I’ve never been the most beautiful girl in class. I’ve never been “the girl next door” material. I’ve never been the one with the prettiest face and I’ve never had a rockin’ bod that every guy desired. I don’t know if anyone has used the word “gorgeous” when describing my physical features and I know for a fact that I’ll never be able to become a model. Growing up, I never really thought much about this; I was always “the ugly friend.” I’ve always known that other girls were more attractive than me, but in all honesty, it never bothered me. I’ve never been the type of gal to base anything about a person off of their appearance. Call me cliché all you want, but I’ve always focused on what’s on the inside. There are so many other things I’d rather be than “pretty."

1. Genuine

I want to be known as the girl who does nice things out of the kindness of her heart. I want to be the girl who does all things with great love. I strive to be the woman who invests her heart and soul into everything she does without a second thought. I want to be the girl who goes above and beyond for all of the people in her life, not because she expects anything in return, but because that’s just how she is.

2. Kind

Someone once told me that beauty is kindness, and honestly, I couldn’t agree more. I want to be known as someone who treats everybody like they’re somebody. I want to greet everyone I see with a smile on my face and wave at strangers. I want to be the person who treats everyone with respect and shows him or her that they matter; Kindness matters.

3. Generous

I want to be the person who gives their all to people who aren’t as fortunate as I am. I have a strong desire to give the people in my life everything they need, whether it’s a ride somewhere, a shoulder to cry on, or a meal to eat. I want people to know that my door is always open if they ever need a place to stay. I want to be the person who will give a stranger the shirt off her back simply because they need it. I want to be the person who gives others what they need just to see the smile on their face and because they deserve it.

4. Accountable

If you call me at 4am, I’m going to answer. If you need something while I’m busy, I’ll stop what I’m doing and make time for you. If I have an agenda that’s booked solid and you tell me that you need a favor, you can bet all the money in your wallet that I’ll find the time. If I’m able to make something happen for you, I will. I don’t care if we haven’t spoken in weeks, months, or even years, if you call, I’ll answer. If you show up at my doorstep, I’ll greet you with open arms and ask you what took so long.

5. Open-Minded

I have my own values and beliefs. I have taken an abundance of time to critique my thoughts and construct my perspectives, but I’m always open to hearing what someone else has to say. I want to be the person who can talk about any topic for hours. I want to be someone who is known for not judging others for what they believe in and for how they choose to live their life. Being open to new things is important; An open mind is a healthy mind.

6. Understanding

I work hard everyday to be the person who can handle anything someone else throws at them with ease. I want to be the person who other people don’t feel like they ever have to lie to because they know that I get that life happens and sometimes things don’t go as planned. I want to be known as the girl who steps into other people’s shoes just so I’m able to see things from their viewpoint and comprehend why they do the things they do.

7. Trustworthy

I want to be known as the one person you can go to when you need to talk about something that you want to keep hidden. I want to be trusted with the deepest, darkest secrets that people need to get off their chest. If I give you my word that I’m not going to tell anyone something you’ve told me, you don’t ever have to worry about me breaking a pinky promise. There are things that people from my past have told me, and even though I haven’t spoken to them in years, their secrets are still safe with me. I don’t care if we aren’t apart of each other’s lives anymore, I will keep my word for an eternity.

8. Intoxicating

I want to be the girl you will never forget. I want to be the person who attracts others just because of the way I carry myself. I want to be the person that everybody wants to be close with just because I know I’m one hell of a friend to others. I want to be someone who is fun to be around. I strive to be somebody that is often imitated, but never duplicated. You will never meet another person like me and I know that for a fact. I want to be an excellent, outstanding role model for anyone who needs someone to look up to.

9. Inspirational

I want to be the person who makes people feel alive. I want to inspire others to be nobody but themselves. I want to help people discover their passions and motivate them to set them on fire. I want to fill people’s hearts and souls with positive vibes and make them believe that they are somebody. I want everybody to know that they are loved, valued, and important. There isn’t a soul on this Earth who doesn’t deserve the world and I strive to make sure nobody forgets that.

10. Empathetic

I’m the type of person who feels what other people feel. If you vent to me about how your heart is broken, I will physically feel a sharp pain in my chest. If you tell me about how something pissed you off, chances are, I’ll get heated with you. If you’re going through a rough patch, it’ll be like I’m going through one as well. If you come to me with exciting news, I’m the girl who will scream with you and have a dance party. I hurt when other people hurt and I’m happy when other people are happy.

