I know exactly who you are. You are the type of girl who has always held leadership positions in every organization she has been a member of. You are the type of girl who will do a group project by yourself just to make sure it was done correctly. You are the type of girl who feels unstoppable in a pencil skirt paired with a matching blazer and heels. You are the type of girl who is confident that you were born to succeed and make a difference. I know you because I am one of you. I am a girl who is constantly trying to prove to the people around me, and to myself, that I am worth something. I understand you and I am here to tell you to never give up.

Whether it's trying to get into the school of your dreams or getting that promotion at work, striving for perfection in a flawed world is difficult and sometimes takes everything, physically and emotionally, out of you. You will no doubt question your ability to stay above the surface of the water that is constantly trying to drown you. You will also doubt the reality of a goal, as the grasp you have on it seems to slip further and further away. You will feel overwhelmed when it seems like every effort you make does not resolve the problem you were dealt.

Yes, you will sometimes feel as though the world that you have no control over is crashing down. The fear of failure will start creeping in until it becomes a part of you. However, like I specified earlier, I am here to tell you to never quit. Never back down from any challenge this ruthless world throws at you. Life is hard, but it is not hard enough to break the resilient, self-determining woman that you have become.

I wish that I had a person to prepare me like I am preparing you. I had many sleepless nights rattling my brain on how I was going to achieve the things I wanted to do. I found myself falling behind the pack, a situation I had never been in before. It seemed like the only thing that made me feel better was a bowl of chocolate truffle ice cream and Netflix. I saw myself slipping deeper into a hole that was getting harder and harder to dig myself out of. I finally decided that things needed to change. I decided not to let myself quit.

The first thing that I did was immerse myself in the culture of motivation. I read numerous books on how to improve self-motivation and determination. My passion for life had faded and so, I began to enjoy the “little things." I looked back on all I had accomplished in my life and began to regain my confidence. I began to dress like a professional. You must care about yourself first before letting others care about you. Every day I wrote the word "Relentless" on the inside of my forearm; small enough so people wouldn’t notice but large enough so I could read it. It served as a reminder to let no obstacle stand in my way. When life has you doubting yourself, don’t fall into the same mistakes I did.

First off, when you are starting to feel overwhelmed, take a breath. Take time to read your favorite book or stroll along the park and observe the nature encircling you. It doesn’t need to be for long, but just like a broken engine, your brain will begin to shut down its ability to function properly if you stress it longer than it should. When you return, it will be with a clear mind and a fresh perspective.

Second, when you start to doubt your abilities create a list of everything that you have accomplished. Look at that list and think to yourself, “Dang, did I really do all that? That’s pretty awesome.” It is ok to self-gloat about your achievements. It allows individuals to regain confidence that was once lost. Doubting yourself is the beginning of troubles that will come. Find a way to boost your confidence, even if it means splurging to get those pair of Steve Madden boots you have been drooling over for a month.

The most important thing that you can do is look up to other success stories. Many of the people we revere today hit rock bottom and stayed there for quite awhile. Even in the recent movie Joy that is based on a true story, we follow a divorced mom of two, seeing her turn her mop idea into a multi-million dollar company. Reading stories like these always leaves me feeling like I can achieve anything if I only work hard enough for it.

Success will not lower its standards to meet us; we must raise our standards to meet it. If you want to succeed as much as you want to breathe, then you will be successful. Never quit. Never back down, and always remember that you are worth it. It will be hard, but history shows us that nothing is impossible.

I want you to go out, proclaim to the world that you are ready for its shortcomings. Strive for the most outrageous dream you can think of. You are the type of girl who has a special bounce in her step. You are the type of girl who turns heads. You are the type of girl who will do anything to have her voice heard. You are the type of girl who will march in four-inch heels until she reaches the steps of perfection. And how do I know this, you ask? Because I am on that march with you.