Growing up, I was always a very introverted kid, still am. I never spoke unless I was spoken to, and I never said what was on my mind. Always keeping my thoughts inside, I was afraid of saying the wrong thing, or saying something that would make people look at me differently. I think that these feelings stem from having an introverted personality, but also wanting to please everyone. I didn't want to voice my opinion on things because I wanted everyone to like me. I would keep quiet to keep the peace. Life's trials and tribulations have taught me that living that way isn't really living.

Are you truly living your life to the fullest if you can't express yourself freely?

I get it. Opposing the majority is hard. You don't want to say something and sound foolish. You don't want people to look at you weird. It was once I started realizing that opposing trends and doing your own thing is the key to living a happy life. Do things to please yourself, not others. There's nothing I hate more than looking around and noticing that everyone looks the same. Everyone dresses the same. Everyone says the same things. Everyone listens to the same music. What is the point of being given the opportunity to be creative and be different, if you're just going to do what everyone else is doing? Ride your own wave. Be yourself. Do whatever makes you feel good inside. Those who matter will stick around and accept that.

Say what you feel and say it like you mean it.

Don't be afraid to voice your opinion. Disagreements don't have to be arguments- they can turn into high quality conversations! Stand up for what you believe in, and speak clearly. It is unhealthy to keep these emotions, thoughts, and opinions bottled up. And sometimes, conversations where two people state their opposing opinions and have discussions, can bring you closer! Just because you share different perspectives about a topic, doesn't mean that you can't be friends with someone. I used to think that every relationship had to be perfect. I thought that everyone you were friends with agreed on everything and fights (disagreements) never existed. I got older and realized, people who cannot hold civil conversations with you simply because you disagree with them, are not people you want to surround yourself with. Your circle of friends should consist of different people from all areas, with different ideas and different hobbies. This is how you grow internally and how you can be introduced to all that these individuals have to offer. Being stuck in a bubble of consistency can become redundant, anticlimactic, and suppressing.

Start small and work your way up, soon you'll notice you can't stop voicing your opinion to others (and that's not necessarily a bad thing, especially considering you were once too afraid to speak).