If you’re unsure as to who Mariska Hargitay is, my heart hurts for you. To make things a little more clear, she is also known as Olivia Benson who is a detective on the hit TV series Law and Order: Special Victims Unit. Mariska is a badass on and off the screen. She has a wonderful heart and a body that matches it. Not only is she an actress, but she is the Founder and President of the Joyful Heart Foundation, which is an organization that helps victims of sexual assault and domestic violence. And to top it all off, she is a mother of three beautiful children. She was also featured in Taylor Swift's Bad Blood music video. Mariska inspires me every day to be joyful and thankful for the life that I have. I hope her quotes will inspire you as well.

1. “Being fearless means busting down those walls of fear and being who you are, not who someone else thinks you are. People like to put others in a box and tell them what they can and cannot do or who they can and cannot be. No one can tell you who you are and what you are made of, only you yourself know what you are made of, and only you yourself can do the work to become who you want to be.”

2. “No one can take away your pain, so don't let anyone take away your happiness.”

3. “It's a life's journey of finding ourselves, finding our power, and living for yourself, not for everyone else.”

4. “Your body is not who you are. I don't think women should label themselves based on the way they look. What about defining yourself by a different kind of measurement? What about your heart, your soul, your compassion, your generosity, your strength and your power? There are so many other things to focus on besides your waistline.”

5. “No one can tell you who you are and what you are made of, only you yourself know what you are made of, and only you yourself can do the work to become who you want to be.”

6. “By coming forward and sharing your story, you don't know the countless lives you change.”

7. “If I can play a little part in the world's healing, and making it a better place than when I came, then I just thank God for that chance.”

8. “Over half a million women are raped in this country every year, and only a fraction of them report it because they're too ashamed. It’s a really screwed up world, but it’s not your fault, and what happened to you, it doesn't make you the monster.”

9. “You've got to kick fear to the side, because the payoff is huge.”

10. “In life you have two choices. You can laugh or you can cry. You have to laugh, you have to.”

11. “Sometimes things in life happen that allow us to understand our priorities very clearly. Ultimately you can see those as gifts.”

12. “I am grateful that I didn't let fear get the best of me. It only holds you back from possibilities and greatness.”

13. “Healing takes time, and asking for help is a courageous step.”

14. “I think God runs the show. Completely. Life proves it every day: He runs the show.”

15. “There's so much that you can get mad about. Out of self-preservation, I focus on being grateful.”

16. “A guy at ABC told me to change my name and get a nose job. I said 'You get a nose job.'”

17. “I'm a size 8, and I feel proud of that, because it's healthy. I've never felt compelled to be a skinny actress.”

18. “But trust can take you a long way. And my faith takes me a long way. And I think that our pains, our vulnerabilities, and our insecurities can fuel us to be better. To try harder. To dig deeper.”