11. Self-Aware

I want to be the girl who knows exactly who she is and doesn’t let anybody tell her differently. I want to be the one who doesn’t let anyone else’s negative vibes impact her life. I don’t let other people tell me who I am because I never fail to make sure people know exactly who I am and that I’m not going to change for anybody or anything.

12. Positive

I want to be known as the girl who can face any situation, no matter how terrible or horrific it is, and be able to see the light. I have worked hard to create a mindset that automatically thinks of the pros before the cons. My mentality is designed to focus on what I do have versus what I don’t.

13. Low-Maintenance

I don't need much, in fact, all I really need in life are good people and chicken nuggets. My idea of hanging out is sitting on the couch talking about how our days went and eventually make our way into a life chat. I don't need any fancy, name-brand clothing items because my favorite outfits are the ones I bought from the Goodwill. My version of "dressing up" is wearing jeans and a solid-colored shirt. I have no problem with showing up to the bar in shorts and a crew neck. I wear the same Birkenstocks everyday, I drive a little Pontiac, and I hardly ever wear makeup. When I'm not wearing my Birkenstocks, I'm wearing my dirty Converse that used to be white. Money doesn't impress me, time does. Give me your time and I will give you the world.

14. Weird As Hell

I strongly believe in mermaids and I have a website that I made in high school to prove it. I make up my own words and act like they actually belong in the dictionary. I'm the girl who goofs off 24/7 and has a hard time containing my obnoxious laugh. I wear weird clothes, make disgusting faces every other minute, and speak in my own language that only my family has the pleasure of hearing. I have to have the volume set to an even number, I can't drink out of cans because they freak me out, I have to have a certain number of ice cubes in my Dr. Pepper, and I have to pee with the sink water running because I don't like when people can hear me. Wiener dogs are my favorite thing in the world and I dip my chicken nuggets in mayonnaise. I'm weird, I know. Judge me.

15. Intelligent

When I say I’d rather be intelligent, I’m not just talking about knowing the material I’m taught in class. My GPA is at an average level because, in reality, I truly don’t care about it. I believe that you can learn more outside of a classroom than you can from your textbooks. I want to be someone whose intelligence shines through the words I choose to use and by the way I handle life. There’s no other way for me to explain it other than to say that I want to be the girl who just gets it.

16. Hilarious

I’m the girl who laughs at the word “pudding” and cracks up at every Laffy Taffy joke that's told. I’m the person who can never finish my stories or get to the punch line of a joke because I’m already laughing too hard to the point where I cannot breathe. I want to be the girl who can make other people laugh without trying and who has witty comebacks faster than you can blink. I want to be a joy in other people’s lives. I believe that laughter truly is the best medicine.

17. Free-Spirited

I want to be known as the girl who doesn’t conform to social norms, isn’t afraid to stand up for herself or what she believes in, is fiercely independent, and who couldn’t care less about what somebody else has to say about her. You know that girl who is nothing but her true self no matter who she's around or what setting she’s in? That’s me. I’m that girl.

18. Humble

No matter how many compliments I receive or how many times I hear the words, “Thank you!” come out of someone’s mouth, I will never let any of it get to my head. I’m not someone who is full of myself or believes that I’m better than anyone else. I don’t boast about how great I am or talk about the things I’ve accomplished. I feel bad just typing this because I don't like talking about myself unless someone asks me a direct question. I don’t prefer to be the center of attention and I don’t need anybody to know what all I do for others. When I receive a compliment, I always turn it around to give credit elsewhere. When someone thanks me, I always say that there is no need to thank me and that I’m just doing what God put me on Earth for. There is something special about being humble and I pray that I am a true image of that.

19. Wise

I’ve always been told that I’m, “beyond my years,” and that I’ve, “already got life figured out.” Although I don’t always completely agree because I know I still have room to grow and that there’s always room for improvement, I can’t help but want to be known as somebody who has a fair amount of wisdom under her belt and always knows what to say when someone approaches me with a problem. Wisdom doesn’t come with age, it comes from experience. There are people in this world who have experienced more life lessons in one year that others haven’t experienced throughout their entire lives. Knowledge is power, but acknowledging that you don’t know much is key.

20. Flawed

I am not perfect and I have my fair share of negative traits. There are people who spend their lives trying to be perfect and are in a constant battle with trying to hide their flaws, but I embrace mine. I’m never on time to anything, I’m stubborn as hell, and I procrastinate more than anybody I know. My attitude shows when I’m upset, I have a tendency to be a brat sometimes, and I like to do things my way. I don’t try to cover up these things about myself because they’re all apart of who I am.

I don’t have the desire to be eye candy, I strive to be soul food.