Shoulders back, don't look at the ground, walk like you mean business. Words that run through my mind like a life anthem. As a young girl, I was told that confidence is one of the major keys to success, and, to this day, I believe that people, who are more confident, will be more successful. Don't be mistaken- I am not saying that those who struggle with a little self doubt will not be successful in their lives; they just may be forced to take a different path than those that know what it means to believe in themselves. With this confidence comes ownership of one's flaws and the knowledge that taking responsibility for one's actions is the only route to take. So what happens when we arrive at that famous crossroad between deciding if we want to own up to our flaws or continue to force them on the conscience of others?

After an eight month manipulative relationship ended, I thought that I would have felt like a free woman, ready to take on life's exhilarating turns. This was furthest from the truth. You see, I had allowed myself to be the victim for so long that I had forgotten what it meant to take ownership. I blamed him for my disdain of myself, my lack in my ability for being able to get a hold over my school work, and for the thoughts that I would be stuck in meaningless relationships, only to find myself once again a victim. I blamed him for my distance towards my family and my inability to produce a convincing smile. His absence in making a girl feel like a queen was, and I assume still is, his own shortcoming, not mine.

While I let him fill my head with the thoughts that I was not good enough for something better, I had allowed myself to become the permanent victim. Yes, he is not without fault for some of the things that occurred in our relationship, but I take responsibility for letting a boy come between me and my self-worth. We are the creators of every situation that we choose to place ourselves in.

Shoulders back, don't look at the ground, walk like you mean business.