While growing up, there seems to be a significant amount of pressure and attention surrounding talented individuals. Star athletes, honors students, unique performers, the list goes on. The quarterback is the talk of the town. The girl who tried out for American Idol and The Voice? Super impressive. The kid graduating with over a 4.0 and getting a full ride to Princeton? Astounding.

There have always been, and will continue to be, these individuals who were born with a certain type of gift.

With all this being said, please do not grow up thinking you're invisible because you don't have a cool talent. High school can be a real struggle when you're not the fastest runner on the team, are tone deaf, or can't complete exams such as the SATS without having at least four mental breakdowns. High school can be extremely difficult because people seem to emphasize the importance of having a talent you can simply see or hear.

What a lot of people don't realize until a little later on, myself included, is that "talents" come in a multitude of shapes and sizes. You can't always see them or hear them, but you experience them daily.

Just because you don't recognize your strengths doesn't mean they're not there.

Your capability to adapt to new situations and readily take on challenges may be your talent.

Your incredible listening skills may be your talent.

Your ability to help others, voluntarily doing things that most people would not take the time to do, may be your greatest talent.

A lot of these talents or assets are not the typical talents that we think of. I think it's because society has placed such an emphasis on those "stereotypical skills" we can, again, see and hear. Something that is entertaining to others.

Don't let others or society make you feel like you are talentless!

Not everybody can truly adapt to new situations well. Your ability to roll with the punches and go with the flow each day are truly useful skills in this life.

Not everybody can listen, and I mean really listen. Your ability to be there for your friends and offer a safe place to vent and receive advice will never go unnoticed.

Not everybody can do things without receiving a benefit in return. Your ability to volunteer, to give and know that you may not receive anything in return, is a true gift. Your heart is bigger than you even know.

We all have strengths and talents. Yours has been there all along, you just simply may have to look a little deeper in order to recognize it.