If I had a dollar for every time I nervously laughed or shied away and said "Sorry" for something I shouldn't have felt obligated to apologize for, I'd be rich. Instead, I decided to invest in my own comfort and well-being. I began to evaluate all the simple things that I would apologize for, and there were indeed too many. It all came down to who the person was, their invisible expectations of me, or how they made me feel. When I went on a journey of self-growth, I began to value my own comfort and the power of my voice, more than pleasing others. Merely ten things, but these ten things are the beginning to me, and hopefully others, apologizing less for being human.

1. Laughing loudly

Laugh that beautiful, quirky laugh of yours. Who cares if no one caught the joke or found it as funny as you. You are enjoying the small moments, making life worthwhile. Please continue to do so.

2. Being uncomfortable

Do not remain quiet about your personal discomfort to please the other person. A decent human being wouldn't claim you "ruined the moment", or judge you. Whether its adjusting how you are sitting or saying you aren't comfortable with doing what the other person suggested. You have a voice, your comfort is essential - be your own advocate.

3. Crying

Crying is natural. Surround yourself with people who comfort you when you cry. Whether you know why you are crying or not, feel free to let it out. You won't be considered the over emotional friend. Everyone cries, so if it happens to be in front of others, they'll probably feel less alone as well.

4. Talking "too much"

What makes you talk on and on? Is it something that's heavy on your heart, passionate about, or what? Immerse yourself in an environment of eager listening ears. Your thoughts and words are so valuable, they may even change the world.

5. Not replying

If you are creeped out, annoyed by, mad at, or avoiding someone - you DON'T have to reply. Reason or not, in fact. More often than not they are hungry to feed off an emotional response. Don't give them the satisfaction, distance yourself from negativity, and know that you aren't rude.

6. Staying in

True friends value adventures and nights in equally. It shouldn't matter where you are because if you are enjoying alone time or time with friends, your enjoyment is all that matters. Don't feel lame for not going out like you feel everyone else does. Staying in can lead to great things - reading a good book, calling a friend, cleaning your room, finishing homework, journaling, etc.

7. Having work

It's healthy to work, you make money, feel purposeful, and pass time. There's no denying how great it feels to get a generous tip, witness an over-friendly customer/patient, or to connect with a coworker.

8. Not allowing others to take advantage of your talents

Your talents and strengths are genuinely yours, not for others to fabricate. No matter how close of a friend or colleague, you can deny them from copying your work, reading your writings, listening to your recordings, etc. Build an intuition as to who wants to see you grow, who wants to see you fail, and who wants to take what may lead you to success for themselves.

9. Not wearing makeup or wearing a lot of makeup

No matter the occasion, there are at most only preconceived notions of how someone should appear given the setting. Go out as however you feel best. Dare to try a new makeup look. Dare to give your face a break. If on a date a guy makes a comment that is anything less than, "Your makeup looks absolutely stunning!" or "With or without makeup, your beauty takes my breath away", then walk away.

10. Being shy

Develop at the rate of your own comfort. Anyone who bluntly tells you to speak up or to get a voice of your own is simply rude. There are reasons why many people are shy, so surround yourself with people who encourage you to be yourself, rather than those who make you question every word if and before you say it.

Here's to saying "Sorry" less, because we must focus on pleasing ourselves rather than others all the time.