“Love her but leave her wild.”

-Atticus

One thing that I have always prided myself in was no one can tell me or force me to do something that I don’t want to do.

I, strictly, do what I want.

I take advice, guidance, other points of view, and help into consideration but I still – do what I want.

I’m sure the people who whisper about me will just categorize me as stubborn. Maybe selfish. Possibly uncontrollable. In some ways, I’m viewed as a failure, a bitch, or a rebel. I’m looked down at, frowned upon, a disappointment.

The thing is…this is my life.

I’m the narrator telling the tale, I’m the writer of my own story, I get to edit to see what to keep and what to throw away. Therefore, I should be uncontrollable. Because I’m suppose to be the one in control.

The path I take, my choice. The moves I make, my choice. The things I say, my choice.

I’m sure it’s off putting that I am strong willed, ambitious, open minded, opinionated, vocal, and independent.

I’m sure it’s frustrating that I speak my mind, that I won’t let people walk all over me, that I don’t conform to anybody’s version of normal, and that I’m blunt and up front.

I’m sure it’s intimidating that I don’t follow societies trends, that I’m unique and stand out, that I don’t care what other people think, and that I don’t need people around me to be happy, I choose to have people around me because they make me happy.

So let me tell you something.

I wasn’t put here on this Earth to please anybody. I wasn’t here to sit still and look pretty. I wasn’t here to be a clone of anyone else. I wasn’t here to be invisible and have no one hear my voice.

So why would I spend my life pleasing everyone else? Doing what someone else wants me to do? The only person that I am responsible for making happy is myself.

The second that you realize that, everything changes.