Everyone tries to be the perfect individual. That's a known fact. They want to be the perfect student, perfect friend, and perfect lover. They hide some of their layers and hold them inside, barely letting them release.

Think of an onion. There are so many layers, but we often only let people see our first layer and hide the inner layers in fear that someone may see them as less desirable than the outside layer. These inner layers-- they aren't pretty. They can be tough to look at and embrace, but that doesn't mean they are bad. We need to be proud of all the layers that make us who we are.

I used to be very closed off to my inner layers. I never embraced those ugly layers on the inside and made sure my outside layers were more than desirable. It took my last relationship to open my eyes to my inner layers. She doesn't know this, but she saved me from myself. I was on a downward spiral of perfecting my outside layers and neglecting my inside layers. Then, we began to get closer, and I began to let my inside layers show. I told her my anxieties, my fears, and every bad thing in my past that made me who I am today. She was the first person who learned about my inside layers.

Since then, I learned to welcome them. I have noticed that I have layers just like anyone else. My outside layers are made up of my appearance. Though sometimes I look in the mirror and dislike what I see, I thank God I look the way I do. My legs are strong and can kick ass if need be, my arms are strong, and my tattoos make me who I am-- they tell my story and what I have gone through. Each tattoo has a specific meaning even if it doesn't seem that way. My inside layers create me. My personality is welcoming, caring, and loving, and though I am strong-headed, I will cave when it comes to someone I love.

Don't be afraid of the bad things that make up your inner layers. It's always good to remember that other people have gone through similar situations that make them who they are. Embrace those unpleasant parts and continue on this journey, forever discovering who you are and who you can be.