you wanted to do at that point in time. Your past can also be filled with happiness, adventures and great memories. It all depends on how you look at it.

Just because someone's past isn’t pretty does not make them a bad person. We all grow up in different stages. No one tells you when it's time to be an adult. You have to figure that out on your own. I matured at a young age because I had an older brother that I would hang out with all of the time. I learned at a young age what it was like to take responsibility for your actions. I learned at a young age what it was like to take care of myself and be my own person. But when I was younger I was so afraid to be my true self that I allowed others to take advantage of the person that I was. I masked who I really was because I wasn’t confident enough in that person. That person was never good enough for anything. That person hid who they really were, afraid that no one would like their actual self. But one day that all changed. One day I decided to unapologetically be myself - regardless of who liked it or not.

I am now a firm believer in being yourself. Some people may not like me because I am too honest. But I would rather be too honest than be known as a liar. I would rather be the person who loves and cares too much, rather than not at all. It took me a long time to accept myself for everything that I am, so I will not allow someone else to bring me down. I won't allow someone to make me someone I am not. I will always be “too much” of something for someone and I am OK with that. Why? Because it took me that many years to accept myself for who I am, therefore I will not allow people’s words to bring me back down. I can be a tough person to love. This I know. Sometimes I speak without thinking, I get emotional over silly things, I lose my patience, I yell and I have the ability to ruin people with my words. I am a great person though, and God knows I mean well. I will have your back in any situation. I will love you; I will take care of you. I will be honest and I will tell you when you’re wrong. These are all things that I have accepted about myself, which makes it easier for me to write them down on paper. I am not perfect, nor do I aim to be. I am me. And that is enough.