Growing up, I was always the first person to say "maybe this isn't a good idea," or to be the first to back out of plans that involved possible trouble occurring. I was always the first to feel the turning in my stomach, the sweaty palms and the racing heart beat. I was the nine-year-old child that spent an entire school year throwing up at night, because my teacher told me that the world was going to end, and that I wouldn't see my thirteenth birthday. I was the child that felt every emotion stronger than those around me.

I was the child that had anxiety without knowing such a thing existed. I was the child that would become physically sick if I thought about something to long. I would cramp up, break down, cry and hide, because I couldn't face my fears head on. I was the child that never knew of fight or flight, because I never stuck around long enough to witness the fight part. I was the child that had limits set for me, limits that restricted me in ways many never understood and still don't understand.

I was the anxious child that became the depressed teenager. The teenager that cared for those around them, more than they cared for themselves. I was the teenager that threw myself into activities left and right because I needed to find a place in which I belonged. I was the teenager that had tons of friends but still felt alone at times. I was the teenager that laughed the loudest in public, but cried the most in private. I was the teenager that felt every emotion stronger than those around me.

I was the teenager that had depression, but was to afraid to let anyone else know it existed. I was the teenager that chose to hurt their self in order to make the pain they couldn't control, less painful. I was the teenager that had never learned to love myself, I was too busy loving those around me instead. I was the teenager that had limits set for me, limits that restricted me in ways many never understood and still don't understand.

I was the anxious child, that became the depressed teenager, that became the person that now knows how to love myself; flaws and all. I am the person that spends each day finding new things to love about their self. I am the person that continues to love those around them, however, it is with more passion and understanding now. I am the person that still worries constantly and the person that feels every emotion full force or nothing at all. I am the person that once had limits set for me without a choice, I was restricted in ways many never understood and still chose to not understand, however, I no longer face these limits.

I am limitless, I am unrestricted, I am authentic, I am strong, I am unique, I am adequate; flaws and all.